Teams Do It Better!

Abstract

The author proposes that interdisciplinarity and respectful team science become the norm for studying human development. This is not as simple a wish as it may seem because we tend to be trained in a single discipline. We tend to know much less about the theory, methods, and findings of other disciplines. We often respect them less and minimize their contributions. It is now abundantly clear, however, that humans develop on multiple levels. Human development occurs from neurons to neighborhoods, cells to societies, and genes to geography. It is fundamentally evident that every level influences the others and all combine to constitute human development. Although we may specialize, certainly a reasonable personal choice, it is critical to recognize and respect the contributions of other disciplines to the study of human development. This may best be achieved by recognizing the contributions of other disciplines and working in multidisciplinary teams.

Additional information

Funding

Preparation of this article was supported in part by a grant from the National Institute on Aging (AG045423).