Course Syllabus Developmental Psychology V89.9034.002 Professor: e-mail: Monday Jeff Kiesner jeff.kiesner@unipd.

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Description: The focus of this course will be on individual development from early childhood to late adolescence. At a general level we will examine the genetic and biological contributions to individual development, the social contextual contributions, and the interaction between these two general sets of variables. Specific topics will include: behavioral genetics, temperament, parentchild relations, sibling relations, peer relations, the self, intelligence, emotional development, and problems of social development (antisocial behavior, depression). Requirements: To complete the course students will be required to (1) take one midterm exam based on the lectures from the first part of the course; (2) take one final exam based on the lectures from the second part of the course, (3) take weekly quizzes based on the readings from the text book (4) present a summary and discussion of a research article selected by the student from the Supplementary Readings (each student will be required to read just one of the supplemental reading articles that will be used for this assignment), and (5) to write a term paper (10 15 pages, see below for description) discussing the research and theories presented in class and in the textbook. Presentation of Research Article: Each student will be required to select one of the supplementary readings and present a PowerPoint presentation regarding that article. This discussion should include a brief summary of the research (including research questions, methods, results, conclusions) and a critique of the methods and conclusions. Presentations for each article will be given on the day that the article appears on the syllabus calendar. Students must meet with prof. Kiesner the week before giving the presentation to discuss the article and agree on the content of the presentation. Term Paper: Each student is expected to write one term paper. This term paper must be 10-15 pages in length, and must address one of the two theoretical papers presented in the course (Moffitt, 1993 or Vaish et al., 2008). Students will be required to critically discuss the selected theoretical paper considering and integrating material from the lectures, the text, and the supplemental readings that are made available. Required Text: Siegler, R., DeLoache, J., Eisenberg, N. (2006). How Children Develop (2nd edition). Worth: New York. Attendance policy. Students are expected to attend all classes; absences will affect your course grade.

COURSE OUTLINE

Session 1: Research methods review: Required Readings: Chapter 1 from the text. Session 2: Biological and Genetic Influences: Required Readings: Chapter 3 from the text.

September 6

September 13

Session 3: Biological and Genetic Influences: September 17 Required Readings: Chapter 3 from the text. QUIZ Supplementary Readings: Burt, A. S., & Neiderhiser, J. M. (2009). Aggressive versus nonaggressive antisocial behavior: Distinctive etiological moderation by age. Developmental Psychology, 45, 1164-1176. Session 4: Family and Parent Influences: September 20 Required Readings: Supplementary Readings: Rhoades, K. A., (2008). Childrens responses to interparental conflict: A meta-analysis of their associations with child adjustment. Child Development, 79, 1942-1956. Session 5: Family and Parent Influences: September 27 Required Readings: Chapter 12 from the text. QUIZ Supplementary Readings: Rueter, M. A., & Conger, R. D. (1998). Reciprocal influences between parenting and adolescent problem-solving behavior. Developmental Psychology, 34, 1470-1482. Session 6: Negativity Bias: Required Readings: Chapter 8 from the text. QUIZ October 4

Vaish, A., Grossmann, T., & Woodward, A. (2008). Not all emotions are created equal: The negativity bias in social-emotional development. Psychological Bulletin, 134, 383-403. (Theoretical Paper that may be used for Term paper.) Supplementary Readings: Chapter 9 from the text.

Session 7: Development of Antisocial Behavior: Required Readings: Chapter 2 from the text. QUIZ

October 11

Moffitt, T. E. (1993). Adolescence-limited and life-course-persistent antisocial behavior: A developmental taxonomy. Psychological Review, 100, 674-701. (Theoretical Paper that may be used for Term paper.) Session 8: Midterm Exam based on lectures: October 18

Session 9: Peer Relations and Peer Influence: November 5 Required Readings: Supplementary Readings: Bukowski, W. M., Sippola, L. K., & Newcomb, A. F. (2000). Variations in patterns of attraction to same- and other-sex peers during early adolescence. Developmental Psychology, 36, 147-154. Session 10: Peer Relations and Peer Influence: November 8 Required Readings: Chapter 13 from the text. QUIZ Supplementary Readings: Bot, S. M., Engels, R. C. M. E., Knibbe, R. A., & Meeus, W. H. J. (2007). Sociometric status and social drinking: Observations of modeling and persuasion in young adult peer groups. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 35, 929-941. Harakeh, Z., Engels, R. C. M. E., Van Baaren, R. B., & Scholte, R. H. J. (2007). Imitation of cigarette smoking: An experimental study on smoking in a naturalistic setting. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 86, 199-206. Session 11: The Self: November 15 Required Readings: Chapter 11 from the text. QUIZ Supplementary Readings: Ohan, J. L., & Johnston, C. (2002). Are the performance overestimates given by boys with ADHD self-protective? Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 31, 230-241. Stroeber, J., Hutchfield, J., & Wood, K.V. (2008). Perfectionism, selfefficacy, and aspiration level: Differential effects of perfectionistic striving and self-criticism after success and failure. Personality and Individual Differences, 45, 323-327.

Session 12: Development of Depression: November 22 Required Readings: Chapter 10 from the text. QUIZ Supplementary Readings: Gotlib, I. H., Lewinsohn, P. M., & Seeley, J. R. (1995). Symptoms versus a diagnosis of depression: Differences in psychosocial functioning. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 63, 90-100. Feng, X., Keenan, K., Hipwell, A. E., Henneberger, A. K., Rischall, M. S., Butch, J., Coyne, C., Boeldt, D., Hinze, A. K., & Babinski, D.E. (2009). Longitudinal associations between emotion regulation and depression in preadolescent girls: Moderation by the caregiving environment. Developmental Psychology, 45, 798-808. Session 13: Life Experience and its Outcomes: November 29 Required Readings: Chapter 14 from the text. QUIZ Supplementary Readings: Rutter, M., OConnor, T. G., the English and Romanian Adoptees (ERA) Study Team. (2004). Are there biological programming effects for psychological development? Findings from a study of Romanian adoptees. Developmental Psychology, 40, 81-94. Session 14: Life Experience and its Outcomes: Final Exam: Based on lecture materials following the midterm exam. Grading: Presentation: Midterm: Quizzes: Final Exam : Final Paper: 90-100 = 80-89 = 70-79 = 60-69 = 59 = 20 points 20 Points 20 Points 20 points 20 points A B C D F December 6 December 13