Logo UAB

Developmental Psychology I

Code: 102575 ECTS Credits: 6
2024/2025
Degree Type Year
2502443 Psychology FB 1

Contact

Name:
Ramon Cladellas Pros
Email:
ramon.cladellas@uab.cat

Teachers

Antoni Castelló Tarrida
Alicia Peralta Serrano
(External) (a determinar)

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

There is no prerequisite specifically established for this subject, but it is highly recommended to be simultaneously studying the other subjects that make up the first semester of the first course.
These subjects are: Foundations of Psychobiology I, History of Psychology, Personality and Individual Differences, Psychological Processes: Attention and Perception.

 


Objectives and Contextualisation

The Developmental Psychology programme provides a clear and simplified introduction to distinct interpretations of the changes and psychological transformations that occur in people during their life. The principal objective of the subject is to provide theoretical and practical knowledge about some of the main processes of human evolution: the ability to adapt to the environment from birth; the origin and development of communication and speech, and the intelligent forms with which individuals organise the world that surrounds them in order to understand it. Although the conceptual and methodological framing contemplates the distinct stages of human life, the study of evolutionary changes from conception to adolescence is taken as the privileged period of time to describe and explain the development and value the importance of education and intervention in these distinct stages.
 
In accordance with this approach, the training objectives of the subject are:
  • To read, write and speak carefully about human development.
  • To place theoretical voices in their context: historical coordinates, epistemological models, empirical productivity and applications.
  • To define concepts and to describe the sequences of evolutionary change in the early stages of life.
  • To know how to indicate and comment on scientific problems, which comprises the study of psychological development, and to have an understanding of the efforts of evolutionary researchers to overcome conceptual, methodological and socio-economic and political difficulties.
  • To have the ability to collect and interpret relevant data (usually within their study area) to make judgments that include a reflection on outstanding issues of a social, scientific or ethical nature. 
The theoretical and practical content of this subject will be continued in Developmental Psychology II, thus covering all stages of development.
In each of thesubjects, we will work on a different technique to approach development. In Developmental Psychology this will be approached through observation and in the course of Developmental PsychologyII this will be done through drawing up and carrying out interviews.  
 

Competences

  • Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values.
  • Actively listen to be able to obtain and synthesise relevant information and understand the content.
  • Distinguish and relate the different focuses and theoretical traditions that have contributed to the historical development of psychology as well as its influence on the production of knowledge and professional practice.
  • Evaluate, contrast and take decision on the choice of adequate methods and instruments for each situation and evaluation context.
  • Identify and describe the processes and stages in psychological development through the life cycle.
  • Make changes to methods and processes in the area of knowledge in order to provide innovative responses to society's needs and demands.
  • Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
  • Take account of social, economic and environmental impacts when operating within one's own area of knowledge.
  • Take sex- or gender-based inequalities into consideration when operating within one's own area of knowledge.
  • Work in a team.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Analyse a situation and identify its points for improvement.
  2. Analyse the sex- or gender-based inequalities and the gender biases present in one's own area of knowledge.
  3. Assess how stereotypes and gender roles impact professional practice.
  4. Assess the impact of the difficulties, prejudices and discriminations that actions or projects may involve, in the short or long term, in relation to certain persons or groups.
  5. Assess the relevance of the assessment methods of development in each of the stages of the life cycle.
  6. Communicate in an inclusive manner avoiding the use of sexist or discriminatory language.
  7. Contrast the notions of evolution, development and genesis.
  8. Contrasting biopsychosocial concepts and processes involved in the changes that are related to the growth, development and aging through research examples to everyday life.
  9. Critically analyse the principles, values and procedures that govern the exercise of the profession.
  10. Describe the main characteristics of the theoretical focuses in the study of Evolutive Psychology.
  11. Explain the explicit or implicit deontological code in your area of knowledge.
  12. Identify and analyse evolutionary concepts and processes from systematic observations on the development of people throughout the stages of their life cycle.
  13. Identify situations in which a change or improvement is needed.
  14. Identify the principal forms of sex- or gender-based inequality and discrimination present in society.
  15. Identify the processes of change and stages of cognitive, psychomotor, perceptive and linguistic development.
  16. Identify the social, economic and/or environmental implications of academic and professional activities in the area of your knowledge.
  17. Propose new experience-based methods or alternative solutions.
  18. Propose new ways of measuring the viability, success or failure of the implementation of innovative proposals or ideas.
  19. Propose projects and actions that incorporate the gender perspective.
  20. Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
  21. Weigh up the risks and opportunities of both one's own and other people's proposals for improvement.
  22. Work in a team.

