Pearson - Child Development, 8/E

Courses

Child Development [TOPICAL ORGANIZATION] (Family Studies & Human Development)
Child Development (Topical Approach) [COMPREHENSIVE] (Psychology)

In this section:

Description

Read by more than half a million students worldwide, Berk’s Child Development has been the standard for 20 years. Now, this 20th anniversary edition builds on its long and successful history with the most cutting-edge research, pedagogy, and supplements package available! Laura Berk has taught thousands of students with diverse majors, future goals, interests, and needs. Her work is continually at the forefront of changes in the field. The Eighth Edition includes the most up-to-date scholarship while retaining all the hallmark features for which Laura Berk’s texts are known — unique story-telling, practical applications, meticulous research, and much more!

Features

Meticulously researched material, including more than 1,500 new reference citations as well as the latest research and findings, is conveyed to the student in a clear, story-like fashion that humanizes the complex developmental process.

Practical applications are integrated into the discussion throughout the text to show students how sound practice stems

from theory and research.

Visually stunning artwork, graphics, and photographs effectively illustrate major points and enhance student interest and understanding.

Outstanding pedagogical features support students’ mastery of the subject matter:

• New! Take a Moment…, an active-learning pedagogical feature, built into the text narrative, asks the reader to “take a moment” to think about an important point, integrate information on children’s development, or engage in an exercise or an application to clarify a challenging concept.

Take a Moment . . . actively engages the student in learning and inspires critical thinking.

• Stories and vignettes of real children, a Berk signature feature, open each chapter and continue throughout the text to illustrate developmental principles and teach through engaging narrative. This book “teaches while it tells a story.”

• In-Text Highlighting of Key Terms and Definitions permits students to review important terms and concepts in context, thereby promoting deeper and more thorough learning. An end-of-chapter term list with page references is also included.

• “Milestones” tables summarize major physical, cognitive, language, emotional, and social achievements of development.

• “Ask Yourself” critical thinking questions have been thoroughly revised and expanded into a unique pedagogical feature that promotes four approaches to connecting with the subject matter. The questions encourage students to Review information they have just read, Apply it to new situations, Connect it to other age periods and domains of development, and Reflect on how theory and research are personally relevant in their own lives.

• Chapter Openers, illustrated with exceptionally beautiful and unique children’s art, prepare students for what they will learn through both a prose description and an outline, which provides a quick look at major topics to be covered.

• Chapter summaries include bolded terms, organized by learning objectives and major section headings, as well as a page-referenced terms list for convenient and focused student review.

• “Applying What We Know” tables provide practical real-life applications based on the results of theory and research. Berk speaks directly to students, offering real-world advice on how to provide sensitive, responsible care for children, both as parents and through the pursuit of a variety of careers and areas of study, including psychology, health care, teaching, social work, guidance counseling, and others.

• Four types of thematic boxes complement the text:

1. “Social Issues” boxes underscore the influence of social and public policies on all aspects of development.

2. “Cultural Influences” boxes emphasize multicultural and cross-cultural variations in development.

3. “Biology and Environment” boxes highlight the growing attention in the field to complex, bidirectional relationships between biological and environmental influences.

4. “From Research to Practice” boxes integrate theory, research, and applications on topics relevant to teachers, students, educators, and professionals.

• Extensive international content helps students learn more about social and cultural contexts for development and the powerful impact for public policies—especially in the realms of health and education—on children’s lives. Comprehensive Canadian research and examples are included throughout.

New To This Edition

Updated! Meticulously researched material, including more than 1,500 new reference citations as well as the latest research and findings, is conveyed to the student in a clear, story-like fashion that humanizes the complex developmental process.
New! Take a Moment…, an active-learning pedagogical feature, built into the text narrative, asks the reader to “take a moment” to think about an important point, integrate information on children’s development, or engage in an exercise or an application to clarify a challenging concept. Take a Moment . . . actively engages the student in learning and inspires critical thinking.
New Supplement! Classroom Kits Volume 1 and 2 are packed with instructor materials including: Instructor’s Resource Manual, Test Bank, Grade Aid and PowerPoint Slides with notes.
New and Extensively Revised Videos! Over four hours of footage, including scripted and unscripted observation segments that illustrate the many theories, concepts, and milestones of child development. Content includes an extensive library of 2- to 5-minute segments specially designed for efficient classroom use, including new content on child abuse intervention, peer acceptance and developmental consequences, development of children's drawings, and much more.

Chapter 1 Key Changes

Updated Biology and Environment box on resilience
New, applied examples of the contributions of behaviorism and social learning theory
Introduction to developmental cognitive neuroscience as a new area of investigation
Updated section on public policies and child development
67 new reference citations

Chapter 2 Key Changes

New examples of research using systematic observation, structured interviews, and correlational designs
Expanded and updated section on psychophysiological methods of assessing brain functioning, including EEG, ERPs, fMRI, PET, and NIROT and a table summarizing these techniques
New Biology and Environment box on prenatal iron deficiency, brain development, and memory impairments in infants of diabetic mothers, illustrating the use of ERP to study atypical brain and cognitive functioning
Revised and updated Cultural Influences box on immigrant youths
Revised section on sequential designs, including a new example and visual illustration
Expanded discussion of the use of deception in research with children, including a new example illustrating ethical dilemmas
43 new reference citations

