Developmental Psychology

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2011:

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards of Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison unit Website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Developmental science attempts to answer questions about the ways in which: (1) nature and nurture together shape development; (2) development is continuous and/or discontinuous; (3) cognitive and sociocultural factors affect the developing person; and (4) the reasons for individual differences in psychological functioning.

This subject examines the ways in which biological, neuropsychological, cognitive, social, emotional, personality and cultural factors affect developmental functioning from conception and infancy, through childhood and adolescence, and into adulthood. The focus is on the development of (1) conceptual, problem-solving, reasoning, thinking, theory-of-mind, and linguisitic competencies from infancy to adolescence; and (2) attachment relations, emotional regulation, self and identify, moral reasoning, family and peer relations across the life span. Contemporary theories of development are reviewed to determine how well they account for the nature of changes in infancy, childhood, adolescence and beyond.

A quantitative methods component will be integrated into the lecture, practical class, and assessment structure of this subject. The aim is to provide an understanding of, and practical experience with, the appropriate experimental design and statistical analysis techniques used to evaluate research in Developmental Psychology.

Upon completion of this subject, students should be able to:

• critically review theories of development
• evaluate the adequacy of developmental research questions and methodologies
• interpret development research data
• understand basic analytic techniques pertinent to development
• construct defensible research hypotheses about developmental issues, and
• write laboratory reports that reflect an understanding of dvelopmental psychological issues.

Laboratory report(s) of not more than 2000 words (40%) due mid semester

An examination of no more than two hours (60%) to be completed at the end of semester during the specified university examination period.

Attendance of at least 80% of the laboratory classes is a hurdle requirement. In case of failure to meet the hurdle requirement, additional work will be required before a passing grade can be awarded.

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

• Bachelor of Biomedicine
• Bachelor of Commerce
• Bachelor of Environments
• Bachelor of Music

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.

Students will be given appropriate opportunity and educational support to develop skills to:

• critically review research literatures
• assess research claims
• interpret research findings
• evaluate research methods, and
• write research reports