Content

Descriptors: Theories and models of human development. Bases of human development. Psychomotor development. Cognitive development. Development of communication and language.
 
Programme, Thematic Blocks:
 
Block A. Introduction to the study of human development
Block B. Psychobiological development
Block C: Cognitive development and Learning
Block D. Development of communication and language 
Block E. Socio-affective and personality development
 
Conferences:
Presentation and introduction to developmental psychology.
Current views on development according to a systemic perspective.

Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Classroom practices: Observational study of child 20 0.8 8, 7, 10, 20, 22, 5
Conferences 3 0.12 8, 7, 10, 5
Exhibition sessions 28.5 1.14 8, 7, 10, 20
Type: Supervised      
Planning observations, exhibitons and final written 11.5 0.46 8, 7, 10, 22, 5
Type: Autonomous      
Bibliographic and other information sources 10 0.4 8, 7, 10, 20, 5
Carrying out group work 11 0.44 8, 10, 13, 20, 22, 5
Carrying out individual work 11 0.44 8, 7, 10, 20, 5
Empirical project: Child observation 20 0.8 8, 7, 10, 20, 22, 5
Study 32 1.28 8, 7, 10, 20, 5

Methodology
Classroom-learning situations are organised as follows:
• Large-scale conferences aimed at sensitizing and revealing the interest in topics of particular relevance to understanding ontogenetic development in the early stages of life.
• Presentation lectures aimed at presenting the basic contents of the programme.
• Classroom practices aimed at the preparation, sharing and discussion of learning evidences and at carrying out an observational project within a small group.
 
Obervational study of child development (aged between 4 months and 5 years old) and its context. This project has as its objectives: 
• To know, analyse and identify some of the evolutionary characteristics of children referring to their psychomotor development, communication and language and cognitive development.
• To be able to plan and carry out observation and analysis of information in accordance with the evolutionary characteristics of a child.
• To use observation as an information-search procedure.
• To use the oral presentation and the written report as information-communication procedures.
 
For this project, working teams of 5 students will be formed. First, individually, there will be a theoretical-practical report adapted to the child being observed. Next, each work team will carry out as self-directed learning activities 3 observations on the same child (aged between 4 months and 5 years old). The observations will be made on distinct days. Observations will be directed towards the following aspects: Psychomotor development, development of communication and language, and cognitive development. Observations will be video recorded, and each team will present one filmed observation in class. Finally, each workteam will submit a finalwritten report bringing together the analysis of each of the observations along with contributions made in class by the team as a whole. Compulsory attendance at practice class sessions.
 

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Ev1 Individual written test - Block A and B (first assessment period) 30% 1.5 0.06 9, 2, 8, 7, 10, 11, 15, 14, 17, 20, 4, 5
Ev2 Individual written test - Block C and D (second assessment period) 30% 1.5 0.06 2, 8, 7, 10, 15, 14, 17, 20, 5
Ev3 Oral group presentation of the observation project (Week 15-16) 10 % 0 0 1, 15, 20, 22, 3, 5
Ev4 Written report on the observation of a child (small-group project) (week 17-18) 30% 0 0 9, 2, 6, 10, 11, 15, 12, 16, 14, 13, 21, 18, 19, 20, 22, 4

Assessment
Subject assessment includes taking 2 individual written tests; the individual preparation of the theoretical-practical information adapted to the child being observed; writing the report for the small-group project and its presentation.
The final grade for the subject will be obtained from the sum of the weighted scores awarded for the learning evidences submitted. The relative weight of each of the learning evidences obtained and the weeks in which these are carried out are specified below:
 
Evidence presentation classes:
• Evidence 1: Individual written test - Block A, B and C: 30%.
• Evidence 2: Individual written test - Block C, D and E: 30%
 
Evidence seminar classes:
• Evidence 3: Oral group presentation of the observation project: 10%
• Evidence 4: Written report on the observation of a child (small-group project) (written test and present via virtual): 30%
 
ASSESSMENT
• Students who have submitted less than 40% of the required assessment evidences will be considered "NOT AVALUABLE".
• To pass the subject, students must have obtained a total of at least 5 in the continuous assessment, with a minimum of 4 or more (on a 0-10 scale) for each of the evidences, all of which are compulsory. In case of not meeting these requirements, the maximum grade that can be obtained is 4.5.
• FAIL grade will be awarded avaluable students who obtain a final weighted grade of <5.
 
