Syllabus Information

1. General information

Developmental Psychology I deals with the sequence of perinatal and infant human development. It is a subject taught at the beginning of the Psychology Degree, when the student begins to become familiar with the major areas of the discipline. In this sense, it is a basic subject whose acquisitions will constitute a fundamental pillar for the understanding of other basic subjects later in the degree.

The subject is aligned with the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of the United Nations Agenda 2030  , providing training and competence to contribute to some extent to their achievement: Goal 3: Health and wellness; Goal 4: Quality education; Goal 5: Gender equality; Goal 10: Reducing inequalities; Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

2. Learning results

The subject Developmental Psychology I lays the fundamental bases to understand the development of the individual throughout the first years of life, making it essential to understand other subjects that will deepen in the human functioning from other more specialized points of view.

Specifically, in order to pass this subject, students must demonstrate the following learning results:

• Knows the different theoretical models of developmental psychology and critically evaluates their contributions and limitations.

• Knows and understands the main processes and stages of psychological development in the first part of the life cycle, from gestation to adolescence.

• Works as part of a team and collaborates effectively with peers.

• Effectively obtains information from specialized books and journals, and other documentation.

• Understands and prepares written reports and audiovisual presentations. 

These skills are essential to work in the professional world, in the social, educational and clinical fields, related to optimal human development throughout the life cycle.

3. Syllabus

BLOCK I: Introduction to the study of human development: history, concepts and methods

T1. The study of human development

T2. Theories and research methods

BLOCK II: The beginnings: from conception to three years of age

T3. Prenatal development and the new-born

T4. Physical and cognitive development

T5. Communication and language development

T6. Socio-affective development

BLOCK III: Early childhood: three to six years of age

T7. Physical development, cognition and language

T8. Psychosocial development

BLOCK IV: Middle childhood: six to twelve years of age

T9. Physical development, cognition and language

T10. Psychosocial development

4. Academic activities

The teaching-learning methodology is based on the active participation of the students through the following activities: 

Academic sessions: led either by the teacher or by the students assisted by the teacher.

Field and laboratory practices: observation practices of human development will be carried out both with audiovisual material and with children in the laboratory or in other natural contexts.

Autonomous work: each week group practices will be carried out in groups, directed by the teacher but also involving autonomous work outside the classroom by the students.

Presentation and discussion: the different results obtained from the autonomous work periods will be presented to classmates and discussed in class.

5. Assessment system

At the beginning of the term, each student must choose one of the following two evaluation modalities:

CONTINUOUS EVALUATION MODE:

1.  Theoretical part (40%): Examination of multiple choice or essay questions (3 answer options).

correction formula: [(A - (A - (E/n-1))/no. questions] x 10)). In case of midterm exams, the average obtained in all the midterm exams taken will be considered.

2.  Practical part (60%): Active participation in practical activities and the delivery, formal adequacy and quality of reports.  It comprises the following activities:

2.1.  Group classroom and field practices (40%). Attendance and participation in the practical activities of field and classroom. In order to be considered as a student in continuous evaluation mode, they must attend at least 80% of the sessions, participate and submit the corresponding activities. 

2.2.  Personal work (20%). Completion of a personal photobiography of the evolutionary period of childhood and/or participation in the complementary activities that the teacher proposes in the development of the subject. 

FINAL EVALUATION METHOD:

Theoretical-practical development exam of between 5 and 10 questions on the total contents of the subject (100%). This exam will be held on the date and in the classroom indicated in the official exam calendar for the current academic year.

All students are entitled to take the FINAL EVALUATION MODALITY.

Level of demand: in the continuous evaluation modality, it is necessary to pass both parts (theory and practice), the theoretical exam must be passed in order to add the rest of the grades; in the final evaluation modality, it is necessary to pass the theoretical-practical exam.