A Trio of Pursuits

The culmination of almost seven decades of research, A Trio of Pursuits: Puzzles in Human Development is the magnum opus of the career of Dr. Jerome Kagan, Emeritus Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, USA. This book summarizes three of the author's major research themes during a career that spanned from 1954 to present: preservation of individual traits, maturation of cognition and emotions, and the influence of two temperamental biases on personality. An introspective chapter on the deeper lessons learned by the author in research is also included, covering narratives such as the need to specify the context in which data are gathered, the need to supplement all self-reported data, studying puzzling observations rather than confirmation of a priori hypotheses, and avoiding the error of attributing psychological predicates to brain evidence. This book is a must-have for students and academics of Psychology and Cognitive Science, and may also be of interest to social scientists.Contents: About the Author Preface What is Preserved? Stages or Continuous Processes Behavioral Inhibition High and Low Reactive Infants Reflections on the Pursuits References Readership: Academics/researchers, graduate students, and educated readers in the general field of Psychology, and the subfields of personality traits, emotion, and temperament.Patterns;Contexts;Languages;Stability;Stages;Temperaments "Jerome Kagan has been a towering figure in the science of human development for more than a half-century. In A Trio of Pursuits, Kagan takes us on a fascinating and informative tour of three critically important research efforts from his long career, each one addressing a fundamental question about the nature of development. Written with Kagan's characteristic wisdom and flair, this book is essential reading for anyone interested in the development of the human mind." Daniel L Schacter William R Kenan Jr. Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, USA Fellow, National Academy of Sciences, USA Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, USA Fellow, Association for Psychological Science, USA Fellow, Society of Experimental Psychologists, USA "In this captivating book, Jerome Kagan argues for a Baconian approach to science untrammeled by theoretical presuppositions that can foreclose discovery. He urges psychologists to seek patterns among variables, to be aware of socioeconomic, cultural, and historical contexts that can dramatically influence our data, and to avoid extending concepts beyond their proper domain. To make his case, Kagan furnishes fascinating examples drawn from biology, physics, and history as well as from his own distinguished career as the world's preeminent developmental psychologist. A Trio of Pursuits is one of Kagan's finest books." Richard J McNally Professor and Director of Clinical Training, Harvard University, USA Fellow, Association for Psychological Science, USA Fellow, Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, USA "Jerome Kagan has been a world leader in the field of developmental psychology for several decades, and the breadth and influence of his work is rare in our field. Most instructive, in his recount of his career, is his ability to change his mind, reverse course, and let evidence guide the way. He illustrates, in a personal account, that the path of scientific exploration is anything but linear and that an open mind often invites unexpected rewards. I think his followers will be quite interested in reading about how he brings it all together and reflects on his career accomplishments." Marshall M Haith Professor Emeritus and John Evans Chair of Psychology, University of Denver, USA Fellow, American Psychological Association, USA Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science, USA "In this book, Jerome Kagan provides rich historical and cultural context for the evolution of his program of research on temperament and individual differences, which has been, and will continue to...