REASSESSMENT
• Reassessment is available to those students who during continuous assessment have submitted evidences with a weight equal to or greater than 2/3 of the total grade and have obtained a grade of between 3.5 to 4.9.
• Re-assessment is final and will consist of an individual written test for Evidences 1 and 2. Re-assessment forEvidence 3 requires re-submitting the written report incorporating the suggested modifications and / or to repeat the oral presentation. Re-assessment for Evidence 4 requires re-submitting the written report incorporating the suggested modifications.
• The re-assessment grade obtained for each evidence replaces the grade previously obtained up to a limit of 5 (maximum) for each re-assessed evidence.
• The final grade will be recalculated following the same criteria as for continuous assessment.

No unique final synthesis test for students who enroll for the second time or more is anticipated.

UNIQUE ASSESSMENT

										
											students who opt for the single assessment option waive the continuous assessment and will be assessed for all the contents of the subject in a single assessment, which will take place on the same day and place that the test of the second evaluation period of the subject.

										
											This assessment will consist of two face-to-face exams that will follow the same format and include the same content as evidence EV1 and EV2 of the continuous assessment (respectively). At the end of the two exams, and during this same evaluation event, the students included in the single evaluation system 
will have to make an oral presentation (evidence 3). Likewise and, with reference to evidence 4, students will have to write the report of the observation project carried out throughout the course.

										
											The total duration of this single face-to-face assessment event will be approximately 5 hours (See the following table).
 
Table of single assessment activities

Name and description of the evidence

Weight

 
Duration in hours of the face-to-face event

Completion date

Evidence 1 (1h30m)

30%

5h

secon evaluation period

Evidence 2 (1h30m)

30%

Evidence 3 (30m)

10%

Evidence 4 (1h30m)

30%

 
The conditions for passing the remedial access subject and the remedial test for students taking the single assessment will be the same as for students taking the continuous assessment.
Link to the assessment guidelines for all Faculty degrees: https://www.uab.cat/web/estudiar/graus/graus/avaluacions-1345722525858.html

Bibliography

Reference manuals 

Palacios, J., Marchesi, A. & Coll, C. (comp.) (2001). Desarrollo psicológico y educación. Psicología evolutiva. Madrid: Alianza Psicología.

Perinat, A. (2003). Psicología del desarrollo. Un enfoque sistémico. Barcelona: EDIUOC.

 

Basic bibliography

Berger, K. S. (2012) Psicología del Desarrollo: infancia y adolescencia. Madrid: Médica Panamericana.

Bronfenbrenner, U. (1987). La ecologia del desarrollo humano. Barcelona: Paidós.

Bruner, J. (1986). El habla del niño. Barcelona: Paidós.

Delval, J. (1994). El desarrollo humano. Madrid: Siglo XXI.

García Madruga, J. A., Gutiérrez, F. & Carriedo, N. (2002). Psicología Evolutiva II. Desarrollo cognitivo y lingüístico (Vols. I y II). Madrid: UNED.

García Madruga, J. A. & Delval, J. (Eds.) (2019).  Psicología del Desarrollo I. 2ª Ed. Madrid: UNED

Gessell, A. (1988). El niño de 1 a 4 años. Barcelona: Paidós.

Gutiérrez Martínez, F. (2005). Teorías del desarrollo cognitivo. Madrid: McGraw Hill.

Hoffman, L., Paris, S. & Hall, E. (1995). Psicología del desarrollo hoy Vol. 1. Madrid: McGraw-Hill.

Marchesi A. Carretero M. & Palacios J. (1984). Psicología Evolutiva. I y II. Madrid: Alianza.

Piaget, J. (1952). The origins of intelligence in children (m: Cook. Trans.). New York: NY: Basic Books.

Silvestre, N. & Solé, R. M. (1993). Psicología evolutiva. Infancia, preadolescencia. Barcelona: Ceac.

