Early Category and Concept Development: Making Sense of the Blooming, Buzzing Confusion (Psychology)

Rating:
Summary: Into the minds of babes
Review: Ever wondered how we know what we know? This book is one of the best collections I have read that addresses this issue. The book was required reading for one of my grad courses in early cognitive development and each week we would read one or two chapters. Although some of the earlier chapters are a bit slow going, I found it overall to be an excellent collection of older research and theories as well as more up to date ideas. It holds together really well and gives you a idea of the bigger picture: what mechanisms are involved in concept learning, when do babies start to learn about objects and things around them, and so on. Every big "name" in the field is included, as well as some more up-and-coming younger folk. There are also some nice debates between the various authors in the book who have radically different views on how babies learn about the world; its clear that some of these researchers don't agree at all! All in all, I recommend this volume to scholars, students, and anyone who is interested in understanding the beginnings of our mental life.

Rating:
Summary: State of the Art Review of Early Conceptual Development
Review: How children make sense of the world is one of the most compelling questions in the field of psychology, yet since Piaget's downfall it has been difficult to see how an integrative theory on the topic would be possible. By assembling contributions by some of best thinkers in the field, Rakison and Oakes have made a significant contribution to the problem, one that is likely to define the empirical agenda for the next decade. This book should be required reading for all developmental psychologists.