University of Kerala

Discipline PSYCHOLOGY
Course Code UK4DSCPSY210
DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
Course Title
Type of Course DSC
Semester IV
Academic Level 200-299
Course Details Credit Lecture per Tutorial Practical Total
week per week per week Hours/Week

4 3 hours 2 hours 5 hours

Pre-requisites
Course Summary This course offers an overview of human development from conception
to late adulthood, emphasizing the physical, cognitive, socio-cmotional,
language, and moral changes that occur across the lifespan. Students will
be introduced to major developmental theories, foundational concepts,
and rescarch methods that shape the study of development. The course
examines developmental processes in infancy, childhood, adolescence,
adulthood, and old age with a focus on contextual influences. Through
lectures, discussions, and practical exercises, students gain a holistic
understanding of human growth and adaptation across different life
stages.

Detailed Syllabus:
Content Hrs
Module Unit
Introduction of Lifespan Development 12

Importance of lifespan development, Historical perspective,

Characteristics of life span perspective, Nature of development,
Developmental issues- Nature and nurture, stability and change,
continuity and discontinuity
2 Theories of development: Psychoanalytic, Cognitive, Behavioural,
Information processing, Social cognitive, Ethological, Ecological
theories.
3 Cross sectional and longitudinal approaches in studying development|
Physical Development 18

4 Prenatal developmecnt: Stages, Diagnostic tests, Genctic and

chromosomal disorders. Assessing the newborn - APGAR, Preterm
and low birth-weight infants

13
 Infancy arnd childhood: Newborn reflexes, Sensory and perceptual
development. Cephalocaudal and proximodistal patterns. Gross and
Fine motor skills. Handedness
6 Adolescence to adulthood: Puberty, Physical changes in carly and
middle adulthood
7 Late adulthood: Life expectancy, Biological views on aging, Brain
and body changes

III Cognitive Development 18

Cognitive development in infancy and childhood: Piaget's stages;

Vygotsky 's theory - ZPD, Scaffolding
Cognitive changes in adolescence and adulthood: Egocentrism and
decision making, Postformal thought, Intelligence and Information
processing, Cognitive mechanics and pragmatics
10
Language development: Language's rule systems, Stages, Biological
and environmental influences
IV Socio-emotional Development 15

Socio-emotional processes: Attachment; Families and parenting

styles, Peer relations, types of play; Romantic relationships in
adolescence; Adult relationships (attraction, love, and marriage);
Midlife crises and empty nest; Socio-emotional theories of aging
12 The self: Temperament, Emotional development in infancy and
childhood. ldentity development in adolescence (Erikson and Marcia)
13 Moral development: Piaget, Kohlberg. Prosocial behaviour, Moral
personality
Aging and Death |2
|4
Dying: Kubler-Ross' stages of dying: Coping with death - Grieving,
Bereavement
15 Death- Cultural contexts, Decisions regarding Iife, death and health
care.

Devclopmcntal perspcctive on dcath. Coping with the decath of

significant others
16 Older adults in society: Policy issues in an aging socicty with special
reference to Kerala
Total hours 75

Practicals
(Minimum three)
1 Span of attention
2 Set in attention
3 Depth Perception
4 Concept Formation
5. Two-point threshold
6 Finger Dexterity
7 Tweezer Dexterity
8. Manual Dexterity
9 Bilateral transfer
10. Temperament test
 11, Neonatal Screening tests
12. Vineland Social Maturity Scale
13. Attachment Style Questionnaire
14. PASSI Test of Creativity

References
Santrock, J. W. (20I|). Life-span development (13th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
Berk, E.L. (2005). Child Development. New Delhi: Prentice Hall
Hurlock,E. B. (1980). Developmental Psychology: A life-span approach. New York:
Hill.
McGraw
Papalia, E. D., Olds, W. S., & Feldman, D. R. (2004). Human Development. New Delhi:
Tata-McGraw-Hill.

Santrock, J. W. (2005). A Tropical Approach to Life-span Development (3rd cd.). New Delhi:
Tata McGraw-Hill.

Suggested Readings
Damon, W., & Lerner, R. M. (Eds.). (2006). Handbook of child psychology Volume 3: Social,
Emotional, and Personality Development (6th ed.). John Wiley & Sons Inc.
Martin, R. P., Lease, A. M., & Slobodskaya, H. R. (2020). Temperament and
of individual differences. Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
children: Profiles
[Link]
Zentner, M., & Shiner, R. L. (Eds.). (2012). Handbook of Temperament. New York, NY:
Guilford Press.

Course Outcomes
No. Upon completion of the course the graduate will be Cognitive PSO
able to Level addressed
CO-1 Explain the significance, historical background, theories, PSO-1
and rescarch approaches that guide lifespan
developmental psychology.
CO-2 Identify major developmental milestones across different R
PSO-1,4
stages of the human lifespan.
CO-3 Analyze developmental variations and challenges by An PSO-2,3,4
applying theoretical perspectives.
CO-4 Apply developmental principles to real-life situations to Ap PSO-2,3,4
interpret behavioural, emotional, and cognitive changes
across life stages.
CO-5 Evaluate contemporary developmental issues across E
different life stages, including socio-emotional PSO-2,3,4,7
challenges,