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Human Development: A Life-Span View, 10th Edition

Robert V. Kail, John C. Cavanaugh

  • Copyright 2027
  • {{checkPublicationMessage('Published', '2026-01-22T00:00:00+0000')}}
Starting At $77.95 See pricing and ISBN options
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Human Development: A Life-Span View 10th Edition by Robert V. Kail/John C. Cavanaugh
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Overview

Introduce students to the issues, forces and outcomes that make individuals into the people they are with the captivating, applied approach in Kail/Cavanaugh's "Human Development: A Life-Span View," 10th Edition. The authors combine their expertise in childhood, adolescence, adult development and aging to create a rich description of all life-span stages, tracing development from conception through late life. A comprehensive yet succinct narrative blends the latest neuroscience and biophysiological research with contemporary topics and emergent trends, demonstrating the connections between research and real life. Students gain theoretical and empirical foundations that equip them to become educated, critical interpreters of developmental information.

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Meet the Authors

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Robert V. Kail

Robert V. Kail is visiting professor of psychology at the University of Michigan and distinguished professor emeritus of psychological sciences at Purdue University. His undergraduate degree is from Ohio Wesleyan University and his Ph.D. is from the University of Michigan. Dr. Kail served as editor of both Child Development Perspectives and Psychological Science. He received the McCandless Young Scientist Award from the American Psychological Association, was named the Distinguished Sesquicentennial Alumnus in Psychology by Ohio Wesleyan University and is a fellow of the Association for Psychological Science. Dr. Kail has also written CHILDREN AND THEIR DEVELOPMENT and SCIENTIFIC WRITING FOR PSYCHOLOGY.

John C. Cavanaugh

John C. Cavanaugh is Senior Consultant at Pathseekers II, Inc. He is former president and CEO of the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area, Chancellor Emeritus of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, and former president of the University of West Florida. A researcher and teacher of adult development and aging for more four decades, he has published about 100 articles and chapters and authored, coauthored, or coedited 24 books on aging, information technology, and higher education policy. He is a past president of Division 20 (Adult Development and Aging) of the American Psychological Association (APA) and is a fellow of APA (Divisions 1, 2, 3, and 20) and the Gerontological Society of America, and a charter fellow of the Association for Psychological Science. He has held numerous leadership positions in these associations, including chair of the Committee on Aging for APA. He has served on numerous state and national committees for aging-related and higher education organizations. He also serves on the Yellowstone Forever National Advisory Council. John is a devoted fan of “Star Trek” and a serious traveler, photographer, backpacker, cook, and chocoholic. He is married to Dr. Christine K. Cavanaugh, with whom he writes, co-teaches, and learns something new each day.

What's New

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  • Attachment theory has been added as a core perspective across the life-span along with expanded insights on threats to development in childhood and adolescence.
  • Network neuroscience theory has been added to explain adult brain and cognitive development with new insights on grief, job uncertainty and generational work issues.

Features

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  • Spotlight on Research and Linking Research to Life features deepen understanding and show how life-span research informs real-world policy and practice.
  • Real People: Applying Human Development presents captivating stories that illustrate how a development issue manifests within the life of an actual person.
  • Diverse Perspectives: What Do You Think? features challenge students to think critically about current social and developmental issues.
  • The Unifying Issues feature connects chapter content to fundamental issues in human development, reminding students of core issues that drive human-development science.
  • Unique modified chronological treatment reduces redundancy and provides an integrated life-span approach, leading to a 16 chapter narrative manageable for a one-semester course.
  • Proven student-focused learning aids such as objectives, vignettes, Think About It questions and self-tests support and reinforce comprehension.

Table of Contents

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1. The Study of Human Development.
Part I: PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT, INFANCY, AND EARLY CHILDHOOD.
2. Biological Foundations: Heredity, Prenatal Development, and Birth.
3. Tools for Exploring the World: Physical, Perceptual, and Motor Development.
4. The Emergence of Thought and Language: Cognitive Development in Infancy and Early Childhood.
5. Entering the Social World: Socioemotional Development in Infancy and Early Childhood.
Part II: SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS.
6. Off to School: Cognitive and Physical Development in Middle Childhood.
7. Expanding Social Horizons: Socioemotional Development in Middle Childhood.
8. Rites of Passage: Physical and Cognitive Development in Adolescence.
9. Moving Into the Adult Social World: Socioemotional Development in Adolescence.
Part III: YOUNG AND MIDDLE ADULTHOOD.
10. Emerging and Established Adulthood: Physical, Cognitive, and Personality Development.
11. Being Connected: Relationships in Emerging, Established, and Middle Adulthood.
12. Working and Relaxing.
13. Making It in Midlife: The Biopsychosocial Challenges of Middle Adulthood.
Part IV: LATE ADULTHOOD.
14. The Personal Context of Later Life: Physical, Cognitive, and Mental Health Issues.
15. Social Aspects of Later Life: Psychosocial, Retirement, Relationship, and Societal Issues.
16. The Final Passage: Dying and Bereavement.
Glossary.
References.

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MindTap
Each MindTap product offers the full, mobile-ready textbook combined with superior and proven learning tools at one affordable price. Students who purchase digital access can add a print option at any time when a print option is available for their course.

This Cengage solution can be seamlessly integrated into most Learning Management Systems (Blackboard, Brightspace by D2L, Canvas, Moodle, and more) but does require a different ISBN for access codes. Please work with your Cengage Learning Consultant to ensure the proper course set up and ordering information. For additional information, please visit the LMS Integration site.

Standalone Digital Access — Ultimate Value

Recommended and most popular

  • ISBN-10: 8214156890
  • ISBN-13: 9798214156897
  • RETAIL $99.95
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Textbook Only Options

Traditional eBook and Print Options

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  • ISBN-10: 8214156947
  • ISBN-13: 9798214156941
  • RETAIL $77.95

  • ISBN-10: 8214156858
  • ISBN-13: 9798214156859
  • RETAIL $172.95
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Supplements

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Cengage provides a range of supplements that are updated in coordination with the main title selection. For more information about these supplements, contact your Learning Consultant.

FOR STUDENTS

MindTap for Kail/Cavanaugh's Human Development: A Life-Span View, 1 term Instant Access

ISBN: 9798214156897
MindTap is an online learning platform that serves as a companion to your Cengage textbook. It offers powerful tools for quizzes and tests, grading and performance analytics, making it easier for you to track progress, identify learning gaps and support every student. With it, students get full access to their eBooks along with a wide range of supplemental materials, including practice activities and study support to help them build confidence, master course concepts and build real-world skills. Use MindTap for Kail/Cavanaugh's "Human Development: A Life-Span View," 10th Edition, as-is, or personalize it to meet your specific course needs. You can also integrate MindTap into your existing Learning Management System (LMS), keeping everything you need in one place.