The Dynamic Systems Approach as Metatheory for Developmental Psychology

Abstract

The dynamic systems perspective has been touted as an integrative metatheoretical framework for the study of stability and change in development. However, two dynamic systems camps exist with respect to the role higher-order form, once emergent, plays in the process of development. This paper evaluates these two camps in terms of the overarching world views they embody. Some dynamic systems proponents ground their conceptualization of development in pure contextualist terms by privileging the here-and-now in the explanation of development, whereas other proponents adopt an integration of organismic and contextualist world views by considering both local context and higher-order form in their explanatory accounts. These different ontological premises affect how each camp views the process of self-organization, the principle of circular causality and the very nature of explanation in developmental science.

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) as an Emergent System: A Dynamic Systems Theory Perspective

“…Dynamic systems theory (Overton 2006(Overton , 2007Overton & Ennis 2006;Witherington 2007Witherington , 2011Witherington , 2014 or developmental systems perspective (Lerner 2006) is one of the most viable and comprehensive meta-theoretical schemes in developmental science which cogently and coherently caters for concerns of describing, explaining, and optimizing the processual trajectory of human development over time. System philosophy 'reintegrates the concept of enduring universals with transient processes within a non-bifurcated, hierarchically differentiated realm of invariant systems, as the ultimate actualities of self-structuring nature' (Laszlo 1972, italics added).…”

“…Within disciplinary ambit of developmental science, DST is a unifying metatheory -a paradigmatic and overarching outlook about systems-based approaches and theories-for describing, explaining, and optimizing human development (Lerner 1978(Lerner , 1996(Lerner , 2006Lewis 2000;Lyra 2010;Witherington 2007Witherington , 2011Overton 2010). Further, DST purports to investigate time-dependent developmental trajectories of dynamic, complex, and selforganizing systems (Thelen & Smith 1994 Veer's (1993Veer's ( , 2014 enlightening reappraisal of the notion of ZPD, the principal thesis, maintains that ZPD is an emergent and dynamic system.…”

Critique des fondements et usages de l’écosystémie dans le domaine du partenariat école-famille-communauté : application d’une perspective contextuelle et socioculturelle dans le cadre du programme Famille, école, communauté, réussir ensemble

“…En lien avec les travaux réalisés par Reese et Overton (1970) 7 , la documentation scientifique renvoie généralement à trois métathéories : mécaniste, organiste et contextuelle 8 (Morris, 1997;Sameroff, 1983;Thomas, 1996;Witherington, 2007). Le dialectisme est associé au contextualisme; il s'inscrit plus particulièrement en extension de celui-ci (Overton, 1998).…”

“…Plus particulièrement, nous sollicitons les dynamic systems theory qui sont essentiellement caractérisées par le postulat d'une intégration dynamique entre les différentes composantes de l'écosystème (Smith et Thelen, 2003;Thelen, 2005;Witherington, 2007). Les systèmes sont considérés comme enchevêtrés et fusionnés entre eux.…”

Escala de desarrollo armónico. Una propuesta integradora para la evaluación del desarrollo infantil.

“…The aim of the theory of dynamic systems (Smith, 2009;Spencer et al, 2006;van Geert & Steenbeek, 2005;Witherington, 2007) is to describe and explain how relationships and exchanges at the low levels of organization of a system can produce qualitatively new states and properties at the higher levels. This theory can be applied to any complex system, including that of human development.…”