Revealing and filled with professional insight, Robert M. Berns' best-selling book helps students understand the socialization process of children via the powerful conceptual framework of Urie Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Model of Human Development. Berns closely examines the interactive effects of family, childcare, school, peer groups, media, community, and societal factors (including culture, political ideology, economics, and technology) on the socialization of the child to vividly illustrate the concepts of the course and help students learn how the various aspects of a child's environment affect his or her development. Truly ideal for undergraduate students and anyone who works with children, this text underscores the immeasurable value in preparing the child with the ability to adapt to a changing world.