Human Development: By John P. Zubek and Patricia Anne Solberg. (New York, Toronto, London: McGraw-Hill, 1954. Pp. vii + 476. 48 s.)

This is both a summary and a critical review of experimental research on human development from conception to old age. As the Preface states, 'The general orientation of this book is physiological', but it covers a great deal of relevant work in experimental psychology and sociology. The arrangement of material is by subject and each chapter provides a longitudinal section of a particular aspect of behaviour, which makes for ease of reference. Recent work on old age is most fully reported because much of this is still only accessible in monograph form. The extensive Bibliography is mainly American and Canadian with a few English references, e.g., to early work of Burt's. Some omissions, e.g. of Lewin and 'field theory', are presumably due to the fact that their approach is cross-sectional rather than genetic. Psycho-analysis does not appear in the Index and is mentioned only in passing, e.g. as a method of personality appraisal (p. 407). However, any psycho-analyst who wishes to inform himself rapidly of the 'present state' of experimental knowledge of human behaviour in North America would be well advised to consult this book.