Chapter 3 Key Changes

Updated discussion of basic genetics, including incomplete dominance
New evidence on the changing proportion of male to female births
Inclusion of both germline and somatic mutation, with implications for modifiability of the genotype and gene-environment interaction
New evidence on genetic treatment of disease
Updated research on fetal sensory and behavioral capacities
Discussion of the risks of stimulating the fetus to promote cognitive skills
Updated Biology and Environment box on the prenatal environment and health in later life
Expanded and updated consideration of a wide range of teratogens
Inclusion of the new designation for harmful effects of prenatal alcohol exposure–fetal alcohol spectrum disorder–and its associated three diagnoses: fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), partial fetal alcohol syndrome (PFAS), and alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND)
Enhanced discussion of the impact of maternal infectious disease on the developing organism, with special attention to AIDS, cytomegalovirus, and herpes simplex 2
New evidence on the long-term consequences of emotional stress during pregnancy
New research on natural childbirth practices, including positions for delivery and water birth
New findings on oxygen deprivation during childbirth, head-cooling treatment to reduce brain injury, and developmental consequences
Updated discussion of preterm and low-birth-weight infants, including long-term developmental outcomes for very low-birth-weight babies
Updated Social Issues: Health box on health care and other policies for parents and newborn babies, including cross-national infant mortality rates and the importance of generous parental leave
Enhanced consideration of the benefits of “kangaroo care” for preterm babies
Enhanced discussion of environmental influences on gene expression
174 new references

Chapter 4 Key Changes

New findings on contributions of sleep to infant learning and memory
Updated Cultural Influences box on cultural variation in infant sleeping arrangements
Updated Biology and Environment box on sudden infant death syndrome, including protective sleeping practices
New research on infant crying, including a nurse home-visiting program to reduce colic
Enhanced attention to the contribution of independent locomotion to development of more flexible memory in infancy
Expanded and updated section on newborn imitation, including the role of mirror neurons in the human capacity for imitation and other social abilities.
Updated evidence on how environmental supports contribute to development of motor skills, with special attention to stair climbing
Updated section on development of reaching
New research on fetal and newborn pain perception
New findings on babies’ capacity to statistically analyze the speech stream
New Biology and Environment box on “tuning in” to familiar speech, faces, and music during
Updated evidence on babies’ developing sensitivity to depth cues
Expanded and updated consideration of early pattern and face perception
Expanded and updated section on intermodal perception, including its contributions to all aspects of psychological development
New research on infants born with cataracts and children adopted from Romanian orphanages, bearing on the question of whether infancy is a sensitive period of development
98 new reference citations

Chapter 5 Key Changes

Updated findings on youth sports, including gender differences in participation and consequences for development
New statistics and evidence on teenage use of performance-enhancing drupgs
Expanded treatment of brain development in childhood and adolescence, with emphasis on developing connections between the frontal lobes and other brain structures
New findings on development of handedness
Revised and updated section on overweight and obesity, including rapid increase in developing nations, contributing factors–low education and income, parental feeding practices, childhood sleep, television viewing, physical activity, and the broader cultural environment–and prevention and treatment
Updated statistics on childhood immunization in the United States, Canada, and other industrialized nations
New Biology and Environment box on low-level lead exposure and children’s development
New research on the contribution of parent-teenage relationships to adolescent mood
New evidence on implications of pubertal timing for psychological adjustment in adolescence and adulthood
Discussion of the Internet as a hazardous “sex educator,” including adolescents’ exposure to pornography on the Internet
Updated statistics and evidence on sexually transmitted disease, including international comparisons and teenagers’ understanding of modes of transmission
New findings on programs, including components of sex education, that reduce adolescent unprotected sexual activity and pregnancy
New evidence on the long-term consequences of adolescent parenthood and on prevention strategies
New Social Issues box on intergenerational continuity in adolescent parenthood
192 new references

Chapter 6 Key Changes

New research on deferred imitation in infancy and toddlerhood, including generalization of modeled behaviors and rational imitation, by inferring models’ intentions
New evidence on infants’ understanding of object permanence, including brain-wave findings
New research on development of categorization, with special attention to the animate—inanimate distinction in toddlerhood and to preschoolers’ capacity to infer underlying, nonobservable characteristics shared by category members
New findings on cultural influences on development of drawing, operational thought, and cognitive maps
New findings on the influence of schooling on development of propositional thought
Updated findings on relationships of the imaginary audience and personal fable to adolescent adjustment
Expanded and updated research on adolescent decision making
Enhanced discussion of infants’ physical in relation to the core knowledge perspective, with emphasis on sensitivity to basic principles of object support
New research on the controversy over whether babies have basic number concepts, including brain-wave findings and cross-cultural evidence
Expanded consideration of preschoolers’ biological knowledge, including growth, inheritance, illness, and death
New evidence on the development and significance of children’s private speech
89 new reference citations

Chapter 7 Key Changes

Updated coverage of connectionism, including constructivist connectionist models, which simulate infants’ and children’s rapid learning more effectively
Expanded and updated consideration of Siegler’s model of strategy choice, with new findings on children’s strategy experimentation and task performance
New findings on development of selective attention on everyday tasks
New Social Issues box on Enhancing Cognitive Control Through Preschool Education
Revised and updated Biology and Environment box on children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
Enhanced consideration of fuzzy trace theory, gains in gist memory, and why certain memory inaccuracies increase while others decrease with age
Revised and updated discussion of development of autobiographical memory, with new research on cultural variations in parent—child conversations about past events
Updated Biology and Environment box on infantile amnesia
New research on factors that affect the accuracy of children’s eyewitness memory
New findings on development of metacognition, including age-related gains in ability to discriminate good from bad reasoning
Updated evidence on contributions of phonological awareness to emergent literacy and reading progress
Updated research on early development of counting and math concepts, including estimation
Recent research on factors that support scientific reasoning–coordination of theory with evidence
80 new references

