Every year, scientists discover and explain more concepts and research. The best of these are integrated into the text, with hundreds of new references on many topics, including epigenetics at conception, prenatal protections, infant nutrition, autism spectrum disorder, attachment over the life span, high-stakes testing, drug use and drug addiction, sex education, and diversity of all kinds—ethnic, economic, and cultural. Cognizant of the interdisciplinary nature of human development, I include recent research in biology, sociology, education, anthropology, political science, and more—as well as my home discipline, psychology.

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Genetics and social contexts are noted throughout. The interaction of nature and nurture are discussed in many chapters, as neuroscience relates to research on family life. Among the many topics described with new research are the variations, benefits, and hazards of breast-feeding, infant day care, preschool education, single parenthood, exercise, vaccination, same-sex marriage—always noting differences, deficits, and resilience.