PSYCH 130
Introduction to Developmental Psychology
UCLA Department of Psychology
Fall 2007
Lectures: MWF 11:00 – 11:50
Franz Hall 1178
Webpage: http://courses.psych.ucla.edu/
Blackboard: http://www.lsic.ucla.edu/
Podcast: www.bruincast.ucla.edu
Instructor:
Dr. Helen M. Davis
hmdavis@ucla.edu
Tel: 310-825-5326
Office Hours:
Thursdays 9 – 11 am
Franz Hall 2285
Teaching Assistants
Oscar Baldelomar
Franz Hall 2311
baldelomar@ucla.edu
Office Hours: Tues 2 – 4 pm
Virginia Huynh
Franz Hall 2344D
vwhuynh@ucla.edu
Office Hours: Weds 1 – 3 pm
Course Description
In this course, we will explore the physical, cognitive, social and socio-emotional
development of children, birth through adolescence. There will be an emphasis on
development across cultures. The course begins with the underlying principles and
theories of human development and then follows chronologically from prenatal
development through adolescence. We will re-visit the theoretical perspectives using
evidence from each age and group studied.
Required Textbook
• Cole, M. Cole, S. and Lightfoot, C. (2005). The Development of Children, Fifth
Edition. Worth Publishers: New York.
Resources
The syllabus and assignments will be posted on the class blackboard at
http://www.lsic.ucla.edu/. All announcements, readings, and assignments will be posted
on the blackboard website. The lecture slides will usually be posted on the site under
“Course Documents” at the beginning of the week and can be used for taking notes
during lecture. There will be blackboard Q&A sessions prior to each quiz and exam, led
by the TA’s. The lectures will be audio recorded and podcast at www.bruincast.ucla.edu.
You will be able to access your grades online at http://www.my.ucla.edu/.
Enrollment
Please refer to Undergraduate Advising in Franz Hall for questions about
enrollment. You must attend the discussion section in which you are enrolled. If you
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UCLA Psych 131
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cannot attend your scheduled section you must find an alternate open discussion section
or another student with whom you can switch. Switching can be done in the
Advising Office and MUST be done by the end of the second week of the quarter.
Course requirements
Reading assignments
Reading assignments should be completed before the class meeting for which
they are assigned. Readings for sections will be posted on the class blackboard.
Written assignments
There are two, written assignments due: one is a write-up of an early childhood
observation and the other is a reaction paper to an assigned reading. Each paper should be
no more than 250 words, hard copy, typed and double spaced. These are handed in to
TA’s at sections.
Quizzes and Exams
There will be 4 short quizzes, a midterm and a cumulative final. The quizzes will
be given at the end of lecture on scheduled days. The lowest quiz grade will be dropped.
The midterm is scheduled during lecture on November 7th. The final exam will be held
during finals’ week, Thursday, Dec. 13th from 8 – 11 am. The exams will be primarily
multiple choice with 1-2 short essay questions. Students are required to bring a # 2 pencil
for quizzes and exams and a blue book for the midterm and final.
Sections
In addition to the three lectures each week, there is a mandatory discussion
section led by a Teaching Assistant. Attendance and participation in section discussion
are essential components to the course and constitute 20% of the grade. You may miss
one discussion section (of a total of 7) without penalty.
Course requirements will contribute the following portions to your grade.
TOTAL POINTS
Quizzes (3)
Papers (2)
Sections (6)
Midterm exam
Final exam
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30 (10 each)
50 (25 each)
40
30
50
200
UCLA Psych 131
% OF TOTAL
GRADE
15%
25%
20%
15%
25%
100%
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Experimetrix Extra Credit
The Psychology department runs various research studies. As a way of supporting
research in Psychology and offering a first-hand experience as a subject in a research
study, this class offers extra credit for students who participate in one of these studies.
You have the opportunity to earn (3) extra credit point(s) by participating in an
experiment through Experimetrix. Serving as a subject in an experiment provides
students with direct exposure to psychological research. By participating in experiments,
you will have the opportunity to contribute to on-going Psychology research at UCLA
while getting an inside glimpse of how the studies you read about in textbooks are
conducted. One credit is given for every hour of experiment participation. If you
complete an experiment, you will have up to three points added to your final grade at the
end of the quarter.
The posting and scheduling of experiments is handled via Experimetrix
http://experimetrix.com/ucla. Please select read.me and follow the detailed information
on how to use this system. To receive your login/password, it is best to use your UCLA
email address.
