Strolling Through Budapest: On the Outside Looking In

A few years back, my wife and I enjoyed a wonderful visit to Budapest—iconic city with an extraordinary history. Originally a Celtic settlement, Budapest became part of the Roman Empire and was later devastated by the Mongols. The city was a major player in the Renaissance, followed by more than a century under Ottoman rule. As the Austro-Hungarian Empire emerged, Budapest became the capital. It was at the center of the Hungarian Revolution and suffered greatly at the end of World War I. While it was under the occupation of the Nazis in World War II, it suffered intense Allied bombing. At the end of the war, it came under the control of the Soviet Union, from which it emerged in the last decade of the twentieth century to pursue a more democratic and capitalistic agenda. Budapest is a beautiful city that has enjoyed periods of prosperity and artistic greatness and periods of chaos and decimation. As one walks the streets of Budapest, one simultaneously experiences the splendors of the city and the cacophony of its extraordinary history. Strolling through the city streets, it was impossible not to notice the juxtaposition of a wondrous building side by side a building that seemed less well kempt. In the space of an afternoon, we saw Romanesque, Gothic, Byzantine, Renaissance, and postmodern buildings, as well as a proliferation of museums and monuments that varied in both style and agenda. As a visitor, I often found myself wondering exactly what set of events and circumstances gave rise to the affordances present in particular spots throughout Budapest and what its future might be. In a number of ways, I had the same reaction to the set of studies in this issue (and to the broader canon of studies that they represent). The research in this issue is compelling in many ways but it also reflects a sense of divisiveness—and incompleteness.

A statement early in the article by Bocknek and colleagues captures the essence of the set of studies presented in this issue: “A consistent body of literature describes self-regulation as developing in the context of supportive relationships with primary caregivers” (p. XX). It captures the essence in the sense that all of the authors represented in this special issue state that context (most particularly the parenting context) matters with regard to the development of young children. Ironically, it also captures the essence in the sense that the focus is on a single aspect of children’s behavior (self-regulation) rather than on child development as an integrated whole. To a degree, this criticism is unfair in that one does not expect scholars to constantly address everything in a single study, but it pertains to the point that research is often weaker for not considering the whole when studying the parts. According to Cunha and Heckman (2007), the development of self-regulatory competence is part of an overall self-productivity function that includes other skills. Indeed, the best context for promoting self-regulation is a context that promotes other competencies, as well. By not considering these other skills and the broader contextual affordances that promote them, one might misinterpret findings based on the narrower band of skills and contextual affordances, and one might offer less than optimal advice pertaining to parenting and children’s development. In that regard, the more holistic approach to studying the effects of father–child activity by Bocknek et al. (one that included children’s performance in multiple domains) seems estimable. In my view it is consistent with Bowlby’s (1988) original ideas about attachment (i.e., a secure attachment would lead to both self-regulatory competence and an inclination to explore and engage the environment, thereby promoting other skills). The study of preterm toddlers by Delonis, Beeghly, and Irvin in this issue also speaks to the idea of unity in development from a very different vantage point. To be more specific, children born preterm often display a number of different developmental challenges. Having multiple developmental problems can make it difficult not only for the child to develop good self-regulatory skills but...