DEP 2102 - Child Development

College of Social and Behavioral Sciences

Credit(s): 3
Contact Hours: 47
Effective Term Fall 2024 (640)

Requisites

Prerequisite PSY 1012 with a minimum grade of C

Course Description

This course is an in-depth study of the development of children from conception through adolescence. It includes the major theories, research methodology, genetic and environmental influences, and stages and domains of development. Consideration is given to gender, cultural, and ethnic influences on development. (Note: This course has a substantial writing requirement. Credit is only given for PSY 1012 or PSY 1020H.)

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

  1. The student will compare the major theories of developmental psychology by:
    1. evaluating the principles of the major developmental theories such as maturational, psychoanalytic, social-learning, cognitive-developmental, and developmental systems.
    2. explaining major contributors to and research supporting each theory.
  2. The student will distinguish research methods used in the study of child development by:
    1. differentiating among the descriptive (case study, naturalistic observation, survey), experimental, cross-sectional, longitudinal, and correlational methods.
    2. comparing the strengths and weaknesses of these research methods.
  3. The student will explain the effects of genetic and environmental influences on the developing child by:
    1. summarizing genetic influences on child development from conception through adolescence.
    2. evaluating the effects of environmental influences on child development from conception through adolescence.
    3. assessing the effects of the interaction of genetic and environmental factors.
    4. determining gender, cultural, and ethnic influences on development.
  4. The student will analyze the stages in the development of children from conception through adolescence by:
    1. identifying how children's development reflects continuous change.
    2. distinguishing the difference between quantitative and qualitative developmental changes.
    3. differentiating developmental changes that are predictable and sequential, and reflect individual differences in timing.
  5. The student will evaluate children's development in the physical, cognitive, socio-emotional, and language communication domains by:
    1. critiquing physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional domains of children’s development.
    2. explaining the interrelationship between physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional, and language-communication development.

Criteria Performance Standard

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will, with a minimum of 60% accuracy, demonstrate mastery of each of the above stated objectives through classroom measures developed by individual course instructors.

History of Changes

Revised 7/1/83 Revised 8/84 DBT 11/15/84 Effective Session II, 1984-85 Revised 3/6/91 3YR C&I Review 1992-93. C&I 11/24/98, DBT 12/14/98, Effective Session 19982. Effective YrTr 20011 (I, 2001). Effective 20071(0385). 3-Year Review 2010: Acceptable As Is
C&I Approval: 02/17/2024, BOT Approval: 03/19/2024, Effective Term: Fall 2024 (640)

Related Programs

  1. Psychology (PSYCH-TR) (670) (Active)
  2. USF St. Petersburg - Psychology (FSPPSY-TR) (670) (Active)
  3. USF Tampa - Psychology (FTPSY-TR) (670) (Active)