The Making of Developmental Psychology

This chapter provides a synthesis of the historical foundations of developmental psychology. The roots of the developmental approach are traced from nineteenth-century concepts in psychology and allied disciplines (e.g., biology, developmental psychobiology, developmental psychopathology, ethology, and philosophy) to current perspectives of a holistic science of development. The genesis and contributions of major developmental theories are examined in relation to both their contemporary and historical contexts. James Mark Baldwin's pioneering developmental approaches bridging the study of social institutions (i.e., sociology) and individual functioning (i.e., psychology) are highlighted. Additional foundations of an integrative developmental science are explored in relation to the social applications of psychology. Keywords: developmental; foundations; history; psychology; science; theory