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Human Development: Updated, 7/e

James Vander Zanden, Ohio State University
Thomas Crandell, Broome Community College
Corinne Crandell, Broome Community College

Introduction

Chapter Outline

Chapter 1 offers an overview of the developmental perspective, outlines basic concepts, and identifies various research methods. Several important topics are presented:

1

The four primary concerns of developmental psychologists. We will look at how psychologists try to describe, explain, predict, and control development.

2

Frameworks for organizing information about human development. We will examine human development from the standpoints of major domains, processes, context, and timing.

3

Urie Bronfenbrenner's ecological approach to development. This approach links the individual to social and cultural forces and shows connections between these forces and the individual.

4

Cultural influences on human development. This section looks at the impact that culture has in shaping our conception of the life cycle.

5

Historical "areas of concern" among developmentalists. This section highlights the critical questions of the past as well as their continuing influence on contemporary research.

6

The scientific method. This section describes the scientific method and its importance for the field of development.

7

Research methodology. This section presents detailed descriptions of the various approaches used by scientists to study human nature.

8

Ethical considerations. A framework is presented which highlights critical aspects of conducting research on human subjects.

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