Study Guide - Softcover

Berk, Laura E.; Churchill

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0205168612 ISBN 13: 9780205168613

Publisher: Pearson, 1995

Synopsis

From before birth through early childhood, there is much emphasis on the biological influences which govern a child's development. The formative years are marked by a focus on health, nutrition, and milestones. But by the time children are making the transition from childhood to adolescence, the concern of most caregivers shifts primarily to the child's environment. Who does s/he socialize with? How does s/he perform in school? Laura Berk, renowned professor, researcher and authority in the field of child development, has updated this best-selling child development book with a heightened emphasis on these combined influences of biology and environment in child development. In her signature storytelling style, Berk presents for each section a "cast of characters" based on real children and families, artfully using these characters and their "stories" to illustrate the sequence and processes of child development. In addition to its engaging style, this book provides numerous vignettes to engage readers and foster real-life connections. Milestone tables summarize major physical, cognitive, language, and emotional and social developments for each age span. Treatment of social, cultural, and biological issues -- such as poverty, ethics in research, public policy, and the interplay of biology and environment -- and their impact on child development has been expanded, along with issues of family diversity, such as adoptive families, single-parent families, blended families, and parental employment. Psychologists, child care workers, educators, and parents.

About this title

From the Back Cover

“Writing Style: Fabulous! Information in these chapters is consistently presented in a clear, concise style. The reader is very much 'involved' in the material.”
Deb Gural, Red River College

“I particularly appreciate Berk's inclusion of multicultural perspectives. It is important to help students, particularly those who are just beginning their professional preparation, to put what we know about young children and their development into a cultural context. This text does that masterfully with words AND with pictures. ”
Nancy Freeman, University of South Carolina

“The thing that I am most impressed with is the examples the author uses. I found that often I had new insights in to child development issues even though I have been teaching and working in the field for years. These insights were so well thought out that I think that they would be very helpful students when learning the material. ”
John Prange, Irvine Valley College

“As always, Berk provides a comprehensive discussion of developmental issues. What I appreciate is that the text provides good coverage of areas that are often neglected by other texts (especially applied developmental issues). ”
Deborah Laible, Southern Methodist University

“The author's writing style is very engrossing. She is exceptionally accomplished in her knowledge of developmental psychology. I think her writing will be easy for my students to follow. ”
Algea Harrison, Oakland University

“The writing level of this text is exemplary! The integration of research findings and "plain language" explanations allows the students to interact seamlessly with the text... This is a wonderfully comprehensive and intelligent resource. ”
Matthew DiCintio, Delaware County Community College

“I really enjoyed the writing style used by the author. I particularly liked the way that the story from the beginning of the chapter was woven throughout all the sections of each chapter. In addition, using the same characters in subsequent chapters really pulled together the links between developmental domains. ”
Lynn Caruso, Seneca College "I think if a student feels the material he will know it. The value of the Ask Yourself sections is monumental." John Prange, Irvine Valley College

About the Author

Berk has published widely on the effects of school environments on children’s development, the development of private speech, and most recently, the role of make-believe play in development. Her research has been funded by the U.S. Office of Education and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. It has appeared in many prominent journals, including Child Development, Developmental Psychology, Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, Development and Psychopathology, and Early Childhood Research Quarterly. Her empirical studies have attracted the attention of the general public, leading to contributions to Psychology Today and Scientific American.

 

Berk has served as research editor for Young Children and consulting editor for Early Childhood Research Quarterly and the Journal of Cognitive Education and Psychology. She is a frequent contributor to edited volumes on early childhood development, having recently authored chapters on the importance of parenting, on make-believe play and self-regulation, and on the kindergarten child. She has also written the chapter on development for The Many Faces of Psychological Research in the Twenty-First Century (Society for the Teaching of Psychology), the chapter on social development for The Chicago Companion to the Child, the article on Vygotsky for the Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science, and the chapter on storytelling as a teaching strategy for Voices of Experience: Memorable Talks from the National Institute on the Teaching of Psychology (Association for Psychological Science). Berk’s books include Private Speech: From Social Interaction to Self-Regulation, Scaffolding Children’s Learning: Vygotsky and Early Childhood Education, and Landscapes of Development: An Anthology of Readings. In addition to Infants, Children, and Adolescents, she is author of the best-selling texts Child Development and Development Through the Lifespan, published by Allyn and Bacon. Her book for parents and teachers is Awakening Children’s Minds: How Parents and Teachers Can Make a Difference.

 

Berk is active in work for children’s causes. In addition to service in her home community, she is a member of the national board of directors of Jumpstart, a nonprofit organization that provides early literacy intervention to thousands of low-income preschoolers across the United States, using college and university students as interveners. Berk is a fellow of the American Psychological Association, Division, 7: Developmental Psychology.

Edition details

• Publisher: Pearson
• Publication date: 1995
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0205168612
• ISBN 13: 9780205168613
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 704