DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY (230)
Mondays and Wednesdays: 4:00-5:15
AL105
Spring 2014
Instructor: Professor Judy Reilly
Phone: 594-2840
Teaching Assistant: Elizabeth Benton
Email: psych230@rohan.sdsu.edu
Office Hours: Wednesday 2-4pm in Life Sciences (LS) 171
Required Text: Lifespan Development, 6th Edition. by Laura Berk.
Optional Text: Study Guide for Lifespan Development, 6th Edition. by Laura Berk.
Week
1
Date
1/22
*COURSE SCHEDULE*
Topic
Introduction & Issues
2
1/27
1/29
Methodology in Developmental Psychology (Projects presented I)
The Genetic Underpinnings: Nativism (Projects presented II)
Ch 2
3
2/3
2/5
Environmental Influences: Empiricism (Project choice)
Prenatal Development 1: Biology, Birth (Project-group assignments)
Ch 2
Ch 3
4
2/10
2/12
Project Meetings- Design: choose individual topics/
2/10: Library class: Finding materials (LLA 76: Groups 1-10)
2/12: Library class: Finding materials (LLA 76: Groups 11-20).
5
2/17
2/19
Prenatal Development 2: Environment
Exam I (Chapters 1-3)
Ch 3
6
2/24
2/26
Infancy: Brain, Motor & Perceptual Dev. (Paper/Project Outlines due)
Cognitive Development: Sensorimotor Period
Ch 4
7
3/3
3/5
Language and Linguistics/
Language Development & Project Meeting -revise design
Ch 5
8
3/10
3/12
Social Development, & Temperament (Revised Project due)
Tools for Attachment
Ch 6
9
3/17
3/19
Early Childhood: Cognitive Development (Paper Bibliographies due)
Social Development: Parenting Styles & Day care
10
3/24
3/26
How to write a paper
Exam 2 (Chapters 4-8)
3/31 & 4/2
NO CLASS – Spring Break
4/7
Ch 9
4/9
Cognitive Development in School Age Children: What is Intelligence?
(Individual Papers are due: penultimate draft)
Group readings; discuss each paper in turn
12
4/14
4/16
Immigrant Children: growing up in two cultures
Social Factors: The Role and Impact of Television (Final Paper due)
Ch 10
13
4/21
4/23
Atypical Development
Adolescence and Puberty
Ch 11
14
4/28
4/30
Cognition in Adolescence and Adulthood
Social Development in Adolescence and Adulthood
15
5/5
5/7
Exam 3 (Chapters 9-12)
Project Meeting for Posters: Synthesis & Organization
11
Reading Assignment
Ch 1
Ch 8
Ch 12
16
5/14
Posters and Presentations 1:00-3:00pm
Course Organization:
The goal of this course is to provide you with a basic understanding of human development. The class
format is lecture, discussion, and group projects; course material will be organized chronologically.
Assigned readings should be completed before they are discussed in class. Attendance will not be
taken. However, in order to be successful in this course, you must be present at the lectures and for
your group project, as much is presented and designed in class. Much of the material included on the
exam will be covered in class and will not necessarily be covered in the text. Therefore, you will be
responsible for all material that is presented in class (this includes films and in-class activities).
Group projects including the paper associated with your project will constitute approximately forty per
cent of your grade; these will be presented in class and some class time will be devoted to projects.
Course Requirements
The course includes three section exams (80 points each). Fifty (50) points will be given for completion
of the five in-class quizzes. The final poster from your group project will be worth 80 points and the
paper you write as a portion of your group project is worth 130 points. Total points possible are 500.
 80 points x 3 Exams:
240 points
 5 quizzes/activities
50 points
 Group project
80 points
 Individual Writing Assignment for Project
130 points
500 total points possible
Exams: The three section exams will be a combination of multiple choice and short essay questions.
The scantron for the exams is #F-289-ERI-L (smaller red form). THERE WILL BE NO MAKE-UP
EXAMS!!
Cheating: In the event an individual is caught cheating on an exam, the individual will receive 0 points
for that particular exam. In addition, for all subsequent exams, the person will be proctored individually
at a time and place determined by the instructor.
Challenges to an Exam Grade or Question: All challenges to an exam grade or question to the
correctness of an answer to a particular exam question must be submitted in writing. Empirical
evidence supporting the challenge must be provided. For example, citing the paragraph and page
number in the text for an alternative answer is acceptable. Recalling from your experiences with your
own child or other children is not acceptable. You are being tested on material provided in the lectures,
films, and the text, not on your life experiences.
Class Activities:
 Quizzes: There will be five surprise quizzes/activities during the semester
Semester Projects
 Group Projects: A critical component of this course will be a group project. Groups of three to
five individuals will work together on a broad developmental issue to produce both individual
papers as well as a final poster and presentation synthesizing and integrating the issues and
research findings of the individuals. Posters and group presentations will be shown during the
Final Exam period, May 14 1:00-3pm
 Writing Assignments: Your writing assignment will stem directly from your group project.
These will be introduced and discussed in class.
Students with Disabilities
If you are a student with a disability and believe you will need accommodations for this class, it is
your responsibility to contact Student Disability Services at (619) 594-6473. To avoid any delay
in the receipt of your accommodations, you should contact Student Disability Services as soon as
possible. Please note that accommodations are not retroactive. You will need a letter of
accommodation from Student Disability Services to receive services.