Taking Sides: Clashing Views in Lifespan Development

TAKING SIDES: CLASHING VIEWS IN LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT presents current controversial issues in a debate-style format designed to stimulate student interest and develop critical thinking skills. Each issue is thoughtfully framed with an issue summary, an issue introduction, and a postscript. An instructor’s manual with testing material is available for each volume. USING TAKING SIDES IN THE CLASSROOM is also an excellent instructor resource with practical suggestions on incorporating this effective approach in the classroom. Each TAKING SIDES reader features an annotated listing of selected World Wide Web sites and is supported by our student website, www.dushkin.com/online.

Table of Contents:
PART 1. General Issues in the Study of Life Span Development ISSUE 1. Does Culture and Environment Influence Human Development More Than Our Genes? YES: Paul Ehrlich and Marcus Feldman, from “Genes and Cultures: What Creates Our Behavioral Phenome?” Current Anthropology (February 2003) NO: Gary Marcus, from “Making the Mind: Why We’ve Misunderstood the Nature-Nurture Debate,” Boston Review (December 2003/January 2004) Stanford University professors of biology Paul Ehrlich and Marcus Feldman argue that human behavior exhibits such complexity that genetic programs simply can’t explain the way people develop. Psychologist and researcher Gary Marcus asserts that research clearly demonstrates how a relatively small number of genes influence our environmental learning by "cascading" to determine the paths of our behavioral development. ISSUE 2. Are Peers More Important than Parents During the Process of Development? YES: Judith Rich Harris, from “How to Succeed in Childhood,” The Wilson Quarterly (Winter 1999) NO: Howard Gardner, from “Do Parents Count?” The New York Review of Books (November 5, 1998) Developmental psychology writer Judith Rich Harris presents a strong and provocative argument suggesting that parents do not influence child development to any significant degree, while peers and social groups have a primary influence. Harvard psychologist Howard Gardener reviews Harris’ work and suggests her argument is overstated and misleading—parents do matter. ISSUE 3. Do Significant Innate Differences Influence the Success of Males and Females? YES: Steven Pinker, from “Sex Ed: The Science of Difference,” The New Republic (February 14, 2005) NO: Cynthia Russett, from “All About Eve: What Men Have Thought About Women Thinking,” The American Scholar (vol. 74, 2005) Cognitive psychologist and author Steven Pinker considers the loud response to the suggestion of Harvard president Lawrence Summers that differences between the numbers of men and women in science might be partly related to innate abilities. Pinker asserts that this possibility is well grounded in research, but provokes reactions based on flawed assumptions of gender equality. Cynthia Russett, a professor at Yale, argues that harmful assumptions of innate deficiencies in woman have a long, and significantly flawed, historical precedent without basis in fact.PART 2. Prenatal Development ISSUE 4. Does Prenatal Exposure to Drugs Such as Cocaine Create "Crack Babies" With Special Developmental Concerns? YES: Sherri McCarthy and Thomas Franklin Waters, from “A Crack Kid Grows Up: A Clinical Case Report,” Journal of Offender Rehabilitation (vol. 37, 2003) NO: Mariah Blake, from “The Damage Done: Crack Babies Talk Back,” Columbia Journalism Review (September/October 2004) Sherri McCarthy and Thomas F. Waters, educational psychology and criminal justice professors at Northern Arizona University, review the research on "crack babies" suggesting a link between pre-natal cocaine exposure and serious physical, socioemotional, and cognitive effects requiring special care and attention. Journalist and editor Mariah Blake contends that the idea of "crack babies" with special needs is more a media creation than a medical fact; her investigation does not support the popular idea that prenatal exposure to cocaine determines permanent negative developmental effects. ISSUE 5. Is a Natural Childbirth, Without Pain Medication, Best for Development? YES: Lennart Righard, from “Making Childbirth a Normal Process,” Birth (March 2001) NO: Gilbert J. Grant, from Enjoy Your Labor: A New Approach to Pain Relief for Childbirth (Russell Hasting Press, 2005) Pediatrician and professor Lennart Righard draws from research and from his experience attending to natural childbirth in Sweden to assert that natural childbirth is vastly preferable to the artificial interventions of medical technology. Obstetric anesthesiologist Dr. Gilbert Grant asserts that social pressure toward natural childbirth and misplaced anxiety about risks to the baby lead many pregnant women to unnecessarily suffer through the birthing experience.PART 3. Infancy ISSUE 6. Is There a "Myth of the First Three Years"? YES: Gwen J. Broude, from “Scatterbrained Child Rearing,” Reason (December 2000) NO: Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families, from “Zero to Three: Response to the Myth of the First Three Years,” Gwen J. Broude, who teaches developmental psychology and cognitive science at Vassar College, reviews, supports, and augments John Bruer’s idea that a "myth of the first three years" has falsely used neuroscience to claim that infancy is the only critical developmental period. Zero to Three, a national organization devoted to promoting healthy infant development, contradicts