They also try to explain the processes underlying developmental shifts. It is not enough, for example, to discover that infants and preschoolers have different styles of play or different intellectual abilities. Figuring out why children change as they mature is an integral part of understanding development. Finally, developmentalists try to predict how individuals will behave in the future. Accurate prediction enables psychologists to identify and help children who have cognitive, social, and emotional difficulties.
Developmental psychologists tend to specialize in a single aspect or domain of child psychology.
Some focus on the physical domain. These developmentalists might study the effects of nutrition on behavior or the similarities between early reflexes and walking. Others are more interested in cognitive functioning. They might study memory development or how children of different ages think about moral dilemmas. Still others concentrate on the emotional domain.