Encyclopedia of Human Development / Edition 1

by Neil J. Salkind

Overview

The Encyclopedia of Human Development is the first comprehensive, authoritative, and informative reference work that presents state-of-the-art research and ready-to-use facts from the fields of psychology, individual and family studies, and education in a way that is not too technical. With more than 600 entries, this three-volume Encyclopedia covers topics as diverse as adolescence, cognitive development, education, family, gender differences, identity, longitudinal research, personality development, prenatal development, temperament, and more.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781412904759
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	10/14/2005
Pages:	1616
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Neil J. Salkind received his Ph D in human development from the University of Maryland, and after teaching for 35 years at the University of Kansas, he was Professor Emeritus in the Department of Psychology and Research in Education, where he collaborated with colleagues and work with students. His early interests were in the area of children’s cognitive development, and after research in the areas of cognitive style and (what was then known as) hyperactivity, he was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of North Carolina’s Bush Center for Child and Family Policy. His work then changed direction to focus on child and family policy, specifically the impact of alternative forms of public support on various child and family outcomes. He delivered more than 150 professional papers and presentations; written more than 100 trade and textbooks; and is the author of Statistics for People Who (Think They) Hate Statistics (SAGE), Theories of Human Development (SAGE), and Exploring Research (Prentice Hall). He has edited several encyclopedias, including the Encyclopedia of Human Development, the Encyclopedia of Measurement and Statistics, and the Encyclopedia of Research Design. He was editor of Child Development Abstracts and Bibliography for 13 years. He lived in Lawrence, Kansas, where he liked to read, swim with the River City Sharks, work as the proprietor and sole employee of big boy press, bake brownies (see www.statisticsforpeople.com for the recipe), and poke around old Volvos and old houses.

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Gary B Kaniuk, PsyD (Cermak Health Services)
Description: This 3-volume set is a comprehensive, reference work on the development of the human being including aspects such as physical, social, and emotional functioning. There are 650 entries, written by experts in these areas.
Purpose: According to the editor, "although there are hundreds of books about different topics in development, and there are thousands of researchers pursuing more information about the major topics on which specialists in human development focus, there are few comprehensive overviews of these topics and their importance. There are even fewer books that convey this information in a way that is comprehensive, authoritative and informative, and yet not too technical. The purpose of this multivolume Encyclopedia of Human Development is to convey this information in that way" (p. xii). Salkind continues: "The underlying rationale for the selection of particular topics and their presentation in this encyclopedia comes from the need to share with the naive (about human development, that is) but educated reader topics that are rich, diverse, and deserving of closer inspection. Within these pages we provide the overview and the detail that we feel is necessary to become well acquainted with topics that do a good job of representing the field of human development" (p. xii). Those are worthy objectives. The book definitely met the editor's objectives.
Audience: According to the editor, "as was mentioned earlier, a primary goal of creating this set of volumes was to open up the broad discipline of human development to a wide and general audience. For this reason, you will find topics that are particular interest to the general public, such as AIDS, friendship, retirement, and creativity" (p. xiii). I agree with the editor regarding the target audience. The author and contributors are credible authorities in the subject matter of the book.
Features: As previously mentioned, there are 650 entries regarding every topic imaginable in the field of human development. The entries are fairly brief and end with "further readings and references". The contributors are experts from various fields such as psychology, education, and human development, to name a few. Each volume includes a "list of entries" (alphabetical list of all entries) and "reader's guide" (alphabetical list of topics). The strength of this encyclopedia is that it contains so many topics, whetting your appetite for further reading if you so desire. It is easy to read (not a lot of psychobabble), presenting both theory and practice.
Assessment: This encyclopedia is extremely informative, presenting topics from every corner of human development. It is written at an appropriate level, giving the general public a brief taste at hundreds of topics. You would expect to see these volumes at a library but would be a wonderful addition to the collection of an undergraduate psychology student. These volumes really do deliver the goods. It is what you expect from an encyclopedia: hundreds of entries, chock full of information, short but sweet.

Doody's Review Service

"College-level collections on human development must have this 3-volume set Encyclopedia of Human Development, which brings together social, psychological and physical sciences and provides an analysis of the changing world of the human condition associated with aging. The set will be a useful reference for any student of psychology or social development. "

California Bookwatch

"The creation of a complete and thorough review of the cross-disciplinary topic of human development is ambitious; the editor and advisory board, as well as the distinguished list of more than 650 contributors, are to be credited with realizing this goal. A wide and general audience will find much to praise in this work, beginning with the entries themselves. This set is recommended for academic and large public libraries where students and general adult readers will find it to be an excellent 'starting point'. "

Reference Books Bulletin - Sarah Watstein

This fine reference work on a topic of general interest presents 650 well-researched, well-written entries that expand and supplement information found in related works across disciplines. It offers explanations, definitions, brief biographies, and connections among then in a highly readable text.

CHOICE

This fine reference work on a topic of general interest presents 650 well-researched, well-written entries that expand and supplement information found in related works across disciplines. It offers explanations, definitions, brief biographies, and connections among then in a highly readable text.

Choice Magazine

"The creation of a complete and thorough review of the cross-disciplinary topic of human development is ambitious; the editor and advisory board, as well as the distinguished list of more than 650 contributors, are to be credited with realizing this goal. A wide and general audience will find much to praise in this work, beginning with the entries themselves. This set is recommended for academic and large public libraries where students and general adult readers will find it to be an excellent 'starting point'. "— Sarah Watstein

Reference Books Bulletin