JYOTI NIVAS COLLEGE AUTONOMOUS

DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY
SYLLABUS FOR 2023-24 BATCH AND THEREAFTER
I SEMESTER
CORE PAPER 2: LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT I
Program: Integrated B.Sc-M.Sc in Psychology (Specialization in Clinical Psychology)

Number of Hours: 45 Credits: 3

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

● To understand basic concepts, theories, and issues/debates in the field of lifespan development.

● To appreciate the methods of studying human development.

● To view the role of gene and environment in human development.

● To impart knowledge about stages in prenatal development along with their influential factors.

● To comprehend human development from the perspective of different domains such as

physical, motor, cognitive, language and psychosocial.
● To have an insight into the Indian perspectives on human development.

● Apply developmental concepts to situation in everyday life.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

● Understand and appreciate basic concepts and issues/debates in the field of lifespan development

● Appreciate the methods of study in human development.

● View the role of gene and environment in human development.

● Divulge knowledge about stages in prenatal development along with their influential factors.

● Comprehendhumandevelopmentfromtheperspectiveofdifferentdomainssuchasphysical, motor,
cognitive, language and psychosocial.
● Have an insight into the Indian perspectives on human development

● Apply developmental concepts to situation in everyday life.

UNIT I: INTRODUCTION 9 Hours
a). Definition of Lifespan Development;
b). Aspects of Human Development: Physical, Cognitive, Psycho-Social and Language;
c). Issues in Human Development: Nature and Nurture, Goodness and Badness of Human Nature, Activity
and Passivity, Continuity and Discontinuity, Universality and Context Specificity;
d). Theoretical Perspectives: Erikson’s Psychosocial Development, Bandura’s Social Learning Theory,
Bronfenbrenner’s Bio-Ecological Theory;
e). Indian Perspectives on Human Development.

UNIT II: GENES, ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT 9 Hours

a). Conceiving a New Life-Fertilization;
b). Multiple Births;
c). Mechanisms of Heredity: Cell Division (Mitosis, Meiosis), Genetic Code, Sex Determination,
Patterns of Genetic Transmission: Dominant and Recessive Inheritance, Genotypes and Phenotypes;
d). Genetic Abnormalities: Genetic - Recessive (Sickle Cell Disease, Cystic Fibrosis, Phenylketonuria,
Tay Sachs Disease, Albinism), Autosomal (Huntington’s Disease, Tourette Syndrome, Achondroplasia)
& Sex- Linked (Fragile X Syndrome, Hemophilia, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy);
e). Chromosomal abnormalities: Autosomal (Trisomy13, Trisomy18), Sex-Linked (Turner Syndrome,
Klinefelter Syndrome).

UNIT III: PRENATAL AND PERINATAL DEVELOPMENT 9 Hours

a). Pre-natal Development -Meaning, Principles, Stages: Germinal, Embryonic and Fetal;
b). Environmental Influences on Pre-natal Development: General Factors - Malnutrition, Alcohol, Drugs,
Tobacco, Pollutants, Radiation, Maternal Factors - Mother’s Age, Gestational Diabetics, Hypertension,
Maternal Stress, Depression, Paternal Factors;
c). Prenatal Assessment: Amniocentesis, Chorionic Villus Sampling, Embryoscopy, Pre-implantation
Diagnosis, Maternal Blood Test, Umbilical Cord Blood Sampling, Ultrasound;
d). Birth and the Perinatal Environment: Stages of Birth, Assessing Neonates: APGAR Scale, NBAS.

UNIT IV: INFANCY 9 Hours

a). Physical Development: Early Reflexes: Moro, Grasping, Tonic neck, Babinsky, Rooting, Walking and
Swimming;
b). Motor Development: Milestones of Motor Development - Gross and Fine Motor Skills – Head
Control, Hand Control and Locomotion;
c). Language Development- Getting Ready to Talk, First Words, The Two-word Utterance Phase,
Individual and Cultural Differences, Supporting Early Language Development;
d). Emotional Development –Stranger Anxiety, Separation Anxiety, Social Referencing;
e). Psychosocial Development–Temperament, Infant Emotions, Forming Attachments, Mary Ainsworth
and the Strange Situation Technique.

UNIT V: CHILDHOOD 9 Hours

a). Motor Development/Skills: Gross Motor Skills, Fine Motor Skills and Handedness;
b). Cognitive Development: Piagetian Approach: Preoperational Stage and Concrete Operational Stage;
c). Language Development: Vocabulary, Grammar, Syntax, Pragmatics and Social Speech, Private
Speech, Communication Disorders: Fluency Disorders, Articulation Disorder and Voice Disorder;
d). Sociocultural Development – Vygotsky Sociocultural Theory, Self-Concept and Self-Esteem, Parent-
Child Attachments, Peer Networks, Peer Acceptance and Popularity, Friendships, Gender Typing and
Family Influence.

