A model of the process through which individuals adapt to their environment across the life span is presented. The model illustrates how contextual and individual characteristics affect an individual's performance on an activity through their effects on how the individual defines the activity. Empirical support for the model is presented based on results from a life span study of everyday experiences and problems, and from a number of laboratory-based studies. The model and research emanating from the model suggests that what may appear to be developmental and individual differences in components of the problem-solving process may be explained by individual differences in activity definitions.
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