Developmental Psychology

Recommended Prerequisites

Not applicable.

Teaching Methods

Expositive/argumentative method, with support of projection of visual material;

- Recourse to filmed documents;

- Group work;

- Discussion of cases.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the curricular unit, students should be alble to:

-To understand the life-span perspective of human development (from conception to death)

-To acknowledge the main research methods in developmental psychology

-To conceptualize human development as a multidimensional process: cognitive, emotional, psychosocial and moral

-To underpin an ecological perspective of human development

- To acknowledge theoretical models that explain how the different dimensions of development operate

- identify the periods of human development: gestational period, childhood, adolescence, emerging adulthood, adulthood (young adult, adult, old aged)

- identify the main developmental changes that operate througout the periods of human development, in a multidimensional perspective.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1.The concept of human development - definition, life-span and ecological perspective

2.Research methods in developmental psychology

3.Development in childhood and adolescence

3.1Attachment

3.2Temperament(Thomas & Chess; Kagan;Rothbart)

3.3Pathway of the scientific study of adolescence

3.4Physical development

3.5Cognitive development: Theory of the Mind; operatory development

3.6Psychosocial development(Erikson;Marcia)

3.7Moral development(Piaget; Kohlberg)

4. Development in Young adult, adult and old aged

4.1Emerging adult(Arnett)

4.2.Physical development

4.3Cognitive development(Postformal thinking-Arlin, Labouvie-Vief; the perspectives of Schaie and Steinberg)

4.4Moral development (Kolhberg; Gilligan)

4.5Psychosocial development (the models of Costa& McRae;Block; Erikson; Levinson; and Neugarten)

4.6Wisdom

4.7Successful aging (Atchley, Baltes); Death and spirituality (eg,Frankl).

Head Lecturer(s)

Maria da Luz Bernardes Rodrigues Vale Dias

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Synthesis work: 10.0%
Resolution Problems: 10.0%
Exam: 80.0%

Bibliography

Alves,P (2011).Sabedoria:Definição,Multidimensionalidade e Avaliação.Lisboa:Inst.Piaget.

Arnett, JJ, (Ed)(2015).Oxford handbook of emerging adulthood.NY:Oxford Univ.Press.

Cavanaugh,J & Blanchard-Fields,F (2018).Adult development and aging(8thEd).Belmont:Wadsworth.

Lerner & L. Steinberg (2009). Handbook of Adolescent Psychology. NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Oliveira,A (Coord.)(2013).Promoting conscious and active learning and aging. Coimbra:Impr. Univ. de Coimbra

Papalia,D, & Olds,S (2013).Desenvolvimento Humano (12ªEd.). SP: McGraw-Hill.(trad.)

Robinson,O, & Stell,A (2015).Later-life crisis:Towards a holistic model. Journal of Adult Development,22,38–49

Smith, P. K., Cowie, H., & Blades, M. (2015). Understanding Children's Development., 6th ed., John Wiley & Sons.

Soares, I. (2007). Relações de vinculação ao longo do desenvolvimento. Teoria e avaliação. Braga: Psiquilíbrios.

Wink,P & Staudinger, U.(2016).Wisdom and psychosocial functioning in later life. Journal of Personality,84,306–318.