Applications of Psychological Safety to Developmental Science: Reflections and Recommendations for Next Steps

Abstract

This commentary reviews and synthesizes the work of this special issue on psychological safety. At its core, psychological safety stems from a combination of individual attributes and contextual conditions that combine to produce moments in which individuals perceive their own agency and show willingness to take risks, grow, and change. This commentary reflects upon the contributions of the articles in this special issue, describes why bringing a developmental perspective to the study of psychological safety may be particularly valuable, and suggests challenges and opportunities for future work on psychological safety.