Chapter 8 Key Changes

New chapter-opening story
New findings on aspects of information-processing that underlie children’s intelligence test performance
Updated From Research to Practice box on Emotional Intelligence
Inclusion of the most recent edition of the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (Bayley-III)
Updated evidence on IQ as a predictor of occupational attainment and psychological adjustment
Updated consideration of adoption studies confirming the joint contributions of heredity and environment to IQ
New findings on cultural bias in testing, with special attention to adult communication styles
Revised and expanded Social Issues box on high-stakes testing
Updated evidence on the contribution of parental expectations for educational attainment to children’s academic performance
New research on early intervention for low-income children, including Early Head Start
Updated evidence on cost-effectiveness of excellent intervention
Summary of factors contributing to the enduring impact of outstanding early intervention programs–the High/Scope Perry Preschool Project, the Chicago Child—Parent Centers, and the Carolina Abecedarian Project
83 new references

Chapter 9 Key Changes

New evidence on factors accounting for the sensitive period, or younger-age advantage, for language learning
Expanded attention to information-processing theories of language development, including connectionist models
New evidence on visual language discrimination by English-learning and French/English-learning infants, with implications for bilingual development
New research on the facilitating role of child-directed speech in early language progress
Impact of cochlear implants on language development in deaf-born babies
Updated findings on the contributions of joint attention, infant pointing, and other preverbal gestures to early language development
New findings on the relationship between toddlers’ language comprehension and production
New evidence on toddlers’ fast-mapping of new words
Updated research on individual differences in early language development, including effects of temperament and SES
Expanded and updated evidence on young children’s strategies for word learning, including the shape bias
Inclusion of the emergentist coalition model, an new account of how children draw on diverse cues to figure out word meanings
New research on toddlers’ sensitivity to grammatical structures in comprehension
New evidence on English-learning children’s mastery of question form
Updated research on the impact of parents’ reformulations of children’s errors on grammatical development
Enhanced discussion of narrative development, including the supportive role of make-believe play
New findings on adolescents’ improved capacity to adapt language style to social contexts
Expanded section on bilingual development, including code-switching
Updated research on effects of bilingualism on brain and cognitive development
114 new references

Chapter 10 Key Changes

Updated section on emotions and cognitive processing, including the impact of traumatic events on children’s memory
Revised and updated Biology and Environment box on parental depression and child development, including both maternal and paternal depression
Updated section on emotions and health, with expanded coverage of stress reactivity, cortisol levels, and problematic physical, emotional, and social development among Romanian orphanage children
New research on development of emotional self-regulation, including the influence of infant care giving, effective techniques for managing toddler temper tantrums, and parent—child conversations that suggest emotion-regulation strategies
New research on school-age children’s capacity to distinguish between feeling and expressing emotions, with implications for emotional self-regulation
Expanded treatment of social referencing, including new findings on infants’ sensitivity to the adult’s voice
New research on the self-regulatory dimension of temperament–effortful control–and consequences for children’s cognitive and social competence
Enhanced attention to contributions of secure attachment to parent—child conversations about emotion and, in turn, to preschoolers’ emotion vocabulary and understanding
Expanded consideration of parenting influences on development of empathy and sympathy
Expanded discussion of methods of assessing attachment, including adaptation of the Strange Situation for preschoolers
Enhanced consideration of cultural variations in sensitive caregiving, with implications for attachment security
New research on the joint contribution of infant characteristics and parental sensitivity to attachment security
Enhanced consideration of the impact of family circumstances on security of attachment,
Expanded section on fathers’ involvement with infants, including cultural variations
Enhanced discussion of the influence of attachment quality on later development, including early emergence of internal working models and the facilitating role of parent—child narratives in children’s construction of broader, more complex attachment representations
Updated Social Issues box on the influence of quality of child care and long child-care hours on attachment and later development
158 new reference citations

Chapter 11 Key Changes

Updated section on development of self-awareness and self-recognition in the first two years, with new research on cultural variations
New evidence on preschoolers’ developing awareness of an enduring self—a self persisting over time
New findings on social experiences contributing to young children’s theory of mind, with special emphasis on parent–child conversations about mental states
Updated Biology and Environment box on “mindblindnesss” and autism, including explanations for a deficient theory of mind among children with autism
Updated section on development of self-concept, including contributions of parent–child communication, cultural differences, and new examples of adolescent self-descriptions
New research on cultural and gender differences in children’s self-esteem
New evidence on cultural variations in parental feedback about task performance, with implications for children’s achievement-related attributions
New research on identity statuses, cognitive styles, and adjustment
New evidence on cultural variations in construction of a sense of self-continuity in adolescence
Revised Social Issues box on adolescent suicide, with evidence on the impact of cultural disintegration and community powerlessness on high suicide rates among Native American and Canadian Aboriginal youths
Updated Cultural Influences box on identity development among ethnic minority youths
New findings on development of racial and ethnic prejudices and strategies for reducing children’s prejudices
New research on training social problem solving, using comprehensive social-cognitive intervention
106 new reference citations

