The Legacy of Early Experiences in Development: Formalizing Alternative Models of How Early Experiences Are Carried Forward over Time

• Published in: Developmental psychology 2013-01, Vol.49 (1), p.109-126
• Main Authors: Fraley, R. Chris, Roisman, Glenn I, Haltigan, John D
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Academic achievement; Adolescent; Adolescents; Aggression; Attachment Behavior; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child care; Child Development; Childhood Development; Cognition; Cognitive ability; Cognitive Development; Competitive Behavior; Context Effect; Development; Developmental psychology; Developmentally Appropriate Practices; Differences; Early Experience; Educational Status; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Human; Human development; Humans; Interpersonal Competence; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Models, Psychological; Mother-Child Relations; Mothers; Opinions; Parent Child Relationship; Personal Autonomy; Psychologists; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Psychosocial Development; Reliability; Research Methodology; Role; Simulation; Social Behavior; Social competence; Social Development; Social Skills; Social Skills Rating System; Students - psychology; Young Children
• ISSN: 0012-1649; 1939-0599
• DOI: 10.1037/a0027852

Psychologists have long debated the role of early experience in social and cognitive development. However, traditional approaches to studying this issue are not well positioned to address this debate. The authors present simulations that indicate that the associations between early experiences and later outcomes should approach different asymptotic values across time, given alternative assumptions about the developmental significance of early experience. To test the predictions of alternative developmental models, the authors examine data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD) on maternal sensitivity in the first 3 years of life and its association with social competence and academic skills through age 15. Across multimethod, multi-informant outcome data, results suggest that there may be enduring effects of early caregiving experiences in both of these domains. (Contains 8 tables, 5 figures and 3 footnotes.)