Lifespan Developmental Psychology
Summer Session I, 2012
Class Meeting Information
This course meets online during Summer Session I.
Final Exam: Wednesday, August 1, 2012, 6:00 pm to 7:50 pm
Location: UCI campus, Social Science Lab (SSL) 248
Instructor Information
Jutta Heckhausen
heckhaus@uci.edu
http://socialecology.uci.edu/faculty/heckhaus/
Jutta Heckhausen is Professor in the Department of Psychology and Social Behavior. Her research area
is lifespan developmental psychology and motivational psychology. She has taught classes at all levels
from undergraduate to advanced graduate courses. Her research area is lifespan developmental
psychology and motivation.
TA Information
Jake Shane is a Ph.D. student in the graduate program of Psychology and Social
Behavior. His research interests are in life-span developmental psychology,
motivation and agency in development, social inequality and mobility, transitional
development, music. jshane@uci.edu
Prerequisites — Classes or Knowledge Required for this Course
This is an upper division course, suitable for students with different majors from
all over the UCI campus and from other four-year colleges who have completed
an introduction to psychology course. I am not formally requiring such an
introductory course, but it will be hard for students with no background knowledge in psychology to
understand the material, participate in the forum discussions and successfully complete quizzes and the
final exam.
Course Description
This course introduces students to the major topics, concepts, and methods of life-span developmental
psychology. The course uses a high-quality and widely used textbook (John W. Santrock, A Topical
Approach to Life-Span Development (6th Edition), 2011. McGraw Hill).
Each week, Professor Heckhausen will provide three (in weeks 3 and 4) or four (in weeks 1,2, and 5)
Camtasia-recorded lectures that each give more in-depth information on a specific topics of research in
the area covered by the week’s reading. Students are expected to study these lectures carefully and
complete a 10-item quiz about the lectures at the end of the week.
Each week, two or more (up to five) textbook chapters will be assigned. Students are expected to read
these chapters before the week begins and use the knowledge from the assigned chapters to inform their
postings on the discussion forum. In the final exam, knowledge from both the textbook chapters and the
lessons will be assessed.
Each week, students are asked to participate in discussion forums to use and apply their new
knowledge and to show their mastery of the newly acquired material. The class will be divided into groups
of approximately 5-6 students to engage in weekly discussion forums. Students are required to post one
contribution at the beginning of the week and one contribution during the second half of the week in
response to the contributions of their classmates in their discussion forum group. Professor Heckhausen
together with the teaching assistant will monitor the forum discussions and assess the quality of each
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student’s contributions. The conducting of the discussion is the responsibility of the students. Professor
Heckhausen and the teaching assistant will occasionally post a comment in the forums should they find
that the students’ discussion needs their input.
The weekly roadmap for Discussion Forums is as follows:
Tuesday 6 p.m. (PST)
1st discussion post due from each student in the forum group
Thursday 6 p.m. (PST)
2nd discussion post due from each student in response to
discussion posts from classmates
In addition, it is highly recommended that students use the LearnSmart Study Modules on the
MacGrawHill Connect website to make sure they are mastering the study material. Professor
Heckhausen will set up about 1 to 1 ½ hours worth of study material for students to use each week.
Participation in this study activity will be rewarded with extra credit. Extra credit will not reflect the
performance of the students in answering the questions, but be merely reflecting their participation in the
LearnSmart Assignment. The total extra credit earned in the course can improve a student’s grade by a
maximum of one half grade.
Opportunities to practice open-ended questions for the final exam
Some of the discussion group assignments and some of the open-ended (1/2 page writing) questions in
the weekly quizzes (there will be one open-ended question in each quiz) will be used as open-ended
questions in the final exam. Professor Heckhausen and the Teaching Assistant will provide feedback to
the open-ended answers on the quizzes.
Course Objectives
After successfully completing this course, the students will be able to:
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Identify the major areas of life-span developmental psychology, their most important research
topics, and the professional fields they relate to.
Know about various different scientific methods of life-span developmental psychology, and in
which fields they are typically applied.
Understand developmental change not just as predetermined by biology or shaped by
environmental influences, but as a joint product of individual characteristics and the environment
they grow up and old in.
Understand how development and its influences get amplified or counteracted over time.
Understand that human development is a product of behavioral evolution reaching far back into
mammalian and primate evolution.
Critically read texts, tables and figures about research in human development as it is presented in
public media.