Chapter 12 Key Changes

Expanded treatment of the biological roots of human morality, with special attention to an evolved prosocial capacity resulting from our evolutionary history of group living
New research on parenting, child temperament, and conscience development
Updated Cultural Influences box on ethnic differences in the consequences of physical punishment
Updated statistics on the prevalence of corporal punishment of children in the United States and Canada
Updated research on cultural variations in considering an actor’s intentions in judging the morality of truthfulness and lying
Updated evidence on age-related changes in progress through Kohlberg’s stages of moral reasoning
Revised evaluation of Kohlberg’s stages, including issues raised by a pragmatic approach to moral judgment
New research on situational influences on care-based moral reasoning
Enhanced consideration of experiences that promote moral self-relevance
Revised and expanded section on the domain approach to moral understanding, including coordination of moral, social-conventional, and personal concerns during middle childhood and adolescence
Expanded consideration of parenting practices and development of morally relevant self-control
New research on the distinction between proactive and reactive aggression
Updated findings on gender differences in aggression from toddlerhood to adolescence
New findings on the implications of proactive and reactive aggression for social-cognitive deficits and distortions, which act to sustain aggression
Updated statistics on the prevalence of adolescent delinquency, including arrests for violent crimes in the United States and Canada
Evaluations of zero tolerance policies in schools, including consideration of why they fail to reduce youth aggression and other forms of misconduct
Updated Social Issues box on development of civic responsibility
Updated Biology and Environment box on two routes to adolescent antisocial behavior
99 new reference citations

Chapter 13 Key Changes

New research on the rigidity of gender stereotypes in early childhood and increasing gender-stereotype flexibility during the school years
Expanded consideration of exceptional sexual development, including gender-typed behavior of children with androgen insensitivity syndrome
New findings of parents differential communication with boys and girls in gender-stereotyped activities
New research on cultural variations in gender typing within gender-segregated peer groups
Updated evidence on gender-typing in the media, with special attention to young children’s picture books
New findings on implications of the cognitive changes that lead up to gender constancy (gender stability and gender consistency) for children’s gender stereotyping
Discussion of the contemporary debate over how best to help children who feel gender atypical
Updated research on sex differences in verbal, spatial, and mathematical abilities, including contributing factors
New research on the widening gender gap in writing achievement, including possible contributing factors
Updated evidence on sex differences in depression, with special attention to the role of a feminine gender identity
71 new references

Chapter 14 Key Changes

New findings on the harmful impact of parental psychological control on children’s adjustment
Expanded and updated section on parenting and adolescent autonomy
New findings on special challenges in parenting adolescents in immigrant families and in risky neighborhoods
Expanded consideration of ethnic variations in child-rearing beliefs and practices
New research on effects of parenting on sibling relationships in middle childhood
Updated evidence on changes in sibling relationships in adolescence
New evidence on development of children in gay and lesbian families
Updated sections on divorce and remarriage and children’s development
Expanded and updated section on consequences of child maltreatment, including new findings on central nervous system damage
130 new reference citations

Chapter 15 Key Changes

Updated research on cultural variations in early childhood peer sociability
New findings on friendship, including resemblance between friends and contributions of friendship to adjustment
Updated findings on peer acceptance, including its implications for friendship formation and for bullying and victimization
Revised and updated Social Issues box on bullies and their victims
Expanded discussion of peer groups, including school-age children’s judgments about peer exclusion, and consequences of exclusion for adjustment
New findings on implications of attachment to parents for quality of friendship and romantic ties
Updated research on peer pressure and conformity, with implications for adolescent adjustment
Reorganized and updated section on media influences, including updated statistics on TV and computer use by North American children and adolescents
Updated evidence on relationship of heavy TV viewing in childhood and early adolescence to later aggressive acts
New findings on impact TV viewing on children and adolescents’ gender stereotyped attitude and behaviors
New evidence on children’s developing understanding of the Internet’s technical complexity, with consequences for their knowledge of its social risks
Expanded treatment of the impact of computer use on academic achievement, with special attention to Web access
New research on adolescents’ use of the Internet for communication, including benefits and risks
Revised and expanded section on regulating media use
New research on short- and long-term benefits of adolescent extracurricular participation
New findings on gains in academic and social skills associated with Montessori preschool education
New Social Issues box on benefits of school recess
New evidence on contributions of social maturity to school readiness
New research on inclusive classrooms and children with learning difficulties
Updated cross-national comparisons of U.S. and Canadian students’ academic achievement
178 new references

Table of Contents

I. THEORY AND RESEARCH IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT.

1. History, Theory, and Applied Directions.

2. Research Strategies.

II. FOUNDATIONS OF DEVELOPMENT.

3. Biological Foundations, Prenatal Development, and Birth.

4. Infancy: Early Learning, Motor Skills, and Perceptual Capacities.

5. Physical Growth.

III. COGNITIVE AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT.

6. Cognitive Development: Piagetian, Core Knowledge, and Vygotskian Perspectives.

7. Cognitive Development: An Information-Processing Perspective.

8. Intelligence.

9. Language Development.

IV. PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT.

10. Emotional Development.

11. Self and Social Understanding.

12. Moral Development.

13. Development of Sex Differences and Gender Roles.

V. CONTEXTS FOR DEVELOPMENT.

14. The Family.

15. Peers, Media, and Schooling.

In this section:

Reviews

Praise for Child Development, 8/e

"I remember having Laura Berk's text on Child Development in my own undergraduate class. I thoroughly enjoyed the text then, walking away with a deeper appreciation of child development. Reading the latest version just confirms my original view of the text, and having devoted my graduate and professional life to the study of developmental issues, I find the text to be nuanced, engaging and stimulating."

- Geoff Navara, Trent University, Canada

“This text is my favorite in the field and I plan to continue to use it. The book is current, accurate, comprehensive, balanced, and well written.”

- Rebecca Bigler, University of Texas at Austin

“…I enjoy teaching with this book….I have used this textbook for many years and find the coverage most appropriate, including the balance between theory, research, and practical issues.”

