Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

Introduction to development -- Life-span development -- Guiding themes in human development -- The nature of human development -- Biology and environment -- The sociocultural context -- Try this! exploring attitudes about child rearing -- The domains of human development -- Changing perspectives : children and war -- Theoretical frameworks for human development -- The role of theory -- Biological views of human development -- Psychodynamic views of human development -- Behavioral views of human development -- Cognitive views of human development -- Integrating theoretical approaches -- The scientific approach to the study of human development -- Descriptive methods -- Studying development across time -- Current issues: fragile families and child well-being -- Correlation as a descriptive tool -- Experimental approaches : the study of cause and effect -- Summary of research methods -- Ethics in developmental research -- Development in context -- Heredity and environment -- Molecular genetics -- Human cells -- DNA -- Genes -- Protein synthesis -- Genes, chromosomes, and cell division -- Cell division and reproduction -- From genotype to phenotype -- The variation of traits among individuals -- Genetic and chromosomal disorders -- Sex-linked disorders -- Autosomal disorders -- Genetic counseling -- Advances in genetic research and treatment -- Behavior genetics -- Changing perspectives : genetic engineering and cloning -- Adoption studies -- Twin studies -- Try this! exploring the basis of personality -- Environmental influences and contexts -- Basic processes that affect behavior -- Conditioning, behavior modification, and life -- Social learning and the evolving self-concept -- Environment in a broader context : family and culture -- Family systems -- The family as the transmitter of culture -- Current issues : the new baby and the extended family system -- Sociocultural influences on development across the life span -- Prenatal development and childbirth -- Prenatal growth and development -- Trimesters and periods -- Conception and the germinal period -- The embryonic period -- The fetal period -- Developmental trends -- Prenatal environmental influences -- Maternal age -- Maternal health and nutrition -- Prenatal health care -- Critical periods in prenatal development -- Teratogens and their effects -- Childbirth -- Stages of childbirth -- Approaches to childbirth -- Try this! birthing practices : yesterday and today -- Advances in technology -- Changing perspectives : fetal portraits for medicine or for profit? -- Complications in childbirth -- The evolving family -- The transition to parenthood -- Current issues : kangaroo care for low-birth-weight infants-an experimental approach being tried in countries around the world.