This book presents a current, interdisciplinary perspective on language requisites from both a biological/comparative perspective and from a developmental/learning perspective. Perspectives regarding language and language acquisition are advanced by scientists of various backgrounds -- speech, hearing, developmental psychology, comparative psychology, and language intervention. This unique volume searches for a rational interface between findings and perspectives generated by language studies with humans and with chimpanzees. Intended to render a reconsideration as to the essence of language and the requisites to its acquisition, it also provides readers with perspectives defined by various revisionists who hold that language might be other than the consequence of a mutation unique to humans and might, fundamentally, not be limited to speech.

Based on the presentations given by well-known specialists at a recent multidisciplinary conference of developmental psychobiologists, obstetricians, and physiologists, this book is the first exhaustive attempt to synthesize the present scientific knowledge on fetal behavior. Utilizing a psychobiological analytic approach, it provides the reader with an overview of the perspectives, hypotheses, and experimental results from a group of basic scientists and clinicians who conduct research to elucidate the role of fetal behavior in development. Experimental and clinical as well as human and animal data are explored via comparative developmental analysis. The ontogeny of fetal spontaneous activity -- via the maturation of "behavioral states" -- and of fetal responsiveness to sensory stimulation is studied in detail. Results are provided from studies of embryonic/fetal and newborn behavior in chicks, rats, sheep, primates, and humans. Knowledge of fetal behavior is crucial to the obstetrician, neonatologist, developmental psychologist, and even the future parents, in order to follow and assess the gradual development of spontaneous responsive movements of the fetus. While assessing this important information, this text also examines the neuro-behavioral events taking place during the fetal period as an aid to understanding normal and pathological life span development.

While in the late 1970s and early 1980s health compliance research on adults represented a vigorous field of study, a marked decline of interest on the topic set in during the last part of the 1980s. By contrast, research on health compliance involving pediatric populations was less popular during the same period; however, interest in this topic -- as evidenced by the contributions to this volume -- is on the increase. Four main themes -- relating to theory, measurement, prevention, and intervention -- emerge and are interwoven among the chapters. These themes help to bind and unify the volume into a conceptual whole because although the sections are divided along thematic lines, contributors often include elements of some or all of the themes in their chapters. This state of affairs reflects the interdependence of these thematic issues and suggests how important they are for the state of the art.

Based on the presentations given by well-known specialists at a recent multidisciplinary conference of developmental psychobiologists, obstetricians, and physiologists, this book is the first exhaustive attempt to synthesize the present scientific knowledge on fetal behavior. Utilizing a psychobiological analytic approach, it provides the reader with an overview of the perspectives, hypotheses, and experimental results from a group of basic scientists and clinicians who conduct research to elucidate the role of fetal behavior in development. Experimental and clinical as well as human and animal data are explored via comparative developmental analysis. The ontogeny of fetal spontaneous activity -- via the maturation of "behavioral states" -- and of fetal responsiveness to sensory stimulation is studied in detail. Results are provided from studies of embryonic/fetal and newborn behavior in chicks, rats, sheep, primates, and humans. Knowledge of fetal behavior is crucial to the obstetrician, neonatologist, developmental psychologist, and even the future parents, in order to follow and assess the gradual development of spontaneous responsive movements of the fetus. While assessing this important information, this text also examines the neuro-behavioral events taking place during the fetal period as an aid to understanding normal and pathological life span development.

While in the late 1970s and early 1980s health compliance research on adults represented a vigorous field of study, a marked decline of interest on the topic set in during the last part of the 1980s. By contrast, research on health compliance involving pediatric populations was less popular during the same period; however, interest in this topic -- as evidenced by the contributions to this volume -- is on the increase. Four main themes -- relating to theory, measurement, prevention, and intervention -- emerge and are interwoven among the chapters. These themes help to bind and unify the volume into a conceptual whole because although the sections are divided along thematic lines, contributors often include elements of some or all of the themes in their chapters. This state of affairs reflects the interdependence of these thematic issues and suggests how important they are for the state of the art.

This book presents a current, interdisciplinary perspective on language requisites from both a biological/comparative perspective and from a developmental/learning perspective. Perspectives regarding language and language acquisition are advanced by scientists of various backgrounds -- speech, hearing, developmental psychology, comparative psychology, and language intervention. This unique volume searches for a rational interface between findings and perspectives generated by language studies with humans and with chimpanzees. Intended to render a reconsideration as to the essence of language and the requisites to its acquisition, it also provides readers with perspectives defined by various revisionists who hold that language might be other than the consequence of a mutation unique to humans and might, fundamentally, not be limited to speech.

This book focuses on the methodologies required to evaluate connections between diet and behavior. It is based on the premise that knowledge of the links between diet and behavior can be advanced only if appropriate methods are used, studies are vigorously designed, and data are carefully interpreted. This conceptual framework shows basic scientists just how essential multidisciplinary interaction is for the successful development of research methods and standards.

Studies of attention, memory, and executive function continue to provide a greater understanding of the human learning process and the nature of specific cognitive disabilities. But progress has been impeded by the absence of consensual, cross-disciplinary theories, definitions, and methodologies. This authoritative text presents research on the components of these central cognitive processes and explains how these findings can help clinicians assess and remediate reading and attention disorders. Gathering the work of prominent researchers in psychology, neuropsychology, special education, and medicine, the chapters consider each of these processes from different theoretical perspectives.