Development Through the Lifespan, Third Edition

Development Through the Lifespan continues to lead the market with its currency, clarity, solid research, and rich examples of human development.

Laura Berk, renowned professor and researcher in the field of human development, has revised the text with new pedagogy, a heightened emphasis on the interplay between biology and environment, and expanded coverage of biology, culture, and social issues, while emphasizing the lifespan perspective of development.

Students are provided with an especially clear and coherent understanding of the sequence and underlying processes of human development, emphasizing the interrelatedness of all domains―physical, cognitive, emotional, social―throughout the text narrative and in special features.

While carefully considering the complexities of human development, Berk presents classic and emerging theories in an especially clear, engaging writing style, with a multitude of research-based, real-world, and cross-cultural examples. Strengthening the connections between application and theory or research, this edition's extensive revision brings forth the most recent scholarship in the field, representing the changing field of human development.

"Students would love this book―it's a joy to read! While Berk offers salient and up-to-date information rooted in a solid research base, she does not excessively weight discussion with jargon. Rather, she beautifully illustrates concepts through rich examples." ― Edythe H. Schwartz, California State University, Sacramento

"I adopt this book for my Human Development course because it presents a comprehensive and even-handed survey of the theoretical and empirical issues that are central to the study of human development in a way that is accessible and interesting to my students." ― Caty von Karolyi, University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire

"There is a fluidity in the writing style that is superior to other textbooks I have examined." ― Karl Hennig, St. Francis Xavier University

"Berk's coverage of topics in this chapter (17) is far superior to what appears in the leading social gerontology textbooks. The material is presented in a much clearer and interesting format by Berk. She has excellent writing skills and relates very well to students." ― Dale A Lund, University of Utah

"Extremely well-written with a good balance between being readable, accessible, and yet presenting the complexities of studying human behavior." ― Laurie Gottlieb, McGill University

". . . the students like it and actually read it. They enjoy the vignettes, which encourage application to real-life situations." ― Nancy White, Youngstown State University

". . . an excellent survey of classic and contemporary work. It is very impressive in its comprehensiveness yet it also benefits from a fluidity of exposition that is remarkable." ― Dana Plude, University of Maryland, College Park

"Berk's style of writing is very clear and easy to understand. My students have, semester after semester, expressed approval for [Berk's] clear writing style. Using real examples of children's behavior brings the material to life and my students appreciate it." ― Deborah M. Chargois, Jacksonville State University

"What I like most about Development Through the Lifespan are the real-life stories. They show people's triumphs and accomplishments and how they overcame their struggles. It gives you a better understanding and more descriptive information that make you want to read more and helps you really understand more." ― Paulette Gordon, Student, Valencia Community College

"Overall it is easy reading that helps you to understand the material without being overloaded by the terminology. It is a very conceptually appealing book." ― Sarah Condie, Student, Salt Lake Community College