PSY232: Developmental Psychology

Updated 1/11/06

Instructor: Theodore A. Walls, Ph.D.

Office Hours: T Th 5-6 PM in CPRC; Wednesday 12-1 PM in Chafee 301

Office: CPRC (across from White Hall), 15 West (lower level)

Voice: 401-874-2105

Email: walls@uri.edu

Purpose: The purpose of this course is to provide a framework for exploration of the concepts of developmental psychology.  The experiences of children in family life, schools, and other settings are considered within and across cultures.

Classroom: White Hall 113

Time: T Th 3:30-4:45 PM

• Cole, M. & Cole S.R. (2005).  The development of children. (5^th Ed.).  New York: Worth Publishers. [C²]
  
• Gauvain, M. & Cole, M. (2005).  Readings on the development of children. (4^th Ed.). New York: Worth Publishers. [GC]

Course Requirements:

Class attendance

Each student will run a discussion session based on the assigned readings with a small randomly assigned group which will be composed of the same people for the whole semester.  For some longer readings, pairs will be assigned or the reading will be divided.  Therefore, attendance and participation in class are mandatory.  If you miss your opportunity to lead a discussion, there is no guarantee of an opportunity to make it up.  It will be difficult, if not impossible, to pass this course if you miss the opportunity to lead a discussion.

1. Three page critique of a popular press article (10%).  Due Tuesday 1/31.

   Summarize and critique an article about children from a periodical, such as a parent’s or educational magazine.  Try to find an article that cites some empirical literature.  Find at least two key citations from the article (if no citations are used, find articles on the same topic) in the library.  How does the periodical author’s assessment of the topic compare and contrast with actual research in this area?  Explain your point of view.   Keep a copy of the articles that you use.  Use APA style for your references.  No extensions.

2. Three page reflection paper (20%)  Due Tuesday 2/21.

   Describe in your own words why one might argue that Pellegrini and Smith are working from an ethological perspective.  If you were to continue their research into a later phase of life within the same perspective what might you do?

   • Ainsworth, M.S. & Bowlby, J. (1991).  An ethological approach to personality development.  American Psychologist, 46, 333-341. 
     
   • Pellegrini, A.D. and Smith, P.K.  (1998).  Physical activity play: The nature and function of a neglected aspect of play.  Child Development, 69, 577-598.
     
3. Social policy group project (20%) Due on assigned dates: 4/6 or 4/11, 3 sessions per day; Total of 6 sessions, approximately 7 students per group.
   • Develop a policy-based report and present it in class.  All topics and a list of who will work on which part must be handed in and approved by the instructor.
     
   • All presentations must include:
     • an explanation of the social issue and its significance (why are you interested and why should we care?)
       
     • a thorough review of relevant literature on the issue, including recent statistics about the prevalence of the problem (how common is the problem?)
       
     • a review of theoretical and empirical studies that address the issue (at least 3 sources must be from scholarly journals published within the last decade)
       
     • your group’s recommendations about how society should deal with this problem.
4. Eight page term paper (20%).  Due Tuesday 4/18. The term paper must specify the question you are interested in, summarize the key literature on the topic without personal biases, and draw conclusions supported by the research that you cover.

   Optional: Term paper “prep” assignment due 2/28: Choose a question of interest to you in cognitive or social development of infants, children or adolescents.  The question must involve a characteristic of humans that changes over time.  Develop a bibliography (about 7-10 references to start) and read at least two of the “most cited” articles.  Hand in the bibliography and your term paper topic. 

5. Final Exam (15%).  The exam covers all content in the course including lectures, instructional videos, social policy reports and guest lectures.  The exam will be 50% multiple choice or short answer and 50% in–class essay.
   
6. Class participation (discussion leading) & 1 pop quiz (15%)

   Discussion leaders must come prepared the following information for their assigned reading: 1) Three main points or arguments made in the reading (in your own words), 2) Your own critical and reflective perspective about at least one of these main points, 3) One critical question to propose to your group to guide your small group discussion.  You may set up your question as a debate topic and divide your team into two groups.  You should provide a copy to your teammates and you should also turn one in to the instructor at the beginning of class. This will be used to assess your final class participation grade. Every student in each group will have an opportunity to lead a discussion.

General instructions for ALL the written assignments

1. Please refer to the Publication manual of American Psychological Association. Fourth Edition (APA, 2001) as your main reference guide for all of your assignments in this class (See, APA Style Resources).   You may also use the handouts and the Miller chapter to assist you, as well as the following web page: APA Crib Sheet 
   
2. All papers in this class must be typed using 12-point Times Roman font, double-spaced with 1-inch margins on the sides, top and bottom. Always keep a copies of your work in a safe place.
   
3. Late papers will be accepted for delivery on a negotiated date in the case of a documented medical problem. Without a letter from health services, late papers will be accepted only one class after the due date and will be downgraded by one half letter grade.
   
4. All assignments are graded as follows:

   5 points: adherence to requirements of assignment
   10 points: overall quality of the presentation 
   15 points: quality of the analysis. 
   Total of 25 points.

   21-25 points = A
   17-21 points = B
   13-16 points = C
   8-12 points = D 
   8 points or lower = F.

Readings are assigned for the following week’s lecture and should be read before the class session.

1/26  [Thursday] Overview of Child Development.

Readings:  C², Ch. 1, p 1-14;  GC, Ch. 1 (Bronfenbrenner) and 2 (Piaget) General Issues in Critical Reviews handout

1/31 [Tuesday] Continuing Overview of Child Development (No assigned readings)

Film: People of the Forest

Discussion session 1. 

