_Critical and Provocative Issues in Human Development_ provides readers with an interesting, compelling, and stimulating exploration of why people behave in particular ways, struggle with certain problems, or manage to flourish while others flounder throughout different stages of the life span. It poses the question: how is it that we become who we are—or who we believe ourselves to be? The text is designed to introduce and describe the most significant issues in human development, as well as topics that often aren’t considered or addressed within more traditional textbooks. The brief, self-contained chapters can be explored in any sequence and cover a broad range of thought-provoking issues, including why people risk their lives to help strangers, the burdens of being gifted, whether loneliness can stunt your growth, why people get high, how technology is changing human behavior, how global pandemics have altered human development, and so much more. Each topic has been selected to highlight key theories, research, and concepts critical to the study of human development. Questions at the end of each chapter promote deep reflection, personalized understanding, and lively discussions. _Critical and Provocative Issues in Human Development_ is an ideal supplemental text for a variety of courses at both the undergraduate and graduate level, including human development, child and adolescent development, counseling, psychology, social work, health care, or any discipline with focus on growth, learning, behavior, and helping others.