The aim of the course is to have students develop an understanding of the principles of human development and the ways in which assumptions about human nature influence the ways theories are formulated, the kinds of questions one considers important to investigate and how these assumptions translate into heuristic devices for the investigation of human behavior. Students will also develop the capacity to evaluate studies aimed at investigating issues in human development and developmental psychopathology. After the course students will be able to describe and critically analyze various theories and models of human development and developmental psychopathology. They will be able to answer the questions: What is development and how has this definition differed across time and research paradigms? How does knowledge of developmental issues enrich the study of maladaptive behaviours?
Learning Objectives
After completing this course students will be able to:
1. Identify and describe the major theoretical approaches to the study of human development and developmental psychopathology.
2. Critically analyze and evaluate contemporary developmental research with respect to their theoretical underpinnings and assumptions about human nature.
3. Describe various perspectives on developmental change, continuity-discontinuity and stability-instability.
4. Evaluate the present status of the nature-nurture debate and describe its implications for theory, research and practice.
5. Demonstrate proficiency in clearly and accurately communicating scientific ideas and research, both orally and through writing.
Relation between Learning Objectives and Assessment methods
1. Weekly reaction papers, leading the class in discussion, and participating in class discussions will be used to assess the degree to which students are able to understand the assigned readings, identify the theoretical approach addressed by the readings, and critically evaluate them.
2. The final written assignment will be used to assess the first 4 learning objectives of the course as well as writing proficiency.
3. Leading the class in discussion, presenting a research article, and general participation in class discussions will be used to assess the student’s oral communication skills.
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This course provides an overview of the theories, concepts, issues, and research in the fields of human development and developmental psychopathology. It begins with the philosophical origins and history of the study of development including how Charles Darwin transformed the study of development from a speculative and descriptive discipline into an empirically grounded empirical science. It also traces how the field of developmental psychopathology emerged out of the need to consider child and adolescent disorders from a developmental perspective. Through readings, discussion, and projects students will gain a more complete understanding of the complexity of human development and how investigators go about conducting developmental research today. The focus is on the challenges of the investigation of change and development across time and the course will cover such topics as: theoretical approaches to the study of development; cross-sectional, longitudinal and mixed-sequential-longitudinal designs; person-centered and variable-centered approaches; dynamic systems; problems of disentangling age, cohort and history effects; and ethical issues in the conduct of research on children, adolescents and special populations.
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