ABSTRACT
All children grow up in the company of others. No child grows up in isolation, without human social contact. Every child’s development is shaped and modified by the environments of home, school and wider social contexts. However, theories of development vary widely in the emphasis they place on contributions made by either individuals, or the environment, to patterns of learning and behaviour. This is a reflection of the respective value placed by researchers on the characteristics and capabilities that individuals bring to learning, in contrast to the processes through which one person helps another to develop their skills and understanding.
