"The book very nicely incorporates behavior analysis and modern developmental theories....Another nice
feature is that it is not encyclopedic; it organizes the disparate developmental phenomena in terms of principles
and mechanisms....The writing style is easy to follow and suitable for college students. The scholarship and coverage
are excellent."
--Jesus Rosales-Ruiz, University of North Texas
"The book is a very good read. It is also truly unique in the field of developmental psychology�a field in
which far too little attention is typically paid to the obvious fact that children's development involves learning."
--Michael W. Vasey, The Ohio State University
Publisher Web Site, February, 2004
Summary
There are two fundamental questions in developmental psychology-what develops and how does it develop? The "what"
is largely a question of developmental structure and describes development, while the "how" is primarily
a question of function or process and explains development. Developmental psychology has become increasingly focused
on the process aspect, but many texts do not provide readers with a clear perspective of how development actually
occurs.
Child and Adolescent Development: A Behavioral Systems Approach integrates the views of dynamical systems concepts
with a behavioral view of development. This combination of perspectives is unique and from it something new emerges-"a
behavioral systems approach" to development. It is an approach that incorporates both personal and environmental
influences and the constant reciprocal interactions between nature and nurture.
The book emphasizes learning as the major process for change in development and the integration of environmental
influences with genetic and historical factors. Authors Gary Novak and Martha Pelaez provide a coherent understanding
of the learning process in childhood and adolescence and present successful interventions to minimize typical problematic
behavior during this period.
Features of this text:
Unique. Connects development with learning concepts, a topic neglected in most developmental psychology books.
Concise. Provides a coherent framework for exploring selected features of development in greater depth and
detail rather than an encyclopedic volume of facts, figures, and theories.
Accessible. Written in an engaging style that clearly conveys even sophisticated theoretical material and difficult,
advanced topics.
Pedagogical. Includes highlight boxes, chapter-opening outlines, chapter summaries, key words, and an end-of-book
glossary that enhance student understanding.
Child and Adolescent Development is an exceptional, process oriented textbook for advanced undergraduate and
graduate students taking child development and developmental psychology courses in Psychology, Human Development
& Family Studies, Education, and related fields
