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.

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

• 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.

Content

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.

Reading Lists