Pillars of Developmental Psychology
Recollections and Reflections

Illuminating personal histories provided by a notable group of living 'pillars' of Developmental Psychology.

Frank Kessel (Edited by)

9781009425728, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 20 February 2025

546 pages
22.8 x 15.1 x 2.8 cm, 0.79 kg

'As disciplines, psychology is young and developmental psychology, even younger. This great book incorporates narratives from leaders who've explored how human beings become human and in the process, forged a dynamic, diverse interdisciplinary field of inquiry. Rich in ideas, drama, reflection, discovery, and passion, these revealing accounts will inform and inspire readers now and in future.' Carol M. Worthman, Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor of Anthropology Emerita, Emory University, USA

Embark on a journey through the rich tapestry of developmental psychology with 'Pillars of Developmental Psychology.' This collection reveals personal histories of influential scholars, the living 'pillars,' whose decades-long contributions have shaped the discipline. The book deepens the argument that a complete understanding of the field requires the human narratives that have woven its fabric, complementing and going beyond analytical views. These 'pillars' not only recount the achievements and challenges of their journeys, but also highlight how their work can inspire future generations. This reflective anthology resonates across disciplines, offering invaluable insights for scholars and students alike. A framing preface, tantalizing abstracts, illuminating chapters, and a closing commentary amplify the significance of these scholars' contributions, revealing overarching themes in personal, inter-personal, institutional, socio-political, and intellectual dimensions. "Pillars of Developmental Psychology" is a testament to the enduring impact of these luminaries and a roadmap for the dynamic future of developmental inquiry.

1. Towards a psychology of knowing David R. Olson
2. Imitation and the generative mind Jacqueline Nadel
3. Paranoid psychology: searching for the theory that explains everything Arnold Sameroff
4. Back and forth with life: development of a developmentalist Patricia M. Greenfield
5. Children of today are the adults of tomorrow Lea Pulkkinen
6. Studying children in sociocultural context: a widening journey Robert Serpell
7. A once and future developmental psychologist Howard Gardner
8. Sperlonga and beyond Paul L. Harris
9. Roots of Richard Lerner Richard M. Lerner
10. One career, two career narratives Catherine E. Snow
11. Turning points in the study of developmental processes Stephen J. Suomi
12. Explorations in progress, positivity, and purpose William Damon
13. An atypical developmental pathway: seizing opportunities and creating new ones Anne Petersen
14. A developmental science investigation into a developmental science life, or why I paint Marc Bornstein
15. Developmental origins of physical aggression and its prevention: a bio-psycho-social journey Richard Tremblay
16. The social, cultural and racial context of development Oscar Barbarin
17. Braiding together interdisciplinary threads across the life span: a research tapestry Jeanne Brooks-Gunn
18. My journey to become a cultural developmental psychologist Heidi Keller
19. Developmental science, institutional structures, and a scholarly career in the discipline: reflections through a racial lens Vonnie C. McLoyd
20. From changing contexts to individual change: a lifelong journey Rainer Silbereisen
21. Developmental psychology's 21st century identity task: creating science beyond the mask of the myth Margaret Beale Spencer
22. Standing on the shoulders of giants while desperately learning to swim Michael E. Lamb
23. What developmental psychology did for me, not what I did for developmental psychology Terezinha Nunes
24. The making of a developmental psychopathologist Dante Cicchetti
25. Transforming by participating Barbara Rogoff
26. The importance of serendipity in shaping a career Laurence Steinberg
27. I didn't know where I was going until I was halfway there! Megan R. Gunnar
28. Aspiring to cognitive science: in search of the cog in Social Cognition Josef Perner
29. Touchstones and sightings Peggy J. Miller
30. Individual and cultural historical development Willem Koops
31. Big and small fishes and their ponds Linda Richter
32. From philosophical anthropology to developmental psychology: working Pasteur's quadrant J. Lawrence Aber
33. Change and continuity in the life of a developmental psychologist Cynthia Garcia Coll
34. Serendipity on the path to developmental resilience science Ann S. Masten
35. Career come full circle: my journey in disciplinary paradigmatic, and geo-cultural boundary-crossing Kofi Marfo
36. True to child development throughout a changing society Tiia Tulviste
37. Reflections of a developmental psychologist from India Suman Verma
38. Global south developmental psychology: using native lenses Silvia H. Koller
39. 'I wish I could be like a tree' Nandita Chaudhary
40. The different ways micro and macro coincide in a developmental career Hirokazu Yoshikawa
41. Threads and themes of development: some semi-random suggestions Frank Kessel.

Subject Areas: Child & developmental psychology [JMC]