The life course perspective is a combination of psychological and sociological elements applied to human development. Three key premises of this perspective are: (1) characteristics of individuals and their social environment interact and result in change over the life course; (2) changes in the environment affect life course patterns of individuals or cohorts; and (3) the collective behavior of individuals results in changed institutional norms. The life course perspective embodies change and temporality in the transition to adulthood, contextual dynamics related to family and peers, cohort and longitudinal studies, and changes in educational and social policies to address youth issues. Further, the life course perspective sheds light on changing expectations and views of adolescents; enables pathways from adolescence to adulthood to be mapped for different policy periods; and permits such themes as social integration, maintenance of the status quo, and social transformation to be assessed in terms of societal directions. 90 references.