Guidepost 1 What is child development, and how has its study evolved?

• Child development is the scientific study of processes of change and stability.
• The scientific study of child development began toward the end of the nineteenth century. Adolescence was not considered a separate phase of development until the twentieth century. The field of child development is now part of the study of the entire life span, or human development.
• Ways of studying child development are still evolving, making use of advanced technologies.
• The distinction between basic and applied research has become less meaningful.

Guidepost 2 What are the six fundamental points on which consensus has emerged?

• Consensus has emerged on several important points. These include (1) the interrelationship of domains of development, (2) the existence of a wide range of individual differences, (3) bidirectionality of influence, (4) the importance of history and culture, (5) children's potential for resilience, and (6) continuity of development throughout life.

Guidepost 3 What do developmental scientists study?

• Developmental scientists study developmental change, both quantitative and qualitative, as well as stability of personality and behavior.

Guidepost 4 What are three major aspects and five periods of child development?

• The three major domains, or aspects, of development are physical, cognitive, and psychosocial. Each affects the others.
• The concept of periods of development is a social construction. In this book, child development is divided into five periods: the prenatal period, infancy and toddlerhood, early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence. In each period, children have characteristic developmental needs and tasks.

Guidepost 5 What kinds of influences make one child different from another?

• Influences on development come from both heredity and environment. Many typical changes during childhood are related to maturation. Individual difference increase with age.
• In some societies, the nuclear family predominates; in others, the extended family.
• Socioeconomic status (SES) affects development processes and outcomes through the quality of home and neighborhood environments, of nutrition, medical care, supervision, and schooling. The most powerful neighborhood influences seem to be neighborhood income and human capital. Multiple risk factors increase the likelihood of poor outcomes.
• Important environmental influences stem from ethnicity, culture, and the historical context. In large, multiethnic societies, immigrant groups often acculturate to the majority culture while preserving aspects of their own.
• Influences may be normative (age-graded or history-graded) or nonnormative.
• There is evidence of critical periods for certain kinds of early development but, because most aspects of development show plasticity, the term sensitive periods may be more appropriate.