- Cecilia Wainryb, University of Utah

“The overall organization and coverage of Berk’s text are excellent. The chapters cohere and interweave quite nicely. Each chapter opens with an appealing, almost personal invitation to explore that chapter’s content. I like all the features used throughout the text. The text is multicultural without losing sight of the universals in child development. Each edition of Child Development features cutting-edge material.”

- John Gibbs, Ohio State University

“I would adopt this textbook and advocate its adoption to colleagues.”

- Tracy Vaillancourt, McMaster University, Canada

“I think Berk’s book offers our professors and students the most comprehensive coverage of child development…This book well reflects Dr. Berk’s scholarship. It covers the most important issues, trends and cutting-edge topics in the field of child development…”

- Wenfan Yan, Indiana University of Pennsylvania

“Berk has a long-standing reputation as a strong text for developmental courses, students always rate it highly, and the text and graphics are a pleasure to read and view.”

- Doug Symons, Acadia University, Canada

“This is a great book from which to teach…[it] covers a great deal of territory and is very comprehensive. .. the material is well organized and I like the developmental approach that is taken within each of the main topics. Berk has addressed the most important issues, trends and cutting edge topics very well… The visuals in the text are clear, appropriate, informative, and appealing. … The material is presented at an appropriate reading level; it is interesting, clear and well organized.”

- Nina Howe, Concordia University, Canada

“Berk has always done an admirable job of covering the essentials and adhering to the latest research on each and every topic…I have always been impressed with Dr. Berk’s choices for coverage… I really like how the text is organized with a diverse array of things to appeal to the distracted undergraduate reader. Berk has a gift for summarizing a great deal of the most relevant research and still making it accessible to students. .. It pushes students but does not overwhelm them. It is well written and therefore accessible…Dr. Berk is remarkably responsive to suggestions for further enhancement; each edition is improved in a judicious manner.

- David Nelson, Brigham Young University

“The overall organization of the material is excellent; it is clear and logical.”

- Lorinda Camparo, Whittier College

“The text is very well written and researched, and I would recommend it to a colleague…”

- - Ellen Altermatt, Hanover College

Praise for Multicultural/Diversity coverage:

“The depth and breadth of the coverage of diversity and multicultural issues were excellent.”

- Wenfan Yan, Indiana University of Pennsylvania

“I loved the [diversity and multi-cultural issues] sections — they were among my favorites because I felt I really learned something.”

- Scott P. Johnson, New York University

“A clear and obvious effort has been made to cover issues in cross-cultural research and to be inclusive of diversity…Good inclusion of gender similarities and differences.”

- Lorraine Taylor, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

“I think that cross-cultural research is increasingly a substantial portion of the research on child development…she has done a good job of being sensitive to many of these issues.”

- David Nelson, Brigham Young University

“The text has given? multicultural examples from other countries including non-Western ones, and not just cultural groups within the U.S.”

- Doug Symons, Acadia University, Canada

Praise for Pedagogy:

“The stories and vignettes provide students with real-world examples of various theoretical or empirical constructs. Students comment specifically that connecting abstract constructs to real-world behaviors is especially effective and engaging…

The summaries are comprehensive and the italicized essay-type questions for various sections within the summary may be used as effective study guides for students as they organize reading material conceptually…Social Issues boxes, Cultural Influence boxes, and Biology and Environment boxes are current and may be used to foster discussion and debate. …[Milestones Tables are] wonderful! My students and I find the visual material to be helpful without being overwhelming or distracting.”

- Lorinda Camparo, Whittier College

“[Stories and Vignettes About Children] Love this!! It gives a nice concrete example of a topic(s) discussed in the chapter. It helps [students] understand the relevant material. It also sets up the chapter well. …[Ask Yourself questions] Great part of the chapter!! A nice way for the students to quiz themselves on the material they just read or studied. I definitely think this is very helpful for my students….[Biology and Environment boxes] …these boxes help bring these concrete concepts to the forefront and make it more meaningful to the students.”

- Catherine J. Massey, Slippery Rock University

“Stories and Vignettes About Children] Great! They really help to keep the book easy to read and interesting. [Chapter Introductions and End-of-Chapter Summaries] Very helpful! It is a good way to preview and review what was covered in the chapter. I especially like the format of the end-of-chapter summaries. It starts with questions (or tasks) followed by the answers. This not only summarized major concepts of the chapter, it also provided a good writing example for undergraduate students. [Applying What We Know] Very Important. I think students learn more when they see connections of what they know with the ‘real world’ with useful strategies.”

- Wenfan Yan, Indiana University of Pennsylvania

“I especially appreciate the sections on ‘From Research to Practice’, ‘Social Issues’, ‘Ask Yourself questions’ and ‘Applying What We Know’ — they always give me great ideas for fostering in-class discussions that help students see how the research and theory they study are manifested in the real world. My students always appreciate the stories and vignettes embedded in the text.”

- Cecilia Wainryb, University of Utah

.” ..The end of chapter summaries are great; students love these. [Social Issues boxes] provide additional perspectives on topics that students generally find relevant in the real world, so they are a nice touch…The photos and tables make the material interesting and personal.”

- Lorraine Taylor, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

“[Stories and Vignettes About Children] are particularly effective as they bring the concepts to life. [Chapter Introductions and End-of-Chapter Summaries]…are great so that the reader can at a glance review the central concepts of the chapter…[Social Issues boxes] are particularly helpful in understanding how central concepts apply to everyday life. They also make clear how complex child development issues tend to be.”

- David Nelson, Brigham Young University

“The boxed items take complex issues and present them in clear, concise and interesting ways. Ask Yourself review sections…raise pertinent questions that highlight the critical issues, but also get the student to think beyond the immediate question to how it might be applied and connected to other material in the book. Also, by getting students to reflect on their own life experiences, they can make a clearer link to the issues.”

