PSYC 319: Applied Developmental Psychology

Applications of theories and research in developmental psychology to contemporary social issues; topics may include daycare, child abuse, divorce and remarriage, substance abuse, sexuality.

Course Description

This course examines research in developmental psychology as it applies to real-world situations. We will examine societally important research, and discuss how it can inform parenting decisions, education, public policy, and help design interventions for improving children’s welfare. As this course is only a semester long, it would be impossible to cover in depth the entire field of applied developmental psychology. Instead, we will focus on topics that represent some of the most exciting and controversial areas of developmental psychology.

Learning Goals:

• Think critically about developmental psychology research and how it may be applied to real-world situations.
• Consider the advantages and disadvantages of the research methods commonly used in applied developmental psychology.
• Discuss and integrate research on societally important issues relevant to development.
• Translate psychological research into meaningful suggestions for parents/educators/policy-makers.
• Use the school’s library resources to search for and locate psychological research on a topic of interest.

Assignments & Projects

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