Book excerpt: The essential reference on human development, updated and reconceptualized The Handbook of Child Psychology and Developmental Science, a four-volume reference, is the most comprehensive, authoritative text in the field. First published in 1946, and now in its Seventh Edition, the Handbook has long been considered the definitive guide to the field of developmental science. The scholarship across the four volumes of this edition illustrate that developmental science in the midst of a very exciting period. Provides comprehensive coverage of developmental science, including detailed explanations of major theories and methods Completely revised to reflect significant advances in the field, including reconceptions of theory, cultural concerns, and applications Reflects the paradigm shift that involves increasingly greater understanding of how to describe, explain, and optimize the course of human life for diverse individuals living within diverse contexts 4 Volumes www.wiley.com/go/hcp7