Children's Understanding of Society

Martyn Barrett, Eithne Buchanan-Barrow

• M. Barrett, E. Buchanan-Barrow, Emergent themes in the study of children’s understanding of society. E. Buchanan-Barrow, Children’s understanding of the school . P. Webley, Children’s understanding of economics . A.E. Berti, Children’s understanding of politics . S.J. Ceci, F.A. Markle, Y.J. Chae, Children’s understanding of the law and legal processes . K. Durkin, Children’s understanding of gender roles in society . N. Elmer, J. Dickinson, Children’s understanding of social class and occupational groupings . L.A. Hirschfield, Children’s understanding of racial groups . A.L. Coco, C. Inguglia, U. Pace, Children’s understanding of ethnic belonging and the development of ethnic attitudes . M. Barrett, Children’s understanding of, and feelings about, countries and national groups . G. Hatano, K. Takahashi, The development of social cognition: A commentary .

'The book provides a superb summary of the widely dispersed research in this domain. It also provides an insight into how psychologists conceive of children's relation to society. Children's Understanding of Society opens with a valuable overview of, both the field in general and the book in particular. Indeed, as a summary of the volume, it is judicious, perceptive, and resists the temptation to eulogise.This book is a rich source of empirical reviews, theoretical analysis, and commentary on the field. It will serve as an invaluable reference for those interested in social-cognitive development. Moreover, given its lucidity and accessibility, it will prove an attractive teaching resource. This book provides many clear signposts to future research, and collectively, the chapters make a strong case for the study of children's understanding of society. As such, this is a volume that merits the attention of social developmentalists.' - Mark Bennett, University of Dundee