Concepts and Theories of Human Development

Front Cover
Psychology Press, May 13, 2013 - Psychology - 648 pages
A classic in the field, this third edition will continue to be the book of choice for advanced undergraduate and graduate-level courses in theories of human development in departments of psychology and human development. This volume has been substantially revised with an eye toward supporting applied developmental science and the developmental systems perspectives. Since the publication of the second edition, developmental systems theories have taken center stage in contemporary developmental science and have provided compelling alternatives to reductionist theoretical accounts having either a nature or nurture emphasis. As a consequence, a developmental systems orientation frames the presentation in this edition.


This new edition has been expanded substantially in comparison to the second edition. Special features include:
* A separate chapter focuses on the historical roots of concepts and theories of human development, on philosophical models of development, and on developmental contextualism.
* Two new chapters surrounding the discussion of developmental contextualism--one on developmental systems theories wherein several exemplars of such models are discussed and a corresponding chapter wherein key instances of such theories--life span, life course, bioecological, and action theoretical ones--are presented.
* A new chapter on cognition and development is included, contrasting systems' approaches to cognitive development with neo-nativist perspectives.
* A more differentiated treatment of nature-oriented theories of development is provided. There are separate chapters on behavior genetics, the controversy surrounding the study of the heritability of intelligence, work on the instinctual theory of Konrad Lorenz, and a new chapter on sociobiology.
* A new chapter concentrates on applied developmental science.
 

Contents

From NeoNativism
PREFACEtotheThirdEdition
Applied Developmental Science
Facts or Theory?
Aristotle384322 B C
The Emergence of Developmental
Conclusions
Philosophical Models of Development
Definitionsand Domains FeaturesofNeoNativism
The Kagan and MossStudy ofBirthtoMaturity The MethodsoftheKagan and Moss Study
Selection and Ethical Degeneration in Modern Civilization
Sociobiology
Levels of Integration and the Explanation of Cognitive
Results of the NYLS Temperamental Individuality in Infancyand Childhood
Stage Theories of Development
Overgeneralization

A Nurture Mechanistic Theory of Development
The Organismic Model
Conclusions The Contextual Model
Implications of the Question
HeredityEnvironmentDynamic Interactions Nature Effects Are Indirect
The ContinuityDiscontinuity Issue
Key Featuresof Effective YouthPrograms
Conclusions Applied Developmental Scienceandthe Future of American Civil
Relation ofConcepts ofDevelopmentto Stage Theories
References
Name Index
Subject Index

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