Instructor: Dr. Debra Valencia-Laver
Office: FOB 21R, Phone: 756-1603
Office Hours:MW 4:10 pm - 4:40 pm; TTh 10:30 am - noon, or by appointment
Email: dlvalenc@calpoly.edu Homepage: http://www.calpoly.edu/~dlvalenc
Text: Green, Michael, & Piel, John.
(2002).
Theories of human development: A comparative approach.
Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Additional readings will made available in the reserve room of the library and through other means.
Purpose: The purpose of this class is to critically examine several different theories of developmental psychology. We will examine some classic theories as well as more recent approaches and perspectives on lifespan development. This class is not meant to give you answers about which theory to use, but rather it is meant to raise questions about how to characterize development over the lifespan.
Objectives: By the end of the course the student should be able to
• identify the philosophical origins of the four major paradigms: endogenous, exogenous, constructivist, and contextualist
• identify representative theories from each of the paradigms and describe the basic principles, area of study, methodology, and strengths and weaknesses of each representative theory
• critique the theories on their scientific worthiness and developmental adequacy
• extrapolate from the theories to real world applications
• compare and contrast the theories as explanations for patterns of thought and behavior
• discuss the logical and practical issues involved with purist and eclectic stances
Format: This course will utilize a combination of lecture and group discussion/activity. Your grade in the class will be assessed through several concept checks, three reaction papers, a case study project and two exams. You are responsible for keeping up with the reading in this class and doing so will enhance your learning.
Grading:Grades will be computed from three 30-point position papers, six 4-point concept checks (of which 20 points will count towards your final grade), two 50-point exams, and one case-study project and its presentation for 100 points (90 points for the paper, 10 points for the presentation).
There will be no make-ups for concept checks. All other late assignments
and tests will be reduced by 10% of the point total if turned in/made-up
by the class meeting following the due date; assignments and exams turned
in/made up after that will be worth only 75% of the original total.
| 291 - 310 A (94%) | 248 - 256 B- (80%) | 208 - 216 D+ (67%) |
| 279 - 290 A- (90%) | 239 - 247 C+ (77%) | 195 - 207 D (63%) |
| 270 - 278 B+ (87%) | 226 - 238 C (73%) | 186 - 194 D- (60%) |
| 257 - 269 B (83%) | 217 - 225 C- (70%) | below 186 Fail |
| Date | Topic | Reading(click on the links below for chapter/lecture outlines) | Assignment |
|
6/18
|
Introduction
|
Chapter 1
&
Chapter 2 |
|
|
6/23 - 6/25
|
Endogenous Paradigm:
Freud & Psychoanalysis |
Chapter 3 + Readings | |
|
6/30 - 7/2
|
Endogenous Paradigm:
Erikson & Psychosocial Theory |
Chapter 4 + Readings | |
|
7/7 - 7/9
|
Endogenous Paradigm: Wilson & Sociobiological Theory | Chapter 5 + Readings | |
| 7/14 | EXAM #1 | Chapters: 1 - 5 | |
| 7/16 - 7/21 | Exogenous Paradigm: Skinner & Operant Conditioning | Chapter 8 + Readings | Position paper - Psychoanalytic
Approaches
(due 7/16) |
|
7/23 - 7/28
|
Exogenous Paradigm: Bandura & Social Cognitive Theory | Chapter 9 + Readings | Project First Draft
(due 7/28) |
|
7/30 - 8/6
|
Exogenous/Contextualist
Paradigm:
Vygotsky & the Sociocultural Approach |
Chapter 10 + Readings | Position paper -
Sociobiology & the Learning Theories (due 8/4) |
|
8/11 - 8/13
|
Constructivist Paradigm:
Piagetian Theory |
Chapter 11 + Readings | |
|
8/18
|
Are Theories Compatible?
|
Chapter 13 | Position paper - Theories of Cognitive Processing
(due 8/18) |
|
8/20
|
Class Presentations | Case Study Project (Due 8/25) | |
|
8/29
|
EXAM #2: 1:10 - 4 pm | Chapters 8-11, 13 |