Includes bibliographical references (p. 319-325) and index.

An introduction and important ideas -- An introduction to the study of human development -- Trends and issues in human development -- The maturational and biological approaches -- Arnold Gesell and the maturational model -- The importance of biology : sociobiology and ethology -- The psychodynamic approach -- Sigmund Freud's psychosexual theory -- Erik Erickson's focus on psychosocial development -- The behavioral perspective -- The behavioral models of development -- Social learning theory -- The cognitive developmental view -- Jean Piaget's cognitive model -- Lev Vygotsky's sociocultural theory of development -- A comparative analysis -- Comparing theories of human development.