This topically organized, research-based text covers the physical, cognitive, and psychosocial aspects of human development, with attention to all periods of the life span. Its topical organization makes this text a truly unique alternative to traditional, chronologically organized development texts. By combining the best of the topical and chronological approaches, the authors are able to present life-span development as a motion picture rather than as a series of individual snapshots, thus preserving the integrity of the life-span development concept. Although in the Second Edition the basic perspective remains unchanged, the authors have sharpened the focus on themes such as the importance of the fit between person and environment, and added emphasis on cultural and subcultural diversity in development. Because of the complexity of many of the issues in human development, Sigelman and Shaffer have aimed for a book that is highly readable and yet scholarly. Through careful organization, real life examples, a clear and straightforward writing style, apt use of concrete examples and analogies, and a focus on the relevance of materials to students lives, the authors have made even the most complex topics accessible to their readers. Read Less