DEP 2004 - Lifespan Psychology

College of Social and Behavioral Sciences

Credit(s): 3
Contact Hours: 47
Effective Term Fall 2023 (625)

Requisites

Prerequisite PSY 1012 with a minimum grade of C

Course Description

Lifespan Psychology examines human development from conception to death. Special emphasis is on the ongoing physical, psychological, and social changes which result from the interaction of inherited and environmental factors, and on the uniqueness of the individual. Students will examine the ways in which age, gender, ethnicity, and race affect development. This course has a substantial writing requirement.

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

  1. The student will examine the nature of human development throughout the lifespan, focusing mainly on age-related changes in physical, cognitive, and psychosocial processes by:
    1. identifying the age-related changes in the physical, cognitive, and psychosocial domains.
    2. analyzing biopsychosocial changes in development throughout the lifespan, including the impact of gender, race, ethnicity and/or culture.
  2. The student will describe research methodologies used in the study of lifespan development by:
    1. applying research methods common in the study of lifespan development, such as experimental, correlational, naturalistic observation, and longitudinal designs.
    2. evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of each type of research method.
  3. The student will explain major theories of human development by:
    1. discussing the tenets of the major theories, such as biological, behavioral, psychodynamic, cognitive, and cultural.
    2. describing stage-related theories of human development, such as Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages and Piaget’s Cognitive Stages.
    3. describing variations in human development as influenced by a variety of factors, such as gender, racial, ethnic, cultural, physical, and socioeconomic influences.
  4. The student will explain human development across the lifespan from an inclusive perspective by:
    1. describing racial, ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic influences on human development throughout the lifespan.
    2. discussing the impact of gender identity and sexual identity on human development throughout the lifespan.

Criteria Performance Standard

Upon successful completion of the course the student will, with a minimum of 70% accuracy, demonstrate mastery of each of the above stated objectives through classroom measures developed by individual course instructors.

History of Changes

Revised 8/9/83 3 Year Review 2008. Revised 8/84 DBT 11/15/84 Effective Session II, 1984-85 Revised 3/6/91 3YR C&I Review 1992-93 C&I 11/05/96, DBT 11/26/96, Effective Session I, 1996-97. 3-Year Review 2000. 3-Year Review 2004.
C&I Approval: 02/24/2023, BOT Approval: 03/21/2023, Effective Term: Fall 2023 (625)

Related Programs

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  2. Nursing (NURSING-TR) (670) (Active)
  3. Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA-AS) (640) (Active)
  4. Psychology (PSYCH-TR) (670) (Active)
  5. USF St. Petersburg - Psychology (FSPPSY-TR) (670) (Active)
  6. USF Tampa - Psychology (FTPSY-TR) (670) (Active)