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Development can be understood as a series of universal developmental tasks that pattern the human life span. These developmental tasks evolved during the history of humankind, mainly to solve recurring adaptive problems. They are functionally related to each other in the sense that the solution of earlier tasks influences the solution of later developmental tasks. Thus developmental and biographical continuity emerge. The resulting developmental pathways, however, are not conceived of as being absolutely determined by the earlier influences. Developmental pathways are informed by earlier as well as concurrent influences. Plasticity, yet not unlimited, characterizes developmental pathways as well as continuity. Humans are equipped with a universal repertoire of behavioural predispositions in order to solve the developmental tasks. These predispositions are activated during focal developmental phases, when the solution of the developmental task becomes central for developmental progress. The solution must be contextually sensitive so that locally defined competencies result as a pattern that is adaptive in this context. In line with these considerations, different conceptions of competence and intelligence have been documented (Atran, Medin, & Ross, 2005; Keller, 2007; Sternberg & Grigorenko, 2004). These conceptions of competenc