PSYCHOLOGY 341
ADVANCED TOPICS IN DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
FALL 2009-10
INSTRUCTOR
Georgia Nigro
367 Pettengill
786-6183
Office hours Mondays 2-4, or by appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION
In this course, we take a deeper look at developmental psychology through the intensive study of several topics. We extend coverage of these topics beyond the introductory level in these ways: (1) by exploring new work from recent books and journals; (2) by paying special attention to science, practice, and policy in developmental psychology; and (3) by partnering with the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Family Health on a project related to maternal and child health.
READINGS
Texts (available in campus store)
Brown, S. (2009). Play. New York: Avery.
Heinberg, L. J., & Thompson, J. K. (2009). Obesity in youth. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Articles and book chapters (available on Lyceum unless otherwise noted)
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
1. Participation--You should complete the readings before each class meeting. At every class meeting, I expect your wholehearted presence and best effort at participation. Approximately once each week, but perhaps less frequently as time goes on, I will ask you to carry out a brief (e.g., 10-minute) writing exercise in which you summarize the day’s readings or the day’s discussion. The question I pose may vary, but it should not be difficult to answer if you have completed the readings and participated in class. These exercises will be collected, and although ungraded, will contribute to your participation grade. There will also be two opportunities for brief oral presentations during the term.
2. Examinations--There will be a mid-term exam in class on Tuesday, October 20. Questions will be distributed in advance of the exam. The final is scheduled for Wednesday, December 16, at 10:30 AM. We will discuss its format in class.
3. Assignments--There will be numerous writing assignments for this course. In addition to the ungraded ones mentioned above, there will be three graded ones. Separate handouts will describe these assignments.
GRADES
Final grades will be computed as follows: participation (25%), examinations (30%), and assignments (45%).
SCHEDULE
INTRODUCTION
Th Sept 10 Advancing our thinking about development
Bjorklund, D. F., Periss, V., & Causey, K. (2009). The benefits of youth. European Journal
of Developmental Psychology, 6, 120-137.
Tu Sept 15 Methods and ethics in developmental science
Hill, M. (2005). Ethical considerations in researching children’s experiences. In S. Greene
& D. Hogan (Eds.), Researching children’s experience (pp. 61-86). London: Sage.
Hogan, D. (2005). Researching ‘the child’ in developmental psychology. In S. Greene & D.
Hogan (Eds.), Researching children’s experience (pp. 22-42). London: Sage.
Th Sept 17 Evidence-based programming
McCall, R. B. (2009). Evidence-based programming in the context of practice and policy.
Society for Research in Child Development Social Policy Reports, 23(3), 1-19.
PROTECTING CHILDREN
Tu Sept 22 Children and pesticides
Moore, C. F. (2009). Children and pollution: Why scientists disagree. NY: Oxford University Press. (Chapter 4)
Th Sept 24 Bullying at school
Finkelhor, D., Ormrod, R. K., & Turner, H. (2009). The epidemiology of childhood victimization. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 24, 711-731. (skim for the bullying statistics)
Berger, C. et al. (2008). Bullies and victims at school: Perspectives and strategies for primary prevention. In T. W. Miller (Ed.), School violence and primary prevention (pp. 295-
322). NY: Springer.
Hudley, C., & Taylor, A. (2006). What is cultural competence and how can it be incorporated into preventive interventions? In N. G. Guerra & E. P. Smith (Eds.), Preventing
youth violence in a multicultural society (pp. 249-269). Washington, DC: APA.
Tu Sept 29 Is bullying overemphasized?
Guldberg, H. (2009). Reclaiming childhood: Freedom and play in an age of fear. NY: Routledge. (Chapter 6)
MAKING CHILDREN HAPPY
Th Oct 1 The why of play
Brown, S. (2009). Part 1
Tu Oct 6 The how of play
Brown, S. (2009). Part 2
Th Oct 8 Playing in the natural and technological worlds
Berman, M. G. et al. (2008). The cognitive benefits of interacting with nature.
Psychological Science, 19, 1207-1212.
Kahn, P. H., Jr. et al. (2009). The human relation with nature and technological nature.
Current Directions in Psychological Science, 18, 37-42.
Tu Oct 13 Children as consumers
LaPoint, V. D., & Hambrick-Dixon, P. J. (2004). Commercialism’s influence on Black
youth: The case of dress-related challenges. In T. Kasser & A. D. Kanner (Eds.), Psychology and consumer culture (pp. 233-250). Washington, DC: APA.
Schor, J. B. (2008). Understanding the child consumer. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 47, 486-490.
Th Oct 15 Your turn: Group presentations on play
Tu Oct 20 Mid-term exam
KEEPING CHILDREN HEALTHY
Tu Oct 27 Children’s well-being in a global context
UNICEF (2007). Child poverty in perspective: An overview of child well-being in rich
countries (Innocenti Report Card 7). Florence: UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre.
Th Oct 29 Introduction to state CDC project/Erika Lichter visits
Tu Nov 3 Children’s mental health: The case of gender identity disorder
Drummond, K. D. et al. (2008). A follow-up study of girls with gender identity disorder. Developmental Psychology, 44, 34-45.
Rieger, G. et al. (2008). Sexual orientation and childhood gender nonconformity:
Evidence from home videos. Developmental Psychology, 44, 46-58.
Th Nov 5 Children’s mental health continued
Hegarty, P. (2009). Toward an LGBT-informed paradigm for children who break gender norms. Comment on Drummond et al. (2008) and Rieger et al. (2008). Developmental
Psychology, 45, 895-900.
Hill, D. B. et al. (2007). Gender identity disorders in childhood and adolescence: A
critical inquiry. International Journal of Sexual Health, 19, 57-74.
Tu Nov 10 Children’s physical health: The case of obesity
Heinberg, L. J., & Thompson, J. K. (2009). Introduction-Chapter 4
Th Nov 12 Children’s physical health continued
Heinberg, L. J., & Thompson, J. K. (2009). Chapter 7-Chapter 10
Tu Nov 17 In-class project work: peer review of briefs
Th Nov 19 In-class project work: completion of briefs
Tu Dec 1 Loose ends
Th Dec 3 Your turn: Individual presentations
Tu Dec 8 Your turn: Individual presentations
Th Dec 10 Your turn: Individual presentations
Wed Dec 16 Final exam
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