Traditionally researchers have either proposed that the economic environment affects the development of individuals (the social causation perspective) or that human traits affect the individual’s economic environment (the social selection perspective). Conger and Donnellan (2007) argued that neither of these views adequately captures the dynamics of real life and proposed that individual traits and socioeconomic circumstances will be mutually influential in a transactional process (the interactionist perspective). In this talk, Research Affiliate Rand Conger reviews the interactionist theory and presents initial findings that evaluate theoretical hypotheses across three generations of family members.

About our speaker:
RAND CONGER is a Distinguished Professor of Human and Community Development and Psychology at UCD. His research focuses on social and economic stress, life course development, and  family interaction processes. Professor Conger is an affiliate of the Center for Poverty Research.