Infants, Children, and Adolescents / Edition 7

by Laura E. Berk

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780205718160
Publisher:	Pearson
Publication date:	01/10/2011
Series:	EText for iPad Series
Pages:	816
Product dimensions:	8.80(w) x 10.90(h) x 1.20(d)

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. She has also been featured on National Public Radio’s Morning Edition and in Parents Magazine, Wondertime, and Reader’s Digest.

Berk has served as research editor for Young Children and consulting editor for Early Childhood Research Quarterly. Currently, she is an associate editor of 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 article on social development for The Child: An Encyclopedic Companion, 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, Landscapes of Development: An Anthology of Readings, and A Mandate for Playful Learning in Preschool: Presenting the Evidence. 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 and chair of the central region advisory board 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.

Table of Contents

I. Theory and Research in Child Development

1. History, Theory, and Research Strategies

The Field of Child Development

Basic Issues

Historical Foundations

Mid-Twentieth-Century Theories

Recent Theoretical Perspectives

Comparing Child Development Theories

Studying the Child

II. Foundations of Development

2. Biological and Environmental Foundations

Genetic Foundations

Reproductive Choices

Environmental Contexts for Development

Understanding the Relationship Between Heredity and Environment

3. Prenatal Development

Motivations for Parenthood

Prenatal Development

Prenatal Environmental Influences

Preparing for Parenthood

4. Birth and the Newborn Baby

The Stages of Childbirth

Approaches to Childbirth

Medical Interventions

Birth Complications

Precious Moments After Birth

The Newborn Baby's Capacities

The Transition to Parenthood

III. Infancy and Toddlerhood: The First Two Years

5. Physical Development in Infancy and Toddlerhood

Body Growth

Brain Development

Influences on Early Physical Growth

Learning Capacities

Motor Development

Perceptual Development

6. Cognitive Development in Infancy and Toddlerhood

Piaget's Cognitive-Developmental Theory

Information Processing

The Social Context of Early Cognitive Development

Individual Differences in Early Mental Development

Language Development

7. Emotional and Social Development in Infancy and Toddlerhood

Erikson's Theory of Infant and Toddler Personality

Emotional Development

Temperament and Development

Development of Attachment

Self-Development

IV. Early Childhood: Two to Six Years

8. Physical Development in Early Childhood

Body Growth

Influences on Physical Growth and Health

Motor Development

9. Cognitive Development in Early Childhood

Piaget's Theory: The Preoperational Stage

Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory

Information Processing

Individual Differences in Mental Development

Language Development

10. Emotional and Social Development in Early Childhood

Erikson's Theory: Initiative vs. Guilt

Self-Understanding

Emotional Development

Peer Relations

Foundations of Morality

Gender Typing

Child Rearing and Emotional and Social Development

V. Middle Childhood: Six to Eleven Years

11. Physical Development in Middle Childhood

Body Growth

Common Health Problems

Health Education

Motor Development and Play

12. Cognitive Development in Middle Childhood

Piaget's Theory: The Concrete Operational Stage

Information Processing

Individual Differences in Mental Development

Language Development

Children's Learning in School

13. Emotional and Social Development in Middle Childhood

Erikson's Theory

Self-Understanding

Emotional Development

Understanding Others: Perspective Taking

Moral Development

Peer Relations

Gender Typing

Family Influences

Some Common Problems of Development

VI. Adolescence: The Transition to Adulthood

14. Physical Development in Adolescence

Conceptions of Adolescence

Puberty: The Physical Transition to Adulthood

The Psychological Impact of Pubertal Events

Health Issues

Motor Development, Sports Participation, and Physical Activity

15. Cognitive Development in Adolescence

Piaget's Theory

An Information-Processing View of Adolescent Cognitive Development

Consequences of Abstract Thought

Sex Differences in Mental Abilities

Language Development

Learning in School

Vocational Development

16. Emotional and Social Development in Adolescence

Erikson's Theory: Identity versus Identity Confusion

Self-Understanding

Moral Development

Gender Typing

The Family

Peer Relations

Problems of Development

At the Threshold

17. From Adolescence to Emerging Adulthood

A Period of Unprecedented Exploration

Cultural Change and Emerging Adulthood

Development in Emerging Adulthood

Risk and Resilience in Emerging Adulthood

Editorial Reviews

An introductory text in child development, presenting major theories and stressing the interdependence of physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development. After an overview of the history of the field and research strategies, chapters cover biological and environmental determinants of development and the various developmental stages. Learning aids include on-going vignettes, chapter summaries, sections reviews, concept tables, and boxes on culture, social issues, and research. Contains a glossary, margin definitions, and color photos. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

Throughout my eight years at Crowder College, I’ve tried out different editions of books for various classes, but one book I have not altered is Berk’s Infants and Children. The information continues to strike a balance between breadth and depth, which is not an easy feat.”

