Recognizing Civic Engagement as a Critical Domain of Human Development

Abstract

Citizenship is a critically important area of adult functioning so that its development should be of much greater significance in developmental science. Furthermore, it provides a means of exploring a number of key issues in developmental science. It is a prime example of social cognition, and lends itself to examination of interesting issues about development itself and developmental processes. Because it results from lifelong socialization and is influenced by most childhood socialization factors such as families and schools, it offers a useful means of studying socialization. It varies across most indicators of youth diversity so can be a safe way of indexing the increasing heterogeneity of our youth. And it is both a contributor to and an expression of positive youth development, a powerful new approach to research and policy. In this regard, it provides a useful tool for investigating the development of human capital. It should be one of the most important topics in developmental science, not a side issue that only a few people study, that is not covered in child development texts, as is now the case. But attention is needed to the development of theory and measurement.