PSYK3400 Developmental Psychology Course description

The course provides an introduction to how general learning principles are relevant in connection with developmental psychology concepts, such as social, emotional and cognitive development.

The course places particular emphasis on modern theories in developmental psychology, where development is seen as an interaction between biological preconditions, learning history and different environmental conditions.

Admission to the programme.

After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and competence:

Knowledge

The student can

• explain developmental psychology and modern development theories
• explain behaviour analytic approaches to developmental psychology and modern development theories
• describe development in the prenatal/birth/postnatal periods

Skills

The student can

• give an account of and reflect on key developmental theories related to cognitive development, communication, personality and social and emotional development
• give an account of and reflect on the development of antisocial behaviour and behavioural disorders

General competence

The student can

• describe and reflect on their own presentation technique
• describe and reflect on central theories in developmental psychology
• discuss nature and nurture

Work and teaching methods used in the course are lectures, seminar with presentations and coursework related to teaching parts of the syllabus to fellow students. The seminar presentations will be assessed according to given criteria.

The course provides a basic introduction to qualitative and quantitative methods, with relevant criticism of the methods. It focuses on systematic observation and registration of behaviour that can form the basis for research and for implementing measures. The basis for change work and scientific research is that the data the research is based on are valid and credible.

Different systems used to map behaviour will be examined. Qualitative data collection and analysis will be illustrated using a relevant selection of academic approaches. Emphasis will also be placed on the ethical assessment of psychological data collection.

Admission to the programme.

After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and competence:

Knowledge

The student can

• account for basic areas of use for qualitative and quantitative research methods
• give an account of interviews in qualitative psychological research
• account for different qualitative analysis methods
• explain key concepts in data collection
• explain the choice of behavioural dimension
• describe different behavioural mapping systems and areas of application
• explain the necessity of using experimental designs
• describe different N = 1 designs
• describe central principles in research ethics

Skills

The student can

• describe different observation methods used in psychology
• measure the agreement between observers (IOA)
• use common registration methods
• analyse collected data and presenting these in a graph
• discuss similarities and differences in ethics and method within basic research and applied behavior analysis

General competence

The student can

• describe advantages and disadvantages relating to qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis
• discuss ethical issues linked to data collection and observation
• describe judicial factors that affect data collection and observation, with particular weight on consent, exchange of information and storage​

Work and teaching methods used in the course are lectures, supervised group work on assignments and self-study. Workshops with practical exercises will also be organised. At these, the students will practise practical skills. The workshops are compulsory. Students will also present grounds for academic, ethical and legal considerations linked to the topic.

To sit for the exam, the following must be approved:

• Presence throughout the day at 3 workshops
• Completion of 4 individual written/calculation assignments