The first—and only—source to integrate the multiple disciplines and professions exploring the many ways people interact with the natural and designed environments in which we live.

Comprising more than 250 informative entries, The Encyclopedia of Human Ecology examines the interdisciplinary and complex topic of human ecology. Knowledge gathered from disciplines that study individuals and groups is blended with information about the environment from the fields of family science, geography, anthropology, urban planning, and environmental science. At the same time, professions intended to enhance individual and family life—marriage and family therapy, clinical psychology, social work, dietetic and other health professions—are represented alongside those concerned with the preservation, conservation, and management of the environment and its resources.



How rampant are eating disorders among our youth? Are AIDS educational programs effective? What problems do adolescents transitioning into adulthood encounter? Here, four leading scholars in the field have assembled a team of top-tier psychologists, sociologists, anthropologists, and other experts to explore these and hundreds of other timely issues.









250+ entries on topics such as eating disorders, AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, peer group relations, and transitioning to young adulthood



A diverse group of contributors from the fields of architecture, biology, geology, sociology, psychology, urban planning, and more



Illustrations and photographs to enhance the coverage



Biographies of major people in the field