PSY4351 TOPICS IN DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
| Course Code: | 2334351 |
| METU Credit (Theoretical-Laboratory hours/week): | 3 (3.00 - 0.00) |
| ECTS Credit: | 7.0 |
| Department: | Psychology |
| Language of Instruction: | English |
| Level of Study: | Undergraduate |
| Course Coordinator: | Prof.Dr. SİBEL KAZAK BERUMENT |
| Offered Semester: | Fall and Spring Semesters. |
Course Objectives
This course delves into selected topics in Developmental Psychology, focusing on the theoretical, neurobiological, and social foundations of emotion and emotional development. It examines emotional development from infancy through adolescence, offering students a comprehensive understanding of the dynamic changes that occur across these periods. Students will also explore diverse methodologies and empirical questions that drive research on emotion across different developmental stages. The course will address conceptual challenges in the field and highlight innovative methods developed to overcome these obstacles, fostering a deeper awareness of contemporary issues and enhancing scientific understanding of developmental psychology.
Course Content
Each topics course is designed to deepen the student ` s knowledge in a selected issue-oriented sub-area of the field. The course may involve analysis of current theoretical debates, a detailed treatment of a subarea, which may appear as a chapter in a regular survey course, or by getting acquainted with the skills required for in depth analysis.
Course Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, it is expected that students will be able to:
- Outline major theories of emotion and emotion development
- Discuss the scientific and methodological challenges in studying emotions
- Explain the biological basis of emotion reactivity and emotion regulation, including the underlying neuroanatomy and physiological changes
- Argue traditional versus innovative and multisystem approaches in emotion research
- Recognise the association between emotional processing and environmental factors such as parenting and culture
- Understand how development of emotion and development of cognition contributes to emotion regulation development in early childhood
- Evaluate the current empirical evidence in early emotion development and develop a research proposal addressing a current gap in emotion literature by using an appropriate methodology
Program Outcomes Matrix
| Level of Contribution | |||||
| # | Program Outcomes | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 1 | Solid background in basic theories and approaches in psychology. | ✔ | |||
| 2 | Skills to obtain and interpret new information in the light of acquired theoretical knowledge. | ✔ | |||
| 3 | Skills to follow both national and international publications and developments in the discipline. | ✔ | |||
| 4 | Basic applied skills and knowledge of the various disciplines of psychology that do not require specialization. | ✔ | |||
| 5 | Awareness of the value of continuing educational practices such as in-service training, seminars, and conferences to keep career-relevant knowledge and skills up-to-date. | ✔ | |||
| 6 | Skills to conduct research based on basic knowledge related to testing and measurement, research methods, and statistics. That is, skills related to forming research hypotheses, designing the research, collecting data, applying basic statistical analysis, and reporting. | ✔ | |||
| 7 | Knowledge and skills about conducting research and practice by adhering to ethical guidelines. | ✔ | |||
| 8 | Skills in oral and written communication both in Turkish and English. | ✔ | |||
| 9 | Skills to work in teams that involve disciplinary and interdisciplinary projects. | ✔ | |||
| 10 | Critical thinking skills in following the psychological literature together with the psychology-related information appearing in popular media. | ✔ | |||
| 11 | Skills to generate practical and culture-sensitive solutions to problems. | ✔ | |||
| 12 | Awareness of societal, environmental, and economic factors in professional practice and research. | ✔ | |||
| 13 | Skills to lead and pioneer in the profession of psychology, either in academia or professional practice. | ✔ | |||
| 14 | Skills in independent and team work. | ✔ | |||
0: No Contribution 1: Little Contribution 2: Partial Contribution 3: Full Contribution