Concepts and Theories of Human Development

Celebrating 50 years of this seminal textbook

Testimonials

“Concepts and Theories of Human Development was a critical reference for us and our peers when it first appeared. This latest edition promises to play an equivalently important role for the generation of scholars now entering or coming to prominence in the field. Concepts and Theories is essential reading for any advanced level course on developmental science, it should be primus inter pares on the virtual or real-world bookcases of graduate students in developmental science, and it will be given pride of place in the offices of developmental scientists around the world, just as previous editions were for us. This new edition builds on and enhances the extraordinary eloquence and excellence of its predecessors and makes a much needed and very welcome contribution to the field. No developmental scientist should be without it.”

Michael E. Lamb, University of Cambridge, UK and Marc Bornstein, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Institute for Fiscal Studies, UNICEF, USA

”Richard Lerner’s Concepts and Theories of Human Development has long been the go-to source for the foundational insights of development science. The 5^th edition covers exciting new frontiers in the study of human flourishing, genetics, and other timely topics. A must-read for scholars and students in this essential field!”

William Damon, Stanford University, USA

”Timely and celebratory, the 50th anniversary edition challenges global assaults on the humanity of diverse youth and communities. Its progressive use of dynamic RDS perspective and critical insights—re: application-supporting youth thriving—provides a “must read,” and affords strategic analyses of concepts and theories required as scaffolding for authentic supports.”

Margaret Beale Spencer, The University of Chicago, USA

‘‘Concepts and Theories of Human Development is the go-to guidebook for all students of developmental science. Each time I pick it up, I am inspired by Lerner’s masterful spotlighting of the ongoing dance between method, theory, and intervention practice that drives the field forward and deepens our understanding of the human experience.”

Nilàm Ram, Stanford University, USA

”In this Fifth Edition of his Concepts and Theories of Human Development, Richard M. Lerner again offers a very clear and totally up-to-date picture of the fundamental tenets of Developmental Science; including its metatheoretical, theoretical, methodological, empirical, and applied dimensions. This work entails an enormously important contribution in that it presents our best and most contemporary understanding of the nature of human developmental processes, as well as our understanding of best practices for investigating these processes. Lerner is, and has been, perfectly positioned to describe these concepts and theories as his work has been at the leading edge of our understanding of human development for over 50 years. This is a must-read book for anyone interested in developmental processes. It will be of particular value to psychologists, philosophers, biologists, sociologists, economists, and the medical and educational communities.”

Willis F. Overton, Temple University, USA

About the book

Celebrating 50 years since its initial publication, Concepts and Theories of Human Development provides the most comprehensive overview of the foundational theoretical contributions to understanding human development, and the influence of these contributions on contemporary research and their application in developmental science. The book discusses the assumptions involved in such topics as the nature-nurture issue, the issue of continuity-discontinuity, dynamic, relational developmental systems (RDS)-based concepts and models, and the important role of philosophical ideas about theories—in particular, metatheories—in understanding the links between theory and research.

Key features of this edition include:

Two brand new chapters:
“Developmental Methodology,” which explores the useful and problematic approaches to describing, explaining, and optimizing individual development across time and place offering insights into common pitfalls and how to avoid them
“Applying Developmental Science,” which focuses on applying dynamic, RDS-based concepts to advance social justice, foster moral and character development, and strengthen democracy
A new exploration of what it means to be human, a theme that is woven throughout the entire text
Discussions on recent methodological innovations in developmental science, providing tools to better understand the unique, person-specific features of human life

An essential resource for students and professionals alike, this book has become the go-to guide for graduate students studying for their comprehensive exams on human development.

About the author

Richard M. Lerner is the Bergstrom Chair in Applied Developmental Science and the Director of the Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development at Tufts University. He went from kindergarten through Ph.D. within the New York City public schools, completing his doctorate in developmental psychology at the City University of New York in 1971. Lerner has more than 850 scholarly publications, including 90 authored or edited books. He was the founding editor of the Journal of Research on Adolescence and of Applied Developmental Science. He is currently the Editor of Review of General Psychology, the flagship journal of Division 1 of the American Psychological Association (APA). Lerner was a 1980-1 fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences and is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the APA, and the Association for Psychological Science (APS). He is the recipient of the 2010 Society for Research on Adolescence John P. Hill Memorial Award for Life-time Outstanding Work; the 2013 APA Division 7 Urie Bronfenbrenner Award for Lifetime Contribution to Developmental Psychology in the Service of Science and Society; the 2014 APA Gold Medal for Life Achievement in the Application of Psychology; the 2015 APA Division 1 Ernest R. Hilgard Lifetime Achievement Award for distinguished career contributions to general psychology; the 2016 International Society for the Study of Behavioral Development Award for the Applications of Behavioral Development Theory and Research; the 2017 Society for Research in Child Development Distinguished Contributions to Public Policy and Practice in Child Development Award; the 2020 APS James McKeen Cattell Fellow Award winner for lifetime outstanding contributions to applied psychological research; and the 2021 Society for the Study of Human Development Distinguished Lifetime Career Award. Prior to joining Tufts University, he was on the faculty at The Pennsylvania State University, Michigan State University, and Boston College, where he was the Anita L. Brennan Professor of Education and the Director of the Center for Child, Family, and Community Partnerships. During the 1994-95 academic year, Lerner held the visiting Tyner Eminent Scholar Chair in the Human Sciences at Florida State University. Lerner served on the Board of Directors of the Military Child Education Coalition for 10 years. In February 2023, Pope Francis appointed Lerner to a second five-year term as a Corresponding Member of the Pontifical Academy for Life. He is married to Dr. Jacqueline V. Lerner, Professor in the Department of Applied Developmental and Educational Psychology in the Lynch School of Education at Boston College. They live in Wayland, Massachusetts.