Final answer:
Moffitt's developmental taxonomy categorizes individuals into life-course-persistent and adolescence-limited trajectories based on their patterns of behavior. It helps explain the continuity or discontinuity of problem behaviors over time.
Step-by-step explanation:
Moffitt's developmental taxonomy is a theory that categorizes individuals into different developmental trajectories based on their patterns of behavior and adaptation. According to Moffitt, there are two primary types of developmental trajectories: life-course-persistent and adolescence-limited.
The life-course-persistent trajectory refers to individuals who engage in problem behaviors throughout their life, such as criminal activities. In contrast, the adolescence-limited trajectory refers to individuals who engage in problem behaviors only during adolescence and then desist as they transition into adulthood.
This taxonomy helps explain the different pathways of development and the factors that contribute to the continuity or discontinuity of problem behaviors over time.