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Abstract:
Boesch's conceptual and empirical emphasis has been on demonstrating the plasticity of behavior and behavioral development as evidenced in ecopsychological perspectives and intra- and intercultural comparisons. Two lines of research are reviewed to illustrate the power of an ecopsychological position for the study of development and aging: (1) cohort effect in behavioral development and (2) operantly based intervention effects in aging. Research on cohort effects shows large variability in the nature of development across generations in a variety of behaviors. Operant research in aging, contrary to widely held stereotypes about the fixedness and irreversibility of aging phenomena, has also produced persuasive evidence on variability and the plasticity of aging behavior. In addition, operant research has shown that operant psychology represents a model which, due to its focus on a systematic analysis of behavior-environment systems, is consistent with an ecopsychological position. The present evidence on the variability and plasticity of development and aging has significant implications, not only for theory construction in the field, but also for issues in social policy dealing with the aged.
