BPS210 Developmental Psychology

Developmental Psychology considers the psychology of the human being as they develop, from childhood through adolescence to adulthood and finally to old age. Friendship is one of the topics we cover in the course -

"FRIENDSHIPS

Friendships are one of the most valuable resources a young adult can have. Having good friendships can make the difference between feeling full and whole verses feeling depressed and worthless. Research has shown that an open, accessible friend serves as a protective factor for late adolescents and young adults, insolating them against various risk factors such as drug abuse or criminal behaviour. The transitions and changes of young adulthood pose many challenges to adult friendships. This is particularly true for young men, who must learn to relate to other men in an entirely new manner: behaviours that were learned on the playground are often not helpful in forming adult relationships.


Friendships change in many ways during young adulthood. Young men and women who move away from home find themselves geographically distant from childhood friends. They have finished high school and they start a life of work find that work. Often family responsibilities prevent them from seeing their friends as often as they would like or as much as they did when they were younger. Not only does the amount of time that a young person can dedicate to their friendships change, but also the very nature of friendships begin to alter in response to developmental changes." (taken from the Developmental Psychology course)
Lesson Structure

There are 10 lessons in this course:

Introduction
Theoretical approaches and key concepts
Lifelong growth, nature/nurture; theories psychodynamic, behavioural, social cognitive, cognitive, lifespan;
Early childhood
cognitive & social development in the first 6 years
Genetics, personality, cognition, recognition, memory, social relationships;
Middle childhood
cognitive, moral & social development in the school years
Motor skills, cognitive and language development, relationships with family and peers, moral development;
Challenges of middle childhood
School and learning, sense of self, achievement, peer pressure, family breakup, grief and trauma
Adolescence
Cognitive, moral and social development
Cognitive development, moral development, identity, relationships with family and peers;
Challenges of adolescence
Sexuality, peer groups, identity vs role confusion, trauma, depression, values and meaning;
Adulthood
Cognitive and psychosocial development in early and middle adulthood
Sexuality, parenthood. work and achievement, moral reasoning, gender roles, cultural perspectives, adult thinking;
Challenges of adulthood
Marriage and divorce, grief, depression, parenting, dealing with change;
Late adulthood
Cognitive and psychosocial changes in the elderly
Intelligence, learning and age, physiological influences, cognitive abilities, personality changes, relationships;
Challenges of late adulthood
Loss, mourning, depression and elderly suicide, aging brain - dementia etc, integrity vs despair, loss of independence.

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.
What You Will Do

Learn key theories and concepts in the study of developmental psychology;
List major ethical concerns when studying development, and one step a researcher can take to reduce each;
Identify cognitive and social aspects of a small child’s development and some key inherent and external influences;
Describe the phases of language acquisition in infants, and what can adversely affect it;
Describe major cognitive, moral and social developments in middle childhood and how they influence behaviour
Compare short term memory with long term memory in middle childhood, and discuss how this affects the child’s ability to learn;
Identify common psychological challenges faced by children from ages 6 to puberty;
Reflect on your own success and failure experiences, and your own sense of competence in middle childhood. Consider how they affected your perceptions of yourself as you matured;
Identify areas of change that will affect adolescent behaviour and thinking;
Explain post formal thought, and consider how it can contribute to an adolescent’s ability or willingness to make moral choices;
Identify challenges common to adolescence, and ways to deal with them;
Explain individuation. Discuss its importance, and how it can both challenge and complement group identity;
Identify changes that can occur in early and middle adulthood and influence behaviour;
Explain K. Warner Schaie’s ‘stages of adult thinking’ and explain why Schaie’s model might be more relevant to understanding adult cognition than Piaget’s cognitive model;
Identify some key challenges faced in adulthood and ways of coping with them;
List some changes that are typically associated with ‘midlife crisis’. Discuss both negative and positive aspects of ‘midlife crisis’;
Identify effects of physiological changes and life experience on the aged person’s cognitive and psychosocial experiences;
Explain how ‘cognitive plasticity’ can affect an older person’s ability to learn despite brain cell loss;
Research depression and suicide among the elderly;
Research ways that an older person can be made to feel more independent and automonous. Consider in your response what family members can do to respect the older person’s need for autonomy.

The Educational Academy has been established to meet the developmental needs of a changing society in a global economy.
The aim of the Educational Academy is to offer relevant, cost& time effective development programmes using a range of flexible delivery methods.
The courses are designed to grow individuals, both personally and professionally, to equip them for a fulfilling life and career.
The Educational Academy was the brainchild of Dr James Macaskill born from many years experience as an academic leader, researcher and consultant within the UK and globally.
In the current and future economic, technological and social environment it has become evident that personal development has become the key to both individual and global survival and growth.
Therefore it is imperative that the advantages offered by the digital age should be utilized to meet those needs in a flexible, relevant and cost effective way.
The Educational Academy meets that challenge.