Подходы к выделению структуры психологического возраста и их объяснительно-описательный потенциал по отношению к старости

Культурно-историческая психология. 2011. № 3. С. 50–60.

Белорусец А. С., Фролов Ю. И.

The paper analyses different Russian theoretical approaches describing the structure of psychological developmental periods (ages) by L. S. Vygotsky, A. N. Leontiev, D. B. Elkonin, and a scheme based on the concept of «developmental task» proposed by R. Havighurst. The strong and weak points of these approaches are analysed. The criteriaof a universal scheme for all ages are formulated (exhaustiveness, consistency, methodological novelty). The authorsconclude that no such scheme has been created to date and propose an original scheme of age structure, constructed inaccordance with the proposed principles. The components of the age structure include developmental situation (thereasons for abandoning its social characteristic are discussed in detail), developmental tasks (the idea to develop anhierarchy of those tasks is proposed), leading activity, and new formations associated with each age period. Also considered is the place of the subject that develops within the proposed scheme. The scheme is applied to a specific devel󰀭opmental period of old age. Three different life paths in old age (involution, adaptation, and development) are differentiated based on relationship between the subject and the different elements of the psychological age period structure. Based on the example provided by these three paths, the psychological aging dynamics is analysed.

Keywords: старость, социальная ситуация развития, ведущая деятельность, задачи развития, old age, age structure, psychological age, leading activity, developmental situation, new formation, developmental tasks, age dynamics, developmental paths in old age, психологический возраст, структура возраста, новообразование, динамика возраста, траектории жизненного пути в старости