Bruer’s idea by asserting that a great deal of diverse research supports the idea that the first three years are critical to development and success in adulthood. ISSUE 7. Are Infants Born With an Innate Ability to Make Symbolic Mental Representations of Objects? YES: Elizabeth S. Spelke, from “Core Knowledge,” American Psychologist (November 2000) NO: Bruce Hood, from “When Do Infants Know About Objects?” Perception (vol. 30, 2001) Harvard professor Elizabeth Spelke draws on a large quantity of infant research to suggest infants have an innate understanding of the properties of objects, which is part of what she considers core knowledge systems that are the foundation of thought. Developmental psychologist Bruce Hood points out that the type of research Spelke relies upon is controversial—learning what infants are thinking requires potentially unfair assumptions.PART 4. Early Childhood ISSUE 8. Does Exposure to Music, including Mozart, During Early Childhood Have a Special Capacity to Enhance Development? YES: Gordon L. Shaw, from Keeping Mozart in Mind (Academic Press, 2000) NO: Michael Linton, from “The Mozart Effect,” First Things: The Journal of Religion, Culture, and Public Life (March 1999) Neuroscientist Gordon L. Shaw, who published a famous research paper about the positive influence of Mozart on brain functioning, acknowledges that the effect of Mozart on infants is not yet known but argues that the generally positive effect of music on spatial-temporal reasoning supports efforts to endorse music for children. Michael Linton, professor of music at Middle Tennessee State University, asserts that the idea of music having special brain-enhancing powers has been recycled historically and consistently proven an inaccurate myth. ISSUE 9. Does Emphasizing Academic Skills Help At-Risk Preschool Children? YES: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, from Strengthening Head Start: What the Evidence Shows (June 2003) NO: C. Cybele Raver and Edward F. Zigler, from “Another Step Back? Assessing Readiness in Head Start,” Young Children (January 2004) The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which is responsible for Head Start—a preschool program for at-risk children—argues that preschool programs can most help young children by emphasizing academic and cognitive skills. Professors C. Cybele Raver and Edward F. Zigler (a founder of Head Start in the 1960s) respond by arguing that overemphasizing academic and cognitive skills at the expense of social, emotional, and physical well-being is a mistake dependent on misguided efforts to make the entire educational system focused on concrete assessment.PART 5. Middle Childhood ISSUE 10. Has Promoting Self-Esteem Failed to Improve the Education of School-Age Children? YES: Roy F. Baumeister, Jennifer D. Campbell, Joachim I. Krueger, and Kathleen D. Vohs, from “Does High Self-Esteem Cause Better Performance, Interpersonal Success, Happiness, or Healthier Lifestyles?” Psychological Science in the Public Interest (May 2003) NO: Neil Humphrey, from “The Death of the Feel-Good Factor? Self-Esteem in the Educational Context,” School Psychology International (vol. 25, 2004) Social psychologist Roy F. Baumeister and his colleagues engaged in an extensive review of research on the popular idea that self-esteem produces academic achievement and conclude that it does nothing of the sort. Educational psychologist Neil Humphrey asserts that reviews concluding self-esteem does not contribute to achievement are not definitive because they ignore the contextual nature of self-esteem and its importance in creating a generally healthy learning environment. ISSUE 11. Is Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD/ADHD) a Legitimate Medical Condition That Affects Childhood Behavior? YES: Michael Fumento, from “Trick Question,” The New Republic (February 3, 2003) NO: Jonathan Leo, from “Attention Deficit Disorder: Good Science or Good Marketing?” Skeptic (vol. 8, no. 1, 2000) Scienc e journalist and writer Michael Fumento suggests that despite the extensive political controversy, it is clear that ADHD is a legitimate medical condition disrupting childhood. Professor of medicine Jonathan Leo suggests that there is no good science to support ADHD; rather, pharmaceutical advertising has taken advantage of the often extreme behavior of school-aged children.PART 6. Adolescence ISSUE 12. Are Boys More At-Risk Than Girls as They Develop Through Adolescence? YES: Christina Hoff Sommers, from “The War Against Boys,” The Atlantic Monthly (May 2000) NO: Michael Kimmel, from “A War Against Boys?” Tikkun (November/December 2000) Author and philosopher Christina Hoff Sommers asserts that feminist concern for girls has had the ironic effect of leaving boys behind. She notes that in most high schools it is boys, rather than girls, most at risk. Professor of sociology Michael Kimmel responds to Sommers’ argument by noting that her statistics are spun so as to make a particular case, and ignore the real disadvantages faced by girls in contemporary society. ISSUE 13. Does Violent Media Cause Teenage Aggresion? YES: Dave Grossman, from “Teaching Kids to Kill,” National Forum (vol. 80, 2000) NO: Jonathan L. Freedman, from Media Violence and Its Effect on Aggression: Assessing the Scientific Evidence (University of Toronto Press, 2002) Researcher, author, and former military officer Dave Grossman argues that the contemporary media teaches youth to kill in much the same way that the military prepares soldiers for war. From his perspective