Fall 2002

Course Description

In general, Human Development 1021 offers a seminar-style investigation into underlying theories and models of human nature, human development, and epistemology, with emphasis on foundational assumptions in students' respective disciplines. Simultaneously, the course serves as the introduction to the interdisciplinary core curriculum required by all students in the Ph.D. program in Human Development. Accordingly, it is appropriate to note more specifically the content of this course and its relationship with that core curriculum.

One purpose of this course is to explore leading conceptions of human nature which have dominatedthinking about that nature since the dawn of civilization. In their Ten Theories about Human Nature, Stevenson and Haberman make this point as follows:

So much depends on our conception of human nature: for individuals, the meaning and purpose of our lives, what we ought to do or strive for, what we may hope to achieve or to become; for human societies, what vision of human community we may hope to work toward and what sort of social changes we should make. Our answers to all these huge questions depend on whether we think there is some "true" or "innate" nature of human beings. If so, what is it? Is it different for men and women? Or is there no such "essential" human nature, only a capacity to be molded by the social environment&endash;by economic, political, and cultural forces? (Ten Theories, p.3)

The framework of beliefs we have about human nature has a great impact on our understanding of human development, but these beliefs often function as unexamined assumptions. In this course we will help you begin to make them more explicit. The topic of human nature is useful to our program in another way as well. As Stevenson points out at the end of his book:

Human nature as a topic breaks down the boundaries between the sciences and the humanities. Social and political problems around the world cry out for better understanding of human nature&endash;how often the technical problems are soluble, but what seem insuperable are the political, social, and psychological obstacles. To paraphrase Alexander Pope, the proper study of human beings is human nature and the human condition. (Ten Theories, p. 232) 

This course focuses then on those theories which offer multiple and interdisciplinary perspectives on human nature. By the same token, these theories will not be presented as a series of facts, ideas and theories to be trotted out and displayed at an academic dinner party. These ideas and theories will raise issues about human institutions and practices as well. Ideas matter. They should not be divorced from the world within which we operate. Therefore, we will draw frequently from the disciplines represented in the doctoral program as well as policies, private and social, which can be found to exist in daily living. To paraphrase Thomas Szasz, our problems are first and foremost problems of social living. This course will not operate in an academic vacuum.

A second purpose of this course is to provide a bridge, a link, to the second and third courses in the interdisciplinary core. As challenging and as interesting as these theories are, they cannot be divorced from at least two additional considerations, namely, the social and economic environments within which humans function and the physiological and psychological dimensions of human development. One might want to know what distinguishes the psychological elements of the third course from the psychological elements of the first course. Briefly, the difference rests on the general vs. the specific. For example, gender issues in this course, HD 1021, will be limited to indicating, when appropriate, the divergent theories about the proper role and function of men and women in society based on theoretical conceptions of human nature and corresponding gender differences. In the second course, HD 1041, gender issues will be examined within the context of specific psychological research about women and perceptions of women within an historically patriarchal framework. The third course, HD 1031, will address the gender issue from the perspective of the social and economic impact of a history of sexism.

We will develop similar threads throughout the three courses as means of demonstrating the interconnectedness of knowledge and the necessity of interdisciplinary work. We will strive to connect the theoretical and the practical at every stage in the development of these three courses. Other themes might include parent/child relationships, the nature of friendship, division of labor, moral development, the nature of intelligence, what constitutes knowledge, life cycles, health vs. sickness, and evolution. Thus, the courses move from a theoretical and general beginning to a practical and particular end. But throughout, the content remains connected.

Objectives

In general, students will be able to demonstrate that they are able to:

- articulate and reflect on the common philosophical presuppositions of their respective fields;

- identify the correlates of varying assumptions in theory, research and practice to issues in their respective

fields;

- identify specific controversies or practice dilemmas within their respective fields that reflect the

underlying issues and models presupposed;

- discern varying solutions to contemporary problems and practice models identifying the particular

philosophical assumptions used by each;

- discern the epistemological assumptions of the research approaches used both in their respective

disciplines and in the research core courses of the program;

- explicate the cultural limitations of current modes of practice, research and theory.

In particular, students will be able to demonstrate that they are able to

- identify, analyze and synthesize varying causal influences in human behavior;

- compare and contrast the interventions and policy decisions that arise from varying models of human

development;

- analyze the varying components of general dialectical questions such as the nature-nurture issue, the

human freedom-human determinism issue, and the individual development-communal responsibility

dilemma.

