Intended for courses on theories of human development, this new text presents nine theories grouped into three major families - those that emphasize biological systems; those that emphasize environmental factors; and those that emphasize a dynamic interaction between biological and environmental forces. The nine theories selected have a long and productive history in human development and continue to evolve as a result of new insights. The inclusion of social role theory and life course theory expand the book's relevance to the study of adulthood and aging. Grouping the theories by families enhances students' ability to think critically about theoretical ideas, assess the strengths and weaknesses of each theory, and gain a deeper understanding of how each theory guides research and application. The three families are introduced with a brief overview of the unique perspectives of each theory and the rationale for grouping these theories together. Discussion of each theory includes: Theories of Human Development serves as a text in advanced undergraduate and/or beginning graduate courses in theories of human development. Its clear organization and engaging writing style make it accessible to students with a minimal background in human development.
Not a book specifically for placement of the theories but background on how the theories evolved.
One key point was that at the end of the chapters it gives an overview of the theory in addition to its strengths and weaknesses.
I marked it down a star because there were several times that a new theorist was introduced in the middle of a chapter but it was not made clear how much of a connection they had to say the original theorist. So Freud and Erikson for example, when Erikson is introduced you are wondering, "were they friends, contemporaries, etc?" Reading Erikson's chapter would help clear it up but it was near the end while Freud was near the beginning.