The human lifespan provides an age-based timetable for the regulation of development. Individuals pursue different goals at different ages, and their behavior is restricted by biological and societal structures. Motivational and behavioral models of developmental regulation form the framework for research on the central processes of agency over the lifespan. Developmental regulation is organized along developmental goals, and success or failure depends largely on whether an individual’s goal selection is congruent with their developmental opportunities. The motivational theory of development over the lifespan conceptualizes processes of developmental regulation as a sequence of behavioral phases (goal selection, goal striving, and goal realization) with their own respective control strategies. These concepts have been subjected to a large number of empirical studies and continue to represent a promising field of research. © 2025 The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
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