Brief description

This module introduces students to the methods of child study, child-care practices, and the developmental psychology of Piaget. Through these, it examines the development of intelligence, personality and language in children.

Aims of the module

• to introduce basic concepts relating to child development from the major schools of psychology, namely, Cognitive, Behaviourist,   and Clincial;

• to initiate students to understand and appraise these concepts relating to child development;

• to encourage students how to critically understand the explanatory power of the 'psychological concepts' in the light of their own childhood experiences.

Syllabus

The lectures are based on the following topics:

• introduction - what is psychology?

• why study children?

• methods of child study, psycho-metric and clinical;

• child care practices - a comparative perspective;

• development of self-concept and self-image;

• Piaget's psychology of child development;

• nature versus nurture: is intelligence/personality inherited or acquired?;

• development of racial and gender attitudes in young children;

• intelligence and its measurement;

• fostering good inter-ethnic relations in schools.

The tutorials provide opportunities to discuss and investigate in greater detail themes from the lectures.

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the students are expected:

• to understand the main reasons for studying children;

• to critically appraise 'the case study approach' to child study;

• to appreciate the strengths and weaknesses of group and experimental methods of child study;

• to critically examine the value of cross-cultural studies to understand child development;

• to understand and evaluate the concept of 'needs of children' as put forward by Kelma Pringle;

• to understand and appraise the concept of intelligence;

• to understand and evaluate the construction and application of IQ tests;

• to appraise the main arguments in the nature/nurture debate;

• to critically reflect on the key arguments in the debate on 'race and intelligence'.

• understand and evaluate the evidence linking child-rearing practices to personality development;

• to understand and appraise the arguments relating early experiences to intellectual development;

• to understand the basic principle of Piaget's development psychology;

• to understand the development of 'race awareness' in young children.

Reading Lists