This interdisciplinary volume presents international research and theories focusing on the development of the individual across the life span. Centering on "family" as the key context influencing, and being influenced by the developing person, the contributors to this volume discuss an array of theoretical models, methodological strategies, and substantive foci linking the study of individual development, the family system, and the broader context of human development. The volume presents continuing empirical research and theories in the realm of individual and family development and features a developmental, contextual view from a process-oriented vantage point.

This volume continues the tradition of the Life-Span Development Series, presenting overviews of research programs on a variety of developmental topics. Research and theory in life-span development have given increased attention to the issues of constancy and change in human development and to the opportunities for, and constraints on, plasticity in structure and function across life. Acknowledging the need for and existence of interconnection between age and developmental periods, it focuses on conditions for possibly discontinuous development that emerge at later periods. Contributors to this series are sensitive to the restrictive consequences of studying only specific age periods, such as old age, infancy, or adolescence. Each scholar attempts to relate the facts about one age group to similar facts about other age groups, and to move toward the study of transformation of characteristics and processes over the life span.

This serial publication continues to review life-span research and theory in the behavioral and social sciences, particularly work done by psychologists and sociologists conducting programmatic research on current problems and refining theoretical positions. Each volume introduces excellent peer-reviewed empirical research into the field of life-span development while presenting interdisciplinary viewpoints on the topic. Often challenging accepted theories, this series is of great interest to developmental, personality, and social psychologists.

Comprised of papers written by members of the Social Science Research Council Subcommittee on Child Development in Life-Span Perspective, this book provides a representation of the current status of the relation between child development and the life- span. It suggests the possible synthesis of these two fields from both conceptual and empirical evidence. Theories and methods concerning the social, psychological, and anatomical influences on children's cognitive development through adolescence are highlighted.

Originally published in 1983, the purpose of this book was to discuss the relations between philosophy and developmental psychology, as those relations existed over the course of the history of the discipline and as they existed at that time. Although not all portions of developmental psychology are surveyed, major proponents of several key areas are represented (e.g. organismic developmental theory, stage theory, life-span-developmental psychology, and the ecological approach to development). In addition, discussion of many currently prominent issues are included (e.g. constancy and change in human development, the use of multivariate models and methods, the role of the context in individual development, and the use of developmental theory in public policy and political arenas). The diversity of approaches and of interests present in the book are representative of the breadth of theoretical and empirical interests found in developmental psychology at the time.

This volume brings together a broad group of scholars from a diverse array of disciplines to write integratively about cutting-edge research issues pertinent to various facets of the study of early adolescence. All contributors speak to the idea of interdisciplinary integration as a means of advancing knowledge in particular focus areas of early adolescence; all approach their topic with an orientation to integrating levels of organization. In so doing, they testify to the importance of two interrelated integrations -- multidisciplinary and multiprofessional -- for furthering understanding of young adolescents.

The final volume in this significant series, this publication mirrors the broad scientific attention given to ideas and issues associated with the life-span perspective: constancy and change in human development; opportunities for and constraints on plasticity in structure and function across life; the potential for intervention across the entire life course (and thus for the creation of an applied developmental science); individual differences (diversity) in life paths, in contexts (or the ecology) of human development, and in changing relations between people and contexts; interconnections and discontinuities across age levels and developmental periods; and the importance of integrating biological, psychological, social, cultural, and historical levels of organization in order to understand human development.

First published in 1987, Biological-Psychosocial Interactions in Early Adolescence explores the mutually - influential relations between biological and psychosocial variables as the basis for development in the early portions of the adolescent period and, in fact, across the entire life span. The volume introduces key conceptual and methodological issues that are raised by the study of biological-psychosocial interrelations. It provides key foundations for the research conducted in major laboratories in USA back in 1980s. It also provides the results from these laboratories and their progress at that time. This book will be an essential read for scholars and researchers of psychology, behavioural science, and sociology.

