Attempting to determine how best to investigate the developmental consequences of social change, this talk discusses and comments on (1) recent research on the family as a world in which children grow up; in particular, the shift away from focusing upon the mother-child relationship as the influence of overwhelming importance in early childhood to an exploration of the mutual influence of family relationships; (2) the issue of change/stress within and upon the family as an influence on children's development; (3) recent research into the links between women's own experiences as children and their parenting behavior; and (4) which strategies are the most sensitive and appropriate for investigating these issues in other contexts. (RH)