Current Topics in Developmental Psych.

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2008:

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

The general aim is to review advances in developmental research by analysing recent perspectives on the question of how best to conceptualise the impact of genetic, biological, neurological, cognitive, affective, interpersonal, social and cultural factors on the developing individual across the life span. The unifying focus is to analyse the theoretical, measurement and policy implications of contemporary claims about the nature of development. The nature of the correspondences between models of development processes and the analytical models used to explore those processes receive particular attention, especially in terms of their relevance for policy applications. A number of topics are examined in depth to highlight salient developmental issues. Recent research on the origins of young children's social and cognitive competencies is analysed to assess claims about the domain specific and domain general nature of development. Hypotheses about genetic influences on development are also critically analysed. Claims about the impact of social factors (peers, parents, social environments, cultures) are reviewed to 1) explore the ways in which external influences are thought to affect ­development; 2) examine the contribution of the person to his or her own development; and 3) assess the limitations of analytic methods used to test claims about influences and contributions. Other issues covered include interactions between biological predispositions and environment conditions; the role of culture in the development of the individual; ways of theorising and measuring development change; specific versus general competencies; and, the implications of research for social policy and practice.

Information Not Available

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Students in this subject will be given appropriate opportunity and educational support to develop the following skills: Skills related to integrating and differentiating different approaches to development in order to develop an understanding of contemporary issues Relating theory to psychological analysis and practice Being able to discern and manipulate relationships between theoretical and methodological claims about development Drawing out the social implications of developmental psychology for current social policy Present, develop and support an argument for a position and anticipate criticism.