DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY Fall, 2002
Cat. No. 251 Sr. Gail Cabral, IHM., Ph.D.
ASSIGNED TEXT:Santrock, J.W. (2001). Lifespan Development (8th edition). Dubuque, IA: McGraw -Hill.
RECOMMENDED TEXTS
Merrins & Brannigan, (Eds.) (1996). The Developmental Psychologists. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Study Guide to Accompany Life-Span Development. Dubuque, IA: McGraw -Hill.
THE PROFESSOR:Sr. Gail Cabral, IHM, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, a developmental psychologist licensed in the state of Pennsylvania, earned her doctorate in the Human Development program of the Psychology Department of Catholic University of America. Her doctoral dissertation, Children's Judgments of Friendship Violations: A Developmental and Sociometric Analysis, analyzed conceptions of friendship in a Piagetian theory framework, and used diverse research methods including content analysis of interview data, questionnaire construction, and both parametric and nonparametric statistics.
Sr. Gail's more recent research has been on friendships among military adolescents. She is interested in adult friendship relations, child and adolescent peer relations, and psychological type, especially applications of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. She is also interested in the relationship of spirituality and psychology, and the psychology of aging.
OFFICE HOURS:
Sister Gail's office is Room 1026 in the McGowan Center. Regular office hours are Monday, 3:00 to 5:00 PM; Wednesday, 10:00 &endash; 10:50 AM; Thursday, 10:00 to 11:50 AM. Appointments may be scheduled at other times by leaving a message with the Psychology Department secretary, 348-6270, or on Sr. Gail's AUDIX, 348-6211, ext. 2346. In any case be sure to leave a phone number by which you can be reached. From a Marywood phone, Sr. Gail's number is Ext. 2346. Sr. Gail's e-mail address is Cabral@ac.marywood.edu.
CONTENT OBJECTIVES:
The student who completes this course successfully will be able to:
1. identify and describe behavioral, affective, and cognitive characteristics to be expected at different age levels of development.
2. summarize various interpretations of development such as those offered by psychoanalytic, behavioral, cognitive, humanistic, ethological and ecological theories;
3. discuss the varying schools of thought regarding human development including the philosophical assumptions regarding the nature of knowledge and the nature of the human person which underlie such theoretical positions.
4. discuss the implications of holding various positions concerning human development in his/her professional interest field, e.g. in education, law, social work, psychology, nursing, etc.
5. apply the basic principles of development and basic processes of learning and socialization to the various stages of the life span;
6. describe longitudinal, cross-sectional and sequential research methods in developmental psychology.
7. identify historical, cultural, and familial differences in lifespan expectations and in socialization processes.
8. interact with people of different ages, including toddlers, children, youth, and the elderly.
PROCESS OBJECTIVES:
The experiences, which are required for this course, are intended to do the following:
1. provide experience with observation of and personal reflection on children and adults in everyday settings (journal entries, observation papers).
2. provide opportunity to explore the relevance of course content for the student's field of professional interest e.g., education, social work, psychology, nursing, etc.(by journal entries, small group discussion)
3. provide opportunity to apply psychological theories of human development to specific situations involving clients or students (small group discussion)
4. provide an opportunity to develop effective peer interaction (dyad partners, small group discussion)
RELATION TO MARYWOOD'S GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND CURRICULUM:
(See Statement of Undergraduate Curriculum Purpose: Living Responsibly in an Interdependent World).
Human development includes age changes, growth and biological development, social and cultural influences on personality, and the interaction of physical, cognitive and social-emotional changes. This course assumes that a knowledge of human development will provide a basis for several goals of the undergraduate curriculum, especially #1, which is related to the value and dignity of each human being. A deep and abiding goal of this course is to assist students in developing a deeper respect for human beings of every age.
In addition, this course is devised to assist students in a variety of human service fields to develop knowledge related to professional competence. Thus, curriculum goal #13, and the general goal of "living responsibly in an interdependent world" are met, in part, by this course.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Class attendance, participation, and journal: A grade will be given for class participation twice a semester. There are three elements making up this grade: regular attendance, participation in class, and keeping a journal.
