How Behaviour Develops
How and why does each of us grow up to be the person we are? What role do genes play in shaping our behaviour and personalities? Are our characters fixed, or can we change as adults? How does early experience affect our sexual preferences? Why do children play? These are all questions about behavioural development - the lifelong process of growth and change from conception to death that is central to an understanding of human nature.
This book explains the science of behavioural development - the biological and psychological processes that build a unique adult from a fertilised egg. Instead of the conventional opposition between nature (genes) and nurture (environment), 'Design For A Life' offers a new approach that synthesises biology and psychology. It explores the developmental cooking processes that give rise to individuals, and considers in turn how these processes have evolved.
It offers an understanding of the science that lies behind many current controversies in parenting, education, social policy and medicine. The lucid style, carefully chosen scientific examples and literary quotations make it both accessible and entertaining.
