Social Development

Social Development provides a comprehensive introduction to the multiple factors that shape a child’s behavior, interaction with others, feelings about themselves, and how and why behaviors change over time. Delving into the biological, cognitive, and perceptual aspects of development and their influence on behavior, socialization, and self-image, this text also recognizes the significance of cultural and societal distinctions by emphasizing the value of context and identifying cultural variation’s role in social development.

Special pedagogical features in each chapter enhance the learning experience and promote student understanding: counter-intuitive examples cases challenge reader assumptions, coverage of extreme cases tell the story behind historical advancements, and profiles of current leaders in the field highlight the many paths to a career in social development. With a focus on real-world application, coupled with coverage of cutting-edge methodologies and the latest research findings, this book gives students a strong, highly relevant foundation in core concepts and practices central to the study of social development.

Ross D. Parke is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology, Emeritus and past Director of the Center for Family Studies at the University of California, Riverside. He also taught at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and at the University of Wisconsin.

Glenn I. Roisman is a Distinguished McKnight University Professor of Child Psychology and the Director of Undergraduate Studies at the Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota.

Amanda J. Rose is a Professor of Psychological Sciences at the University of Missouri. She received her doctorate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1999 and did her undergraduate work at The Ohio State University.