Regular and prompt attendance is required. Absences will affect the mark given for participation. Absence for six class hours except due to very exceptional circumstances, will be considered excessive and will put the student in danger of a failing or deficiency grade. (Note that if the class is 75 minutes long, each absence is one and a half class hours. Tardiness will be prorated.)
Students are expected to anticipate the topics to be covered in each class and to read assigned material ahead of time. Supplemental reading material is suggested at the end of the textbook chapters, in the course outline and also may be suggested during the course. Students who intend to earn a "B+" or "A" grade will be expected to read more than the assigned textbook and to provide evidence of that reading through sharing in class discussion, commenting on their reading in journal entries or by handing in written critiques of their outside reading.
Each student is required to keep a journal of his/her reactions to topics covered during the course. Reflections on all kinds of life changes in themselves or in others will be welcomed. The journal should have two entries per week and be handed in twice a semester. Looseleaf pages in a folder will be acceptable, i.e., a special notebook is not required.
Journal entries may relate to any part of the life span, i.e., they do not have to be related to the material being covered in class that week. Memories of the student's own development, observations of others, reflections on the behavior of characters in movies, books or television, are all possible sources for journal reflections.
Students are encouraged to use their own outside reading (see Library Use), and/or their experiences in their major field of study as the basis for journal reflections. This practice supports the goals and objectives of Marywood College, and will develop a habit of reflection tied to action, which will foster the student's personal and professional development. Journal material will be kept confidential. Journals will be read but not directly graded.
Dyad Partner: Each student is expected to have a class peer with whom s/he will share reflections on the class. The expectation is that dyad partners will spend some time in conversation each week, and will provide for each other: (1) a guide in the course experience, (2) a partner with whom to reflect or question, (3) an experience of peer learning. Meetings/conversations with one's dyad partner should be reflected in journal entries.
TESTS:
In addition to the quarterly and final exams, there will be two other tests. Results of tests and examinations will make up 60% of the final grade. Make-up tests will be at the convenience and discretion of the professor. The format of make-up tests may differ from that of the scheduled test, i.e., a make-up test may be all essay questions, or an oral examination, even if the scheduled test was predominantly made up of objective items.
Scheduled tests will usually include both objective and essay questions. Although the material emphasized will be that which was recently taught, the tests and exams will be comprehensive regarding material relevant to the whole life span, e.g., processes, principles of development, research methods, and stages and terminology developed by various theorists.
OBSERVATIONS:
In addition to scheduled tests, students are expected to write two (2) short observation reports, one on an infant or young child below the age of seven, and one on an older child, an adolescent, or an adult. These reports should be at least four to seven pages in length, and should explain with clear detail aspects of behavior which are important in understanding human development. (See Directions for Observation Assignments.)
LIBRARY USE:
All students are expected to do extra, i.e. unassigned, reading related to developmental psychology. All students are expected to be proficient with MELVIN, and to understand the differences between scholarly, professional literature and popular literature related to human development.
Before the end of the first quarter, each student is expected to bring to class a brief bibliography of sources they are interested in reading. (See Directions for Library Assignments.)
BRIEF ASSIGNMENTS:
Occasional brief assignments may be given. Ordinarily these will not receive separate grades, though their completion and quality may be included in the grade given for class participation. Brief assignments may be group projects and require collaboration outside of the classroom.
(Percentages refer to weights given to requirements in terms of final grades).
|
Class Participation (2) |
20% (10% in each quarter) |
|
Observations (2) |
20% (10% each) |
|
Tests (2) |
20% (10% for each quiz) |
|
Quarterly |
20% |
|
Final |
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, phone, LAC 220B, 348-6211, X2549, or by e-mail address, moy@es.marywood.edu.
SCHEDULE OF TOPICS (Fall 2002)
I. Lifespan Development: Issues, Methods, and Theories. (August 28 - September 9).
Assigned Readings
Santrock, chapters 1 and 2.
Assignment: (September 4 and September 6). "Jigsaw" report in small groups on one of the major theories. Also by end of the second week, students should have selected dyad partners.
Test: Sept. 13
Suggested Readings:
Santrock, Chapters 12 and 13. Begin to use adolescence to reflect on the general concepts of the course, especially differentiation and integration.Cabral, G. (1980). Piaget's quest for order and meaning: An analysis of autobiographical writings. (On reserve, LRC.)
