The Role of Culture in Social Development Over the Lifespan: An Interpersonal Relations Approach

This article aims to illustrate the role of culture for individual development throughout the life span. First, theoretical approaches how culture affects the ontogenesis is presented, starting from early anthropological to recent eco-cultural and culture-informed approaches. Then, culture-specific conceptualizations of development over the life span are discussed, focusing on development in childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age. Finally, we concentrate on selected areas of social development and report on recent studies on subjective theories, transmissions of values, and intergenerational relations. These studies are discussed as aspects of a more extended interpersonal relations approach to development within culture.