Life-Span Human Development (8th Edn)

Known for its clear, straightforward writing style, comprehensive coverage, strong and current research-based approach, and excellent visuals and tables, this life-span development text offers a topical organization at the chapter level and a consistent chronological presentation within each chapter. Each chapter focuses on a domain of development such as physical growth, cognition, or personality, and traces developmental trends and influences in that domain from infancy to old age. Within each chapter, you will find sections on four life stages: infancy, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. This unique organization enables students to comprehend the processes of transformation that occur in key areas of human development. Another staple of the text is its emphasis on theories and how they apply to specific topics in each chapter. This new edition also provides ways for you to engage more actively with the content, and includes a clear focus on the complex interactions of nature and nurture in development, more integrated coverage of culture and diversity, and an exciting new media package for both students and instructors.

Carol K. Sigelman is professor of psychology at George Washington University, where she also was an associate vice president for 13 years and department chair for four years. She previously served on the faculty at Texas Tech University, Eastern Kentucky University (where she won her college's outstanding teacher award) and the University of Arizona. In addition to teaching courses in child, adolescent, adult and life-span development, Dr. Sigelman has published research on the communication skills of individuals with developmental disabilities, the development of stigmatizing reactions to children and adolescents who are different, children's emerging understandings of diseases and psychological disorders, and parent-child communication at a distance in military families. A Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, she earned her bachelor’s degree from Carleton College and a double-major doctorate in English and psychology from George Peabody College for Teachers, now part of Vanderbilt University. For fun, she enjoys hiking, biking and discovering undiscovered movies.

Elizabeth A. Rider is professor of psychology, provost and senior vice president of academic affairs at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania. She previously served on the faculty at the University of North Carolina at Asheville. She has taught courses on child and life-span development, women and gender issues, applied developmental psychology, and genetic and environmental influences on development. Through a grant from the Pennsylvania State System for Higher Education, Dr. Rider studied factors associated with academic success. She has published research on children's and adults' spatial perception, orientation and ability to find their way, and she is the author of OUR VOICES (John Wiley & Sons), a text on the psychology of women. She earned her undergraduate degree from Gettysburg College and her doctorate from Vanderbilt University. When she is not working, she is busy with home and yard projects and two energetic dogs.