ABSTRACT
Implicit in the ecological conceptualization of human development is the assumption that neighborhood character istics engender a social context which influences the individ ual perceptions and attitudes that ultimately guide the behav ior of parents. Specifically, that neighborhood characteristics operate indirectly through the more proximal determinants of child development, such as parental perceptions of resources available, family social interaction, and parental competence. However, from an empirical point of view questions about how neighborhood context influences development remain unanswered.
