Denise Boyd received her Ed.D. in educational psychologyfrom the University of Houston and has been a psychology instructor in theHouston Community College System since 1988. From 1995 until 1998 she chairedthe psychology sociology and anthropology department at Houston CommunityCollegeCentral. She has coauthored five other Pearson Allyn and Bacon texts:with Samuel Wood and Ellen Green Wood Mastering the World of Psychology(6th Edition) and The World of Psychology (7th Edition); with Helen BeeThe Developing Child (13th Edition) and The Growing Child; andwith Genevieve Stevens Current Readings in Lifespan Development. Alicensed psychologist she has presented a number of papers at professionalmeetings reporting research in child adolescent and adult development. Shehas also presented workshops for teachers whose students range from preschoolto college.