Robert V. Kail is visiting professor of psychology at the University of Michigan and distinguished professor emeritus of psychological sciences at Purdue University. His undergraduate degree is from Ohio Wesleyan University and his Ph.D. is from the University of Michigan. Dr. Kail served as editor of both Child Development Perspectives and Psychological Science.

He received the McCandless Young Scientist Award from the American Psychological Association, was named the Distinguished Sesquicentennial Alumnus in Psychology by Ohio Wesleyan University and is a fellow of the Association for Psychological Science. Dr. Kail has also written CHILDREN AND THEIR DEVELOPMENT and SCIENTIFIC WRITING FOR PSYCHOLOGY.

John C. Cavanaugh is senior consultant for Pathseekers II Inc. and the former president and CEO of the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area. His research interests focus on gerontology concerning family caregiving and the role of beliefs in older adults' cognitive performance.

In addition to this text, he co-authored HUMAN DEVELOPMENT: A LIFE SPAN VIEW, 9th edition, with Rob Kail. Dr. Cavanaugh is a fellow of the American Psychological Association, the Association for Psychological Science and the Gerontological Society of America as well as a past president of the Adult Development and Aging Division (Division 20) of the APA. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Delaware and his Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame.