cViews of children's psychological development have varied widely over the course of history, and still vary across cultures and political regimes. Having started from a philosophical perspective, with Locke's notion of a 'tabula rasa' and Rousseau's idea of innate qualities, the debate about mechanisms of child development has become a field of scientific endeavour that has grown dramatically in recent years.



David Messer and Julie Dockrell bring together both classic papers and more recent publications which have already had an impact. Providing a balance of...