- Nina Howe, Concordia University, Canada

“Stories and Vignettes About Children — These are great, and capture students’ interest and attention. . . Students love the photos and tables and illustrations are excellent…Chapter Introductions and End-of-Chapter Summaries, Social Issues boxes, Cultural Influences boxes, Biology & Environment boxes, From Research to Practice Tables, Applying What We Know, In-Text Key Terms with Definitions, End-of-Chapter Term List and End-of-Book Glossary — ALL excellent.

- Simone Nguyen, University of North Carolina, Wilmington

“[Ask Yourself questions] are well-written and should help instructors guide their students toward more sophisticated thinking. From Research to Practice tables link research to practice which is critical in enhancing student engagement.”

- Ellen Altermatt, Hanover College

Praise for coverage of Research:

“The research is relevant, current, accurate and well-integrated in the text. Berk does an excellent job of cross referencing information across the text and reminding students about theory and research that is relevant across different chapters. There is also a nice integration of appropriate statistics and graphs to explain various findings.”

- Nina Howe, Concordia University, Canada

“I am very impressed by Dr. Berk’s effort to bring the students up-to-date research. She has done an excellent job integrating the current, relevant research throughout the text. The references provide thorough coverage of information presented in the text.”

- Wenfan Yan, Indiana University of Pennsylvania

“…presents complex theories and research in a way that is accessible to students…presents a very thorough view of each of the theories, and discusses in depth recent research that either confirms or presents evidence inconsistent with the theory.”

- Beth Casey, Boston College

“Berk has always done an admirable job of covering the essentials and adhering to the latest research on each and every topic.”

- David Nelson, Brigham Young University

“…[research] is one of the best features of this textbook…and this is one of the main reasons…why I keep going back to this text year after year.”

- Cecilia Wainryb, University of Utah

“Research selected is very appropriate, well presented, and an excellent - orientation to developmental literature.”
- Doug Symons, Acadia University, Canada

“I find the research current, relevant, accurate, and well integrated…:

- Laura DeRose, Adelphi University

Praise for Individual Chapters:

“I find Chapter 1: History, Theory, and Applied Directions, a chapter focused on history, classic issues, and theories of child development, to be well written and organized.”

- David Nelson, Brigham Young University

“Chapter 4: Infancy: Early Learning, Motor Skills, and Perceptual Capacities. I think it’s a great chapter. It is comprehensive but doesn’t feel overly long. The book does a great job balancing the controversies surrounding use of visual preference measures, including habituation and imitation.”

- Scott P. Johnson, New York University

“Chapter 5: Physical Growth. One of the reasons I specifically chose Berk’s texts over other texts is due to her comprehensive and exhaustive coverage of physical development from preschool to late childhood… excellent coverage of each area of development.”

- Lorinda Camparo, Whittier College

“Chapter 5: Physical Growth. The chapter is very comprehensive, and the tables and figures are effective for students, especially visual learners.”

- Laura DeRose, Adelphi University

“Chapter 6: Cognitive Development: Piagetian, Core Knowledge, and Vygotskian Perspectives. I would rate the organization and coverage of the chapter quite highly. It presents a very thorough review of each of the theories, and discusses in depth recent research that either confirms or presents evidence inconsistent with the theory.”

- Beth Casey, Boston College

“Chapter 6: Cognitive Development: Piagetian, Core Knowledge, and Vygotskian Perspectives. The coverage of Piaget is excellent. I especially like the critical evaluation of the theory, and the section on Piaget and education.”

- Scott P. Johnson, New York University

“Chapter 8: Intelligence. The organization of the chapter is very good. The material is presented in a logical way and the content is more than appropriate.”

- Tracy Vaillancourt, McMaster University, Canada

“Chapter 10: Emotional Development. Excellent! The progression from the functions of emotion, to the development of emotional expression, to more social aspects of emotion, and finally to attachment, is logical and maximizes students’ ability to follow natural developmental sequences.”

- Lorinda Camparo, Whittier College

“Chapter 10: Emotional Development is an excellent chapter with definitive research cited in the appropriate areas…”

- Doug Symons, Acadia University, Canada

“Chapter 10: Emotional Development. This is one of the most comprehensive chapters on emotional development that I have come across and all the topics covered are relevant, well-researched, and clearly explained…the material discussed in this chapter is well-organized, described clearly, and research and theories were relevant, accurate, and well-integrated”

- Laura K. Zimmermann, Shenandoah University

“Chapter 12: Moral Development. There are many positive features in the organization of this chapter: [It] begins with a story/vignette that students can easily ‘digest’…throughout, the chapter includes many cross-references to other chapters in the book.

- Cecilia Wainryb, University of Utah

“Chapter 12: Moral Development. As far as research, the chapter is exceptionally strong.”

- Geoff Navara, Trent University, Canada

“Chapter 13: Development of Sex Differences and Gender Roles. Organization: Excellent. Research: I love the chapter. I found it to be very up-to-date, accurate, and balanced. Content: Again, this chapter is great.”

- Rebecca Bigler, University of Texas at Austin

“Chapter 14: The Family is very well organized and laid out in ways that make conceptual sense to me in terms of topics. It is guided by theory on family systems and is a very comprehensive review of issues related to the family. I like that it starts with a short historical perspective on families and Berk goes a good job of relating information back to theory and other research discussed previously in the book.”

