100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

Overnight NZ-wide delivery on in-stock orders πŸš€

The Origins of You

How Childhood Shapes Later Life
3.5 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 158 ratings, 32 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Origins of You explores how various factors in childhood can influence the course of a person's life. Authored by renowned developmental psychologists, this book delves into comprehensive longitudinal studies to examine the interplay of genes, environment, and experiences and how they shape identity from infancy through adulthood. With a focus on resilience and the potential for change, it offers a thorough understanding of human development.
Read More
Format: Hardback
TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK Please add to wishlist to be notified when back in stock

Sorry, we're currently out of stock of The Origins of You. Please add to your Wishlist and we'll send you an email as soon as it's back in stock.

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're curious about the complex influences of genetics and environment on life development. It delves into how we become who we are, based on extensive longitudinal studies, making it ideal for those interested in understanding human behaviour from a scientific and psychological perspective.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Does temperament in childhood shape adult personality? Four psychologists followed thousands of people as they grew up, observing how genes, parenting, and other aspects of young people’s experience influence development. This holistic approach offers unprecedented insight into what makes us the adults we become.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A Marginal Revolution Best Book of the Year

After tracking the lives of thousands of people from birth to midlife, four of the world's preeminent psychologists reveal what they have learned about how humans develop.

Does temperament in childhood predict adult personality? What role do parents play in shaping how a child matures? Is day care badβ€”or goodβ€”for children? Does adolescent delinquency forecast a life of crime? Do genes influence success in life? Is health in adulthood shaped by childhood experiences?

In search of answers to these and similar questions, four leading psychologists have spent their careers studying thousands of people, observing them as they've grown up and grown older. The result is unprecedented insight into what makes each of us who we are.

In The Origins of You, Jay Belsky, Avshalom Caspi, Terrie Moffitt, and Richie Poulton share what they have learned about childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, about genes and parenting, and about vulnerability, resilience, and success. The evidence shows that human development is not subject to ironclad laws but instead is a matter of possibilities and probabilitiesβ€”multiple forces that together determine the direction a life will take.

A child's early years do predict who they will become later in life, but they do so imperfectly. For example, genes and troubled families both play a role in violent male behaviour, and, though health and heredity sometimes go hand in hand, childhood adversity and severe bullying in adolescence can affect even physical well-being in midlife.

Painstaking and revelatory, the discoveries in The Origins of You promise to help schools, parents, and all people foster well-being and ameliorate or prevent developmental problems.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Origins of You is praised for offering deep insights into how childhood traits influence adult lives. Reviewers highlight the book's comprehensive approach, blending authoritative psychological studies with the authors' visionary perspectives. It is described as engaging for both newcomers to developmental psychology and seasoned scholars, destined to reshape thinking about human development. The book is admired for its depth, curiosity, and the timely exploration of human resilience, making it an essential read for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of developmental psychology.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780674983458

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 11 August 2020

Country: United States

Imprint: Harvard University Press

Illustration: 28 illus.

Audience: Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 38.0mm

Width: 156.0mm

Height: 235.0mm

Weight: 798g

Pages: 432

About the Author

Jay Belsky is the Robert M. and Natalie Reid Dorn Professor of Human Development at the University of California, Davis. He was a founding investigator of the NIH Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development in the United States and the National Evaluation of Sure Start in the United Kingdom. He received the Urie Bronfenbrenner Award from the American Psychological Association. Avshalom Caspi is the Edward M. Arnett Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Duke University and Professor of Personality Development at King’s College London. He is a recipient of the American Psychological Association Award for Distinguished Scientific Contributions to Psychology. Terrie E. Moffitt is the Nannerl O. Keohane University Professor at Duke University and Professor of Social Behaviour and Development at King’s College London. She has received a host of honors, including the 2022 Grawemeyer Award in Psychology and the Stockholm Prize in Criminology, and is a member of the National Academy of Medicine. Richie Poulton was Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Otago in New Zealand, where he served as codirector of the National Centre for Lifecourse Research. An elected fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand, he received the New Zealand Prime Minister’s Science Prize for the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study.

Also by Avshalom Caspi

View all
  • The Origins of You
    A Marginal Revolution Book of the Year "Brings the groundbreaking research of the top developmental psychologists of the past quarter-century to a wider audience. A masterpiece!" - Dante Cicchetti, Institute for Child Development at the University of Minnesota "Deliver[s] a flood of insights around the book's central question: To what degree do our childhood personalities and behaviours predict our adult...
    Paperback
    $4799
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks

Also by Jay Belsky

View all
  • The Origins of You
    A Marginal Revolution Book of the Year "Brings the groundbreaking research of the top developmental psychologists of the past quarter-century to a wider audience. A masterpiece!" - Dante Cicchetti, Institute for Child Development at the University of Minnesota "Deliver[s] a flood of insights around the book's central question: To what degree do our childhood personalities and behaviours predict our adult...
    Paperback
    $4799
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • The Nature of Nurture
    From a leading expert on child development, a radical evolutionary perspective on how childhood experiences shape later life. Children who grow up in troubled circumstancesβ€”experiencing deprivation or instability, living in a dangerous neighbourhood or an abusive familyβ€”are more prone to aggression, recklessness, and sexual promiscuity later in life. To most of us, the lesson is clear: adverse childhood conditions make...
    Hardback
    $7199
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks

