PS406-5-SP: DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY

Year: 2013/14
Department: Psychology
Essex credit: 15
ECTS credit: 7.5
Available to Study Abroad / Exchange Students: Yes
Pre-requisites: PS111

Module Description

The module is co-ordinated by Dr Andrew Simpson (e-mail asimpson@essex.ac.uk) to whom queries should be addressed.

Aims: The module will aim to provide students with an overview of research on some of the main topics in Developmental Psychology, including prenatal development, perceptual development, early language acquisition, cognitive development and social development. Classical and contemporary theoretical views of child development will be contrasted, highlighting key issues and current controversies for each topic. The module will also examine methods of research and the research designs employed in Developmental Psychology.

The module consists of 10 lectures and will be taught by Dr Andrew Simpson (4 lectures), Dr Catherine Jones (4 lectures) and Dr Mitch Callan (2 lectures). PS406 is assessed by a compulsory piece of coursework (25%), and a final, end-of-year, essay-based summer examination (75%).

Learning & Teaching Methods

Lectures:
Lectures form the bulk of teaching in Year II, with weekly lectures on all modules. All lectures are 2 hours in duration. Two-hour lectures will normally have a short break at the halfway point. With the consent of the lecturer, you may ask questions during lectures if any point is unclear, but please remember that lecture time is limited, and there may not be time to resolve questions during the lecture itself. Please note also that use of mobile phones or audience conversations during a lecture, even if whispered, can be very distracting both to the lecturer and other students and should not occur under any circumstances. Be ready to receive a request from a lecturer to be silent if you do start conversations, and expect requests to become more pointed if you are a persistent offender. Promptness at a lecture, which starts on the hour, is essential so that you can collect handouts and take a seat without disrupting the class. If you are unavoidably late, please take a seat quickly and quietly, and be as unobtrusive as possible. If you are persistently late, consider altering your travel arrangements.

Tutorials:
Tutorials are available for all second-year modules. For undergraduates these tutorials are not compulsory. Instead, they may be arranged at times of mutual convenience. In order to indicate that you have an interest in attending a tutorial, simply e-mail the module organiser to request a meeting time and date. Tutorials work best if there is a group of interested students, so it is a good idea to request that a tutorial be arranged if you know of a few others who would be willing to come along and participate. Individuals who wish to discuss issues related to the module may simply arrange an appointment. Please note that there is actually a high staff/student contact in computer workshops, laboratory classes and essay-focussed seminars, and many quick questions associated with lectures can be dealt with in these sessions.

The module consists of 10 lectures and will be taught by Dr Andrew Simpson (4 lectures), Dr Catherine Jones (4 lectures) and Dr Mitch Callan (2 lectures). PS406 is assessed by a compulsory piece of coursework (25%), and a final, end-of-year, essay-based summer examination (75%).

Assessment

25 per cent Coursework Mark, 75 per cent Exam Mark

Coursework:
PS406 is assessed by a compulsory piece of coursework (25%), and a final, end-of-year, essay-based summer examination (75%).

Exam Duration and Period

2:00 hour exam during Summer Examination period.

Other information

PS406, PS414, PS415 laboratory classes

During laboratory classes, in the main you will be performing project work in small groups, either designing your experiments or materials or analysing data, with assistance from lecturers and graduate demonstrators. Data collection takes place in your own time, although for those who need to use laboratory facilities, dedicated lab time in 1.702, 1.703 and 2.708 has been arranged where possible for each week. The entire lecture class is subdivided into a number of smaller groups to allow smaller-group teaching and accommodation in 1.702, 1.703, 1.704 and 1.705. You should consult the relevant module handouts and the notice boards to clarify to which of the timetabled slots you have been allocated.

Although the content of the three sets of laboratory classes will be associated with a particular second-year half-year module, the level of statistics will be integrated with the second-year PS212 Research Methods module.

The order of the laboratory classes:

Term 1: Weeks 7-11 PS414 Cognitive Psychology I

Term 1: Weeks 7-11 PS406 Developmental Psychology

Term 2: Weeks 21-25 PS415 Cognitive Psychology II

The sign up procedure for these laboratory classes will be explained to you in classes but will probably be an email, web-based sign up procedure (see classes for details).

Compulsory for:

Year 2 BA Psychology, Year 2 BSc Psychology

Last Updated12/07/2012 Jane

Bibliography

• Essential Reading:
• Smith, P.H., Cowie, H. & Blades, M. (2011). Understanding children's development. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.
• OR
• Siegler, R., Deloache, J., & Eisenberg, N. (2010). How children develop. (3rd ed.). New York: Worth Publishers.