Understanding the child in context : an ecological approach to child development

![CDATA[One of the most vigorous debates between developmental psychologists early in the twentieth century concerned the extent to which children are a product of their genetic makeup or the environment in which they grow up. This known as the 'Nature vs Nurture' debate. Psychologists asked: do children arrive in the world pre-programmed to look, live, and behave in certain ways based on their genetics ('nature' or biological determinism)? Or are children sponges, empty vessels ready to absorb the influences of people and places in their lives, to have their characters shaped and their world views influenced by those who raise them ('nurture' or social conditioning)? There are very few developmental psychologists who would now argue exclusively for either side of the debate. It is well understood that children are born with their own innate characteristics; however, these characteristics and their expression are influenced by the environments in which each child lives (Shonkoff & Phillips, 2000; Wexler, 2006). Rather than 'Nature vs Nurture', it is more accurate to understand the developing child in terms of 'Nature and Nurture' or 'Biology and Environment'. The focus of this book is on the interaction between a child and their environment or context. Throughout the chapters of this book, we explore averarching questions such as: How do the circumstances and social conditions of a child's life influence their learning, behaviour and growth: What aspects of their environment play a role in children's development? What role do children play in shaping their environments? Environments are dynamic and always shifting in response to global forces and the individuals (including children) that interact with them. For this reason it is not helpful to think of children as hapless victims of external forces. Children are critical actors in their own development and are engaged in decision making and influencing the environments in which they live (James & Prout, 1997; Matthews, 2007).]]