Plasticity

For at least a century, the term plasticity has been used in a variety of circumstances pertaining to the scholarly study of human development. Although varying in certain conceptual aspects and practical applications, the fundamental meaning of the term may be found in its numerous appearances across several developmental literatures and historical decades. In its most enduring and generalized sense, plasticity refers to the capability of, or susceptibility to, being molded, shaped, modified, or otherwise changed. As such, the concept of plasticity has occupied important positions in theories of ontogenetic development, phylogenetic evolution, neuronal development and adaptation, and psychological aging. This article focuses on the latter two areas of scholarship.