The Application Of Person-Oriented Approach In Developmental Psychology

In the study of individual development, the variable has been the major concepts and analysis unit. Most of the studies are based on variable-oriented. In the theory and statistical analysis, the variables are usually used as a central concept. However, from the holistic-interactionistic theory perspective, this approach has limitations. Therefore, the researchers developed the person-oriented analysis techniques.In 1971, Block was first put forward the"person approach"of the term. After that, Magnusson and Allen (1983) and Magnusson (1985) made a further discussion in the framework of the holistic-interactionistic perspective to"person approach". On this basis, Bergman and Magnusson developed the person-oriented analysis techniques. After that, on the one hand, an increasingly large number of empirical studies have been presented referring to the person-oriented analysis techniques, On the other hand, the theoretical basis of the person-oriented analysis technology has been deepened and the methodology and research strategy has been strengthened.The person-oriented approach is that identifying the characteristics mix pattern or developmental pattern, in order to obtain statistical results of individual. Four topics were introduced about the person-oriented approach: (1) the concept, background, brief history and significance of the person-oriented approach. (2) The theoretical basis of the person-oriented approach. (3) The basic propositions and assumptions of the person-oriented approach. (4) Application strategy of the person-oriented approach. Finally, the limits of current application and its'implications for future developmental psychology researches were discussed.