development was conceived ordinarily as unidirectional (moving forward through maturation), so too were developmental influences. Adults influenced (‘socialized’) children, as their capacities expanded.
By implication, therefore, children were ‘shaped’ by their genes, their level of maturation, and their environment. They were generally not perceived as actors in their environment, except perhaps in relation to siblings and peers.
these attitudes were called into question in the 1970s, 80s and 90s...