Human Development: A Lifespan View - Tapa dura

This new book is unlike any other book I have reviewed. It is one of the most readable and understandable texts that I have ever read. It has a very 'humane' and 'human' feel to it - both in the style and in the content. Clarity is the hallmark of this work...providing an abundance of information in a non-threatening and readable manner. The Second Edition is even better than the First Edition! I felt that the authors' style of writing was very clear, organized, and well presented. They manage to consistenly pull together the life span by using the biopsychosocial framework and recurring issues throughout the textbook. Students have told me that they enjoy the book so much that they are not going to give away or sell their book at the end of the semester. Now that's a compliment to Kail and Cavanaugh!

With skill and enthusiasm, respected authors and noted researchers Robert V. Kail and John C. Cavanaugh tell a comprehensive and engaging story of life in HUMAN DEVELOPMENT: A LIFESPAN VIEW, SECOND EDITION. Experts in child development and adulthood and aging, respectively, Kail and Cavanaugh relate the fascinating story of the human lifespan. Their streamlined approach eliminates the redundancy of describing the lifespan via the traditional organizational structure used by many texts for the course. Instead, Kail and Cavanaugh employ a four-part structure that covers early childhood, the school years, the working/raising children years, and later life. This accurate and lively depiction of the developmental process helps students make better sense of our most intriguing and intricate journey. . .life. Providing full coverage of child and adult development within a modified chronological framework, Kail and Cavanaugh help students make the connections between chapters by emphasizing the dynamic interplay of biological, psychological, and social forces on development. This integrated biopsychosocial approach not only address the needs of many instructors, but also helps students understand how each element of development impacts the others. And unlike other lifespan texts which devote 40% or less of their coverage to adulthood and aging, HUMAN DEVELOPMENT: A LIFESPAN VIEW devotes as much coverage to adulthood and aging as to childhood and adolescence-all in 15 manageable chapters.