The nature of nurture : rethinking why and how childhood adversity shapes development / Jay Belsky.
| Author/creator | Belsky, Jay, 1952- author. |
| Format | Book |
| Publication | Cambridge, Massachusetts ; London, England : The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2026. |
| Copyright Date | ©2026 |
| Description | xi, 220 pages ; 25 cm |
| Subjects |
| Contents | Preface -- Introduction: Biological Gravity -- Part I. The Puberty Hypothesis. A New World Order? -- An Uncanny Prediction -- Testing the Puberty Hypothesis -- Not So Fast -- Even Faster? -- A Genetic Illusion? -- Part II. The Differential Susceptibility Hypothesis. For Better and For Worse -- The Difficult Infant -- Physiological Reactivity and Sensory-Processing Sensitivity -- The Genetics of Developmental Plasticity -- Conclusion: Miles to Go Before I Sleep. |
| Abstract | "Jay Belsky argues for a Darwinian interpretation of effects of childhood trauma on 'antisocial' adult behavior. The claim that such behavior is dysfunctional is fraught with bias. Instead, adult aggression, promiscuity, etc. may reflect adaptation to danger and instability. We merely assume that 'well-behaved' people are developmentally normal."-- Provided by publisher. |
| Abstract | "In The Nature of Nurture, renowned developmental psychologist Jay Belsky challenges this interpretation and offers an exciting alternative based on Darwinian theory. There is no reason to assume, he points out, that the psychology of 'well-behaved' people is normal while that of 'antisocial' adults is aberrant. Instead, the supposedly dysfunctional behaviors correlated with childhood adversity could well be ingenious adaptations to harsh environments. If you are surrounded by danger and uncertainty, then being quick to lash out at potential threats and having lots of offspring at an early age are good ways to maximize your reproductive chances. From an evolutionary perspective, having just a few children and lavishing care on each works well in a stable world, but not in a perilous one. Belsky exposes the romanticism underlying our idealized notions that 'natural' equals 'good' and that nature intends to maximize human happiness and well-being. When instead we take seriously the fact that humans, too, have been shaped by evolutionary pressures, we can better understand why, how, and for whom childhood experience shapes later life." -- Adapted from publisher's description. |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references (pages 183-209) and index. |
| Issued in other form | Online version http://id.loc.gov/entities/relationships/onlineversion Belsky, Jay, 1952- Nature of nurture Cambridge, Massachusetts : Harvard University Press, 2026 9780674303966 |
| LCCN | 2025023894 |
| ISBN | 9780674297197 hardcover |
| ISBN | 0674297199 hardcover |
| ISBN | electronic publication |
| ISBN | electronic book |
Availability
| Library | Location | Call Number | Status | Item Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joyner | General Stacks | BF713 .B444 2026 | ✔ Available | Place Hold |