The History of Child Psychology as Seen through Handbook Analysis

Abstract

An analysis of handbooks of child psychology published from 1931 to 1983 was undertaken to assess various trends. There has been a striking increase in the number of words, chapters, authors cited, and mean references per chapter for each succeeding handbook. The shift away from descriptive content has continued, with growing emphasis on theoretical and analytical treatments. The latest volume also features metatheoretical analyses. The emphasis on cognition seen in the 1970s has diminished, resulting in a more diverse content. This diversity is organized by two unifying themes, developmentahsm, reflecting the shift from age-specific to general developmental analysis, and contextualism, reflecting both ecological approaches and the social and scientific contexts of developmental investigators. There is less emphasis on nomothetic theories, a move toward eclectic neofunctionalism, and a renewed emphasis on ethological or system approaches. The growing maturity of child psychology as a separate focus of study is highlighted by the inclusion of chapters on the history of the discipline in the most recent handbook.