Читать книгу Infants and Children in Context - Tara L. Kuther - Страница 14

Child and Adolescent Development in Context is organized into 15 chronological chapters, within five units, that depict the wide range of developments that occur over the lifespan. Unit 1 (Foundations of Child and Adolescent Development) includes Chapters 1, 2, and 3. Chapter 1 combines developmental theory and research design within a single chapter. I chose this approach because, given limited class time, many instructors do not cover stand-alone research chapters. The streamlined approach combines comprehensive coverage of methods of data collection, research design, developmental designs (such as sequential designs), and ethical issues in research with full coverage of the major theories in developmental psychology. Chapter 2 presents the biological foundations of development, including patterns of genetic inheritance, gene–environment interactions, and epigenetics. Chapter 3 describes prenatal development and birth, from conception to the newborn, including the emerging family system. I chose to present prenatal development, birth, and the newborn as a single chapter (rather than birth and the newborn as a stand-alone chapter) to reflect continuity in the perinatal period.

The remaining units contain three chapters each on physical development, cognitive development, and socioemotional development to reflect the major areas of development during infancy (Unit 2, Chapters 4 to 6), early childhood (Unit 3, Chapters 7 to 9), middle childhood (Unit 4, Chapters 10 to 12), and adolescence (Unit 5, Chapters 13 to 15). Therefore, Child and Adolescent Development in Context contains 15 chapters that correspond to the 15 weeks of the typical college semester.