Human Development in the Twenty-First Century
Visionary Ideas from Systems Scientists

In this 2007 collection, a dynamic group of systems scientists consider ways to enhance human development worldwide.

Alan Fogel (Edited by), Barbara J. King (Edited by), Stuart G. Shanker (Edited by)

9781107403147, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 24 November 2011

270 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.4 cm, 0.37 kg

How do human beings develop and function in relation to the human and natural world? The science of dynamic systems focuses on connections and relationships between people rather than on individual actions alone. This 2007 collection of engaging, non-technical essays, written by dynamic systems scientists in psychology, biology, anthropology, education, and sociology, challenges us to consider novel ways to enhance human development worldwide in the face of poverty, violence, neglect, disease and crises in our families. Focusing specifically on how to think about interventions and policies that will benefit human development from a systems perspective, this book brings research into the realm of application and policy. The authors use real-life examples to propose changes in clinical, educational and policy-making practices that will be of interest to professionals and practitioners alike.

Preface: the dynamic systems approach to fostering human development Alan Fogel, Barbara J. King and Stuart G. Shanker
Part I. Dynamic Relationships between Genetics and Environments: 1. Developmental dynamics: the new view from the life sciences Robert Lickliter
2. Genes, experience and behaviour Timothy D. Johnston
3. How dynamic systems have changed our minds Ken Richardson
4. Individual development as a system of coactions: implications for research and policy Gilbert Gottlieb and Carolyn Tucker Halpern
5. Gene-environment interactions and inter-individual differences in rhesus monkey behavioral and biological development Stephen J. Suomi
Part II. The Dynamic System of the Child in the Family: 6. Relationships that support human development Alan Fogel
7. The impact of emotions and the emotional impact of a child's first words Stuart G. Shanker
8. Emotional habits in brain and behaviour: a window on personality development Marc D. Lewis
9. Creating family love: an evolutionary perspective Barbara J. King
Part III. The Dynamic System of the Child in Social and Physical Environment: 10. The tempest: anthropology and human development Peter Gow
11. An anthropology of human development: what difference does it make? Christina Toren
12. The social child Tim Ingold
13. Learning about human development from a study of educational failure Gillian Evans
14. Dynamic views of education Lynette Friedrich Cofer
15. Embodied communication in non-human animals Barbara Smuts
16. Children in the living world: why animals matter for children's development Gail F. Melson
Part IV. Dynamic Systems Approaches to Mental Health: 17. A dynamic developmental model of mental health and mental illness Stanley I. Greenspan
18. Dyadic microanalysis of mother–infant communication informs clinical practice Beatrice Beebe and Joseph Jaffe
19. Current problems of Japanese youth: some possible pathways for alleviating these problems from the perspective of dynamic systems theory Alan Fogel and Masatoshi Kawai
20. A different way to help George Downing
21. Why do siblings often turn out very differently? Michael E. Kerr
22. A dynamic systems approach to understanding family and peer relationships: implications for effective interventions with aggressive youth Isabela Granic
23. Prenatal substance exposure and human development Daniel S. Messinger and Barry M. Lester
Part V. Conclusions and Outlook: 24. Dynamic systems methods for the life sciences Alan Fogel, Stanley Greenspan, Barbara J. King, Robert Lickliter, Pedro Reygadas, Stuart G. Shanker and Christina Toren.

Subject Areas: Child & developmental psychology [JMC], Sociology [JHB]