The final DSG of the semester will feature a talk by Raquael Joiner titled "Transformational Change Processes: The beginning stages of a dissertation" (Abstract below).
Change is an inevitable part of life. Some changes are smooth and continuous, building up incrementally over time; whereas, others are erratic and somewhat chaotic, happening rather suddenly. The premise of this talk is on the later form of change—transformational change processes. According to systems theories, major biological restructurings (e.g., puberty) and critical life events (e.g., bereavement) produce rapid, unstable changes that eventually stabilize into new, more complex patterns of functioning. Transformational change processes resulting from major biological restructuring are most often normative, age-graded processes that can be more readily pinpointed and depicted in real time. Critical life events, however, are largely comprised of 1) happenings that are loosely associated with age and 2) nonnormative life events. Consequently, transformational change resulting from critical life events are more difficult to portray in real time. Traditional methods used to capture developmental processes and outcomes during these critical life junctures will be presented and a novel approach to catch these life events in real time will be proposed.
DSG meets on Tuesdays 3:30-4:45 in Corbett 378. All are welcome to attend!