Theoretical ArticleOpen Access
Toward a Definition of Developmental Science
Fredah Mainah, PhD[0009-0009-7949-523X]
SPIRAL With Fredah LLC
Journal
Journal of Developmental Science
Volume/Issue
Vol. 1, No. 1 (2026)
Pages
pp. 9–11
Abstract
This article proposes a formal definition of Developmental Science as an integrative, lifespan-oriented discipline dedicated to understanding the processes, conditions, and contexts of human growth and transformation. The author reviews existing definitions from adjacent fields, identifies the conceptual gaps that motivate a new disciplinary formation, and proposes a set of defining characteristics that distinguish Developmental Science from developmental psychology, organizational science, and related fields.
Further Reading
Works for further study on the themes of this article.
- Lerner, R. M. (2007). Developmental science, developmental systems, and contemporary theories of human development. In Handbook of Child Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470147658.chpsy0101
- Lerner, R. M., & Castellino, D. R. (2002). Contemporary developmental theory and adolescence: Developmental systems and applied developmental science. Journal of Adolescent Health, 31(6), 122-135. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1054-139X(02)00495-0
- Overton, W. F. (2007). A coherent metatheory for dynamic systems: Relational organicism-contextualism. Human Development, 50(2-3), 154-159. https://doi.org/10.1159/000100944
- Overton, W. F. (2015). Processes, relations, and relational-developmental-systems. In Handbook of Child Psychology and Developmental Science (pp. 1-54). https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118963418.childpsy102
- Overton, W. F., & Lerner, R. M. (2012). Relational developmental systems: A paradigm for developmental science in the postgenomic era. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 35(5), 375-376. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X12001082
- Wang, J., Batanova, M., Ferris, K. A., et al. (2016). Character development within the relational developmental systems metatheory: A view of the issues. Research in Human Development, 13(2), 91-96. https://doi.org/10.1080/15427609.2016.1165932
- Witherington, D. C. (2007). The dynamic systems approach as metatheory for developmental psychology. Human Development, 50(2-3), 127-153. https://doi.org/10.1159/000100943
Books by Our Authors
Titles by the authors of this issue and by the press's founder.
- Fredah Mainah, PhD. The Architecture of Self-Leadership: Signals, Patterns, and the SPIRAL Practice of Conscious Living. SPIRAL Academic Press. ISBN 9798997881948.
- Fredah Mainah, PhD. Ancient Meditation Technologies: A Spiral-Reflective Process on how to experience a more balanced life. Independently published. ISBN (none printed).
Keywords
developmental sciencedefinitiondiscipline formationhuman developmentlifespanintegrative science