Course Text / Online Resources
Santrock, J. W. (2012). A Topical Approach to Life-Span Development (6th Edition). McGraw Hill.
Including e-material located at http://connected.mcgraw-hill.com/connected/login.do
(see information at the end of this document about how to purchase the textbook with access to the
website).
Your course is accessed through the website http://learn.uci.edu.
Final Exam
The final is ON CAMPUS on Wednesday, August 1 at 6:00 pm – 7:50 pm in the Social Science Lab
(SSL), Room 248. Bring an F-158 scantron (it can be purchased at the campus book store and some oncampus snack/coffee kiosks). We won't be providing scantrons, so buy one beforehand. In the summer,
the C3 Convenience Store closes at 2:00 pm and Zot and Go closes at 3:00 pm. The main campus
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bookstore closes at 6:00 pm (Mon-Thurs). The exam is closed book -- no course materials will be
allowed.
Course Outline
In addition to the lecture textbook readings, quizzes, and forums, each week you listen/watch three
(weeks 3 and 4) or four (weeks 1, 2, and 5) lecture recordings (audio with screen capture via Camtasia).
The lectures correspond to chapters in your textbook as indicated below.
WEEK 1
Fundamentals (Chapter 1)
Lecture 1: Why Study Life-Span Development?
Lecture 2: History of Life-Span Approach
Life-Span Approach (Chapters 1, 2)
Lecture 3: Life-Span Perspective: Nature of Development
Lecture 4: Life-Span Perspective: Influences on Development: Biology, Culture, and Individual
WEEK 2
Physical Development, Health, and Survival (Chapters 3, 4)
Lecture 5: Life-Span Research Methods, Evolution of the Life-Span, Early Physical Development
Lecture 6: Milestones of Physical Development, Adolescence to Old Age
Perceptual and Intellectual Development (Chapters 5, 6, 7)
Lecture 7: Early perceptual and motor development
Lecture 8: Perceptual and intellectual aging
WEEK 3
Cognitive Development (Chapters 6, 8, 9)
Lecture 9: Piaget’s Stage Model and Beyond: Modern Constructivist Approaches
Making the Most of One’s Capacities (Chapter 16)
Lecture 10: The Individual as an Active Developmental Agent
Lecture 11: Expertise and Peak Performance
WEEK 4
Social Relationships (Chapters 10,15)
Lecture 12: Early Attachment and Its Life-Long Consequences
Lecture 13: Social Relationships in Adulthood and Old Age
Gender Differences (Chapters 12, 14)
Lecture 14: The Two Sexes: Growing Up Apart – Coming Together
WEEK 5
Emotions and Their Regulation (Chapters 10, 17)
Lecture 15: Emotional Development
Personality and Psychopathology (Chapters 11, 13)
Lecture 16: Self and Personality
Lecture 17: Evolution and Epigenesis of Gene-Environment Interactions
Evaluation and Grading
In this course, your performance will be evaluated on the bases of quizzes, participation in discussion
forums and final exam as shown below. In addition, the final grade will take into account extra credit as
accrued by using the LearnSmart Study Modules on the McGraw Hill Connect website. Extra credit can
boost your grade by up to one half grade, if you participate in all assigned study modules.
Quizzes (weekly)
Participation in forum discussions (weekly)
Final Exam
Total
30%
30%
40%
100%
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Quizzes
Quizzes are offered on Fridays from 3 to 6 p.m. and for students who cannot take the test during this time
from 8 to 10 p.m. If a student missed the quiz for a legitimate reason, we require that this be documented
(e.g., doctor's note) and the document scanned and sent to the TA via email. Then the student's most
recent quiz score will be assigned as the score of the missed quiz.
Participation in Forum Discussions
Points
2
2
Description
Thought provoking or challenging
new idea informed by reading or
lesson
Opinion based on information from
reading or lesson
1
Answered as required, but nothing
more
0
Inappropriate or insufficient postings
0
No activity
Criteria
This rating is given to posts that present a new idea or
challenges others’ posts based on information from
lesson or textbook or other scholarly source.
This rating is given when a person writes a fact-based
forum post. The facts could come from a lesson or a
chapter from the textbook, or another scholarly external
source.
This rating is given when a post answers all parts of my
question, but does nothing more. May show an absence
of depth or thought.
This rating is given to posts that do not meet my grading
requirements. Used for: agreement without new substance,
general humor, posts that do not fit into the current discussion.