Cabral, G. (1981). Moderators of competence in the life of Jean Piaget: An analysis of autobiographical writings. (On reserve, LRC.)
Erikson, E. (1968). Life cycle. International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences. (Photocopy on reserve.)
Erikson, E. (1963). Childhood and society. NY, NY: Norton.
Erikson, E. (1968). Identity: Youth and crisis NY, NY: Norton.
Erikson, E. (1976). Reflections on Dr. Borg's life cycle. Daedalus, 105, 1 - 28.
II. The Beginnings: Biological Beginnings, Prenatal Development and Birth. (Sept. 13 &endash; 23)
Assignment Due: (September 25). Deadline for assignment on library use and bibliography. Students should be able to explain the usefulness or content of three of their choices. Students should also be able to determine the type of reading each choice represents: scholarly or general, theoretical or empirical, primary or secondary. They also should use sources from the library and from the Internet. (See Directions for Library Assignment.)
Assigned Readings:
Santrock, chapters 3 and 4.
Suggested Readings:
Santrock, Chapters 14 and 15.Plomin, R. (1996). Nature and nurture. In Merrins & Brannigan, (Eds.), The Developmental Psychologists. NY, NY: McGraw-Hill. (On reserve.)
_____. (1983). Life in the womb: The first stages of human development. Pleasantville, NY: Human Relations Media (filmstrip).
Timelife Education. (1967). Life before birth (filmstrip).
Gilbert, S.G. (1989). Pictorial human embryology. Seattle, WA: U. of Washington Press.
III. Infancy: Physical, Cognitive and Social Development. (September 25 &endash; October 7)
Assigned Readings:
Santrock, chapters 5, 6, and 7.Journals Due: October 2.
Suggested Readings:
Santrock, chapters 16, 17Irwin, D.M. & Bushnell, M.M. (1980). Observational strategies of child study. NY: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
IV. Early Childhood: Physical, Cognitive and Social Development. (October 9 &endash; October 18)
Assigned Readings:
Santrock, chapters 8 and 9.Second Test (Quarterly): October 14
Demonstration, October 16. (Your chance to bring children to class.)
Observation Due: October 23.
Suggested Readings:
Santrock, chapters 18 and 19.Fagot, B.I. (1996). Falling into gender-role research. In Merrins & Brannigan, (Eds.), The Developmental Psychologists. NY, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Parke, R.D. (1996) Fathers, play, and emotion: A research odyssey. In Merrins & Brannigan, (Eds.), The Developmental Psychologists. NY, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Gould, L. (1978). X: A fabulous child's story. From Not Responsible for Personal Articles. Daughters Publishing Co.
V. Middle & Late Childhood (October 21 &endash; Oct. 30).
Assigned Readings:
Santrock, chapters 10 and 11
Videotape: "Children, Enfants, Ninos."
Suggested Readings:
Cowan, P. (1978). Piaget with feeling: Cognitive, social and emotional dimensions. NY, NY: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.Damon, W. (1983). Social and personality development. NY, NY: Norton.
Kellogg, R. (1970). Analyzing children's art. Palo Alto, CA: National Press Books.
Piaget, J. (1932/1965). The moral judgment of the child. NY, NY: Free Press.
VI. Adolescence (Nov. 4 &endash; Nov. 13).
Assigned Readings:
Santrock, chapters 12 and 13.
Third Test: November 1
Journals Due: Nov. 20
Suggested Readings:
Belenky et al. (1986). Toward an education for women. From Women's Ways of Knowing.LeVine, R.; Miller, P.; & West, M.M. (Eds.) (1988). Parental behavior in diverse societies. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Lerner, J. V. (1996). The contextual history of my research on adolescent temperament. In Merrins & Brannigan, (Eds.), The Developmental Psychologists. NY, NY: McGraw-Hill.
VII. Adulthood and Aging (November 15 &endash; December 9).
Assigned Readings
Santrock, Chapters 14, 16, & 19, and parts of 15, 17, 18, 20 and 21. (See relevant handout.)
Suggested Readings:
Levinson, D.J. (1979). The seasons of a man's life. NY, NY: Knopf.Loretto, R. (1980). Children's conceptions of death. NY, NY: Springer.
Margolis, R.J. (1990). Risking old age in America. Boulder, CO: Westview.
Neugarten, B.L. (1977). Personality and aging. J.E. Birren & K.W. Schaie (Eds.), Handbook of the psychology of aging. NY, NY: Van Nostrand Reinhold.
Observation Due: Dec. 6
Final Exam: as scheduled.
All students are expected to be proficient with MELVIN, the Marywood Electronic Library and VAX Information Network, and full-text and web-based searching, and to understand the differences between scholarly, professional literature and popular literature related to human development.
Objective
To begin to understand how to analyze the type of sources one is reading by indicating the following:
(1) whether the source is for the general public or for professionals, i.e., scholarly,
(2) whether the source is primary or secondary,
(3) whether the source is theoretical or empirical.
Project
During the first quarter, (see date on Projected Dates of Topics), each student is expected to bring to class a brief bibliography of sources they are interested in reading. Choose and type in the form of a bibliography (preferably in APA style), six (6) to ten (10) books or articles that are of interest to you. Indicate for each item whether the material is scholarly or popular, whether it is primary or secondary material, and if it is primary material in psychology, whether it is empirical (a real research study) or theoretical. In addition, at least three of the entries should be annotated, i.e., the student should indicate something of the format or style of the book or article, the general content of the material, and why they are interested in reading it.
Students will naturally select those materials of interest to them, and may use them with APA format in their observation projects. They may also choose to react to what they are reading or have read in their journal entries, or in class. The student should think of this as a personal projected reading list, what he or she would like to read, and may read, either during the semester or later.
Directions for Observation Assignments
Objectives:
1.) To provide the student with the opportunity to interact with, and to observe, someone of a different age.
2.) To provide an opportunity for the student to apply the material they are learning in the course in an actual situation.
3.) To evaluate the student’s ability to see the developmental characteristics described in the course.
Students are expected to write two (2) short observation reports, one on an infant or young child below the age of seven, and one on an older child, an adolescent, or an adult. These reports should be at least four to seven pages in length, and should explain with clear detail aspects of behavior which are important in understanding human development. The paper on an adolescent or adult may be based on an interview or interactions observed over time.
Each observation must include the following information:
1.a short description of the person or persons to be observed, their relation to the observer, the setting of the observation, and the tasks or activities or situations involved;
2. the actual behavior observed, in concrete and detailed form;
3. a theoretical or explanatory discussion. This latter section is most important in terms of how the observation is to be evaluated. The observation should be integrated with readings and class discussions or other material relevant to developmental psychology.
Observations may be of a single individual or of the interaction of two or three individuals. (They should not be observations of a whole class.) They may be either open-ended (unstructured) or structured (planned) by the student. In the latter case, the child is asked to perform certain activities or tasks (games, drawing, etc.).
Ordinarily, observations will be of individuals whose behavior falls within the general limits of normal development. However, students may wish to compare two or more individuals in one report including people of different ages or different developmental levels.
At the end of each textbook unit, in the supplemental workbook, and in the CD-ROM, some ideas about observational activities may be found. These tend to be shorter and simpler than the usual observation papers which fulfill the requirements for this course. However, they may provide the student with some ideas or procedures with which to begin. They may be used in combination with other procedures or observations.
Evaluations of observations. Observations will be evaluated in terms of correctness of grammar and style, clarity and objectivity of the observation, and depth and relevance of the student's discussion.
Observations should be written in correct English grammar, typed and proofread. Observations which are not correctly written will be returned to the student without being graded. Papers which have more than two typographical, punctuation or spelling errors per page will be returned for correction; the grade for that assignment will reflect the lack of attention to writing.
A "C" rating will be given to observations which have correct style and which include a description of the setting, observed behavior, and commentary or interpretation of that behavior.
A "B" rating &endash;will be given to observations which manage to select important developmental characteristics and to synthesize several theoretical viewpoints or research results with these observed characteristics
"A" or "B+" ratings will be given to observation reports which fulfill the above requirements and in addition, show creative use of course materials and additional, non-required scholarly reading which is relevant to what they have observed. "Creative use of course material" means that the demonstration or observation goes beyond simple replication of material discussed in class or in the text, by combining tasks for the children and integrating theoretical viewpoints. Scholarly reading means professional books or journals rather than magazines for the general public.
