Catherine Raeff, PhD, is Professor of Psychology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Her scholarship has addressed issues of individualism and collectivism, and how both are played out during development in culturally particular ways. She is continuing to work on the issues presented in this book by articulating an integrative and widely applicable conceptualization of human functioning in terms of individual, social, and cultural processes. Her publications include articles and the book Always separate, always connected: Independence and interdependence in cultural contexts of development.

"Reflecting the cutting-edge of contemporary theory in developmental science, this book presents the key conceptual ideas involved in understanding the fundamental, dynamic integration of individual and ecological processes across the life span. Professor Raeff provides readers with an erudite and insightful synthesis of the knowledge base regarding the coactions among the multiple levels of organization comprising the relational developmental system. Exploring the Dynamics of Human Development is an invaluable addition to the theoretical bases of developmental science, one that both senior and junior scholars will find informative, provocative, and important." --Richard M. Lerner, PhD, Bergstrom Chair in Applied Developmental Science and Director, Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development, Tufts University

"Raeff suggests that the task of understanding developmental psychology is a problem of 'seeing the forest through the trees.' She is right. The field is jam-packed with theories and research findings from a long list of diverse and often disconnected areas. Most volumes on developmental psychology contain copious descriptions of the facts and findings in the field. The problem, however, is that we have plenty of developmental research. What we need are coherent general frameworks to make sense of it all! This is the task that Raeff sets out to do, and she accomplishes it masterfully. Her book provides both the student and the scholar with the conceptual tools they need to make sense out of the 'boomin' buzzin' confusion' of developmental research. In a world of too much information, Raeff provides the wisdom we need to organize, well, at least a part of it." --Michael F. Mascolo, PhD, Professor, Department of Psychology, Merrimack College

"Catherine Raeff provides a comprehensive and rich analysis of the dynamics of human development in a highly readable manner. This remarkable volume addresses fundamental questions too often lost in modern day discussions. The book will reinvigorate discussions in the field and excite a new generation of scholars." --Nancy Budwig, PhD, Professor of Psychology, Associate Provost, and Dean of Research, Clark University