Infancy: Infant, Family, and Society

This text spans the four-year period in the human life course between conception and 36 months. The book's scientifically-based coverage is balanced by clear and accessible writing and the inclusion of both theoretical and applied topics.

Taking a systems perspective, this book places the infant in the context of interpersonal relationships with caregivers, other family members, hospitals, child care centers, and peers and with respect to the social policies and cultural practices that shape the course of these interpersonal relationships. A central theme of the book is the development of individual differences: the biological factors and environmental factors that combine to create unique developmental pathways for processes such as temperament, cognitive growth, and attachment.