Scholarly sources, whether primary or secondary, should be correctly cited. APA format is preferred (and is especially appropriate for psychology majors), but any established reference style (e.g. Turabian, MLA, etc.) will be acceptable. Assignments may be handed in a day or two earlier or later than the deadline in the attached schedule of classes if previous arrangements have been made with the professor. Students are expected to keep a copy of their assignments in order to safeguard them. Assignments will not be accepted later than 7 days after the due date except in emergency situations (e.g., hospitalization). The grade given for an uncompleted assignment will be zero.
BIBLIOGRAPHY Allen, Judy. (1992). Cultural Awareness for Children. Menlo Park, CA: Addison-Wesley.
Brunner, Jerome, Ed. (1987). Making Sense: the Child's Construction of the World. NY, NY: Methuen.
Burke, John C. (1992). Decreasing Classroom Behavior Problems: Practical Guidelines for Teachers. San Diego, CA: Singular Publishing.
Capa, Robert. (1991). Children of War, Children of Peace. Boston, MA: Little Brown.
Cowan, Philip A., Ed. (1990). Family Transitions. Hillside, NJ: L. Erlbaum Association.
Cummins, Jim. (1989). Empowering Minority Students. Sacramento, CA: California Association for Bilingual Education.
Furth, H. (1970). Piaget for teachers. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall
Gardner, Howard. (1991). The Unschooled Mind: How Children Think and How Schools Should Teach. NY, NY: Basic Books.
Goleman, Daniel. (1995). Emotional Intelligence. NY, NY: Bantam Doubleday Dell.
Hughes, Fergus, P. (1991). Children, Play, and Development. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Jacob, S.M. (1991). Your Baby's Mind: How to Make the Most of the Critical First Two Years. Hollbrook, MA: Bob Adams.
Kegan, Robert. (1994). In Over Our Heads. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Kett, J.F. (1977). Rites of passage. NY, NY: Basic Books.
Koontz, Christian (1991). Thea Bowman, Handing on her Legacy. Kansas City, MO: Sheed and Ward.
Koplow, Lesley. (1990). Where Rag Dolls Hide Their Faces: A Story of Troubled Children. NY, NY: Dutton.
Korbrin, Beverly. (1988). Eye-openers: How to Choose and Use Children’s Books About Real People, Places, and Things. NY, NY: Viking.
Kuhn, Maggie. (1991). No Stone Unturned: The Life and Times of Maggie Kuhn. NY, NY: Ballentine Books.
Maurer, Daphne (1988). The World of the Newborn. NY: Basic Books.
McCracken, Janet Brown, ed. (1986). Reducing Stress in Young Children’s Lives. Washington, DC: NAEYC.
Merriam, Sharan B. (1991). Lifelines: Patterns of Work, Love, and Learning in Adulthood. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Miller, Karen. (1980). More Things to Do with Toddlers and Twos. Chelsea, MA: Telshare Publishers.
Miller, Melvin & Greuter-Cook, Susanne, Eds. (1994). Transcendence and Mature Thought in Adulthood: The Further Reaches of Adult Development. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littefield.
Osborne, Philip. (1991). Parenting for the 90’s. Intercourse, PA: Good Books.
Reed, Jeffrey G. (1991). Library Use: a Handbook for Psychology. Washington, DC: APA.
Shurkin, Joel N. (1992). Terman's Kids: The Groundbreaking Study of How the Gifted Grow Up. Boston, MA: Little, Brown and Company.
Smith, Robert M., ed. (1989). Learning to Learn Across the Life Span. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Unger, Harlow G. (1991). What did you learn in school today? A parent's guide for evaluating your child's school. NY, NY: Facts on File.
VIDEOS
Confident Parenting: The First 8,760 Hrs... Oak Brook, IL: Videopaediatrics Inc.
The Seasons of Life. (1990). Ann Arbor, MI; University of Michigan Press. A series of 5 videotapes encompassing the lifespan.
The Human Language. (1995). New York: Ways of Knowing, Inc.