My research focuses on the processes of development and adaptation from an evolutionary perspective, particularly as they relate to early childhood. Research on the family system has dealt with factors related to quality of attachment and it’s influence on subsequent social development, the dynamics of mutual control in the parent-child relationship, parenting stress and external risk and protective factors influencing the course of development. My research on peer relations has explored social structures, sex role development, friendships and the manner in which children balance cooperative and competitive behaviors in pursuit of resources. Studies emphasizing cognitive factors have investigated how children detect contingencies in the social environment and make inferences about other’s intentions, while research on emotion has examined the role of affect in the development of social competence, frustration tolerance, anxiety and social withdrawal.