This volume continues the tradition of the Life-Span Development Series, presenting overviews of research programs on a variety of developmental topics. Research and theory in life-span development have given increased attention to the issues of constancy and change in human development and to the opportunities for, and constraints on, plasticity in structure and function across life. Acknowledging the need for and existence of interconnection between age and developmental periods, it focuses on conditions for possibly discontinuous development that emerge at later periods. Contributors to this series are sensitive to the restrictive consequences of studying only specific age periods, such as old age, infancy, or adolescence. Each scholar attempts to relate the facts about one age group to similar facts about other age groups, and to move toward the study of transformation of characteristics and processes over the life span.

In the World Library of Psychologists series, international experts present career-long collections of what they judge to be their most interesting publications-extracts from books, key articles, research findings, and practical and theoretical contributions. Professor Richard M. Lerner has been prominent in the application of developmental science across the life span for half a century, investigating dynamic, relational development systems, and their potential impact on positive youth development (PYD) and social justice. In this collection, Professor Lerner presents the development of his theory of, and research about, relations between life-span human development and contextual or ecological change, exploring the mutually influential relations between humans and their peer, family, school, and community contexts. Including a specially written introduction, in which Professor Lerner reflects on the importance of mentorship and contextualises both the field and the evolution of his wide-ranging career, this collection will be a valuable resource for students and researchers of developmental psychology.

What does it mean to find a gene or set of genes that are associated with ADHD, schizophrenia, or autism? Could we eradicate such diseases from our species through gene therapy? Is it possible to eradicate from our genome the genetic material that predisposes us to be too aggressive, too shy, less intelligent, or not active enough? Who has the political power and/or moral authority to make these decisions? The premise of Nature and Nurture is that the complexity of the transactions between nature and nurture--between genes and the environment from the cellular to the cultural level--make these questions incredibly complex and in need of careful attention by educators, scientists, the public, and policymakers. A product of the conference held at Brown University in 2001, this book suggests that genes and environments work together interactively in a complex and closely intertwined fashion. The contributors to this book--biologists, psychologists, psychiatrists, and economists--present knowledge that enables research and application to transcend the traditional question of whatever variance or significance is attributed to genetics versus environment in the development of a particular behavioral trait. This book presents a variety of views on the current status of knowledge about the ways in which dynamic, developmental, mutually interactive systems in the genetic and environmental domains operate. The chapters represent contributions from different perspectives.

Originally published in 1983, the purpose of this book was to discuss the relations between philosophy and developmental psychology, as those relations existed over the course of the history of the discipline and as they existed at that time. Although not all portions of developmental psychology are surveyed, major proponents of several key areas are represented (e.g. organismic developmental theory, stage theory, life-span-developmental psychology, and the ecological approach to development). In addition, discussion of many currently prominent issues are included (e.g. constancy and change in human development, the use of multivariate models and methods, the role of the context in individual development, and the use of developmental theory in public policy and political arenas). The diversity of approaches and of interests present in the book are representative of the breadth of theoretical and empirical interests found in developmental psychology at the time.

The articles in this volume discuss the behavioral and social risks that adolescents encounter. In addition, the papers describe both internalizing problems (e.g., depression) and externalizing problems (e.g., substance use and abuse, delinquency, and problems relating to sexual behavior) that are relatively common among adolescents. All of the papers in this volume are grounded in the theoretical belief that adolescent behavior, including risk-taking and problem behavior, as well as positive and healthy behavior, results from complex interactions occurring between the adolescent and the multiple levels of the adolescent's context. Moreover, many of the papers in the current volume emphasize the importance of examining the interactions between the adolescent and his/her context longitudinally since changes in these relations take place as adolescence progresses.

An important underlying theme throughout this volume is diversity. As many of the articles stress, there is wide variation in adolescent behaviors, including problem behaviors, in regard to gender, race, ethnicity, and religiosity. This variation is evident in problem behaviors ranging from internalizing behaviors such as depression, with adolescent girls being much more likely to experience depression than boys; to externalizing behaviors such as precocious sexual activity and pregnancy, with African-Americans adolescents being at a significantly greater risk for experiencing these problems in comparison to adolescents from other racial groups.

