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Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Distinguish significant theoretical perspectives on explaining the
development of the child.
2. Describe and apply the research methods used to study child
psychology.
3. Differentiate between chromosomes and genes, recessive and dominant
traits, and monozygotic and dizygotic twins.
4. Discuss chromosomal and genetic abnormalities relevant to the
psychological maladjustment of the child.
5. Describe how psychological and environmental factors, such as maternal
stress, nutrition, teratogens, sexual transmitted diseases, and drugs,
influence the development of the child.
6. Examine the brain structures, intellectual growth, perceptual
processes, memory and language development of the child in the
infancy, childhood and adolescent years.
7. Explain how attachment, social deprivation, child abuse and neglect,
day care, temperament, and gender differences influence the infant's
social and emotional development. Include descriptions of autism,
its symptoms and treatment options.
8. Discuss the influence of parenting styles, sibling influence, peer
interactions and play types and gender roles of the child's social
and emotional development in the early childhood years.
9. Describe the factors that contribute to and delineate treatment
strategies for childhood obesity, eating disorders, elimination
disorders, ADHD, and learning disabilities.
10. Provide causal factors and treatment options for separation anxiety,
conduct disorder, childhood depression, and drug abuse in the middle
childhood and adolescent years.
11. Discriminate among the various theories that describe the
adolescent's self-concept, emotional, cognitive and moral development.
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1. The Study of Human Development: History, Research, and Theories
2. The Human Heritage: Genes and Environment
3. Prenatal Development and Birth
4. Infant Capacities and the Process of Change
5. The Achievment of the First Year and the End of Infancy
6. Early Experiences and Later Life
7. Language Acquisition
8. Early Childhood Thought: Islands of Competence
9. Social Development in Early Childhood
10. The Contexts of Early Childhood: Family and Media
11. Cognitive and Biological Attainments of Middle Childhood
12. Schooling and Physical and Social Development in Middle Childhood
13. Biological and Social Foundations of Adolescence
14. Cognitive and Psychological Achievements of Adolescence
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1. Carefully read, approximately 25-35 pages per week, and recapitulate
assigned material in the textbook and supplements.
2. Take at least two midterm exams and one final on lectures, reading
concepts and terminology.
3. Write a term or course research paper approximately 3-5 pages in
length for the purpose of learning research skills, enhancing course
knowledge, and improving writing skills.
4. At the discretion of the instructor, oral presentations and group
projects may be assigned.
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Berk, Laura E.
INFANTS, CHILDREN, AND ADOLESCENTS, Allyn & Bacon, 2005.
Santrock, John W.
CHILD DEVELOPMENT, McGraw-Hill, 2004.
Rathus, Spencer A.
VOYAGES - CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE, Wadsworth/Thomson, 2003.
Shaffer, David
DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY - CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE,
Wadsworth/Thomson, 2002.