PS3518: DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY (2021-2022)

Last modified: 31 May 2022 13:05

Course Overview

The aim of this course is to consolidate and extend students’ knowledge of a number of core areas of developmental psychology, focusing on the age range of young children (3 years) to adolescence. This course will examine both historical and contemporary issues and findings in (1) cognitive development and (2) social-emotional development. In one half of the course students will evaluate how some main types of memory undergo developmental changes, and how cognitive plasticity develops. In the other half students will evaluate the development of aggression and its risk factors, and gain a deeper understanding of the role of play in typical and atypical development of social interaction with a focus on autism. There will also be opportunity to learn about some intervention programmes aimed at improving cognitive and socio-emotional skills in childhood. The broad range of developmental topics makes this an ideal course for anyone with interest in working with children.

Course Details

Study Type	Undergraduate	Level	3
Term	Second Term	Credit Points	15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits)
Campus	Aberdeen	Sustained Study	No
Co-ordinators	Dr Margaret Jackson

Qualification Prerequisites

Either Programme Level 3 or Programme Level 4

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

Programme Level 3
Any Undergraduate Programme
Either PS2015 Advanced Psychology a - Concepts and Theory (Passed) or PS2017 Advanced Psychology a - Concepts and Theory (Passed)
Either PS2515 Advanced Psychology B - Concepts and Theory (Passed) or PS2517 Advanced Psychology B - Concepts and Theory (Passed)

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

None.

Are there a limited number of places available?

Course Description

This course will examine both historical and contemporary issues and findings in perceptual development, language development, social and emotional development, and developmental psychopathology. The course will also cover a number of key conceptual issues including the role of nature versus nurture in human development, modularity and modularization, and the contribution of research on atypical development to our understanding of normal functioning.

Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers

Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 30 August 2024 for 1st term courses and 20 December 2024 for 2nd term courses.

Summative Assessments

Alternative Assessment

Tutorial Participation 10%

MCQs 20%

Essay 60%

Alternative Resit Arrangement

Coursework Resubmission

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge Level	Thinking Skill	Outcome
Procedural	Apply	Students will become aware of some markers for typical (and atypical) cognitive and socio-emotional development in children and ways of improving performance, skills, and behaviour in individuals
Factual	Evaluate	Evaluate different theoretical accounts and research methods of both cognitive and socio-emotional child development and communicate this through coursework and written exams.
Factual	Understand	Consolidate and extend their knowledge of historical and contemporary issues and findings in (1) cognitive development and (2) socio-emotional development focusing on children aged 3 to adolescence.
Conceptual	Evaluate	Learn the skills to understand and evaluate the scientific basis of claims regarding cognitive development and plasticity in children, and the scientific basis of socio-emotional development.