Nature of Nurture - Rethinking Why and How Childhood Adversity Shapes Development

Jay Belsky argues for a Darwinian interpretation of childhood trauma leading to "antisocial" adult behavior. There is no reason to believe that such conduct is dysfunctional and that "well-behaved" people are developmentally normal. Instead, adult aggression, promiscuity, and the like may reflect adaptation to danger and instability.

About the author

Jay Belsky is Emeritus Professor of Human Development at the University of California, Davis. He is a coauthor of The Origins of You: How Childhood Shapes Later Life.

Product details

• Authors: Jay Belsky, Belsky Jay
• Publisher: Harvard University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Release: 06.01.2026
• EAN: 9780674297197
• ISBN: 978-0-674-29719-7
• No. of pages: 240
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Psychology > Theoretical psychology; Evolution, SCIENCE / Life Sciences / Evolution, Anthropology, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Anthropology / Physical, PSYCHOLOGY / Developmental / Child, PSYCHOLOGY / Developmental / Lifespan Development, PSYCHOLOGY / Evolutionary Psychology, Child & developmental psychology, Child, developmental and lifespan psychology, Psychological theory, systems, schools and viewpoints, Psychological theory & schools of thought, Age groups: children