Given the breadth of topics in child development (such as the ones represented in this encyclopedia), it has become easier and more efficient to tackle different research topics separately and in parallel rather than trying to understand everything all at once. As a result, research areas in child development, and for science in general, typically remain segregated. There has been tremendous progress in each research area, such as cognition, motor, social, and emotional development. Despite the efficiency [Page 490]of such scientific inquiry, this segregated method of inquiry creates what some refer to as a “humpty dumpty” problem.

In other words, many aspects of development are studied in isolation. In real life, development progresses as a system, where many aspects interact in useful and interesting ways. Therefore, ...