Thoroughly updated. Every page of Theories of Developmental Psychology 5th edition has been informed by the most current research in the field. Extensive new coverage of cognitive neuroscience and gene x environment interaction, two of the most active areas of research in developmental psychology, have been integrated throughout the book. Additional new research discussions range from the connection between infants’ unconscious processing of emotions and psychoanalytic theory (Chapter 3), to new research on attachment styles (Chapter 3 and 7), to the development of autobiographical memory and it’s impact on identity (Chapter 6), to the impact of the mirror-neuron system (Chapter 5 and 7), to the effect of social deprivation on the brain (Chapter 7).
New emphasis on cultural diversity and research reflecting cultural differences in development. New discussions of culture differences include such wide ranging research areas as the path of identity development for immigrant youth (Chapter 3), the role of race and gender in moderating the effects of viewing violence on television (Chapter 5), and how cultural differences in the way parents talk to their children impact memory development (Chapter 6).
New chapter organization and pedagogical features. Vygotsky and the Sociocultural Approach has been moved to an earlier position, reflecting the influence and importance of this theory on developmental psychology. In each of the main theoretical chapters a new Contemporary Research section has been added, this section illustrates the connection between the theory and new research generating significant interest.