ABSTRACT
The young and the old are themselves distinct cultures, and distinctly different laws and regulations govern each of these groups within all societies. Most cross-cultural studies focus on individuals in the spectrum from late adolescence through middle adulthood. The elderly are especially viewed as subjects for medical or psychotherapeutic intervention rather than a group of vibrant and autonomous individuals. There are voluminous sources for developmental psychological issues across cultures; consult the most current culturally oriented textbooks for these. For contrast with the research literature, which often focuses on children in relatively safe and affluent environments, directly examine lives of children on the edge. An exercise might be designed around adaptive technology, for instance, for driving, and the relative availability of such assistive devices worldwide could be explored.
