Cultural-developmental tasks and adolescent development: theoretical and methodological considerations

The focus of this paper is to clarify the oft-used concept of developmental tasks and place it within a cultural context. The role of "cultural-developmental" tasks in the development and modification of the adolescent's social-cognitive functioning is discussed, as are the respective roles of both individual and contextual-environmental factors in the production of these competencies. A theory which includes the individual's activity as an essential mediator between the individual and the context is outlined. Preliminary research supporting this view is then presented. Finally, some possibilities for assessing cultural-developmental tasks (from the adolescent's point of view) are discussed.