The articles in this volume also illustrate the point that during adolescence, problem behaviors tend to co-occur. For example, adolescent substance abusers tend to exhibitadditional problem behaviors such as early sexual activity, delinquency, and depression. Therefore, consistent with recent empirical work, these articles advocate the study of the "whole" adolescent; in contrast to the examination of isolated behaviors.

The underlying ideas presented in this volume have important implications for prevention and intervention. Taken together, they suggest that prevention and intervention programs targeting adolescent problem behaviors should be comprehensive. Such programs need to address the entire system -- the interaction of the "whole" adolescent with his/her context. In addition, these articles suggest that prevention and intervention programs need to encompass variations in behaviors across adolescents, contexts, and time.

This volume focuses on concepts central to the understanding of the key features of individuality which undergo significant transformations throughout the adolescent period: Personality, self, and ego. While rooted in distinct theoretical traditions, these three concepts, in combination, capture the core aspects of the formation of the individual's unique sense of self or identity, a psychosocial development fundamentally associated with adolescence. Consistent with the developmental-systems models of person-context relations at the forefront of current human development theory and research, the articles within this volume focus on the dynamic, reciprocal relations between youth and key socializing agents within their ecologies. Nevertheless, the articles represented in this volume illustrate that when attempting to understand the development of personality- and self-systems, scholars differ in the extent to which they place primary emphasis on the individual, on the context, or on the relationship between the two.

For instance, while Bandura (1989) stresses the importance of the individual's sense of self-efficacy in creating beliefs about personal agency, Harter, Stocker and Robinson (1996) examine the link between approval from others (e.g., peers and key adults) and perceived self-worth, and Kenny and colleagues (1993) study the impact of emotional attachment to parents on adolescents' self concepts and depressive symptomatology. Variations in research designs are also represented within this volume. Several articles employ longitudinal designs to study continuities and discontinuities in personality, self, and ego development. Damon and Hart (1982) focus on the transitions fromchildhood into adolescence in their examination of self-understanding from infancy through adolescence. Other articles emphasize the changes in personality and self that accompany the transition from adolescence into adulthood: Tubman, Lerner, Lerner, and von Eye (1992) examine stability and change in temperament, or behavioral style, while Block & Robins focus on consistencies and variations in self-esteem, and Waterman (1982) reviews evidence on identity development. Such longitudinal investigations give primacy to age-related changes in people. In addition, articles by Baltes and Nesselroade (1972) and Alsaker and Olweus (1992) employ cohort-longitudinal designs which enable one disentangle changes in self-understanding and personality that are associated with historical time, age, and birth cohort. The remaining articles focus on diversity in individual experiences across unique contextual conditions. Topics covered include factors related to these self systems associated with variation in ethnic and racial background (Lerner and colleagues, 1980; Luster & McAdoo, 1995; Spencer & Markstrom-Adams, 1990), gender (Galambos, Almeida, & Peterson, 1980), sexual orientation (Savin-Williams, 1995), and family structure (Hauser et al., 1991; Powers, Welsh, & Wright, 1994).

Despite the variation in emphasis on changes in the individual, the context, or person context changes over time, the articles in this volume underscore the point that multiple levels of the complex and dynamic person-context system must be examined. Only through such investigations can we further our understanding of the key aspects of individual differences in personality, self and ego development. Such understandingis critical for advancing our knowledge of when and at what levels we should intervene to promote a commitment to successful roles in adolescence and young adulthood.

This serial publication continues to review life-span research and theory in the behavioral and social sciences, particularly work done by psychologists and sociologists conducting programmatic research on current problems and refining theoretical positions. Each volume introduces excellent peer-reviewed empirical research into the field of life-span development while presenting interdisciplinary viewpoints on the topic. Often challenging accepted theories, this series is of great interest to developmental, personality, and social psychologists.

