Applied Child Study: A Developmental Approach

The importance of the development and upbringing of children has been recognized since the era of Plato. We have often used the study of children to help us better understand ourselves and our society. In this second edition, basic theories of learning and development are outlined and applied to dimensions of children's social, cognitive, and linguistic development. Pellegrini takes his readers through some of the main issues in studying development, and then introduces a range of research methods, such as observational methodology which can be used to describe typical behavior patterns of young children. The author also highlights the advantages and shortcomings of each approach; for example, how experimental research has benefits in the control achieved, but is also lacking in terms of ecological validity. Both qualitative (ethological and ethnographic) and quantitative (tests and experiments) methods of studying children are discussed, broadening the scope even further for those involved in child study.

...there is no question that the time is ripe for a book like Pellegrini and Bjorklund's Applied Child Study that attempts to remarry research and practice. In fact the time is long overdue for us to return--at least in part--to our roots and to find ways to apply first-rate methodological techniques to the study of real-world problems. This book joins a host of others in demonstrating the power that science can exert in informing policy decisions. It also helps to take the negative connotation off of those who wish to conduct scientific studies on issues that are in the public forum. A book like this is desperately needed in the field.
—Contemporary Psychology

...in providing excellent coverage of the research, this book indirectly sheds light on the nature of true memory and the implications that research has for clinicians working with the recollection of experienced events, including traumatic events.
—Metapsychology