ABSTRACT
The earliest studies of children's development which occurred towards the close of the nineteenth century exhibited a biological orientation and were limited to simple, straightforward observations and descriptions of children's behaviour. Evolutionary theory was the revolutionary influence at this time and postulated levels of development of the mind and as a result, both British and European investigators concerned themselves with the development of the child's natural abilities, interests and outlook. The child's first mental experiences are purely affective, he is only aware of pleasure and pain; it takes him a long time to acquire the definite sensations which show him things outside himself, but before these things present and withdraw themselves, so to speak, from his sight, taking size and shape for him, the recurrence of evolutional experiences is beginning to subject the child to the rule of habit.
