ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book illustrates Myrtle B. McGraw's impressive range and sophisticated level of understanding about the neurobiology of development. It discusses McGraw's struggle to establish new methods of research in infant development during the 1930s and describes her impact on the author’s career. The book suggests why McGraw was misunderstood and examines her subsequent attempts to correct misinterpretations of her work. It explores the significance of George E. Coghill's neuroembryological concepts in McGraw and Arnold Gesell's experimental work, and identifies important but overlooked differences in their conceptions of child development. The book analyses McGraw's contribution to the field of psychobiology and examines the merits of the arguments she makes for the interdisciplinary study of developmental processes. It describes McGraw's research during her years at Briarcliff College to illustrate why she believed communication to be indispensable to infant development and learning processes.
