As articulated by Marc H. Bornstein, the Specificity Principle explains that specific outcomes in human development always involve coaction of specific individuals at specific times in specific places through specific processes. The articles in this Special Issue document contributions to developmental science through theory-predicated and methodologically rigorous and innovative research framed by the Specificity Principle. These articles illuminate some of the many ways in which the Specificity Principle improves research and applications aimed at advancing positive human development. The Specificity Principle encompasses diverse individuals, ontogenetic and historical periods, as well as national and cultural boundaries. It provides a regulative tenet that contrasts with nomothetic and/or variable-centered approaches to human development. It brings systematicity to the idiographic approach to human ontogeny by identifying individual and contextual conditions that promote specificity versus commonality in human development. As documented by the articles and commentary included in this Special Issue, the Specificity Principle underscores the ways in which each person can thrive across time and place and so enables developmental scientists to comprehensively describe, explain, predict, and enhance human development.

正如 Marc H. Bornstein 所阐明的那样，特异性原则解释说，人类发展的特定结果总是涉及特定个体在特定时间、特定地点通过特定过程的合作。本特刊中的文章记录了通过以特异性原则为框架的理论预测和方法论上严谨和创新的研究对发展科学的贡献。这些文章阐明了特异性原则改进旨在促进人类积极发展的研究和应用的许多方式中的一些。特异性原则包括不同的个体、个体发生和历史时期，以及国家和文化界限。它提供了与人类发展的规范和/或以变量为中心的方法形成对比的监管原则。它通过识别促进人类发展中的特异性与共性的个体和背景条件，为人类个体发育的具体方法带来系统性。正如本特刊中的文章和评论所记录的那样，特异性原则强调了每个人可以跨越时间和地点茁壮成长的方式，从而使发展科学家能够全面描述、解释、预测和促进人类发展。