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Children and their Development, 8th edition

Published by Pearson (December 15, 2024) © 2025

  • Robert V. Kail Purdue University

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For courses in Child Development.

Demonstrate how research translates into practice

Children and Their Development examines how scientists conduct research in the field and shows how that knowledge can be applied to help children and families. Author Robert Kail explores the theory, research and contemporary applications of child development from conception through adolescence. The text’s accessible writing and modular format help students see how research translates into practice.

The 8th Edition incorporates references to hundreds of recent studies, as well as up-to-date coverage of topics such as diversity in family structure, adolescents’ use of social media and more.

Hallmark features of this title

  • A modular organization, with 3 or 4 modules per chapter, provides a clear, well-defined learning path.
  • Focus on Research features explore a particular research study, shedding light on how research is actually conducted.
  • Cultural Influences features highlight the impact of culture and celebrate the experiences of children from different backgrounds.
  • Improving Children’s Lives features show how research and theory can be applied to aid children.
  • Child Development and Family Policy features show how research can guide social policies that improve the lives of children and their families.
  • Check Your Learning questions at the end of each module and Test Yourself questions at the end of each chapter help students assess their understanding as they read.

New and updated features of this title

  • UPDATED: The 8th Edition has been thoroughly revised to reflect the latest in the field of development, including coverage of fresh topics. Highlights include:
    • new material about vaccine hesitancy and significantly revised coverage of gun violence in Chapter 4
    • updated coverage of the impact of socioeconomic status, ethnicity and stereotype threat on intelligence test scores in Chapter 8
    • an expanded discussion of developmental changes in levels of self-esteem, including information about self-esteem among millennials in Chapter 11
    • thoroughly overhauled coverage of gender and development, including new material on gender differences in communication as well as updated information on gender development in transgender children in Chapter 13
  • UPDATED: Author Robert Kail integrates coverage of the latest research throughout the 8th Edition, including references to hundreds of studies published in the last 10 years.

Features of Revel for the 8th Edition

  • NEW: Brief author written and narrated videos underscore the key takeaways and help students visualize key concepts.
  • MyVirtualChild is an engaging simulation that immerses students in raising a child from the prenatal period through age 18. Just like in the real world, students' parenting decisions and life choices combine with environmental and genetic factors to shape the development of the virtual child. By immersing students in a customizable virtual world, MyVirtualChild shows how developmental concepts play out over the course of childhood.
  1. The Science of Child Development
  2. Genetic Bases of Child Development
  3. Prenatal Development, Birth and the Newborn
  4. Growth and Health
  5. Perceptual and Motor Development
  6. Theories of Cognitive Development
  7. Cognitive Processes and Academic Skills
  8. Intelligence and Individual Differences in Cognition
  9. Language and Communication
  10. Emotional Development
  11. Understanding Self and Others
  12. Moral Understanding and Behavior
  13. Gender and Development
  14. Family Relationships
  15. Influences Beyond the Family

About our authors

Robert V. Kail is Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Psychological Sciences at Purdue University and Visiting Professor of Psychology, University of Michigan. His undergraduate degree is from Ohio Wesleyan University, and his Ph.D. is from the University of Michigan. Kail was editor of Child Development Perspectives, Psychological Science and Journal of Experimental Child Psychology. He received the McCandless Young Scientist Award from the American Psychological Association, was named the Distinguished Sesquicentennial Alumnus in Psychology by Ohio Wesleyan University, is a fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, and is an honorary professor at the University of Heidelberg, Germany. He has also written Scientific Writing for Psychology: Lessons in Clarity and Style and, with John C. Cavanaugh, Human Development: A Life-Span View. Away from the office, he enjoys travel and learning to speak German.

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