A new edition of this book is available.

`This is an admirable, modern textbook on child development, which is compact, beautifully organized and laid out and hence is easy to read and use. It also incorporates all the pedagogic methods which one expects in good textbooks nowadays, such as stating the aims of each chapter in bold at the beginning, together with a useful summary in a text-box and a glossary at the end of each chapter.... I was also very pleased to find that Keenan had included much of the modern thinking about child development which so many other university-level introductions seem, so far, to have neglected' - Young Minds

`This book is well written, with a flowing narrative. It provides an excellent coverage of methods and theories in developmental psychology' - J Gavin Bremner, Department of Psychology, Lancaster University

This outstanding textbook presents a comprehensive introduction to developmental psychology that is engaging, yet detailed and thorough. Covering all the major topics in child development, the book offers a grounding in the principles which govern research and theory in contemporary child development, and surveys the theories and research methods which are essential to developing a firm knowledge of the field.

Key features include:

* Coverage of the child's 'theory of mind' under the rubric of social development;

* an introduction to 'emotion regulation' in the chapter on emotional development;

* Coverage of some key theories such as 'dynamic systems theory' and 'evolutionary psychology'.

Ideal for students taking a first course in child or lifespan development, the book assumes little or no background in the subject.