This revised edition updates and extends theory and research on nonuniversal developmental domains and related topics. New chapters include a summary of ten years of additional research on the transitions model, as well as introductions to new work on the development of expertise, creativity, and cultural organisms. In this second edition, the author argues that developmental science has transformed since the first edition, consistent with the proposed changes for the field introduced in the first volume. Efforts are also made in this edition to bring the work into closer contact with cognitive science, educational research, contextual frameworks, and applied fields.

Piagetian theory was once considered able to describe the structure and development of human thought. As a result, it generated an enthusiasm that it could direct education to develop new teaching methods, particularly in science and mathematics. However, disillusionment with Piagetian theory came rather quickly because many of its structural and developmental assumptions appeared incongruent with empirical evidence. In recent years several neo-Piagetian theories have been proposed which try to preserve the strengths of Piaget’s theory, while eliminating its weaknesses. At the same time several other models have been advanced originating from different epistemological traditions, such as cognitive/differential psychology or socio-historical approaches. Originally published in 1992, this title was unique in representing most of these theories and traditions. Specifically, the authors focus their work on the educational implications of their research. The chapters are organised in three parts: the first part presents some widely known models of cognitive development and discusses their implications for different aspects of education; the second part is devoted to learning and cognitive acceleration; while part three highlights teaching methods that would improve the acquisition of particular skills in specific areas. Written by an eminent group of truly international contributors, this title will still be useful to students and researchers in cognitive development and education, as well as educational policy makers.

This volume juxtaposes two different domains of developmental theory: the Piagetian approach and the information-processing approach. Articles by experts in both fields discuss how concepts of development and learning, traditionally approached through cognitive-developmental theories such as Piaget's, are analyzed from the perspective of a task analytic, information-processing approach.

Perceptual and Cognitive Development illustrates how the developmental approach yields fundamental contributions to our understanding of perception and cognition as a whole. The book discusses how to relate developmental, comparative, and neurological considerations to early learning and development, and it presents fundamental problems in cognition and language, such as the acquisition of a coherent, organized, and shared understanding of concepts and language. Discussions of learning, memory, attention, and problem solving are embedded within specific accounts of the neurological status of developing minds and the nature of knowledge. - Research advances and theoretical reorientations are updated in the Second Edition; the revision focuses more attention on the cognitive and biological sciences and neuroscience - Illustrates how the developmental approach can yield fundamental contributions to our understanding of perception and cognition as a whole - Discussions of learning, memory, and attention permeate individual chapters

A classic in the field, this third edition will continue to be the book of choice for advanced undergraduate and graduate-level courses in theories of human development in departments of psychology and human development. This volume has been substantially revised with an eye toward supporting applied developmental science and the developmental systems perspectives. Since the publication of the second edition, developmental systems theories have taken center stage in contemporary developmental science and have provided compelling alternatives to reductionist theoretical accounts having either a nature or nurture emphasis. As a consequence, a developmental systems orientation frames the presentation in this edition. This new edition has been expanded substantially in comparison to the second edition. Special features include: * A separate chapter focuses on the historical roots of concepts and theories of human development, on philosophical models of development, and on developmental contextualism. * Two new chapters surrounding the discussion of developmental contextualism--one on developmental systems theories wherein several exemplars of such models are discussed and a corresponding chapter wherein key instances of such theories--life span, life course, bioecological, and action theoretical ones--are presented. * A new chapter on cognition and development is included, contrasting systems' approaches to cognitive development with neo-nativist perspectives. * A more differentiated treatment of nature-oriented theories of development is provided. There are separate chapters on behavior genetics, the controversy surrounding the study of the heritability of intelligence, work on the instinctual theory of Konrad Lorenz, and a new chapter on sociobiology. * A new chapter concentrates on applied developmental science.

Provides a contemporary review of methods and theories of the development of intellectual abilities from infancy to adulthood by the major researchers in the field.

These groundbreaking essays reflect on the conceptual and ethical basis for composition studies as a new discipline of written language.

A presentation of current work that systematically explores and articulates the nature, origin and development of reasoning, this volume's primary aim is to describe and examine contemporary theory and research findings on the topic of deductive reasoning. Many contributors believe concepts such as "structure," "competence," and "mental logic" are necessary features for a complete understanding of reasoning. As the book emanates from a Jean Piaget Symposium, his theory of intellectual development as the standard contemporary treatment of deductive reasoning is used as the context in which the contributors elaborate on their own perceptions.

Atheism, this book argues, is unbelievable. The universe's wonders couldn't have come about by chance, nor could natural selection alone have produced evolution. Therefore since evolution resembles the creative process, especially in using trial-and-error, God's creative activity is responsible and human creators reveal much about him. However that process is goal directed, so evolution must be as well. But the goal a Picasso or Darwin pursues is vague. They don't know exactly where they're going and make mistakes. So therefore must God. Thus Abra rejects the perfect God assumed by many religions and Intelligent Design. Why bring back God? To restore meaning and purpose to existence and gain faith's many benefits. To better explain how the universe, scientific laws and life itself came about, and living things' attractive but useless properties. Other discussions clarify both creativity and the creative God. Is there one kind of creativity or many? A sex difference? Are creators neurotic'...

What is creativity, and where does it come from? Creativity and Development explores the fascinating connections and tensions between creativity research and developmental psychology, two fields that have largely progressed independently of each other-until now. In this book, scholars influential in both fields explore the emergence of new ideas, and the development of the people and situations that bring them to fruition. The uniquely collaborative nature of Oxford's Counterpoints series allows them to engage in a dialogue, addressing the key issues and potential benefits of exploring the connections between creativity and development. Creativity and Development is based on the observation that both creativity and development are processes that occur in complex systems, in which later stages or changes emerge from the prior state of the system. In the 1970s and 1980s, creativity researchers shifted their focus from personality traits to cognitive and social processes, and the co-authors of this volume are some of the most influential figures in this shift. The central focus on system processes results in three related volume themes: how the outcomes of creativity and development emerge from dynamical processes, the interrelation between individual processes and social processes, and the role of mediating artifacts and domains in developmental and creative processes. The chapters touch on a wide range of important topics, with the authors drawing on their decades of research into creativity and development. Readers will learn about the creativity of children's play, the creative aspects of children's thinking, the creative processes of scientists, the role of education and teaching in creative development, and the role of multiple intelligences in both creativity and development. The final chapter is an important dialogue between the authors, who engage in a roundtable discussion and explore key questions facing contemporary researchers, such as: Does society suppress children's creativity? Are creativity and development specific to an intelligence or a domain? What role do social and cultural contexts play in creativity and development? Creativity and Development presents a powerful argument that both creativity scholars and developmental psychologists will benefit by becoming more familiar with each other's work.