Erik Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development model represents probably the most well-known and highly regarded map of the human life cycle in contemporary western culture.  This theory was first articulated in 1950 in chapter seven (“The Eight Ages of Man”) of his book Childhood and Society, and further developed in later books and articles. Erikson...Read More

The concept of rites of passage was first articulated by anthropologist Arnold van Gennep (1873-1957) in his book The Rites of Passage, first published in 1908.   In this seminal work, van Gennep subdivided rites of passage into three sub-categories:  rites of separation, transition rites, and rites of incorporation.  These rites might represent components of one...Read More

Scientists at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California reported in the journal Nature that they have discovered the existence of a genetic pathway in roundworms (Caenorhabditis elegans) that appears to extend their lives when their caloric intake has been reduced.  This finding may have implications for human longevity.  It’s been known for some time...Read More

On a typical day in America, 68% of infants (aged 0-2) are watching television.  Up to 20% of American babies have a television in their bedrooms.  That’s what a survey in the journal Pediatrics reveals.  Pediatrics is published by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which recommends in its media guidelines to parents that children from...Read More

“Open the second shutter so that more light may come in.”  (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe – 1749-1832) “Only one man understood me.  And he really didn’t understand me.”  (Georg Wilhelm Hegel – 1770-1831) “Go on, get out!  Last words are for fools that haven’t said enough.” (Karl Marx – 1818-1883) “Wait ’til I have finished...Read More