No posting
Types of Communication
In an online course, the majority of our communication takes place in the course forums. When we have a
need for a private communication, whether personal, interpersonal, or professional, we will use individual
email or telephone.
Questions concerning class materials should be posted on the class forum called "General
Discussion Forum" so that all students have the benefit of reading the answer. (Please do not email
the instructor with questions about the readings). These are archived and will be available throughout
the course. Professor Heckhausen or the TA will check this forum at least three times a week.
If you feel it is necessary to contact your instructor confidentially, please follow these guidelines:
1. Check your syllabus. Can your question be answered by the syllabus or the textbook? Look there
first.
2. Post your question on the General Discussion Forum on the class webpage, so that others can
learn from your query and our response.
3. If you do have a personal concern that needs to be discussed in private, use your UCI email
account. Messages from other email accounts will not be answered.
4. Compose your message to the instructor in a professional manner. Salutations such as: "Hey" or
"Hi there" are not professional and emails containing such language will not be answered.
5. Use complete sentences and correct punctuation and grammar in the body of your email.
6. Sign your message with your full name and your student ID number.
Course Policies
Expectations of students
I expect you to:
 keep up with the material covered every week
 complete your assignments (reading, forum, quiz) on time every week
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participate actively and courteously in the forums
do your best to moderate and report from your forum’s discussion when it is your turn
abide by the standards of academic honesty and student code of conduct
seek help (via General Discussion Forum from instructor or TA, or in student forums) when you
don’t understand a topic
aspire to enjoy learning about the course material – yes you can and I’ll do my best to help!
Expectations of the instructor
You can expect me to:
 provide comprehensive learning material on time every week
 provide a continuing “office hour” / instructor help forum in the “General Discussion Forum”, check
it at least three times a week, and respond to student postings
 create quizzes and exams that reflect the stated learning expectations for the course
 do my best to get you to appreciate and enjoy the course material
Code of Conduct
All participants in the course are bound by the University of California Code of Conduct, found at
http://www.ucop.edu/ucophome/coordrev/ucpolicies/aos/uc100.html.
Netiquette
In an online classroom, our primary means of communication is written. The written language has many
advantages: more opportunity for reasoned thought, more ability to go in-depth, and more time to think
through an issue before posting a comment. However, written communication also has certain
disadvantages, such a lack of the face-to-face signaling that occurs through body language, intonation,
pausing, facial expressions, and gestures. As a result, please be aware of the possibility of
miscommunication and compose your comments in a positive, supportive, and constructive manner.
Special Arrangements for Disabled Students
If you need support or assistance because of a disability, you may be eligible for accommodations or
services through the Disability Services Center at UC Irvine. For more information, contact the Disability
Services Center at (949) 824-7494 (voice), (949) 824-6272 (TTY), at www.disability.uci.edu, or stop by
the center at Building 313 on the UC Irvine map.
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Textbook Purchasing Options The textbook for this class is A Topical Approach to Life‐Span Development by John Santrock, 6th edition. For the Summer 2012 online class, students will need to have BOTH the 6th edition textbook AND the access code to McGraw‐Hill Connect’s website in order to use LearnSmart Study modules which will earn you extra credit. In addition, the McGraw‐Hill Connect website has further useful materials, videos, activities. 1. Purchase a sixth edition new or used textbook at the UCI bookstore (price ?) YOU ALSO NEED This does NOT include an access code for McGraw‐Hill Connect, which you need for this class. You can get the access code for McGraw‐Hill Connect by registering on the following webpage http://connect.mcgraw‐hill.com/class/j_heckhausen_summer_2012 Click on the red button on the bottom that says “REGISTER NOW” Provide your email information Choose the purchasing option “Don’t have Code” and use your credit card Purchase the Connect access code (approx. $30) 2. Purchase an electronic version of the sixth edition textbook, aka “Connect Plus,” ($104.50) which includes both the book and the access code This includes an e‐book, which can be printed and annotated. This includes the access code for McGraw‐Hill Connect. Obviously this cannot be sold back and you can access it for 180 days only. ISBN 9780077379872 You can purchase this by registering on the following webpage http://connect.mcgraw‐hill.com/class/j_heckhausen_summer_2012 Click on the red button on the bottom that says “REGISTER NOW” Provide your email information Choose the purchasing option “Don’t have Code” and use your credit card Purchase the Connect Plus access code for approx. $104.50 which includes both e‐book and Connect access to McGraw‐Hill online learning materials. Page 6 of 6