Introduction to Health and Developmental Psychology

Course Overview

• Instructor: Nicole Nelson is the course instructor for Psych 3021.

• Contact Information:

  • Office located on the 7th floor, Hughes Building, Room 729.

  • Open-door policy unless engaged in a meeting or appointment.

  • For administrative queries, reach out to Dr. Grace Horwood, the course coordinator.

Background of Nicole Nelson

• Origin: American, hailing from Washington State.

• Education: PhD obtained from Boston College, which specialized in psychological research focused on developmental issues.

• Postdoctoral Fellowship: Completed a fellowship near Toronto, enriching her research experience.

• Prior Experience: Lectured at the University of Queensland (UQ) in Brisbane for a substantial 6.5 years.

• Current Position: Relocated to Adelaide to take on new academic and research opportunities.

Research Focus

• Nicole’s specialization is centered on child development and social communication principles.

• Key Areas of Research:

  • Investigates how children interpret emotions and develop social cues.

  • Studies the determinants that influence children’s perceptions of trustworthiness and dominance within social interactions.

  • Employs advanced techniques such as eye tracking to assess where children focus their attention when they observe emotional expressions in various contexts.

  • Examines music as a form of emotional communication, providing insights into children's responses to musical stimuli.

• Interest in Emotional Skills Acquisition:

  • Explores children's diverse reactions to various social situations and emotional expressions, emphasizing the importance of context and experience in emotional development.

Course Structure and Coordination

• Guest Lecturers:

  • Dr. Amy (focus on neuropsychology research).

  • Dr. Alyssa Sawyer (expert in applied psychology and parenting dynamics).

  • Dr. Sarah Halliday (specializes in health psychology pertaining to adolescence).

• Course Assessments:

  • Tutorial Participation: Active participation in tutorials, which commence immediately.

  • Discussion Board Questions: Engage with assigned readings through online discussions.

  • Online Quizzes (20% total): Two quizzes scheduled:

    • Quiz 1: Due September 6.

    • Quiz 2: Due November 1.

  • Registered Report: Due September 26.

    • A mandatory assignment which entails outlining the background, methods, and potential analyses for a proposed research study.

  • Final Exam: To be held in-person, with the date to be confirmed — expected in week 7 or 8 of the semester.

Registered Report Details

• Definition: A registered report involves a pre-submitted proposal outlining the study background and methodologies for journal pre-approval.

• Components of the Report:

  • Background Literature Review: A comprehensive review of existing literature relevant to the research.

  • Methods Section: A detailed account of participant selection and procedural methods employed.

  • Statistical Analyses: Proposal of anticipated statistical analyses to interpret data without including code.

  • Discussion of Anticipated Results: How the expected findings could contribute to the field of study.

• Word Limit: 2000 words total, excluding title, abstract, or references.

Contact and Support Systems

• Communication Guidelines:

  • Expect responses to emails within 2 business days; note that replies may be delayed during periods of peak assessment activity.

  • Submit extension requests through an online form (with exceptions for students with pre-existing access plans).

• Academic Support Resources:

  • Student life hub provides access to counseling services, disability support, and general wellbeing services essential for student life balance.

Contexts in Development

• Emphasizes the critical role of context in shaping child development outcomes:

  • Discusses the interplay between nature and nurture, presenting them as interdependent forces rather than opposing elements, as highlighted in epigenetic studies.

  • Recognizes how children's developmental pathways are significantly shaped by their environmental contexts.

  • Stresses the importance of global representations in psychology, particularly addressing WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic) populations and acknowledging cultural variances.

Skill Development and Measurement Challenges

• Development is a complex, multifaceted process:

  • Discusses the hurdles of accurately measuring child behaviors, considering the contrasting contexts of laboratory environments versus natural settings.

  • Recognizes individual variability among children, which can skew research outcomes and assessments.

• Key Milestones in Development:

  • Walking as a critical developmental milestone includes stages such as lifting the head, rolling over, sitting up, crawling, standing, and finally walking.

  • Emphasizes the importance of acknowledging individual differences in developmental timelines and personal experiences.

Cultural Variations in Development

• Highlights how cross-cultural practices influence the development of motor and social skills:

  • Details various cultural approaches to infant care and its potential impact on physical development rates.

  • Provides specific examples of cultural influences:

    • Norwegian practices promoting outdoor napping for infant development.

    • Vietnamese methods of potty training and implications for early childhood independence.

    • Variations in eye contact and social interactions among the K.C. people in different cultural settings.

Educational Approaches and Testing Limitations

• Discusses the limitations of standardized testing based on cultural norms and actual child behavior.

• Stresses the importance of recognizing that observed child behaviors in structured testing environments may not accurately reflect their true developmental capabilities or motivations.

• Advocates for innovative research methodologies that better mirror children's natural motivations and behavioral expressions.

Cognition in Developmental Psychology

• Cognition refers to the mental processes involved in gaining knowledge and comprehension, including thinking, knowing, memory, and judgment.

• Jean Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development:

  • Piaget proposed that children move through four stages of cognitive development:

    1. Sensorimotor Stage (0-2 years):

       • Infants learn about the world through their senses and actions.

       • Example: object permanence: where children learn that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen.

    2. Preoperational Stage (2-7 years):

       • Children begin to engage in symbolic play and learn to manipulate symbols, but they don't yet understand concrete logic.

       • Example they may think that the amount of liquid changes if it's poured into a different shaped container, showing their lack of conservation understanding.

    3. Concrete Operational Stage (7-11 years):

       • Children gain a better understanding of mental operations and start to think logically about concrete events. They understand the concept of conservation and the perspective of others.

    4. Formal Operational Stage (12 years and up):

       • At this stage, individuals develop the ability to think abstractly, logically, and systematically. They can tackle hypothetical situations and use deductive reasoning.

• Schemas:

  • Schemas are mental frameworks or structures that help individuals organize and interpret information. They shape how we understand the world around us.

  • Types of Schemas:

    • Assimilation: This process involves incorporating new experiences into existing schemas. For example, a child who knows how to operate a toy car might understand a new remote-controlled car by relating it to their previous experiences with toys.

    • Accommodation: This occurs when new information causes an individual to modify their existing schemas or create new ones. For instance

Summary of Key Topics

• Contexts in Development: This section highlights that child development is significantly influenced by contextual factors, emphasizing the interdependence of nature and nurture, and the necessity of recognizing cultural differences, particularly in WEIRD populations.

• Skill Development and Measurement Challenges: It discusses the complexities of measuring child behavior in various environments and acknowledges individual differences that affect developmental outcomes, emphasizing major milestones like walking.

• Cultural Variations in Development: This part examines how different cultural practices shape motor and social skill development, featuring examples such as outdoor napping in Norway and early potty training methods in Vietnam, underlining variations in social interactions.

• Educational Approaches and Testing Limitations: It critiques standardized testing for not accurately reflecting children's true abilities due to cultural biases and advocates for research methodologies that address natural behavior.

• Cognition in Developmental Psychology: encompasses the mental processes involved in acquiring knowledge, as described by Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development, which includes four stages: Sensorimotor, Preoperational, Concrete Operational, and Formal Operational. Each stage highlights distinct cognitive abilities, such as understanding object permanence and conservation, and is characterized by children's evolving capacities for logical and abstract thinking. Additionally, the concept of schemas facilitates the organization of knowledge, with processes of assimilation and accommodation playing vital roles in how children integrate new experiences into their understanding of the world.