The millennial challenge: Modelling the agentic self in context

Behindeverychallengeisanopportunity. Asamilestoneforbothsocietalandscientié c development, thenew millennium highlights thegrowing challengeof changeand diversity. Modelling theagentic selfincontextistheopportunityitreveals. Developmentalistscanseizethisopportunitybyincreasing ouremphasis onthreeaspectsofdevelopmentalresearch. First, developmental researchcanexamine the inè uence of context on development more aggressively to test the generality of developmental mechanisms. Second, developmental research can integrate an organismic perspective on human development more explicitly to account for the role of human agency in development. Third, developmental research can apply advanced statistical and analysis methods more sophisticatedly to effectively model the agentic self as it evolves across time and context. The term ' ' new millennium' ' often connotes fervent images of changeanduncertainty. Evencasual observationreinforcesthe notion that many (if not most) cultural, societal, social, and familial structures have dramatically transformed during the latter part of this century. Not surprisingly, thetrends indicate that we can expect continued diversié cation as we enter the next century (e.g., post-retirement lifestyles, familial constella- tions, educational choices, social norms, careerdirections, and so on will likely continue to become more varied and differentiated). Consequent to these changes, every phase of the lifespan will, of necessity, be faced with new and diverse challenges to successful development. At the same time, however, many of these deé ning features of society today— and tomorrow, as we traverse the millennial milestone— also reveal valuable opportunities for developmental psychology. As Iseeit, developmental psychologyis inauniqueposition to capitalise on the opportunities that the changing socio- cultural structures offer and, thereby make signié cant ad- vances, by focusing on three related themes. First, developmental psychology should examine the inè uence of context on development more aggressively (e.g., Bronfenbren-