PSYC 313.001 Child Development
Tuesdays & Thursdays 1:30 - 2:45pm
Exploratory Hall L003
Spring 2016
Instructor:
Phone:
Email:
Timothy W. Curby, PhD
703-993-2457
tcurby@gmu.edu
Office:
David King 2046
Office Hours: Tue. 2:45-4:45pm
Website:
http://disc.gmu.edu
Teaching Assistant:
Phone:
Email:
Kristen Paral
Office:
David King 1029
703-993-4050
Office Hour: By appointment
kparal@masonlive.gmu.edu
Course Description
How does biology (genes, temperament) interact with the environment (what parents and
teachers do) to shape how children will develop? This course explores cognitive, emotional,
moral, language, biological, motor, and social aspects of child development, from the prenatal
period through adolescence, with special emphasis on important contexts of development (i.e.,
family, peers, culture, schools).
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General Course Objectives:
To provide students with basic information concerning key processes and events
which affect child development.
To acquaint students with key pioneers in the field of child development as well as
some of the modern researchers.
To acquaint students with important theories of development.
To provide students with practical applications based on research in child
development.
Textbook
Miller, P. H. (2011). Theories of developmental psychology (5th Edition). New York: Worth
Publishers. ISBN 978-1429216340.
Technology
On Blackboard, three main types of documents will be available:
 Current syllabus
 Non-textbook readings
 Handouts based on PowerPoint slides
Course Requirements and Assignments
Attendance 5%
Attendance will be taken each class. The easiest way to do well in this class is to simply show
up. Key ideas and concepts are explained and discussed in class so attendance is essential. I also
appreciate and encourage your participation. Students may miss 2 (non-exam) classes without
being penalized. Thus, excused absences would have to account for 3 or more classes in order to
be worthy of reporting.
Exams 75%
You have three in-class, non-cumulative exams worth 25% each. These tests will primarily
consist of multiple choice questions. These exams will rely heavily on material covered in class.
No make-up exams will be given, except under extraordinary circumstances beyond the student's
control.
Story Project 20%
Students will complete two short papers relating childhood experiences to psychological theories
covered in this class. More information will be provided in a separate, writing project guidelines
document. Grading will be split between the first story project and the second story project.
Writing projects submitted after this time will not be accepted and students who do so will
receive a "0" for the paper grade.
Extra Credit Research Participation (+3%)
Extra credit may be obtained by participating in experiments sponsored by the Psychology
Department (https://gmu.sona-systems.com). Each hour of extra credit will raise your final grade
by 0.5%. Students may receive up to 3 additional percent (3%) in their final grade (6 credit hours
max). However, participation in experiments is NOT a course requirement, and non-participation
will not reduce the final grade. Extra credit must be completed by April 21.
Grading Scale
Grades will be calculated as follows: > 93% = A, 90 – 92 = A-, 87 – 89 = B+, 83 – 86 = B, 80 –
82 = B-, 77 – 79 = C+, 73 – 76 = C, 70 – 72 = C-, 60 – 69 = D, < 60 = F
The Honor Code
Students in this course are expected to behave at all times in a manner consistent with the GMU
Honor System and Code. (http://mason.gmu.edu/~montecin/plagiarism.htm). Students are
encouraged to study together as much as possible throughout the course, however, no assistance,
sharing of information, or discussion of exam items or answers between students may take place.
For all work, the name that appears on the paper must be the author. Violations of the Honor
Code will not be tolerated in this course and will be immediately reported according to GMU
procedures. The instructor reserves the right to use software to determine the extent to which the
work is the student’s. The instructor for this course reserves the right to enter a failing grade to
any student found guilty of an honor code violation
Miscellaneous
The deadlines for adding and dropping classes are as follows:
Last Day to Add Classes - January 26
Last Day to Drop (33% tuition penalty) - February 2
Final Drop Deadline (67% tuition penalty) - February 19
Class cancellations will be announced by the University. Make ups will be handled on a caseby-case basis. An alternative lecture may be posted to view online.
Official Communications via GMU Email: Mason uses electronic mail to provide official
information to students. Examples include communications from course instructors, notices from
the library, notices about academic standing, financial aid information, class materials,
assignments, questions, and instructor feedback. Students are responsible for the content of
university communication sent to their Mason e-mail account and are required to activate that
account and check it regularly.
Recording of classroom lectures is not allowed without explicit permission by the instructor.
Students may not reproduce (including uploading to the Internet) any portion of the exam.
Students who attempt to photograph or in any way capture information about the exam for
others’ use will be reported for an honor violation.
If you are a student with a disability and you need academic accommodations, please see me and
contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC) at 709-993-2474. All academic accommodations
must be arranged through that office.
Life is stressful and we all need a little support sometimes. Students are encouraged to contact
Counseling & Psychological Services (3129 Student Union Building I, http://caps.gmu.edu/) at
993-2380 for assistance with any kind of psychological/life problem or crisis situation. I can help
with referrals for students with particular counseling needs so please feel free to talk with me for
help with anything.
Day
Date
1/19 Introduction
Topic 1: Constructing Knowledge
1/21 Constructivism
Assignment
Brooks & Brooks (1999) pp. 3-13
1/26 Aspects of Intelligence
1/28 Cognitive Functions
TDP 1 pp. 18-25
Wadsworth 1
2/2 Cognitive Function Impairments
Topic 2: Piaget
2/4 Key Concepts
TDP 2
2/9 Stages
Topic 3: Vygotsky
2/11 Key Concepts
2/16 ZPD
2/18 EXAM 1
Topic 4: Context & Development
2/23 Bronfenbrenner, Parenting
2/25 Burton White: Competent Children
Reading
TDP 6 pp. 280 - 288
Rich, Capote, & Taylor (2013)
TDP 4
Exam 1
Story Project 1
3/1 Parenting Styles, Learned Helplessness
3/3 Genie
Rymer (1993)
3/8 SPRING BREAK
3/10 SPRING BREAK
Topic 5: Social-Emotional Development
3/15 Temperament
3/17 Synchrony/Asynchrony, Strange Situation
Shiner et al. (2012)
Johnson et al. (2007)
3/22 Attachment Categories, Separation Anxiety
3/24 Emotional Development
3/29 Peers
3/31 EXAM 2
Topic 6: Moral Development
4/5 Moral Arousal
4/7 Co-Constructing Moral Standards
4/12 Developmentally Determined Levels of Reasoning
Topic 7: Historic Roots
4/14 Werner's Orthogenetic Trends
4/19 Gesell's Developmental Principals
4/21 Freud
4/26 Erikson
4/28 Erikson
FINAL EXAM
TDP 7 pp. 343-350
TDP 7 pp. 350 - 354
Exam 2
Story Project 2
TDP 5 pp. 247-249
Thompson (2012)
Carey (2008)
Extra Credit Due TDP 3a
TDP 3b