This leading child development text has been widely acclaimed for its international coverage and its rigorous research-based approach. It begins by introducing the ways in which psychologists study developmental processes before going on to consider all major aspects of development, including biological, social, moral and cognitive components. For the fourth edition, the entire text has been updated to take account of recent developments in the field. Major revisions include: coverage of a range of theoretical perspectives - from evolutionary developmental psychology to cultural-ecological and social-constructionist viewpoints a new chapter on prenatal development and birth extensive new material on developments in attachment theory extended discussion of implications of the social contexts of learning for cognition and education recent perspectives on disadvantage.Each chapter provides lucid discussion of the material, enlivened by the inclusion of revealing case studies, and ideas for classroom discussion. Throughout the text the practical and applied implications of developmental research are emphasized and discussed.