First published in 1998. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

This interdisciplinary volume presents international research and theories focusing on the development of the individual across the life span. Centering on "family" as the key context influencing, and being influenced by the developing person, the contributors to this volume discuss an array of theoretical models, methodological strategies, and substantive foci linking the study of individual development, the family system, and the broader context of human development. The volume presents continuing empirical research and theories in the realm of individual and family development and features a developmental, contextual view from a process-oriented vantage point.

Comprised of papers written by members of the Social Science Research Council Subcommittee on Child Development in Life-Span Perspective, this book provides a representation of the current status of the relation between child development and the life- span. It suggests the possible synthesis of these two fields from both conceptual and empirical evidence. Theories and methods concerning the social, psychological, and anatomical influences on children's cognitive development through adolescence are highlighted.

The Developmental Science of Adolescence: History Through Autobiography is the most authoritative account of the leading developmental scientists from around the world. Written by the scholars who shaped the history they are recounting, each chapter is an engaging and personal account of the past, present, and future direction of the field. No other reference work has this degree of authenticity in presenting the best developmental science of adolescence.

The book includes a Foreword by Saths Cooper, President of the International Union of Psychological Science and autobiographical chapters by the following leading developmental scientists:

Jeffrey Jensen Arnett, Robert Wm. Blum, Jeanne Brooks-Gunn, B. Bradford Brown, Marlis Buchmann, John Bynner, John Coleman, Rand D. Conger, James E. Cote, William Damon, Sanford M. Dornbusch, Nancy Eisenberg, Glen H. Elder, Jr., David P. Farrington, Helmut Fend, Andrew J. Fuligni, Frank F. Furstenberg, Beatrix A. Hamburg, Stephen F. Hamilton, Karen Hein, Klaus Hurrelmann, Richard Jessor, Daniel P. Keating, Reed W. Larson, Richard M. Lerner, Iris F. Litt, David Magnusson, Rolf Oerter, Daniel Offer, Augusto Palmonari, Anne C. Petersen, Lea Pulkkinen, Jean E. Rhodes, Linda M. Richter, Hans-Dieter Rosler, Michael Rutter, Ritch C. Savin-Williams, John Schulenberg, Lonnie R. Sherrod, Rainer K. Silbereisen, Judith G. Smetana, Margaret Beale Spencer, Laurence Steinberg, Elizabeth J. Susman, Richard E. Tremblay, Suman Verma, and Bruna Zani."

We discuss whole-child development, learning, and thriving through a dynamic systems theory lens that focuses on the United States and includes an analysis of historical challenges in the American public education system, including inequitable resources, opportunities, and outcomes. To transform US education systems, developmental and learning scientists, educators, policymakers, parents, and communities must apply the knowledge they have today to 1. challenge the assumptions and goals that drove the design of the current US education system, 2. articulate a revised, comprehensive definition of whole-child development, learning, and thriving that accepts rather than simplifies how human beings develop, 3. create a profound paradigm shift in how the purpose of education is described in the context of social, cultural, and political forces, including the impacts of race, privilege, and bias and 4. describe a new dynamic 'language' for measurement of both the academic competencies and the full set of 21st century skills.

This volume presents an array of perspectives that have been used to understand changes during adolescence in cognitive functioning and their relations to moral development, the connection between cognitive changes and academic performance, and the impact of the school environment on intellectual development and achievement. Consistent with the ideas of a developmental-systems perspective, the relationship between the developing person and features of his/her setting are seen as essential in all areas of scholarship reviewed in this volume. Nevertheless, variation in theoretical perspectives present in the articles show that, when trying to understand intellectual development and achievement in adolescence, scholars differ in the extent to which they place primary emphasis on the individual, on the context, or on the relationship between the two.

For instance, the articles by Piaget and Kohlberg are based on an organismic theoretical model which emphasizes that cognitive and moral development, respectively, occur through a process (i.e., equilibration) that engages action of the person on the context and, in mm, action of the context on the person. Nevertheless, stage-related changes in organism are given primary importance in these models. In turn, articles by Eisenberg and her colleagues (1995), Leadbeater (1996), and Sameroff and his colleagues (1993) also stress person-context relations but focus more on changes in the ecology of the developing adolescent or student seeking to achieve. The articles by Eccles and Wigfield (1995), Simmons and her colleagues (1979), and Steinberg and his colleagues (1992) stress relations between both person and context. Despite this variation inemphasis on person, context, or person-context relations, the articles underscore the point that all features of the developmental system must be engaged, first, so that we may understand the general components of individual differences in intellectual and moral functioning and, second, and more importantly, so that we may optimize such functioning among youth.