- Nina Howe, Concordia University, Canada

“Chapter 15: Peers, Media, and Schooling. Great organization and nice coverage! I think this chapter does a great job of focusing on the role of peers, media and schooling in child development…The overall organization of the material is Excellent!”

- Wenfan Yan, Indiana University of Pennsylvania

“Chapter 15: Peers, Media, and Schooling is very well done. The chapter is easy to read and the sections and sub-sections are well arranged.”

- Catherine J. Massey, Slippery Rock University

Author Bios

Laura E. Berk is a distinguished professor of psychology at Illinois State University, where she has taught child and human development to both undergraduate and graduate students for more than three decades. She received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of California, Berkeley, and her master’s and doctoral degrees in child development and educational psychology from the University of Chicago. She has been a visiting scholar at Cornell University, UCLA, Stanford University, and the University of South Australia.

Berk has published widely on the effects of school environments on children’s development, the development of private speech, and most recently, the role of makebelieve play in development. Her research has been funded by the U.S. Office of Education and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. It has appeared in many prominent journals, including Child Development, Developmental Psychology,Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, Development and Psychopathology, and Early Childhood Research Quarterly. Her empirical studies have attracted the attention of the general public, leading to contributions to Psychology Today and Scientific American.

Berk has served as research editor for Young Children and consulting editor for Early Childhood Research Quarterly and the Journal of Cognitive Education and Psychology. She is a frequent contributor to edited volumes on early childhood development, having recently authored chapters on the importance of parenting, on make-believe play and self-regulation, and on the kindergarten child. She has also written the chapter on development for The Many Faces of Psychological Research in the Twenty-First Century (Society for the Teaching of Psychology), the chapter on social development for The Chicago Companion to the Child, the article on Vygotsky for the Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science, and the chapter on storytelling as a teaching strategy for Voices of Experience: Memorable Talks from the National Institute on the Teaching of Psychology (Association for Psychological Science). Berk’s books include Private Speech: From Social Interaction to Self-Regulation, Scaffolding Children’s Learning: Vygotsky and Early Childhood Education, and Landscapes of Development: An Anthology of Readings. In addition to Infants, Children, and Adolescents, she is author of the best-selling texts Child Development and Development Through the Lifespan, published by Allyn and Bacon. Her book for parents and teachers is Awakening Children’s Minds: How Parents and Teachers Can Make a Difference.

Berk is active in work for children’s causes. In addition to service in her home community, she is a member of the national board of directors of Jumpstart, a nonprofit organization that provides early literacy intervention to thousands of low-income preschoolers across the United States, using college and university students as interveners. Berk is a fellow of the American Psychological Association, Division, 7: Developmental Psychology.

Backcover Copy

Laura E. Berk

Child Development

Eighth Edition

20^th Anniversary Year

The Cutting-Edge Standard

Read by more than half a million students worldwide!

Berk’s Child Development has been the standard for twenty years. Now, this twentieth-anniversary edition builds on its long and successful history with the most cutting-edge research, pedagogy, and supplements package available! Laura Berk has taught thousands of students with diverse majors, future goals, interests, and needs. Her work is continually at the forefront of changes in the field. The eighth edition includes the most up-to-date scholarship while retaining all of the hallmark features for which Laura Berk’s texts are known–unique story-telling, practical applications, meticulous research, and much more!

“This text is my favorite in the field and I plan to continue to use it. The book is current, accurate, comprehensive, balanced, and well written.”
–Rebecca Bigler, University of Texas at Austin

“Berk's Child Development has a long-standing reputation as a strong text for developmental courses; students always rate it highly; and the text and graphics are a pleasure to read and view.”
–Doug Symons, Acadia University, Canada

“The overall organization and coverage of Berk’s text are excellent. The chapters cohere and interweave quite nicely. . . . I like all the features used throughout the text, [and] each edition of Child Development features cutting-edge material.”
–John Gibbs, Ohio State University

“Berk has always done an admirable job of covering the essentials and adhering to the latest research on each and every topic. . . . [She] has a gift for summarizing a great deal of the most relevant research and still making it accessible to students.”
–David Nelson, Brigham Young University

“The overall organization of the material is excellent; it is clear and logical.”
–Lorinda Camparo, Whittier College

“I loved the [diversity and multi-cultural issues] sections–they were among my favorites because I felt I really learned something.”

–Scott P. Johnson, New York University

“. . . I enjoy teaching with this book. . . . I have used this textbook for many years and find the coverage most appropriate, including the balance between theory, research, and practical issues.”

–Cecilia Wainryb, University of Utah

“This is a great book from which to teach. . . . [T]he material is well organized, and I like the developmental approach that is taken within each of the main topics. . . . Berk has addressed the most important issues, trends, and cutting-edge topics very well.”

–Nina Howe, Concordia University, Canada

Websites and Online Courses

In this section:

Websites and Online Courses
Student Access Codes
Instructor Access Codes

MyDevelopmentLab with Pearson eText -- Instant Access -- for Child Development, 8/E
Berk
©2009 | Pearson | Website; 800 pp | Live
ISBN-10: 0205627536 | ISBN-13: 9780205627530
Online purchase price: $85.00More Info

Student Access Codes

MyDevelopmentLab CourseCompass with Pearson eText -- Standalone Access Card -- for Child Development, 8/E
Berk
©2009 | Pearson | Access Code Card; 800 pp | Out of Stock
ISBN-10: 0205662668 | ISBN-13: 9780205662661
Suggested retail price: $96.20Net price: $72.15 (What's this?)More Info

MyDevelopmentLab with Pearson eText -- Standalone Access Card -- for Child Development, 8/E
Berk
©2009 | Pearson | Access Code Card; 800 pp | Instock
ISBN-10: 0205662692 | ISBN-13: 9780205662692
Net price: $82.00 (What's this?)More Info

