This chronologically-organized text has an applied focus and is intentionally selective in the topics it includes so that the full text can be managed within one semester. It assumes no prior psychology exposure, making it perfect for students of nursing, social work, and education in addition to psychology, but it does not attempt to address in depth those issues covered extensively in Introductory Psychology courses. Rather, the text reflects the field of Human Development in its current state, with emphasis on developmental processes and their explanations. The research base of the text is current and solid, but the book emphasizes depth of content over research process.