Vision

SRCD’s mission is rooted in an understanding of child development as an integrated part of lifelong development that takes place in complex and interrelated contexts. It is based on a belief that in order to create reliable, valid, and useful knowledge, developmental science must explore a diverse array of biological, cognitive, psychological, social, and cultural dimensions of development through rigorous scientific inquiry that uses multiple perspectives, methods, and levels of analysis. This task requires approaches that represent individual disciplinary traditions as well those that integrate multiple disciplines across a broad range of biological, behavioral, and social sciences. This task also requires diversity in all its forms—among the children, families, and communities who are studied; among the scientists who conduct this work; and among the students who are preparing to be future teachers, practitioners, and researchers.

Goals

1. 1.SRCD advances integrative developmental science by supporting diverse, global researchers, fostering innovation, collaboration, and cross-disciplinary communication, and nurturing scholars at all career stages to expand knowledge, methods, and contexts in human development research.
2. 2.SRCD will be a respected source of scientific knowledge about human development and about the application of this knowledge to policies and practices for improving human well-being.
3. 3.This goal entails improving the pipeline for new generations of scientists, increasing funding sources for developmental science, building technological infrastructure, and strengthening links among international societies and other institutions. This goal cannot be met by a single organization or country alone; rather, it requires strategic national and international collaboration.