A Critical Developmental Approach to Studying Youth in Multispecies Contexts
1Brooklyn College, City University of New York, New York City, New York, USA.
Journal of Adolescence
|March 17, 2026
Summary
Adolescent development research often ignores non-human animals, misrepresenting youth experiences. A multispecies lens reveals how animal relationships shape adolescent development, challenging speciesism in developmental psychology.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Human-Animal Studies
- Adolescent Development
Background:
- Current adolescent development research is anthropocentric, overlooking the significant role of non-human animals in youth's lives.
- This anthropocentric focus creates a theoretical gap and misrepresents the multispecies reality of adolescent development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To advocate for a multispecies lens in developmental psychology to re-examine adolescence.
- To disrupt speciesism within human development studies and broaden the understanding of adolescence.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis and theoretical expansion of adolescent development theories.
- Proposing a framework for multispecies-inclusive developmental inquiry.
Main Results:
- Adopting a multispecies perspective challenges anthropocentric biases in developmental psychology.
- Recognizing non-human animals as social actors, centering youth voices, and understanding relational geographies are key starting points.
Conclusions:
- A multispecies approach offers a more ecologically grounded and accurate account of adolescent development.
- Integrating non-human animal relationships enriches our understanding of adolescence as a socially constructed phase.
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