Patterns of Human Growth (Cambridge Studies in Biological and Evolutionary Anthropology, Series Number 23)

This new, completely revised and updated edition provides a synthesis of the forces that shaped the evolution of the human growth pattern, the biocultural factors that direct its expression, the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that regulate individual development, and the biomathematical approaches that are needed to analyze and interpret human growth. After covering the history, philosophy, and basic biological principles of human development, the book turns to the evolution of the human life cycle. Later chapters explore the physiological, environmental, and cultural reasons for population variation in growth, and the genetic and endocrine factors that regulate individual development, providing a comprehensive explanation for the functional and adaptive significance of human growth patterns. The final chapter integrates all this information into a truly interactive biocultural model of human development.