PSYC 2450 - Lifespan Development

Credit Hours: 3.00

Objectives: The student will

1. Describe the lifespan perspective, using examples.
2. Define the processes, periods, and issues of development, using examples.
3. Describe the contrasting developmental issues of nature‐nurture, stability‐change, and continuity‐discontinuity.

Outcome 2: Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to compare and contrast the major theories of development through examples of research methodology used.

Objectives: The student will

1. Describe the focus, strengths, and weaknesses of psychoanalytic, cognitive, behavioral, and ethological theories of development.
2. Using examples, compare and contrast the theories listed above
3. Using examples, compare and contrast the cross‐sectional approach, the longitudinal approach, and the sequential approach to research.

Outcome 3: Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to describe the age‐related tasks and basic milestones of biological, cognitive, socioemotional, and social development.

Objectives: The student will

1. Describe the processes and milestones of biological development.
2. Describe the processes and milestones of cognitive development, including information processing, language, and intelligence.
3. Describe the processes and milestones of socioemotional development, including emotions, personality, identity, and morality.
4. Describe the processes and milestones of social development, including relationships with family, peers, school, and coworkers.

Outcome 4: Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to synthesize topical developmental information into a complete picture of the individual at each stage of development.

Objectives: The student will

1. Describe the infant in biological, cognitive, socioemotional, and social terms.
2. Describe the child in biological, cognitive, socioemotional, and social terms.
3. Describe the adolescent in biological, cognitive, socioemotional, and social terms.
4. Describe the adult in biological, cognitive, socioemotional, and social terms.

• Communication: The graduate can communicate effectively for the intended purpose and audience.
• Critical Thinking: The graduate can make informed decisions after analyzing information or evidence related to the issue.
• Global Literacy: The graduate can analyze human behavior or experiences through cultural, social, political, or economic perspectives.
• Information Literacy: The graduate can responsibly use information gathered from a variety of formats in order to complete a task.
• Quantitative Reasoning: The graduate can apply quantitative methods or evidence to solve problems or make judgments.
• Scientific Literacy: The graduate can produce or interpret scientific information presented in a variety of formats.

1. The lifespan perspective
2. Research in lifespan development
3. Theories of development
4. Physical processes and development
5. Cognitive processes and development
6. Socioemotional processes and development
7. Social contexts of development
8. Synthesis of the strands of development into a picture of the whole person
9. Major issues and controversies in lifespan developmental psychology
10. Major issues related to death and dying