Some of the many ways in which the course of life can be construed include as a series of age-related stages; as a cumulative sequence; as a progression of developmental tasks; as key life events and transitions; and as a narrative construction which creates a sense of dynamic continuity. But all psychologists who adopt a 'lifespan approach' emphasize that development does not stop when we cease to be adolescents; rather, it goes on throughout adulthood and into old age.

Now, as serious work on lifespan development continues to flourish, this new title from Routledge's Critical Concepts in Psychology series meets the need for an authoritative reference work to map and make sense of a vast body of literature. Edited by two leading scholars with a long record of research and publication, Lifespan Development is a four-volume collection which brings together the very best foundational and cutting-edge contributions.