Vasta, R., Haiti, M. M., & Miller, S. A. (2001). Psicología infantil. Barcelona: Ariel.

Vygotsky, Lev S. (1986) Thought and Language (Eugenia Hanfmann & Gertrude Vakar. Trans. Revised ed.) Cambridge, MA: MIT Press (Original work oublished 1934).

 

Complementary bibliography

Berger, K.S. & Thompson, R.A (2008). Psicología del desarrollo: Infancia y Adolescencia.7ª Edición. Madrid; Panamericana, 1997.

Bradley, B. S. (1992). Concepciones de la infancia. Madrid: Alianza. (Original en anglès, 1989).

Córdoba . A. I.; Descals, A. & Gil, M. D. (Coords.) (2006). Psicología del desarrollo en la edad escolar. Madrid: Pirámide.

Craig, G.J. & Baucun,  D. (2009) Desarrollo psicológico. México: Pearson Educción.

Donaldson, M. (1984). La mente de los niños. Madrid: Morata.

Flavell, J.H. (1993). El desarrollo cognitivo. Madrid: Visor.

García Madruga; J.A. &  Lacasa, P. (1992). Psicología evolutiva. Madrid: UNED.

García Madruga, J. A., Gutiérrez, F. &  Carriedo, N. (2002). Psicología Evolutiva II. Desarrollo cognitivo y lingüístico (Vols. I y II). Madrid: UNED. Gessell, A. (1988). El niño de 1 a 4 años. Barcelona: Paidós.

Gessell, A. (1988). El niño de 1 a 4 años. Barcelona: Paidós.

Palau, E. (2001). Aspectos basicos del desarrollo infantil. La etapa de 0 a 6 años. Barcelona: CEAC.

Peralta, A. (2002). La percepció dels mestres sobre les famílies procedents del Marroc i llurs relacions. Aproximació des d’un enfocament sistèmic i ecológic. En A C. Mir (Coord.).  Les portes de l’escola. L’ heterogeneïtat de les persones i les seves relacions.  pp 81-109.  Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Servei de Publicacions. Col.lecció Documents.

Pérez Pereira, M. (1995). Nuevas perspectivas en psicología del desarrollo. Un enfoque histórico crítico. Madrid: Alianza Editorial.

Perinat, A. (1986). La comunicación preverbal. Barcelona: Avesta

Perinat, A. (2002). La primera infancia. Barcelona: UOC.

Postman, N. (1990). La desaparició de la infantesa. Vic: Eumo. (Original en anglès, 1982). Rogoff, B. (1993): Aprendices del pensamiento.Paidós. Barcelona

Schaffer, H. R. (2000). Desarrollo social. Mexico: Siglo XXI. (Original en anglès, 1996).

Teberosky, A.; Rivero, M.; Ribera, N.; Peralta, A.; Rabassa, M. y Portilla, C. (2008). El discurso escolar: entre la oralidad y la escritura. Barcelona: Graó. ISBN:978-84-7827-526-7 DL: B-1.300-2008

 

Recommended articles

Alkire, S.(2002). Dimensions of Human development. World Development, 30 (2), 181-205.
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1985). Contextos de crianza del niño. Problemas y prospectivas. Infancia y Aprendizaje, 29, 45.55. (Original en anglès, 1979).
Bruner, J. (1972). Nature and uses of immaturity. American Psychologist, 27 (8), 1-22. (Versió en español de Ileana Enesco, 1989).
Bruner, J. (1981). Vygotski: una perspectiva histórico-cultural. Infancia y Aprendizaje, 14, 3-17.

 

Others books and reference materials

You can find videos on the subject of practices in the resource room (ADRE) of the Faculty of Science of Education and in the Humanities library

At the beginning of the course, updated references will be published in Moodle, if applicable; In addition, the following will be provided:

Web links
Dossiers of readings and videos


Software

-


Language list

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(PAUL) Classroom practices 11 Catalan/Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 12 Catalan/Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 21 Catalan/Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 22 Catalan/Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 31 Catalan/Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 32 Catalan/Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 41 Catalan/Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 42 Catalan/Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 51 Catalan/Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(SEM) Seminars 1 Catalan/Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 1 Catalan/Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 2 Catalan/Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 3 Catalan/Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 4 Catalan/Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 5 Catalan/Spanish first semester morning-mixed