2/2  [Thursday] Developmental Research Methods

Readings:  C², Ch.1. p. 15-39;  GC, Ch. 16 (Campos, Bertenthal & Kermoian); Reserve reading: Miller, Ch. 9

Discussion session 2. 

In class drill: With your group, read and answer questions following GC Ch. 16.

2/7  [Tuesday] Evolution, Development and Theory

Readings: C², Ch.2., GC 14 (Pascalis, deHaan & Nelson). GC 7 Brown

Optional: Kitcher, Philip. The Giving Darwin His Due.

Video: Stephen Jay Gould, “Evolution and Human Equality”

Discussion session 3.

2/9  [Thursday]  Prenatal/neonatal Development

Readings: C², Ch.3., GC 4 (DeCasper and Fifer) & 8 (Brazelton, Koslowski and Tronick). 

Scheibel, A. (1997) Embryological Development of the Human Brain. New Horizons for Learning.

Discussion session 4.

2/14  [Tuesday]  Early Infancy

Readings: C², Ch.4., GC 10 (Kagan).

Discussion session 5.

2/16  [Thursday]  First Year of Life

Readings: C², Ch.5., GC 11 (Bruner & Sherwood)

Discussion session 6.

2/21  [Tuesday] End of Infancy

Readings: C², Ch.6.

On reserve: Ainsworth, M.S. & Bowlby, J. (1991).  An ethological approach to personality development.  American Psychologist, 46, 333-341.

Discussion session 7.

2/23  [Thursday] Early experience and vulnerability

Readings: C², Ch.7., GC 5 (Werner)

UNICEF Challenge: No. 12: Reduction of the low birthweight rate (less than 2.5 kg) to less than 10 per cent  

The Changing Concept of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: Diagnostic Coding Shifts, Controversies Regarding the Sleeping Environment, and New Variables to Consider in Reducing Risk.  National SIDS Resource Center. 

What is FAS?  National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.    

Discussion session 8.

2/28 [Tuesday] Language development 

Readings: C², Ch.8., GC 13 (Werker)

Discussion session 15.

3/2 [Thursday] Early Childhood: Thought

Readings: C², Ch.9., GC 18 (DeLoache, Miller & Rosengren; GC 19 Avis & Harris)

Discussion session 9.

3/7  [Tuesday] Early Childhood: Social Development

Readings: C², Ch.10., GC 21 (Maccoby) GC 4 (Thompson)

Discussion session 10.

Thompson, R.A. (2001).  Development in the first years of life.  The Future of Children, 11(1). 

3/9 [Thursday] Early Childhood: Contexts

Readings: C², Ch.11., GC 22 (Farver & Howes), GC 24 (NICHD)

Media Violence in Children's Lives.  NAEYC Position Statement

Discussion session 11.

3/14 -3/16 BREAK

3/21 [Tuesday] Early Intervention

High Scope/PerryPreschool

Early Childhood Education: From Efficacy Research to Improved Practice. Craig T. Ramey and Sharon L. Ramey, Georgetown University, A Summit on Early Childhood Cognitive Development (April 30, 2002).  US Department of Education.

Discussion session 12.

3/23  [Thursday] Middle Childhood: Cognitive and Biological Attainments

Readings: C², Ch.12., GC 31 (Neisser, et al.); GC 25 (Siegler)

Discussion session 13.

3/28 [Tuesday] Middle Childhood: Schooling and Development in Middle Childhood

Readings: C², Ch.13., GC 28 Stigler and Stevenson. 

Stetsenko, A., Little, T. D., Oettingen, G., & Baltes, P. B. (1995). Agency,
control and means–ends beliefs about school performance in Moscow
children: How similar are they to beliefs of Western children? Developmental
Psychology, 31, 285–299.

Discussion session 14.

3/30 [Thursday] Middle Childhood: Social Development

Readings: C², Ch.14., GC 27 (Crick and Grotpeter), GC 30 (Maynard)

Discussion session 16.

4/4 [Tuesday] Review/Special Topics in Middle Childhood

Greenberg, M.T. , Domitrovich C., Bumbarger , B.  Preventing Mental Disorders in School-Age Children: A Review of the Effectiveness of Prevention Programs: Executive Summary.  Prevention Research Center for the Promotion of Human Development College of Health and Human Development, Pennsylvania State University.

4/6 [Thursday] Social Policy Reports

4/11 [Tuesday] Social Policy Reports

4/13 [Thursday] Developmental Theory Revisited

Readings: C², Epilogue.  GC. 3 (Vygotsky).

Discussion session 17.

4/18 [Tuesday] Adolescence: Biological and Social Foundations of Development

Readings: C², Ch.14., GC 32 (Arnett); GC 33 (Wolfson & Carskadon)

Discussion session 18.

4/20 [Thursday] Adolescence: The Psychological Achievements

Readings: C², Ch.16. GC 34 (Chappell & Overton)

Discussion session 19.

4/25 [Thursday] Applied Topics: Development and Medical Settings

Reading: The State of the World’s Children 2002.  UNICEF.  103 Pages (download the pdf file and read on line or print selectively.) 

Discussion session 20.

4/27 [Tuesday] Applied Topics: Development and Educational Settings

Walls, T.A. & Little, T.D. (2005). Personal agency, motivation, and school adjustment in early adolescence. Journal of Educational Psychology. 97(1), 23-31.

Discussion session 21.