NOTE: Before signing up for experiments, you MUST select the
course for which you want your experiment credits to count (e.g. Psych 130). Select
"Assign Credits to your Courses", so that your credits are allocated correctly. All
experiments must be completed by Thursday of week 10, December 6, 2007. For
additional information on experiment participation visit:
http://www.psych.ucla.edu/Undergrads/exp_partic/
Instructor Policies
• Due to the size of the class, late written assignments and missed quizzes and
exams cannot be accepted without a documented medical reason or justification.
• Participation, attendance and effort may be used at the instructors’ discretion to
adjust the course grade.
• Incompletes can only be granted under unusual circumstances and if the student is
already passing the course.
• Please contact the instructor (not the TA’s) if there are extenuating circumstances
in completing work; these will have to be substantiated by the student.
Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD)
OSD is located in A255 Murphy Hall. Please contact OSD to arrange for
accommodations in the course, and they will coordinate with the instructors.
Writing Support
If you need extra support with your writing, here are some resources:
• The Writing Programs website, under “resources”:
http://www.humnet.ucla.edu/humnet/wp/index.html
• The College of Academic Counseling (CAC) has general writing workshops.
Students can sign up via My.UCLA, under “workshops”
• Students in the Academic Advancement Program have writing assistance
available. A counselor can help with options.
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Psych 130 Course Calendar, Fall 2007
WEEK 0
Sept. 28
INTRODUCTION TO CHILD DEVELOPMENT
The study of human development and course overview
WEEK 1
Reading:
No Sections
Oct. 1
Oct. 3
Oct. 5
EARLY STAGES
Chapters 2 and 3
WEEK 2
Reading:
No sections
Oct. 8
Oct. 10
Oct. 12
WEEK 3
Reading:
Section:
Oct. 15
Oct. 17
Oct. 19
Genes and the environment
Prenatal development
Birth and the Newborn
EARLY INFANCY
Chapters 4 and 5
Sign up for observations
Initial capacities and changes
The social world
The first year: biology, perception, cognition
Quiz
EARLY INFANCY
Chapters 5 and 6
Infant/Toddler observations begin and run for 2 weeks
Bruner & Sherwood (1976) Early Rule Structure: The case of
Peekaboo
The end of infancy
Social relationships and attachment
Film: Preschools in Three Cultures
WEEK 4
Reading:
Section:
Oct. 22
Oct. 24
Oct. 26
EARLY CHILDHOOD
Chapters 8 (selections) and 9
Discussion of Film: Preschools in Three Cultures
Language acquisition
Early childhood thought and Piaget’s legacy
Cognition and children’s drawing
Quiz
WEEK 5
Reading:
EARLY CHILDHOOD
Chapter 10 and 11
Due: Infant/Toddler Observation
Review
Social development: Identity, regulation, social behaviors
Contexts of early childhood: family, child care
Contexts of early childhood: cultural pathways, risk
Sections:
Oct. 29
Oct. 31
Nov. 2
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WEEK 6
Reading:
Section:
Nov. 5
Nov. 7
Nov. 9
WEEK 7
Reading:
Section:
Nov. 12
Nov. 14
Nov. 16
WEEK 8
Reading:
Section:
Nov. 19
Nov. 21
Nov. 23
WEEK 9
Reading:
Section:
Nov. 26
Nov. 28
Nov. 30
WEEK 10
Reading:
Section:
Dec. 3
Dec. 5
Dec. 7
REVIEW
Chapter 11 cont.
Maccoby (2002) Gender and Group Process: A Developmental
Perspective
TBA
Review
Midterm
MIDDLE CHILDHOOD COGNITION
Chapter 12
Sections meet Tues through Friday; no Monday sections
Film and discussion: Seven-Up
No class and no sections: Veterans’ Day
Biological developments
Cognitive developments
MIDDLE CHILDHOOD SCHOOLING
Chapter 13
Monday sections meet. No Sections Tues through Friday.
Film and discussion: Seven-Up
Literacy and schooling
Achievement, motivation, and poverty
Quiz
No Class: Thanksgiving break
MIDDLE CHILDHOOD SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Chapter 14
Wolfson & Carskadon (1998) Sleep Schedules and Daytime
Functioning in Adolescents
Moral Development
Social development and peers
Family and self
Quiz
ADOLESCENCE
Chapters 15 and 16 (selections)
Due: Reaction Paper
Review
Biological changes and social relationships
Cognition and moral development
Cultural pathways through adolescence
EXAM WEEK
Final exam on Thursday, Dec. 13, from 8 -11 a.m.
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