ABSTRACT
This chapter provides of the empirical literature on the social context of exploration. Coverage includes studies of children under the age of 8 or so, though studies of older children are mentioned when they are directly related to a particular theoretical issue. The chapter outlines some assumptions about the nature of exploration that will provide a foundation for the discussions of: the factors in the social environment that influence exploration; and social exploration. It focuses on relationship between dimensions of individual differences in exploration and social context. The chapter examines on documenting influences of parents, other adults, and peers on exploration. Children spend a great deal of time with peers in our culture. They encounter siblings, classmates, playmates, and other fellow travelers in homes, day cares, schools, play areas, and many other settings. The evidence pertaining to the relationship between exploration and its social context comes from a variety of sources.
