This volume addresses how the study of social development has been altered by an emphasis on research questions and techniques for studying children and adolescents in the context of their significant dyadic relationships. Leading scholars - many of them pioneers in the concepts and methods of dyadic research - have contributed chapters in which they both report findings from recent research and reflect on the implications for developmental psychology. Their work encompasses studies of relationships with parents, siblings, friends and romantic partners. Opening chapters set the stage by describing the key characteristics of social-development research from a dyadic perspective and outlining key themes and contemporary issues in the field. The volume concludes with commentaries from distinguished senior scholars identifying important directions for future research. This volume was produced as part of the Minnesota Symposia on Child Psychology Series - a widely known and respected series that choses a different topic for each volume.
This particular volume was chosen in part because of the rapidly growing salience of dyadic research perspective in developmental psychology, but also in social psychology and in fields such as communication and family studies. It provides a representation of current theory and research on the significance of personal relationships in child and adolescent development.