About the Institute
A home for collaborations and interdisciplinary work from the beginning
The Institute of Child Development (Department of Child Psychology) at the University of Minnesota has been a premier center of scholarship, teaching, and outreach devoted to the understanding and fostering of child development since it was founded in 1925. Coursework and research activities focus primarily on the central cognitive, social, emotional, and psychological processes that underlie the development of infants, children, and youth. From its inception, a key tenet of the Institute has been to "give away" child psychology. This philosophy has created an environment rich with collaborations, new ideas, and exciting interdisciplinary work.
Early childhood education has been linked to the efforts of the Institute since its beginning. The Shirley G. Moore Laboratory School, also in operation since 1925, is housed at the Institute. The Shirley G. Moore Laboratory Nursery School provides model training experiences for teachers of young children at both graduate and undergraduate levels and serves as an active center of child study and research.
The Institute has provided growing space for several centers as they developed, among them the Children, Youth and Family Consortium (CYFC), the Center for Early Education and Development (CEED), and the Irving B. Harris Training Center for Infant and Toddler Development, now a component of CEED (Harris Programs). In addition, Institute faculty have been deeply involved in the creation of both the Center for Cognitive Sciences (CCS) and the Center for Neurobehavioral Development (CNBD). See affiliated sites and affiliated programs for more information.
History and scope
One of the oldest centers for the study of children's development in the United States, the Institute was organized in 1925 with the aid of funds from the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial in New York. Founded in the belief that the scientific study of child development was essential to the promotion of child welfare, the unit was established as an integral part of the University of Minnesota. Originally administered through the office of academic administration, the Institute has been a unit of the College of Education and Human Development since 1957.
Developmental
psychology is the cognate field underlying most of the Institute's activities. An
intensive recruitment effort was conducted during the 1960s under the leadership
of Harold Stevenson to enhance the strength of the unit in three main areas: cognitive
development, perceptual development, and interpersonal development. Recruitment
in the 1970s under Willard Hartup's leadership consolidated and extended these earlier
gains without changing the major emphases in research and training. Appointments
under Andrew Collins most notably strengthened Institute offerings in developmental
psychopathology and cognitive neuroscience, and applications of research in clinical
and public policy settings. Richard Weinberg has been instrumental in strengthening
the undergraduate program, increasing cooperation with other academic units, and
extending efforts toward dissemination and applications of research.
Strong interest has been expressed in "theoretical integration" during recent years. Such integration is evidenced in formal seminars, collaborative studies, and broad theoretical restructurings but also by increasingly integrative attacks on specific research problems. Thus, some current explorations include the linkages between biological or neurological aspects of emotional expression, cognitive activity and social behavior, language and cognition, cognitive and affective problems, and perception and experience. Evolutionary perspectives on both intellectual and social behavior have made a significant impact on contemporary work throughout the Institute.
The instructional program in developmental psychology dates from 1925-1926 when the first courses, both undergraduate and graduate, were offered by John E. Anderson and Florence L. Goodenough. Teaching responsibilities currently stand at a high level with resources of the Institute available to students throughout the University. The undergraduate major in child psychology has been offered in the College of Liberal Arts since 1955 and, in 1993, was the fifth largest major in the College.
The
first Ph.D. degrees were awarded in 1928 to Dorothea McCarthy and Esther McGinnis.
By July 31, 2008, 400 doctorates had been earned in child psychology, more than
two-thirds
completed since 1973. Although the emphasis in graduate training continues to be
preparation at the Ph.D. level, an increasing number of students now choose to complete
requirements for the master's degree as they proceed to the doctorate.
Early childhood education has been linked to the efforts of the Institute since its beginning. The Shirley G. Moore Laboratory School, widely known as a research laboratory and a center for the training of early childhood educators, has been in operation since October 1925. Professor Moore was director of the school from 1960-1973 and it was named in her honor at the time of her retirement in June 1987. The Center for Early Education and Development, an interdepartmental academic unit devoted to innovative programs of training and research in early childhood education, was attached for purposes of administration from 1973 to this past year.
ICD Biennial Reports
2005-2007 Biennial Report
This Biennial Report describes the Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota, including its personnel and programs, and summarizes the activities and attainments of the most recent biennium (July 2005 to June 2007). It documents research and dissemination efforts with reports of faculty research projects, descriptions of instructional and professional activities, and list of research presentations and publications.
To request a paper copy of the full report, contact Delores Mordorski at mordo001@umn.edu or 612-624-0317. You can also download a condensed version here or by clicking the image on the right.