03079 - Developmental Psychology

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students will:

• know the main theories of development in the different psychological domains, particularly cognitive, communicative, emotional, and relational development;
• know the main stages of psychological development from early childhood to adolescence and understand the developmental needs of children and young people;
• be able to recognize risk and protective factors that, in different life contexts, may hinder or support psychosocial adjustment and well-being;
• possess basic knowledge of the main research methods and designs used in developmental psychology studies;
• be able to observe and describe behaviours and relationships in socio-educational contexts, linking them to the main theoretical concepts addressed, and to communicate their reflections on developmental processes clearly and thoughtfully;
• be able to recognize the educational implications of the psychological knowledge acquired and to use it to understand and address situations and needs in different socio-educational contexts.

Course contents

During the course, students will learn the main reference theories, the methods used in research and interventions in educational settings, the stages of the different developmental domains, and the contexts of development.

Main reference theories:

• Piaget’s theory of cognitive development and Vygotsky’s socio-cultural approach
• Bruner’s narrative thinking
• Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory

Methods:

• Research designs in developmental psychology
• Observation techniques

Developmental domains:

• Cognitive, communicative and linguistic, emotional-affective development, and the development of the self and identity

Contexts of development:

• Family, peers, and school

Readings/Bibliography

Santrock, J. W. (2026). Developmental Psychology (5th ed.). Milan: McGraw-Hill. Chapters 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14.

Please note: There are no examination programmes other than the one indicated on this page. The examination programme is the same for all students, including those who attended the course in previous years.

 

Teaching methods

Lectures will be supplemented by in-class group discussions and the presentation of videos.

 

Assessment methods

The examination consists of a written test lasting 45 minutes, with three open-ended questions.

The final grade is expressed out of 30. Each question is awarded a maximum of 10 points. Assessment of the answers will take into account the following criteria:

1. completeness of the answers;
2. relevance and consistency of the answers;
3. ability to provide personal critical reflection;
4. appropriate use of terminology, spelling, and syntactic accuracy.

If all answers are provided in a particularly clear and comprehensive manner, with argumentation demonstrating full mastery of the topic, honours will be added to the final grade.

There will be two examination dates per session — January/February, June/July, September/October — and one examination date in December.

Registration for the examination must be completed through the AlmaEsami app: https://almaesami.unibo.it .

All topics presented during the lectures may be included in the examination questions. Preparation for the examination requires studying the indicated textbook. The slides and materials, such as videos, presented during the lectures are available on the Virtuale platform.

Students with specific learning disorders, or temporary or permanent disabilities, are advised to contact the relevant University office in good time: https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/it . The Office will propose any possible accommodations to the students concerned. These accommodations must, in any case, be submitted to the lecturer for approval at least 15 days in advance. The lecturer will assess their suitability also in relation to the learning objectives of the course.

Please note: Students are advised to use the concept maps included in the examination textbook.

 

Teaching tools

Lectures will be supported by the use of PowerPoint presentations and a video projector. The video projector will also be used to show films related to the course topics in class.

A platform, virtuale.unibo.it, will be used to provide PowerPoint presentations and any additional materials intended to encourage further thematic study.

Office hours

See the website of Maria Cristina Matteucci