Textbooks/ Instructional Materials

Coursepak for HD 1021

Kegan, Robert. (1982). The Evolving Self: Problem and Process in Human Development. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

Kuhn, T. S. (1962). The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Stevenson, L., & Haberman, D. (1998). Ten Theories of Human Nature. NY: Oxford University Press.

Tepper, Sheri. (1989). The Gate to Women's Country. NY: Bantam.

Wilson, James Q. (1993). The Moral Sense. NY: Simon & Schuster.

A variety of teaching strategies will be employed throughout the course with at least two purposes in mind. First, pedagogical studies indicate that retention of material occurs when students are actively engaged in the material.

Our strategies are designed to foster retention of material. Second, we want to establish the sense of a cohort within the doctoral program, i.e., a group of students who enter at the same time and work together throughout the program to accomplish individual goals.

Our strategies include lecture, discussions, division of class into small groups (3-4) for problem solving, guest lectures (with possible video link to professors at other institutions), student and/or group reports, videos, and CAT (Classroom Assessment Techniques) surveys. Occasionally, a distance learning format via compressed video may be used.

Faculty

Gail Cabral, IHM, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychology and Counseling at Marywood, earned her doctorate in the Human Development program of the Psychology Department of Catholic University of America. Her current research is on friendships among military adolescents. She is interested in adult friendship relations, child and adolescent peer relations, and psychological type, especially the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. She is also interested in the relationship of spirituality and psychology, and the psychology of aging.

Cabral@ac.marywood.edu

(717) 348-6211, ext. 2346 (W)

(717) 348-6270 (Psychology Department secretary, Pat Kurilla)

(717) 344-5451 (H)

Peter Spader, Ph.D., is a Professor of Philosophy at Marywood University. His Ph.D. is from Columbia University, and his main areas of interest include phenomenology and its applications, and professional and business ethics. Dr. Spader has worked extensively on the phenomenologically based ethical personalism of Max Scheler, and on phenomenology as a method.

Spader@ac.marywood.edu

(717) 348-6211, ext. 2576 (W)

(717) 344-0159 (H)

Requirements

Class discussion: Students are expected to be diligent in preparing for class by their reading and reflection, and to be active participants in discussions and activities.

Given the concentrated nature of this course, students are at a disadvantage if they miss a class. In the opinion of the instructors, being absent for more than one class creates a significant problem in course comprehension. Students will receive a failing grade for the course if they miss more than two classes. A student who is absent is responsible for the topics covered and the classroom discussion they missed.

Reaction paper. See handout.

Tests. One mid-term essay exam focusing on the integration of the theoretical developments examined through the first six weeks of course material. A take-home final essay exam.

Research paper and presentation. One 10-15 page research paper demonstrating the student’s understanding and synthesis of empirical literature on the nature of development and relationships. (For further clarification, see hando

Summary of Evaluation

Reaction paper midterm: Presentation: Research paper: Essay exam:

20% 10% 30% 20%

A student with a disability may request an adjustment in meeting the requirements of this class. Please do so by contacting Mr. Christopher Moy, LAC 220B, 348-6211, X2549, or by e-mail address, moy@es.marywood.edu.

Outline of Course

August 29. Overview of course themes.

Stevenson's Ten Theories of Human Nature. Parts I and II. Critical Assessment of Theories, and Religious Traditions, Confucianism, Hinduism, and Christianity.

Sept. 5. From Ten Theories of Human Nature, Part III, Five Philosophical Thinkers, Plato, Kant, Marx, Freud, and Sartre will be discussed.

Ideas for the student's research paper topic will be solicited.

Sept. 12. Empirical theories of Skinner, Lorenz, Buber and Chomsky will be discussed. (Stevenson's Ten Theories and Buber and Chomsky readings from coursepak.)

Freedom and Determinism.

Discussion of the reaction/midterm, due October 5.

Sept. 19. Erikson's Psychoanalytic Theories, from Patricia Miller, Theories of Developmental Psychology, will be discussed. See Coursepak.

Students will be asked to provide a verbal update on their work of topic selection for the research paper.

September 26. Discussion of readings by Jean Piaget from Coursepak.

Context for the Reese and Overton article, Models of Development and Theories of Development, (to be discussed on October 21), will be presented.

Students will provide a written outline of their research paper.

October 3. Wilson, The Moral Sense.

Spader, "Scheler's Ethics and the Problems of hatred and Terrorism" (handout).

Reaction/midterm will be handed in.

October 10. Reese, H.W., & Overton, W.F. (1970). Models of development and theories of development. In L.R. Goulet & P.B. Baltes (Eds.), Life-Span Developmental Psychology: Research and Theory. NY: Academic. (Coursepak).

Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions

October 17. Continuation of the discussion of Kuhn.

October 24. Vygotsky's theory and the contexualists. From Patricia Miller (Ed). Theories of Developmental Psychology, in Coursepak.

Beginning discussion of first chapter in Kegan, The Evolving Self

Oct. 31. Kegan, The Evolving Self.

Nov. 7. Friendship Matters. Ch. 1. (Coursepak.)

Student presentations

Nov. 14. The Gate to Women's Country

Nov. 21. Student presentations

Research paper due.

Final exam questions will be handed out.

Nov. 29. Thanksgiving Break

Dec. 5. Theories, practice and research: The interaction

Student presentations

Research paper due.

Final exam due Dec. 9.

Bibliography

General Works

_____ (1994). Encyclopedia Britannica. Chicago: U of Chicago Press.

Bornstein, Marc & Lamb, Michael. (Ed.) (1992). Developmental Psychology: An Advanced Textbook. NJ: Lawrence.

Specific Works

Blechman, Elaine A., ed. (1998). Behavioral Medicine and Women: A comprehensive handbook. NY: Guilford Press.

Browne, Colette. (1998). Women, feminism and aging. NY: Springer.

Fraser, M.W. ed. (1997). Risk and resilience in childhood: An ecological perspective. Washington, DC: NASW Press

Griffin, R.S. (1998). Sports in the lives of children and adolescents: Success on the field and in life. Westport, CT: Praeger

Gruber, H.E. & Voriche, J.J. eds. (1977). The essential Piaget. NY: Basic Books

Goleman, D. (1997). Working with emotional intelligence. NY: Bantom Books.

Hauser, R.M. ed. (1997). Indicators of children's well-being. NY: Russell Sage Foundation.

Hick, John. (1989). Philosophy of Religion (4th Ed). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Jaggar, Alison M. (1988). Feminist Politics and Human Nature. Totowa, NJ: Rowman and Littefield.

Kegan, Robert. (1982). The Evolving Self: Problem and Process in Human Development. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

Kegan, Robert. (1994). In Over Our Heads. Cambridge, MA; Harvard University Press.

Leakey, Richard. (1994). The Origin of Humankind. NY: Basic Books.

Levinson, D. (1997) Health and illness: A cross-cultural encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO

Meltzoff, J. (1998). Critical Thinking about research: Psychology and related fields. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association

Miller, Patricia. (1993). Theories of Developmental Psychology. New York: W.H. Freeman.

Murphy, Walter. (1988). Upon This Rock. NY, NY: Ballantine.

Murray, F.B. (ed). (1979). The impact of Piagetian Theory: On education, philosophy, psychiatry, and psychology. Baltimore, MD: University Park Press.

Okin. S. (1992). Women in Western Philosophical Thought. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

Peake, T.H. (1998). Healthy aging, healthy treatment: The impact of telling stories. Westport, CT: Praeger

Piaget, Jean. (1932/1965). The Moral Judgment of the Child. NY: Harcourt Press.

Plato, (1988). The Republic. (Alexander D. Lindsay, Trans.). NY: Alfred A. Knopf. (Original Work Transcribed 4th Century BC)

Rawlins, William. (1992). Friendship Matters. NY: Aldine De Gruter.

Reese, H.W., & Overton, W.F. (1970). Models of development and theories of development. In L.R. Goulet & P.B. Baltes (Eds.), Life-Span Developmental Psychology: Research and Theory. NY: Academic.

Rees, A.M. (1998). The consumer's health informaiton source book. Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press.

Stevenson, Leslie. (1987). Seven Theories of Human Nature. NY: Oxford Press.

Stevenson, Leslie. (Ed.) (1981). The Study of Human Nature. NY: Oxford Press.

Student Services Inc., ed. (1998). The gradaute student's complete scholarship book. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks, Inc.

Tepper, Sheri. (1989). The Gate to Women's Country. NY: Bantam.

Tucker, Robert. (Ed.) (1978). The Marx - Engels Reader (2nd Ed.) NY: W.W. Norton.

Turiel, E., ed. (1999). Development and cultural change: Reciprocal processes. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Wilson, Q. James. (1993). The Moral Sense. NY: Simon & Schuster.

Youniss, J., & Yates, M. (1996). Community service and political-moral identity in adolescents. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 6(3), 271-284.

Youniss, J., & Yates, M. (1996). A Developmental perspective on community service in adolescence. Social Development, 5(1), 85-111.

Youniss, J., Yates, M., & Su, Y. (in press). Social integration into peer and adult society: Community service and marijuana use in high school seniors. Journal of Adolescent Research.