The systems view in modern Developmental Psychology: Fundamental concepts and principles

Developmental Psychology seems to have come to an unifying theoretical framework which may make feasible
to overcome the fragmentation so frequently referred to within the discipline. This is indicated by the widespread support
being given to the systems approach, enriched by dialectic and contextual postulates. In this article, we briefly review the
antecedents of this approach and explore its core concepts, indicating their roots and the precise way in which they are applied
to developmental analyses today. We also examine the implications of the systems approach for developmental investigation,
and its challenges.