Developmental Science provides an account of the basic principles of the new developmental synthesis. A group of eminent scientists from social and biological sciences believes that a fresh, interdisciplinary orientation is required to achieve progress on critical issues of behavioral theory, method, and application. They formed the Carolina Consortium on Human Development in 1987 as an advanced institute for the study of development. This book is the outgrowth of this long term collaboration. In addition to the collaborative statement, individual chapters outline implications of the orientation for method and theory in traditional disciplines. The chapters address specific developmental issues, varying across time frames, methodologies, disciplines, cultures and even species. They provide an inside look at the basic issues that confront modern social and behavioral study of development, including its strengths and problems.