How are we to understand the complex forces that shape human behavior? A variety of diverse perspectives, drawing upon studies of human behavioral ontogeny, as well as humanity's evolutionary heri- tage, seem to provide the best likelihood of success. It is in the attempt to synthesize such potentially disparate approaches to human develop- ment into an integrated whole that we undertake this series on the Genesis of Behavior. In many respects, the incredible burgeoning of research in child development over the last decade or two seems like a thousand lines of inquiry spreading outward in an...

How are we to understand the complex forces that shape human behavior? A variety of diverse perspectives, drawing upon studies of human behavioral ontogeny, as well as humanity's evolutionary herit- age seem to provide the best likelihood of success. It is in the attempt to synthesize such potentially disparate approaches to human develop- ment into an integrated whole that we undertake this series on the Genesis of Behavior. In many respects, the incredible burgeoning of research in child development the last or like a lines over decade two seems thousand of inquiry spreading outward in an...

A preface is an excellent opportunity for an editor to speak directly to the reader and share with him the goals, hopes, struggles, and produc tion of a volume such as this. It seems to me that I have an important obligation to tell you the origins of this volume. This is no idle chatter, but rather an integral part of scientific inquiry. It is important before delving into content, theory, and methodology to talk about motivation, values, and goals. Indeed, it is always necessary to explicate from the very beginning of any intellectual and scientific inquiry the implicit assumptions...