Nathan Gandy, Crowder College

“I really enjoyed the read. I didn't catch myself reading the same sentence more than once, like I usually do. The chapter kept me curious and willing to keep reading.”

Student, Arizona State University

“Berk has made teaching and learning about infants and children a joy with her engaging writing style, pulling me and students into the text. Thank you for a great textbook.”

Chance Bell, Florida State University

“I really liked the examples used to describe perceptual development. The explanations given, paired with the descriptions of the experiments used, helped me to understand the information in ways I wouldn't otherwise have been able to.”

Student, University of Alabama Birmingham

“I have enthusiastically used Infants, Children, and Adolescents for over twenty years. Not only does Berk consistently include the most up-to-date research in each edition, but she presents it in a student-focused, engaging manner. As someone who has taught an extraordinarily diverse set of students in my career, I would recommend this text for any student interested in studying the dynamic process of child and adolescent development.”

Michael Hall, SUNY Dutchess

“I really enjoyed the Look and Listen feature embedded in the reading itself. I find that relating information to real-life scenarios helps me not only to recall the information, but also aids in critical-thinking skills.”

— Student, Kishwaukee College

“I have been using this author’s texts in several of my developmental courses for the past 15+ years ...[I] can't say enough positive words to describe my experience with her textbooks. My students have even commented on how well written the textbooks are and that they can really relate to the applications.”

Amy Carrigan-Smith, University of Saint Francis

“I am most impressed with how this edition has been updated with more recent cultural information, and not just in the U.S. I also like that it is even more cross-disciplinary.”

Diane Cook, University of North Georgia

“Berk provides a clear and concise text to introduce topics and make them meaningful to students.”

Kristin Watson, Northwest Mississippi Community College

“Dr. Berk combines superb scholarship, powerful writing, and a keen sense of organization to produce near perfection . . . Students . . . could not ask for a more informative textbook.”

Murray Krantz, Florida State University

“Berk carefully and seamlessly introduces culturally diverse research findings to create a holistic and accurate understanding of development and its many nuances.”

Maggie Renken, Georgia State University

“The research is presented with a great depth of understanding, not watered down or presented superficially, as in many texts, yet is described and structured in a way that helps students construct an overall, personally relevant understanding of development during childhood.”

Joan E. Test, Missouri State University

“I love the way the narrative keeps the reader’s attention and constantly motivates the information. It is not simply a catalog of facts, but a story about how children develop.”

Dara Musher-Eisenman, Bowling Green State University

“No other textbook covering child development does so as thoroughly as Berk’s Infants, Children and Adolescents in terms of research reviewed and incorporated, exemplary photos, and instructor resources.”

Kate Fogarty, University of Florida

“There is excellent coverage of diversity, and delicate but appropriate discussions on apparent differences between various socioeconomic groups and cultures.”

Stuart Marcovitch, University of North Carolina Greensboro

“Instead of reporting cut-and-dry research findings, the chapters also include applied information relevant to everyday lives in different cultures and ethnic statuses. The colorful tables and pictures not only attract attention, but also [offer the] best illustrations.”

Hiu-Chin Hsu, University of Georgia

“I find most valuable the relevance, currency and integration of research throughout the text, with an interesting and entertaining narrative that makes the research results come alive for beginning students in child development.”

Joan E. Test, Missouri State University

“Although I have been teaching Child Development for more than 40 years, I found myself learning new concepts from Dr. Berk’s insightful presentation [with] the best research literature on virtually every topic, excellent organization and sequence, and Dr. Berk’s captivating writing style.”

Murray Krantz, Florida State University

“I am impressed by the “Ask yourself” sections; this is the exact way in which I try to encourage my students to approach the material, and I particularly appreciate the emphasis on evidence-based answers rather than opinions.”

Janet J. Boseovski, University of North Carolina Greensboro

“I was very impressed with the attention to diversity issues.”

Dara Musher-Eisenman, Bowling Green State University

“The text does an excellent job of simplifying complex cognitive phenomena in a way that makes them easy to understand. The text makes clear connections that illustrate how developmental research informs–or can inform–education and child-rearing practices.”

Maggie Renken, Georgia State University

“Empirical studies and their findings are woven into the prose efficiently and with clarity. Classic theories are presented along with more cutting-edge research.”

Sarah Kollat, Pennsylvania State University

“Berk’s books on child development are the quintessential texts for all serious students of child development.”

Dominic Gullo, Drexel University

From the Publisher