Psychology 340: Introduction to Cognitive Development
Sec. 791
Thursday 5-7:30, Harvill Bldg, Rm. 404
Rosemary A Rosser, PhD
Email: rrosser@email.arizona.edu
Office Hours: MW 11-12; M1-2 Psychology 101
Course Description
Cognitive development concerns the processes of intellectual maturation that an individual from infancy
through childhood to adolescence. Cognitive development also concerns the evolution of knowledge
and thought. This area of study has a place in a much larger enterprise: the scientific exploration of the
mind. Contemporary cognitive scientists are engaged in building models of mind that are logically
coherent, psychologically plausible, and biologically feasible. Findings from developmental studies
contribute to the model-building effort and place restrictions on it as well, for developmental studies tell
us about origins, the origins of mind. Our images of the adult are significantly proscribed by those of the
baby and child who came first.
Questions about the nature of knowledge, thought, and mind have a long and rich intellectual history
that greatly influences contemporary thinking. The philosophical treatises of the past formed the
foundation of scientific psychology. Frequently, however, different philosophical perspectives were at
odds. Today, those divergent philosophical contentions are encapsulate in psychological theories,
including developmental theories about cognition. The richness and diversity of philosophical tradition
reverberates in contemporary cognitive theory, and it is this theory that drives research. Just as
philosophers during the Enlightenment found it quite impossible to be agnostic regarding their
assumptions about the nature of reality, thought, and knowledge, today we find it impossible to
evaluate cognition from a neutral point of view.
The first element of the viewpoint is that empirical investigations make less sense when presented
independently of the philosophical and theoretical premises that give birth to them. The intellectual
tradition provides the impetus for research; hence the implications of research data cannot be fully
appreciated in a theoretical vacuum. We will examine these theoretical premises and philosophical
themes that influence research and shape interpretation across developmental domains.
The second element is that the meaning of data from research studies is very much dependent on the
experimental methods used to collect them. Methodology is our tool for finding facts, but the facts we
find are limited by the current adequacy of those tools. Methods are window on the phenomena that
frame the view we get. Like theory, methods are important to understanding cognition and its
development across domains. Advances in methodology presage advances in our understanding of the
phenomena we study.
And third, cognition is actualized in the brain; cognitive development goes hand and hand with brain
development. Neurological and biological information form another window that clarifies the view of
empirical findings; biology provides a backdrop for developmental facts. Reflecting this bias, and
whenever possible, a biological thread will be woven throughout our discussions. In short, I will stress
the contributions of theory, methodology, research, and biology to our full theoretical understanding of
cognitive phenomena.
And I have a theoretical point of view as well. The outcomes of human development are the
consequences of complex interactions between an organism equipped for learning and a rich
environment challenging the organism to adapt. Eons of evolutionary forces have provided individuals
with survival equipment. Evolution and biology give people a leg up on survival. But realities change,
both with historic and developmental time; growing people must be flexible, ready to benefit from
encounters with the novel, the idiosyncratic, the unexpected, and the varied. The growth of knowledge
that comes with maturing reflects the interplay between innate stances and environment-provided
press.
Textbook and Readings
The textbook for the course is: K.M. Galotti (2011) Cognitive Development, Infancy Through
Adolescence, published by Sage. In addition, when appropriate, I will post chapters, articles, summaries
on the d2l website to augment the main text. I’ve been musing on and writing about many of these
topics; so I will pass that information along as a supplement. The actual lecture notes (not Power Points)
and the supplemental readings will be posted on the d2l site.
Requirements for the course
There will be 3 midterms, equally weighted. One will be delivered on the date of the scheduled date of
the final. These are multiple-choice, short answer type exams that will be delivered on line. Each is
worth 25 points toward you final point total. It is expected that you will work on these exams
individually; collaboration on those exams is a no-no and should you pursue that route, I will bring my
“Cheater-eater” (my pi t bull) in to greet you. Note, I do not do make-up exams; so don’t miss them.
Since this is a writing emphasis class, there will also be two short papers (5-7 pages) required. One will
be a “person” paper, i.e. where you select an individual researcher and report on their work. I will give
you criteria for what this should look like as well as many suggestions for individuals worth pursuing. The
second will be a “topic” where you summarize a body of research pertinent to a particular domain. It is
expected you will be looking at (reading and summarizing) primary sources as you prepare these papers.
These are worth 20 points each. And again, as I don’t do make-up exams, I don’t accept late papers
either.
There will also be two research design projects. These will be group projects where I give you a research
question and groups (6-7 people of your choice) will design a study that would address that question.
This goes along with my commitment to the importance of research to our understanding of the target
phenomena. These are worth 15 points each.
And finally there is classroom participation. On occasion, I will throw out a relevant question about the
topic under study. Then you will provide me with a response, again done as a group. This is to encourage
your engagement with the material and a check on how the information is coming across. You can only
get credit for these responses if you are present at the time the question if presented. These are worth
10 points each, and there will be 3 of them as indicated in the schedule of topics. Totaling up the points:
75 for midterms
40 for papers
30 for the research designs
And 30 for the in class question/responses for a total of 175 points possible.
Study Guides
I will provide pretty explicit study guides for all tests----and questions on the tests will be articulated to
the study guide; if a topic isn’t on the guide, I can’t ask about it. I will also provide explicit guidelines for
the papers and research projects. Indeed, I am very transparent.
Grading and policies
I use a criterion-referenced grading system. Your grade will be based on points earned, so:
90% is an A
80% is a B
70% is a C
60% is a D
Less than 60% is an E
If you have accumulated 90% of the total points prior to the final, that is 157 points, you are excused
from the final. Since there will be opportunities for extra credit, that is really a possibility….more about
that to come.
Course schedule
This is a schedule of the topics, exercises, reading, and due dates for the semester. The relevant
chapters are in parentheses.
Aug 23: Introduction, overview, the nature-nurture issue, evolutionary psychology (C1)
Aug 30: Major theories, perspectives, and methods (C2 and a supplemental reading)
Sept. 6: Infancy 1—how we study babies and the kinds of tasks we use with examples. Also, the first
class exercise will take place (C3 and C4)
Sept. 13: Infancy 2—extension of baby research and an examination of brain development. (C4 and a
supplemental reading). Also review for the midterm.
Sept. 20: The first midterm and time for groups to plan their research proposal. There is no class on this
day. The design will focus on infant research.
Sept. 27: Research presentations. Transition to early childhood. Emphasis on Piaget, the visual cliff,
objects and mechanics.
Oct. 4: Topics in early childhood development: Spatial development (and the hippocampal formation),
arithmetic, theory of mind (C6)
Oct. 11: Language acquisition (C5 and a supplemental reading). The first paper is due.
Oct. 18: Summing up early childhood—language, space, number, reasoning, etc., and a review for the
midterm. The second class exercise.
Oct. 25: The second midterm and time for groups to plan their research proposal. There is no class on
the day. The design will focus on the preschool age group.
Nov. 1: Research presentations. Learning and memory (C7 and a supplemental reading)
Nov. 8: Social cognition, perspective-taking, and empathy; a continuation of a theory of mind. The third
class exercise. (C8)
Nov. 15
Later childhood and adolescence. Intuitive theories, ontological knowledge, and scientific reasoning. (C9,
10, 11 and a supplemental reading)
Thanksgiving recess
Nov 29. Wrapping it all up. The second paper is due