Why Youth Is Not Wasted On The Young - Immaturity In Human Development

Why Youth is Not Wasted on the Young examines the nature of childhood through an evolutionary lens and argues that childhood is an essential stage of development with its own unique purposes, separate from those of adulthood; a time of growth and discovery that should not be rushed.



Written by a renowned developmental psychologist

Examines the role that our period of immaturity plays on the social, emotional, and educational needs of today's children

Challenges common perceptions of children as simply "adults in training"

David F. Bjorklund is Professor of Psychology at Florida Atlantic University. His publications include Parents Book of Discipline (with Barbara R. Bjorklund, 1999), The Origins of Human Nature: Evolutionary Developmental Psychology (with Anthony D. Pellegrini, 2002), and Children's Thinking: Cognitive Development and Individual Differences (fourth edition, 2005).

"What is childhood? What is it for? The usual answer is that the purpose of childhood is to set the stage for bigger things to come. Why Youth is Not Wasted on the Young turns this view on its head. In this clear and beautifully written account of the role of immaturity in human development and evolution, Bjorklund argues that children’s minds are qualitatively different from those of adults. Indeed, children have special ways of learning and knowing that enable unique mastery of skills and invention of knowledge. This book should be required reading for anyone who is struggling with the question of how best to structure their children’s lives in today’s frantic world."
Bruce J. Ellis, University of Arizona

"Dave Bjorklund's book is a must read for parents and others who have an interest in kids, families, and schools. Based on current and sound scientific research, Bjorklund explains in very clear and readable, though not simplistic, language the long term importance of childhood qualities, such as play time and being "immature"- qualities that are under siege in many quarters of contemporary society."
Anthony D Pellegrini, University of Minnesota

"In this accessible and provocative work, David Bjorklund argues that childhood is not just a training for adulthood. Rather, it serves important adaptive functions that we need to acknowledge and value."
Michael Rutter, author of "Genes and Behavior"

“A lively, insightful analysis of human behavior from a novel, evolutionary standpoint; this is essential reading for anyone seeking to truly understand childhood and today's children.”
Glenn Weisfeld, Wayne State University

"David Bjorklund, one of the world’s leading developmental psychologists, has provided us with an intriguing and accessible treatment of some of the most important questions in the behavioral sciences today. Why does it take so long for humans to grow up? And, what is the evolutionary function of children’s activities while they are growing up? The book will be of interest to development scientists and to parents and educators wishing to better understand their children"
David C. Geary, University of Missouri

"In short, the answer to the question of who should read this book is a simple one: anyone who has an interest—personal, professional, or both—in how children develop." PsycCRITIQUES





“Bjorklund is a major contributor to the literature on evolutionary approaches to understanding child development. His connections … are original and well supported. Highly recommended.”
Choice Reviews

“That rare sort of science book that will be interesting to researchers as well as to laypeople … . Bjorklund is a beautifully smooth writer.”
American Scientist

Preface.
Acknowledgments.
Chapter 1: The Benefits of Youth.
Rushing through Childhood.
Views of Development.
A Darwinian Perspective.
I Come Not to Praise Immaturity.
Chapter 2: The Youngest Species.
A Brief Look at Human Evolution.
The Evolution of Childhood.
Timing is Everything.
The Youngest Species.
Chapter 3: The Slow Rate of Growing Up.
The Gamble of Delayed Development.
Big Brains, Social Complexity, and Slow Development.
Cooperating and Competing.
Family Matters.
Slow Growth and Brain Plasticity.
Developmental Plasticity and Evolution.
When Slow is Fast Enough.
Chapter 4: Adapting to the Niche of Childhood.
The Benefits of Limitations.
See Things My Way.
Learning Language.
How Do Adults View Children’s Immature Thinking?.
Adapting to Childhood.
Chapter 5: The Advantages of Thinking You’re Better than You Are.
The Development of Metacognition – Knowing What We Know.
Some Benefits of Less-Than-Perfect Metacognition.
When We Deal with Children.
Know Thyself, But Not Too Well.
Chapter 6: Play: The Royal Road through Childhood.
What is Play?.
The Adaptive Value of Play.
Children Playing, Children Learning.
Play it Again, Kid.
Chapter 7: The Most Educable of Animals.
The Myth of “Earlier is Better”.
Prenatal Learning.
Early (Postnatal) Learning.
Developmentally Appropriate Practices in Early Education.
Stress in the Schoolhouse.
Old Brain, New Curriculum.
Chapter 8: The Changing Face of Childhood.
Pushing Children through Childhood.
A Brief History of Childhood.
The Costs of Ignoring Immaturity: The Well-being of America’s Children.
The Independent Human Juvenile: A New View of Childhood?.
Racing to Adulthood, Prolonging Adolescence.
Epilogue: Homo Juvenalis.
Revisiting Childhood.
Visiting Adulthood.
Notes.
References.
Index