ABSTRACT
The last 40 years have seen many changes, from what were once considered global issues, such as population growth and environmental concerns, to the daily activities in which authors each engage. For example, in the United States, the young adult population living during the Watergate scandal has maintained a level and type of political skepticism different from those of the young adults of the Reagan era. The relationship between young children's access to self-selected material and their social and emotional development has yet to be studied. Therefore, it is difficult to predict the effects on typical development patterns in young children of the immediate access to and consumption of material that cuts across topics and age appropriateness. It also would be helpful for adults to learn some basic theory about human development, particularly as it pertains to the psychosocial development of gifted students. There are certain aspects of human development theory that are resistant to change over time.
