03079 - Developmental Psychology

Learning outcomes

At the conclusion of the course, students should be able to:

1. Differentiate key  concepts and theories within developmental psychology.

2. Demonstrate knowledge of the scientific method, research designs, and typical developmental psychology studies.

3.  Discuss the nature x nature interaction.

4. Illustrate differences among physical, psychological, and social frames of development.

5. Identify the primary tools the infant has for exploring the world.

6. Demonstrate knowledge of Piaget's four periods of cognitive development by providing specific examples in each period.

7. Illustrate the similarities between human and machine information processing hardware and software.

8. Differentiate among primary aspects of socioemotional development: trust/mistrust, emotions, gender roles/identity in infancy and childhood.

9. Demonstrate the general physical and cognitive development of school-age children, including aptitudes, academic skills, and special children.

10. Demonstrate the general physical and cognitive development of middle childhood, including family relationships, peer relationships, and stereotypes.

11. Illustrate physical, psychological, and social issues related to rites of passage, including pubertal changes, health, cognition, and moral reasoning.

12. Demonstrate socioemotional development issues in adolescence, including identity/self esteem, romantic relationships, work, and dependency of drugs, depression, and delinquency.

13. Explain the major physical, cognitive, and personality development issues of becoming an adult

Course contents

Course content

Theoretical issues of Developmental Psychology 

Research methods and designs

 Biological factors and prenatal development 

The development of sensory and perceptual functions 

The development of knowledge according to Piaget, Vygostsky and HIP approaches

 Language and communicative development

 Emotional and social development

 Peer relationships in prescool and schoolage children: play, friendship, peer cultures bullying and cyberbullying

 

Readings/Bibliography

1. Santrock,  Psicologia dello sviluppo, Custom Publishing -Create  Brighi-Nicoletti  eds (both the editions 2013-14 or 2014-2015 are ok, but not the original uncostumized version of the textbook), Edizioni McGraw-Hill. In this book don't study from  pp. 68 to pag.  98 and the whole chapter 15 (culture). In chapter  14 (school) study only from  pag. 584 to 593 and  606-616 (case study).  
2. Genta M.L., Brighi A., Guarini A., (2009).  Il Bullismo elettronico, Roma Carocci. ONLY the chapters n.  1,2,3,4 (pp. 23-88) must be studied.
3. Genta M.L., Brighi A., Guarini A., (2013). Il cyberbullismo, ricerche e strategie di intervento, Milano, FrancoAngeli. ONLY chapt. 5 (pp.62-74), 7 and  8 (pp. 91-121).

Teaching methods

Lessons, discussion of clinical cases, conferences of visiting experts, comments on videos

Assessment methods

The examination aims to assess the achievement of the following learning objectives:

· In-depth knowledge of development theories, knowing how to illustrate the themes, methods and content in a critical way, and developing comparisons between different authors.

· Ability to use this knowledge to discuss the different areas of development (emotional, social, cognitive, language) using a specific and appropriate language.

· Ability to use the knowledge related to the development in order to interpret problematic situations and suggest possible interventions.

The examination is performed in writing and includes an assessment of thirty/30. In addition to responding to some questions (three), about theories that relate to the areas of development, students will be proposed a "case study" in which they will demonstrate their ability to apply the tools (theoretical and methodological) acquired to draft a plan of action or critically discuss the case, using a specific language appropriately and proposing possible solutions theoretically founded. By way of example, the handbook by Santrock has an exercise area for students, which has some cases and multiple-choice questions on the various chapters of the manual, on which to practice independently (http://www.ateneonline.it/santrock). Alternatively, it may be presented a research paper in which the student will have to make a critical analysis, highlighting the theoretical approach, the methodology, the main results and discussing the findings in light of theories of development.

The final evaluation shall be the arithmetic average of the valuations obtained in each individual questions and discussion of case studies or research article and therefore relates to the whole exam its entirety. The student is able to pass the written test (and also provide the maximum grade) without attending the course. During the test, lasting 90 minutes, is not allowed the use of support material such as textbooks, notes, computer media. Only for students who present an LD, supported by appropriate certification, there will be possible to provide oral examinations or with the help of computer specially provided by the university. Students must then notify the teacher at least 15 days prior to the incurrence of the examination and to agree arrangements for individualized verification. The exam registration is required via bulletin board, in compliance with mandatory deadlines of the university of Bologna. Those who do not succeed to enroll by the due date, are required to report promptly (and in any event before the official closing of the subscription lists) the problem to the Secretary's office. The teacher shall have the right to admit to the examinations.

The verbalization of the evaluation test are possible after the acceptance of the evaluation on Almaesami. It is possible to examine the test and ask for clarification about the evaluation in one month following the call in which you took the exam. 

For detailed information about verbalization of exams, see also the website of the professor. Graduating students who pass the exam and need to verbalize the mark in a short time, are invited to notify this to the teacher by means of an e-mail message to be sent immediately after passing the test.

Teaching tools

Power point presentations, videos, Internet,

Office hours

See the website of Antonella Brighi