MyDevelopmentLab with Pearson eText -- Valuepack Access Card
Berk
©2009 | Pearson | Access Code Card | Instock
ISBN-10: 0205669115 | ISBN-13: 9780205669110
Suggested retail price: $0.00Net price: $0.00 (What's this?)More Info

Instructor Access Codes

MyDevelopmentLab CourseCompass with Pearson eText -- Instructor Access Code
Allyn & Bacon
©2008 | Pearson | Digital Access Code | Available
ISBN-10: 0205604269 | ISBN-13: 9780205604265
URL: http://www.pearsonhighered.com/catalog/aiv/customerType?request=cc
More Info

In this section:

Instructor Resources

Downloadable Instructor Resources
Other Instructor Resources

Student Resources

Access code cards
Websites and online courses
Other student resources

eLearning & Assessment

Websites and Online Courses
Student Access Codes
Instructor Access Codes

Course & Discipline Resources

For Child Development
For Child Development (Topical Approach)
For the Family Studies & Human Development Discipline
For the Psychology Discipline

Explorations in Child Development DVD Guide (Download only) for Child Development, 8/E
Berk
©2010 | Pearson | On-line Supplement | Live
ISBN-10: 0205711782 | ISBN-13: 9780205711789

Instructor's Classroom Kit, Volume 1 for Child Development, 8/E
Berk, Harris, Christensen, Ashkenaz, Carloni, Murphy & Hnatov
©2009 | Pearson | Paper; 544 pp | Instock
ISBN-10: 0205626599 | ISBN-13: 9780205626595

Instructor's Classroom Kit, Volume 2 for Child Development, 8/E
Berk
©2009 | Pearson | Paper; 816 pp | Instock
ISBN-10: 0205626602 | ISBN-13: 9780205626601

PowerPoint Presentation (Download only) for Child Development, 8/E
Berk
©2009 | Pearson | On-line Supplement | Live
ISBN-10: 0205626734 | ISBN-13: 9780205626731

Preliminary Video Guide for Child Development, 8/E
Berk
©2009 | Pearson | Paper; 128 pp | Instock
ISBN-10: 0205694403 | ISBN-13: 9780205694402

Test Item File for Blackboard/CourseCompass for Child Development, 8/E
Berk
©2009 | Pearson | On-line Supplement | Live
ISBN-10: 0205687873 | ISBN-13: 9780205687879

Test Item File for WebCT (Download only) for Child Development, 8/E
Berk
©2009 | Pearson | On-line Supplement | Live
ISBN-10: 0205687865 | ISBN-13: 9780205687862

TestGen Computerized Test Bank for Child Development, 8/E
Berk
©2009 | Pearson | On-line Supplement | Live
ISBN-10: 0205626610 | ISBN-13: 9780205626618

Websites and online courses

Exam Copy for Child Development, 8/E
Berk
©2009 | Pearson | Cloth; 784 pp | Instock
ISBN-10: 0205626785 | ISBN-13: 9780205626786
More Info

Explorations in Child Development DVD and Guide for Child Development, 8/E
Berk
©2010 | Pearson | Kit/Package/ShrinkWrap | Instock
ISBN-10: 0205642683 | ISBN-13: 9780205642687
Suggested retail price: $0.00Net price: $0.00 (What's this?)More Info

Explorations in Child Development DVD for Child Development, 8/E
Berk
©2010 | Pearson | DVD | Instock
ISBN-10: 0205626688 | ISBN-13: 9780205626687
More Info

Explorations in Child Development DVD Guide for Child Development, 8/E
Berk
©2010 | Pearson | Paper; 88 pp | Instock
ISBN-10: 0205626696 | ISBN-13: 9780205626694
More Info

Video Demonstration Website (Online access only) for Child Development, 8/E
Berk
©2009 | Pearson | On-line Supplement | Live
ISBN-10: 0205654339 | ISBN-13: 9780205654338
More Info

Access code cards

Other student resources

Grade Aid Workbook for Child Development, 8/E
Berk
©2009 | Pearson | Paper; 432 pp | Instock
ISBN-10: 0205626629 | ISBN-13: 9780205626625
Net price: $24.30 (What's this?)More Info

For Child Development

Normal Development in the First Ten Years of Life: Greatest Hits (for Instructors)
Fox
©2007 | Pearson | DVD | Instock
ISBN-10: 0321441214 | ISBN-13: 9780321441218
Suggested retail price: $0.00Net price: $0.00 (What's this?)More Info

Study Card for Child Development (Chronological)
Allyn & Bacon
©2005 | Pearson | Study Card; 6 pp | Instock
ISBN-10: 0205435084 | ISBN-13: 9780205435081
Suggested retail price: $8.00Net price: $6.00 (What's this?)More Info

Study Card for Child Development (Topical)
Allyn & Bacon
©2005 | Pearson | Study Card; 6 pp | Instock
ISBN-10: 0205435076 | ISBN-13: 9780205435074
Suggested retail price: $9.40Net price: $7.05 (What's this?)More Info

For Child Development (Topical Approach)

Lecture Questions for Clickers (Download only) for Child Development (Topical) (for Instructors), 2/E
Cook & Cook
©2008 | Pearson | On-line Supplement | Live
ISBN-10: 0205516637 | ISBN-13: 9780205516636

Pearson Passport Link Library Files for Developmental Psychology
Pearson
©2011 | Pearson | On-line Supplement | Live
ISBN-10: 0205028152 | ISBN-13: 9780205028153