Lifespan Development: Biopsychosocial Perspectives

by Susan Krauss Whitbourne, Cynthia R. Davis

Lifespan Biopsychosocial Perspectives provides students with complete explorations of each developmental stage of the lifespan, beginning with conception and concluding with an examination of successful aging. The book presents human development theory and research within a biopsychosocial framework, presenting information regarding biological, psychological, and social functioning during each significant period of the lifespan.

The first chapter of the text presents readers with an introduction to human development, addressing the meaning of age and aging, the four key principles of human development, the social factors that influence the study of human development, and more. The succeeding chapters progress in step with the human lifespan, beginning with conception and prenatal development, moving through infancy, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, and concluding with chapters devoted to later life.

The biopsychosocial perspective of the text emphasizes the transactional nature of biological, psychological, and social influences on the developing individual with a focus on positive development and the implications on health and wellness. It emphasizes the applied nature of the biopsychosocial perspective. Each chapter begins with a real-life scenario, challenging students to take the perspectives of individuals and practitioners dealing with issues at every stage of development.

Designed to provide readers with a holistic understanding of the complex progression of human life and aging, Lifespan Development is an ideal text for courses in psychology and human development. Cynthia R. Davis, Ph.D. , is a researcher for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs in the Cooperative Studies Program, part of the VA Boston Healthcare System, and a senior lecturer in psychology at Suffolk University in Boston. She earned her master’s degree in human development and psychology from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and her doctoral degree in applied child development from Tufts University. Susan Whitbourne, Ph.D., ABPP , is a professor emerita of psychological and brain sciences at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She is a prolific writer in the field, having authored or coauthored over 160 refereed articles and book chapters, 16 books, and a number of blog posts for Psych Today and Huffington Post.

378 pages, Paperback

Published July 11, 2018

About the author

Susan Krauss Whitbourne, Ph.D., is currently a professor of Psychology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst where for 20 years she directed the undergraduate Honors Program in Psychology. She now directs the Commonwealth Honors College's Office of National Scholarship Advisement. She grew up in Buffalo, N.Y. and graduated from the University at Buffalo. She received her Ph.D. in developmental psychology from Columbia University and completed a postdoctoral respecialization program in clinical psychology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The author of over 150 refereed articles and book chapters and 16 books (many in multiple editions and translations), her most recent work is The Search for Fulfillment (January 2010, Ballantine Books). Her research covers a wide range of topics related to adult development and aging, including personality development through midlife, contributors to successful aging, predictors of memory performance, and the relationship between physical health and sense of personal identity. She teaches large undergraduate lecture classes and maintains an active lab of graduate students whose research focuses on life-span development, dementia, and functional abilities in older adults.

Recepient of a 2011 Presidential Citation from the American Psychological Association, she is the winner of national and campus teaching and advising awards. She has served in executive board and advisory roles in regional and national professional organizations including the American Psychological Association (Council of Representatives and Membership Board), the Council of Professional Geropsychology Training Programs (Chair-Elect), the Eastern Psychological Association (Executive Board), the Society for the Study of Human Development (past President), the Gerontological Society of America (Executive Board member), the National Association of Fellowship Advisors (Executive Board member), and Psi Chi (past Eastern Regional Vice President), as well as a member of numerous task forces and advisory panels at the national, regional, state, and campus levels.

Whitbourne lives in Amherst, Massachusetts with her husband and has the distinct pleasure of having raised two daughters who chose to follow their mother's profession. Her older daughter, Stacey, a developmental/health psychologist, is now a co-author on her adult development text, and her younger daughter, Jennifer is pursuing her doctorate in clinical psychology. Her hobbies include knitting and playing the piano, and through her frequent participation in aerobics classes, she practices what she preaches about the value of aging and exercise.