both use psychological foundations to develop an appetite for aggression. Professor of psychology Jonathan L. Freedman argues that, despite many research efforts to demonstrate a link between media violence and teen aggression, the data does not support that case.PART 7. Youth and Early Adulthood ISSUE 14. Should We Use Medication to Deal With the Angst of College and Young Adulthood? YES: Harold S. Koplewicz, from More than Moody: Recognizing and Treating Adolescent Depression (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2002) NO: Joli Jensen, from “Let’s Not Medicate Away Student Angst,” The Chronicle of Higher Education (June 13, 2003) Psychiatrist Harold S. Koplewicz asserts that antidepressants have a major role to play in reducing genuine distress in college students and young adults. Communications professor Joli Jensen argues that medicating young adults when they are facing the inevitable challenges of young adulthood primarily serves to diminish valuable developmental experiences. ISSUE 15. Are College Graduates Unprepared for Adulthood and the World of Work? YES: Mel Levine, from “College Graduates Aren’t Ready for the Real World,” The Chronicle of Higher Education (February 18, 2005) NO: Frank F. Furstenberg, Jr. et al., from “Growing Up Is Harder to Do,” Contexts (Summer 2004) Professor of pediatrics, author, and child-rearing expert Mel Levine argues that contemporary colleges are producing a generation of young adults who are psychologically "unready" for entering adulthood and the world of work. Distinguished sociologist Frank Furstenberg and his research colleagues assert that major social changes have extended the transition to adulthood, and college graduates are the group most apt to cope with these social changes.PART 8. Middle Adulthood ISSUE 16. Are Contemporary Adults Overlooking the Importance of Marriage as Part of Successful Development? YES: Linda J. Waite, from “The Importance of Marriage Is Being Overlooked,” USA Today Magazine (January 1999) NO: Dorian Solot and Marshall Miller, from “Unmarried Bliss: Living Happily Ever After Doesn’t Necessarily Require a Marriage License,” Providence Phoenix (January 7–14, 1999) Sociologist Linda J. Waite presents extensive data to suggest that marriage provides innumerable benefits to adults that believe its declining popularity. Dorian Solot and Marshall Miller, directors of the Alternatives to Marriage Project, assert that the push to promote marriage does not make sense when adults find satisfaction in having the choice to pursue alternative lifestyles. ISSUE 17. Is One General Intelligence Factor Responsible for Career Success? YES: Linda S. Gottfredson, from “Where and Why g Matters: Not a Mystery,” Human Performance (vol. 15, 2002) NO: Robert J. Sternberg and Jennifer Hedlund, from “Practical Intelligence, g, and Work Psychology,” Human Performance (vol. 15, 2002) Psychologist Linda S. Gottfredson asserts that one core intelligence factor akin to IQ—called g—is primarily responsible for being successful in the world of work. Professors of psychology and criminal justice Robert J. Sternberg and Jennifer Hedlund argue that efforts to establish one general intelligence factor as the cause of success are misguided because many different types of practical intelligence determine how well one does at work. ISSUE 18. Is Religion a Pure Good in Facilitating Well-Being During Adulthood? YES: David G. Myers, from “Wanting More in an Age of Plenty,” Christianity Today (April 2000) NO: Julie Juola Exline, from “Stumbling Blocks on the Religious Road: Fractured Relationships, Nagging Vices, and the Inner Struggle to Believe,” Psychological Inquiry (vol. 13, 2002) Psychologist and author David G. Myers asserts that religion is an anecdote to the discontent many adults feel despite incredible relative material wealth. Professor of psychology Julia Juola Exline asserts that research suggesting religion to be a pure good for adult development neglects to account for the fact that it can also be a source of significant sadness, stress, and confusion.PART 9. Later Adulthood ISSUE 19. Can We Universally Define "Successful Aging"? YES: John W. Rowe and Robert L. Kahn, from “Successful Aging,” The Gerontologist (vol. 37, 1997) NO: Martha B. Holstein and Meredith Minkler, from “Self, Society, and the `New Gerontology’,” The Gerontologist (vol. 43, 2003) With a drastically increasing population of the elderly, professors of medicine John W. Rowe and Robert L. Kahn suggest that a unified model of healthy aging is necessary to guide work with the elderly. Martha B. Holstein and Meredith Minkler, professors of religion and public health, respectively, counter that a unified model of successful aging is based on particular values and assumptions that may not be fair to marginalized populations. ISSUE 20. Is Anti-Aging Technology a Cause for Societal Concern? YES: Chris Hackler, from “Troubling Implications of Doubling the Human Lifespan,” Generations (Winter 2001/2002) NO: Ronald Klatz, from “Anti-Aging Medicine: Resounding, Independent Support for Expansion of an Innovative Medical Specialty,” Generations (Winter 2001/2002) Chris Hackler, professor of medical humanities, argues that advances in medical technology raise as many dilemmas as they solve. If we were able to extend the life span for many years, both society and individuals would face dramatic new challenges. Ronald Klatz, a medical doctor promoting anti-aging technology, asserts that any technology to extend the life span will be both welcome and safe.