Continuity
In psychology, continuity refers to a continuous, gradual developmental process or an enduring sense of self and consistency across time. The term appears in two primary contexts:
Continuous vs. Discontinuous Development: In developmental psychology, continuity refers to the idea that development is a smooth, gradual process, where skills and abilities change incrementally rather than in distinct, qualitative stages. This is in contrast to discontinuous development, which posits that development occurs through a series of distinct stages.
Psychological Continuity: This refers to the enduring connection of our beliefs, memories, values, and personality patterns over time. It describes the feeling of being the same person through different life experiences, as our internal world maintains a consistent sense of self.
Key aspects of continuity in psychology:
Gradual change: The core idea of continuous development is that changes occur slowly and incrementally, like a steady increase in height or skill.
Consistency: Psychological continuity emphasizes the persistence of core personality traits, beliefs, values, and emotional patterns across different life stages.
Contrast with stages: This concept directly contrasts with stage theories (e.g., Piaget’s stages of cognitive development), which view development as occurring in distinct, qualitative steps.
Examples:
Continuous development: A child’s growth in height is an example of continuous, quantitative change, where the changes are gradual and numerical
Psychological continuity: Feeling like the same person from childhood to adulthood, despite life changes, is an example of psychological continuity, where beliefs, memories, and values create an enduring sense of self.
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[1] https://fiveable.me/key-terms/ap-psych/continuity-theory
[2] https://lifestyle.sustainability-directory.com/term/psychological-continuity/