Concepts and Theories of Human Development
5th Edition
Published on 31. March 2026
638 pages
978-1-040-67782-7 (ISBN)
Description
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 for contemporary research and 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 optimising individual development across time and place offering insights into common pitfalls and how to avoid them.
'Applied 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 resource for graduate students studying for their comprehensive exams on human development.
The book is supported by a website featuring videos from the author and scholars in the field of human development, available at routledgelearning.com/conceptshumandev.
Key features of this edition include:
Two brand new chapters:
'Developmental Methodology', which explores the useful and problematic approaches to describing, explaining, and optimising individual development across time and place offering insights into common pitfalls and how to avoid them.
'Applied 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 resource for graduate students studying for their comprehensive exams on human development.
The book is supported by a website featuring videos from the author and scholars in the field of human development, available at routledgelearning.com/conceptshumandev.
Reviews / Votes
Richard Lerner's Concepts and Theories of Human Development has long been the go-to source for the foundational insights of development science. The 5th 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, US.
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, US
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.
Nilam Ram, Stanford University, US
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
More details
Edition
5th edition
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Product notice
Reflowable
Illustrations
22 Tables, black and white; 52 Line drawings, black and white; 158 Halftones, black and white; 210 Illustrations, black and white
File size
39,64 MB
ISBN-13
978-1-040-67782-7 (9781040677827)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Richard M. Lerner
Concepts and Theories of Human Development
Book
approx. 03/2026
5th Edition
Routledge
€101.50
Not yet published
Richard M. Lerner
Concepts and Theories of Human Development
Book
approx. 03/2026
5th Edition
Routledge
€193.50
Not yet published
Person
Richard M. Lerner is the Bergstrom Chair in Applied Developmental Science and the Director of the Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development, in the Eliot Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development, at Tufts University.
Content
Foreword by Michael E. Lamb and Marc H. Bornstein Preface Chapter 1: On the Primacy of Concepts and Theories in the Scientific Study of Human Development Chapter 2: Concepts and Theories Within Contemporary Developmental Science: An Overview Chapter 3: Philosophical and Scientific Roots of Contemporary Developmental Science Chapter 4: Metatheoretical Models of Development Chapter 5: Theoretical Roots of Contemporary Developmental Science: Nomothetic (Stage), Differential, and Idiographic Approaches Chapter 6: Toward Resolving the Nature-Nurture Controversy Chapter 7: Towards Resolving the Nature-Nurture Controversy: Contributions and Implications of the Scholarship of T. C. Schneirla Chapter 8: The Orthogenetic Principle and the Resolution of the Continuity-Discontinuity Issue: Contributions and Implications of the Work of Heinz Wener Chapter 9: Dynamic, Relational Developmental Systems-Based Theories: Comparative, Evolutionary, and Ontogenetic Conceptions Chapter 10: Dynamic, Relational Developmental Systems-Based Theories: Sample Cases Chapter 11: Genetic Reductionism in Developmental Science: Samples Cases From the Twentieth Century Chapter 12: Genetic Reductionism in Developmental Science: Sample Cases from the Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries Chapter 13: Developmental Methodology: Implications of Dynamic, Relational Developmental Systems-Based Concepts Chapter 14: Applying Developmental Science: Implications for Human Flourishing, A Habitable World, and Social Justice Afterword by Sara K. Johnson and Theo Klimstra
