ABSTRACT
As pointed out elsewhere in this volume, a holistic, interactional view is receiving increased attention. According to this view, the individual is seen in terms of a complex system, functioning and developing as a totality. The totality is formed by the ongoing interactions among the elements involved with each aspect achieving its meaning from the role it plays in the individual’s total functioning. An overview of the holistic interactional paradigm is given by Magnusson (chap. 3, this volume; see also Magnusson, 1985, 1996, 1998). The new developmental science takes this paradigm seriously as indicated by Cairns (chap. 4, this volume; see also Cairns, Elder, & Costello, 1996).
