Developmental Psychology (PSYC20008)

This subject is a second-year core subject of the psychology major. In this subject, we explore a sub-discipline of psychology (developmental psychology) that focuses on the changes and continuities in how people think about and interact with the world around them. We explore cognitive, biological, social, and emotional perspectives of developmental psychology across infancy, childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood. We incorporate contemporary theories with historical accounts of development. Alongside learning theories of developmental psychology, students will conduct research that interrogates some of those theories, using a specific statistical analysis (chi-squared test of independence). In doing so, they will have an opportunity to experience developmental research, including how ethical considerations shape research with young people, and how the scientific method contributes to theory development and scientific knowledge. Students find developmental psychology useful for better understanding their own development, and for supporting their academic, professional, and clinical pathways in a variety of ways, depending on their interests. Developmental psychology can inform scholarly pathways that investigate human nature, professional pathways that shape policy, and clinical pathways that influence education or childhood mental health.