ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses six articles that tie directly to concepts of developmental psychology in relation to Waldorf education. Christian Rittelmeyer's first essay summarizes that Steiner's understanding of a threefold organization of the human being into body, soul, and spirit integrates cognitive, emotional, volitional, and physical aspects and deserves further research. The next article by Albert Schmelzer tracks the critique leveled against Steiner's approach, primarily by Heiner Ullrich, Klaus Prange, Wolfgang Schneider, Ehrenhard Skiera, and Winfried Böhm, and sketches out issues that should be examined in the interest of a fruitful continuance of the discourse. Peter Loebell's article deals with the aspect of potential interfaces of Steiner's developmental psychology with newer research. His work asserts that concepts such as “the three bodies” and “members of being” create a protective shield against societal demands and premature pedagogic actions. Next, Walter Riethmüller embarks on discussing the most recent research on the first years of life up to preschool age, introducing the anthroposophical understanding of this life phase, while Axel Föller-Mancini's and Bettina Berger's article discusses development in middle childhood. Finally, Wenzel Götte's article reveals newer findings in neuroscience research that are significant for the field of pedagogic practice.
