HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

(Fall 2001)

Course: PSYC 2030: Human Development (SCI, VAL) Instructor: Dr. Linda M. Woolf

Office Hours:

Text:

• Berk, L. Development Through the Lifespan, (2nd Ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Course Description:

The life-span developmental perspective maintains that human development occurs at all points across the life-span and is influenced by what has gone before and what is yet to come. Thus, how one behaves and develops as an adolescent is influences by one's childhood and one's goals and perceptions about the future. It is from this perspective that the present course on human development will be taught. This course will include the following: First, the concept of development and the various theories of development will be explored. Second, the various types of development will be studied across the lifespan. Third, the effect of various life-events and life-transitions during the different periods of the life-course will be explored.

This course is coded for the Scientific Understanding goal in the General Education program. Scientific Understanding is defined as the analysis of the concepts of a scientific discipline and its methods, limitations, and impact in the modern world.

This course is also coded for the Values goal in the General Education program. Values is defined as critical reflection on the attitudes and beliefs relevant to individual and social choices and actions.

Course Objectives and Outcomes:

1. Objective: To develop an understanding of the life-span developmental perspective and the relevance of this perspective for studying change and continuity in psychological processes over time.
   Outcomes: Students will be able to articulate the life-span developmental perspective and related the novel features of this perspective relevant to development across the life-course.

2. Objective: To become familiar with the research methodology commonly used by developmental psychologists. To become familiar with the scientific method, and examine the benefits and limitations of this method of inquiry as it relates to developmental psychology.
   Outcomes: Students will be able to differentiate between the major observational, correlational, experimental, and quasi-experimental designs used by developmental psychologists and articulate the benefits and limitations of each. Students will be able to critique various studies and theories based on this information.

3. Objective: To become familiar with the major theories of human development. To examine how these theories were formed, tested, and perhaps, validated.
   Outcomes: Students will be able to articulate the three major metatheories used by to explain human development and will be able to identify a theory exemplifying each metatheory. Students will be able to articulate the major theories used to explain human development and be able to articulate and critically evaluate each theory.

4. Objectives: To develop an understanding of the various types of development that an individual experiences across the life-course (ie. physiological, cognitive, social, personality, etc.).
   Outcomes: Students will be able to articulate definitions for each type of development. Students will be able to critique both positively and negatively the theories and models used to explain each type of development.

5. Objective: To explore the effects of various social contexts on the development of the individual across the life-span (ie. society, family, work, etc.).
   Outcomes: Students will be able to discuss development as it relates to social context e.g. career development, retirement, family structures, parenting, etc.

6. Objectives: To examine some of the psychological disorders that occur throughout the life-span which are correlated with age.
   Outcomes: Students will be able to discuss the symptomatology, possible etiology, and proposed treatment for developmentally related psychological disorders such as autism, eating disorders, and Alzheimer's disease.

7. Objective: To explore development at the later end of the life-span.
   Outcomes: Students will be able to differentiate between the myths and realities of aging. Students will be able to define ageism and be able to articulate the impact that ageism and the myths related to aging have on the older adult and on society. Students will be able to differentiate between and discuss normal and non-normal aging related to the various types of development.

8. Objective: To become familiar with the rapidly growing body of literature on human development.
   Outcomes: Students will be able to read current literature related to a specific human development topic and write a paper discussing and evaluating this research.

9. Objective: To further develop writing skills in conjunction with the use of APA format.
   Outcomes: Students will be able write their paper in APA format.

Incoming Competencies/Prerequisites:

All students should be capable of integrating and evaluating information, critical thinking, and writing at the college level.

Class Meetings:

Course Requirements:

Four exams, a term paper, and class participation/discussion of assigned readings.

All grades will be assigned on a scale of 0 - 10 with:

90 - 100	A-,A	Superior Work
80 - 89	B-,B,B+	Good Work
70 - 79	C-,C,C+	Satisfactory Work
60 - 69	D,D+	Passing, but less than Satisfactory
Less than 60	F	Failing

Percent of Grade:

Examinations	80%
Term Paper	15%
Class Participation and Discussion	5%

Examinations: Examination format will include multiple choice, short answer, matching, and essay. They will cover material presented in lecture, readings, and discussion. Each exam will constitute 20% of your final grade. POLICY STATEMENTS: All exams must be taken on the date scheduled except in case of an emergency. In case of the above, the instructor must be notified in advance that a test is going to be missed. No make-up exams will be provided if you fail to notify and discuss your situation with the instructor. No extra credit work will be made available to make-up for a poor test grade.

Term Paper: Students are required to research and write a term paper for 15% of their final grade. The specific requirements are given below:

• The purpose of the term paper is to provide you, the student, with an opportunity to explore an area of human development in depth. The paper is to be a 5 - 10 paper review of some topic pertinent to human development. NOTE: THIS IS A COURSE IN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT. THUS, YOUR TOPIC NEEDS TO RELATE TO HUMAN DEVELOPMENT.

• Paper topics must be approved by the instructor (See additional instructions below). Deadline for final acceptance of projects is November 30. NOTE: This deadline is not a suggestions. Papers accepted following the deadline will experience a drop of one letter grade for every two days late except in cases of emergency discussed in advance with the instructor. It is up to the instructor's discretion whether to accept or not accept a paper following the November 30 deadline.

• Paper topics must be approved by the instructor. NOTE: All paper proposals must be submitted on via e-mail to the instructor. Paper topics that have not been approved will not be accepted. Paper topics proposals must be submitted for approval by Sept. 14.
  Paper topic proposals must include the following:
  

  Topic

  Rationale for selection of topic

  List of potential references from journals

  Proposed organization

At least five references for your paper must come from refereed journals (not Psychology Today or Newsweek, for example). NOTE: Do not rely heavily on popular literature, for example, a book you happen to see at Walden Books. Often times these books are not empirically based. Also, do not take the bulk of your paper from one source or from secondary sources. I want an integration, analysis, and critique of all of your readings, in particular, the current research in the area you have chosen to study.

Click here for some rules of thumb regarding literature reviews/papers

All papers must be typed, double-spaced, 1 inch margins, and in APA style format. If you are in doubt of what this means, see me for details.

or

APA 5th Edition Publication Manual Changes

A Guide for Writing Research Papers based on American Psychological Association (APA) Documentation - http://webster.commnet.edu/apa/apa_index.htm

APA Style Guide prepared by Mark Plonsky - http://www.uwsp.edu/acad/psych/apa4b.htm

APA Publication format - Web Extensions - http://www.beadsland.com/weapas/

Class Participation & Discussion: Please realize that your participation in this class is extremely important. As such, class participation will constitute a percentage of your final grade. Be aware that skipping class (unexcused absences) will impact your grade in this area.

Policy Statements:

Plagiarism (attempting to pass off the work of another as one's own) is not acceptable and will result in a grade of 0 for that assignment and will be turned over to the appropriate university source for disciplinary action. In addition, cheating on exams will also result in the same fate.

This site will help you avoid the problem of plagiarism particularly plagiarism resulting from paraphrasing too closely to the original source. - Establishing Authorship by Paul C. Smith, Alverno College

Late withdraws from this class will not be approved by the instructor except in cases of emergency discussed with the instructor. No late withdraws will be approved on the basis of poor class performance.

This syllabus is subject to change at the instructor's discretion. All changes concerning course requirements will be provided in writing. Changes concerning exam dates may be made at the instructor's discretion and communicated verbally to the class.

It is understood that remaining in this course (not dropping or withdrawing from this course) constitutes an agreement to abide by the terms outlined in this syllabus and an acceptance of the requirements outlined in this document. No grade of Incomplete will be issued for this course.