This volume is a unique collection of original pieces chronicling diverse national examples of university-community partnerships.

This book places career development into the mainstream of human development research and theory. The result is a powerful synthesis of vocational psychology and the most recent advances in lifespan developmental psychology, thus offering a developmental-contextual framework for guiding theory and research in career development. Its chapters demonstrate the utility of this framework for the study of women's career development, health and careers, career intervention, and the selection and application of appropriate research methodologies. Scholars as well as intervention specialists should find this volume to be of great value. The adaption of this developmental-contextual framework for career development theory, research, and intervention may represent an important future for vocational psychology and the study of career development.

This book presents the results of the longitudinal 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development. The volume discusses how self-regulation and contextual resources (e.g., strong relationships with parents, peers, and the community) can be fostered in young people to contribute to the enhancement of functioning throughout life. Each chapter examines a particular aspect of youth thriving, and offers findings on either the bases or the role of positive development in a variety of outcomes, from reduced risk of emotional problems and harmful behaviors to increased participation in the community. Contributors introduce a contemporary model of positive development for diverse youth, provide examples of effective youth development programs, and suggest applications for informing the next generation of policies and practices. Among the featured topics: The regulation of emotion in adolescence. School engagement, academic achievement, and positive youth development. Peer relationships and positive youth development. Identity development in adolescence and the implications for youth policy and practice. Promoting adolescent sexual health in youth programming. A positive youth development approach to bullying. Researchers in developmental psychology as well as practitioners in educational or youth development programs or policies will gain from Promoting Positive Youth Development a new appreciation of the central role of young people's strengths, and initiatives to build effective youth programs. "This volume is destined to become the handbook for anyone interested in the bourgeoning field of positive youth development. Based on ground breaking, longitudinal research from top researchers in the field, Promoting Healthy Development for America's Youth presents a rich, theoretically grounded understanding of the landscape today's youth and programs. The contributors provide clear, data-driven guidance regarding the types of programs and settings that are most beneficial to young people." Jean E. Rhodes, Ph.D. Frank L. Boyden Professor Department of Psychology University of Massachusetts, Boston

This book presents the results of the longitudinal 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development. The volume discusses how self-regulation and contextual resources (e.g., strong relationships with parents, peers, and the community) can be fostered in young people to contribute to the enhancement of functioning throughout life. Each chapter examines a particular aspect of youth thriving, and offers findings on either the bases or the role of positive development in a variety of outcomes, from reduced risk of emotional problems and harmful behaviors to increased participation in the community. Contributors introduce a contemporary model of positive development for diverse youth, provide examples of effective youth development programs, and suggest applications for informing the next generation of policies and practices. Among the featured topics: The regulation of emotion in adolescence. School engagement, academic achievement, and positive youth development. Peer relationships and positive youth development. Identity development in adolescence and the implications for youth policy and practice. Promoting adolescent sexual health in youth programming. A positive youth development approach to bullying. Researchers in developmental psychology as well as practitioners in educational or youth development programs or policies will gain from Promoting Positive Youth Development a new appreciation of the central role of young people's strengths, and initiatives to build effective youth programs. "This volume is destined to become the handbook for anyone interested in the bourgeoning field of positive youth development. Based on ground breaking, longitudinal research from top researchers in the field, Promoting Healthy Development for America's Youth presents a rich, theoretically grounded understanding of the landscape today's youth and programs. The contributors provide clear, data-driven guidance regarding the types of programs and settings that are most beneficial to young people." Jean E. Rhodes, Ph.D. Frank L. Boyden Professor Department of Psychology University of Massachusetts, Boston