Also by Richie Poulton

View all
  • The Origins of You
    A Marginal Revolution Book of the Year "Brings the groundbreaking research of the top developmental psychologists of the past quarter-century to a wider audience. A masterpiece!" - Dante Cicchetti, Institute for Child Development at the University of Minnesota "Deliver[s] a flood of insights around the book's central question: To what degree do our childhood personalities and behaviours predict our adult...
    Paperback
    $4799
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks

Also by Terrie E. Moffitt

View all
  • The Origins of You
    A Marginal Revolution Book of the Year "Brings the groundbreaking research of the top developmental psychologists of the past quarter-century to a wider audience. A masterpiece!" - Dante Cicchetti, Institute for Child Development at the University of Minnesota "Deliver[s] a flood of insights around the book's central question: To what degree do our childhood personalities and behaviours predict our adult...
    Paperback
    $4799
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks

More from Philosophy & Psychology

View all
  • Eat Your Ice Cream
    New Release
    Eat Your Ice Cream
    The New York Times bestseller that presents a bold new vision for living well and ageing with purpose from a world-renowned health expert THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER From a leading doctor and world-renowned health expert, the simple, uplifting and practical guide to cutting through the wellness noise, living well and ageing with purpose. β€˜Essential reading for anyone who...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    The Winner's Formula
    The Neuroscience of Peak Performance, Success, and Happiness Why do some people win all the time? Why do others languish? From Olympians to Formula 1 drivers, addicts to billionaires, cognitive neuroscientist Dr Kerry Spackman has spent decades working to help people understand how to succeed. In The Winner's Formula, Kerry explains what goes on in your brain when you are...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Man's Search For Meaning
    Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl is a profound, thought-provoking memoir and psychological exploration that delves into the harrowing experiences of life in Nazi concentration camps, intertwined with the author’s groundbreaking theories on existential psychology. The book is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, offering a beacon of hope and a roadmap for finding purpose...
    Paperback
    $1800
    Elsewhere:
    $2100
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Inside the Box
    How to do more with less and use limits to stimulate creativity, innovation and collaboration, from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Range. We live in a world that gives us seemingly infinite choices and values freedom above all else. We have an unprecedented number of options regarding what to do, who to be and how to spend our time....
    Paperback
    $3000
    Elsewhere:
    $3900
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Atomic Habits
    Atomic Habits by James Clear is a transformative guide that demonstrates how tiny, incremental changes in behaviour can fundamentally reshape your life. Rather than urging sweeping transformations, Clear advocates for the compound effect of hundreds of small decisions. Whether it’s performing two push-ups a day, waking up five minutes earlier, or making a brief, focused phone call, these minuscule adjustments,...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Body Keeps the Score
    The Body Keeps the Score by Dr Bessel van der Kolk is a compelling and compassionate exploration of the deep-seated impact of trauma on the human body and mind. This groundbreaking work delves into the complex causes of trauma and paints a vivid picture of the revolutionary treatments that are enabling countless individuals to reclaim their lives filled with purpose...
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Tell Me Where It Hurts
    Leading expert Rachel Zoffness bridges the gap between medicine and psychology to get to the heart of treating pain We can move the dial on pain Every one of us will experience pain, be it back pain, the pain of childbirth, or living in an ageing body. Not a single one of us will escape. But what if everything you...
    Hardback
    $6500
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Book of Awakening
    A new edition of the #1 NYT's bestseller by Mark Nepo, who has been called "one of the finest spiritual guides of our time" and "a consummate storyteller." Immerse yourself in The Book of Awakening, a compelling spiritual daybook by philosopher-poet and cancer survivor, Mark Nepo. This remarkable work is a profound manual for living a more deeply connected and...
    Paperback
    $3999
    Elsewhere:
    $4499
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Strong Ground
    #1Β New York TimesΒ bestselling author BrenΓ© Brown returns with an urgent call to reimagine the essentials of courageous leadership. In a time when uncertainty runs deep and bluster, hubris and even cruelty are increasingly framed as acceptable leadership, Brown delivers practical, actionable insights that illuminate the mindsets and skill sets essential to reclaiming focus and driving growth through connection, discipline and...
    Hardback
    $4000
    Elsewhere:
    $5500
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Strangers
    The must-read memoir of the end of a marriage and the start of a personal revolution, based on the iconic Modern Love essay in the New York Times and perfect for fans of Glennon Doyle. "A beautifully written eulogy for the loss of a relationship" β€” Joyce Carol Oates How do we go on when a loved one betrays us?...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Anxious Generation
    A powerful argument for reclaiming childhoodβ€”and all human relationshipsβ€”from the online world, from the influential social psychologist and international bestselling author. Jonathan Haidt has spent his career speaking truth and wisdom in some of the most difficult spacesβ€”communities polarised by politics and religion, campuses battling culture wars, and now the mental health emergency hitting teenagers today in many countries around...
    Paperback
    $2299
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Stimulated Mind
    A practical, empowering plan to boost your day-to-day brain function and prevent dementia - by a renowned neuroscientist and performance coach. 'From day one I was always blown away by Dr Tommy Wood's command of the science from which he communicates.' - Dr Peter Attia, bestselling author of Outlive- The Science and Art of Longevity 'As global health declines, Dr...
    Paperback
    $3800
    Elsewhere:
    $4500
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.