Human Development: A Cultural Approach

by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett

Help students understand how culture impacts development- and why it matters.
Through current research and examples of human development around the world, Arnett’s Human Development teaches students to think culturally about their own development and see how it applies to their own lives and future careers. New U.S. and international videos, shot in several countries, allow students to observe similarities and differences in human development across cultures. Video Guides are included in each chapter, at the end of each section. Students can quickly scan the Video Guide’s “QR code” and link directly to a short video clip using their smart phone. Videos are also available on MyDevelopmentLab. Teaching & Learning Experience MyDevelopmentLab does not come automatically packaged with this text. To purchase MyDevelopmentLab, please www.mydevelopmentlab.com or you can purchase a valuepack of the text + MyDevelopmentLab (at no additional cost). 9780205258628 Click here to learn more about the book and to view a sample chapter! www.pearsonhighered.com/showcase/arnett

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, School, Textbooks

768 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2011

Reviews

[Atlas · Rating 1 out of 5]

Riddled with misinformation and outdated sources, almost no representation of queer or disabled life development, drew some extremely unsubstantiated conclusions, was blatantly biased against neurodivergent individuals.... I cannot condemn this book enough and I highly recommend those looking for education on human development seek other sources.

[Rikki · Rating 2 out of 5]

Has a lot of great information, but Arnett talks way too much about himself imo. And his various snippets about cultures of developing countries often come across as pretty imperialist/colonialist, which boggles my mind; how was that irony lost on the editors?? Didn't appreciate how he glossed over gender issues (saying instead that sex-based oppression is essentially dead in the Western world because women can slightly more easily climb the corporate ladder and wear jeans), the various horrors related to dowry deaths in India, and how he made it clear that breastfeeding is still up for debate as to whether it's the most natural or appropriate choice for a healthy mother and child--but then went on to refer back to how he'd said breastfeeding is always best when possible? Also framed natural birth as almost pseudoscientific, as if all home-birthers reject all medical technologies or interventions, even those that are medically necessary, and makes no mention of the ongoing rampant problems of obstetric violence in the U.S., no critical analysis of high Caesarean rates, and instead focuses on how fewer than one percent of women in developed countries die from childbirth. Totally ignores how many more come very close and/or have to deal with long-term physical/psychological trauma, and how the U.S. is one of the worst countries for prenatal, delivery, and postnatal care.

Not really the greatest for "a cultural approach" to human development. Better to have a more aware, feminist professor who can fill in the gaps when teaching from this textbook.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of course this was for a psychology class, but I actually really enjoyed it. I had an online developmental psychology course and had to self-teach the material through this text book. I enjoyed the topics and have found relevance in everyday life. It's easy to follow and the content didn't give me that stale feeling that most textbooks have. It's essential to study human development with considerations of different cultures, and there was an appropriate level in each topic that addresses this.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This textbook provides a broad, multicultural overview of human development, from conception to death. Arnett includes snippets from many key developmental theorists, including Bandura, Bronfenbrenner, and Erikson. Given the scope of the book, it’s not possible to delve into depth on individual topics, but I do hope that later editions of the is book contain a more nuanced discussion of gender development and more information about the experiences of Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.

[Shelby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this for class so I figured I would mark it towards my challenge! This was actually a really great textbook. The information is relevant and I really appreciate the cultural inclusion. The writing was clear and easy to understand.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

read this entire book for a psych class

[Skye · Rating 4 out of 5]

As far as textbooks go, I really, really enjoyed this one. It was easy to read, interesting and I ended up reading a lot of it for the pure enjoyment. Not sure how much I actually absorbed, but I definitely enjoyed the adventure.

I’m not sure if it was the bright outlay of this textbook, the interesting topic or just the style of writing. But this was one of those textbooks that was really accessible and it wasn’t filled with information that you had to read twice to get your head around.

Overall, this was an enjoyable and intriguing insight into developmental psychology. It was completely logical in its outlay – travelling from conception through to death. And filled with case studies, information and facts that I will probably look back on in the future.

[Cheyanne Herrera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very clear and rich approach to Human Development. This book was easy to understand.