References
Primary References
1. Lally, M., & Valentine-French, S. (2017). Lifespan Development: A Psychological
Perspective. California: College of Lake County.
2. Papalia, D. E., Olds, S. W., Feldman ,R. D. (2014).Human Development. (13thEdn.) New Delhi:
Tata Mc-Graw Hill Publishing Company Ltd.
3. Sigelman, C. K. (2018). Life-Span Human Development.(9thEdn.) New York: Brooks
/Cole Publishing Company.
Additional Reading

1. Shaffer, D. R., Kipp, K. (2010). Developmental Psychology: Childhood and Adolescence. (8th Edn.).
Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
2. Feldman, R. S. & Babu, N. (2018). Development Across the Life-Span. (8th Ed). Pearson India
Education Services Pvt. Ltd
3. Gillibrand, R., Lam, V., & O’Donnell, V. L. (2016). Developmental Psychology. (2nd ed.).
Pearson Education.
4. Hurlock, E. (2017). Developmental Psychology: A Life-Span Approach. (5th ed.). McGraw-Hill
Education
5. Kail, R. V., & Cavanuagh, J.C. (2016). Human Development: A Life-Span View. (7th ed.).
Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
6. Laura, B. E. (2017). Development Through the LIFESPAN(7rd Edn). Pearson Education.
7. Zanden, V. (1997). Human Development. (6thEdn.). New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies ,Inc.
 JYOTI NIVAS COLLEGE AUTONOMOUS
DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY
SYLLABUS FOR 2023-24 BATCH AND THEREAFTER
II SEMESTER
CORE PAPER 2: LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT II
Program: Integrated B.Sc-M.Sc in Psychology (Specialization in Clinical Psychology)

Number of Hours: 45 Credits: 3

COURSE OBJECTIVES:
● To understand the salient features of physical, emotional, cognitive, moral and psychosocial
development with their psychological implications from adolescence through late adulthood.
● To appreciate theoretical views during adolescence and late adulthood.

● To help students find meaning and purpose in life and death and understand patterns of
grieving across the lifespan.
● To understand various religious practices after death.

● To summarize and evaluate research findings relevant to developmental psychology.

● To apply developmental concepts to situations occurring in everyday life.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
● Students will be able to understand the salient features of physical, emotional, cognitive,
moral and psychosocial development with their psychological implications from
adolescence through late adulthood.
● Students will be able to appreciate theoretical views during adolescence and late adulthood.

● Students will be able to find meaning and purpose in life and death and understand patterns
of grieving across the lifespan.
● Students will be able to comprehend various religious practices after death.

● Students will be able to summarize and evaluate research findings relevant to

developmental psychology.
● Students will be able to apply developmental concepts to situations occurring in everyday life.

UNIT I: PUBERTY & ADOLESCENCE 9 Hours

a) Puberty: Meaning, biological changes – growth spurt, primary and secondary sexual

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 characteristics, signs of sexual maturity, psychological implications, early versus late
development; Physical and mental health - nutrition and eating disorders, use and abuse of drugs:
risk factors of drug abuse, gateway drugs;
b) Cognitive development: Elkind’s immature characteristics of adolescent thought;
c) Moral development: Kohlberg’s theory of moral reasoning.
d) Psychosocial development: Marcia’s four identity statuses, parents and teens,peers, and
adolescent sexual activity.

UNIT II: EMERGING ADULTHOOD AND YOUNG ADULTHOOD 9 Hours

a) Emerging adulthood – meaning, characteristics, cultural variations.
b) Young adulthood: Physical changes: cardiovascular and respiratory systems, motor performance,
immune system, reproductive capacity; Obesity; Alcohol abuse;
c) Psycho-social development: Factors influencing attraction; Gender identity, gender roles and
transgender; Sexual orientation – meaning, continuum, variations, development, discrimination;
Adult lifestyles – singlehood, hooking up, cohabitation, gay and lesbian relationships, friendships,
marriage, parenthood; Online dating and implications;
d) Career development and employment: Stages of career development, NEETs, gender and career.

UNIT III: MIDDLE ADULTHOOD 9 Hours

a) Physical changes: Sensory and psychomotor functioning, sexuality and reproductive functioning -
menopause and its meanings, changes in male sexuality, women’s health after menopause;
b) Cognitive development: The distinctiveness of adult cognition: the role of expertise, integrative
thought, practical problem solving, creativity - creativity and intelligence, creativity and age;
c) Psycho-social changes: Gender roles - masculinity, femininity and androgyny, midlife divorce,
midlife crisis, empty nest syndrome, relationships with maturing children, parenting grown
children, the cluttered nest, becoming grandparents; Religion and spirituality;
d) Work in midlife: Challenges – stress, burnout, work-life balance, glass ceiling.

UNIT IV: LATE ADULTHOOD 9 Hours

a) Physical changes: Body changes, skin and hair, height and weight;
b) Sensory and psychomotor functioning: vision, hearing, taste and smell, touch, pain;
c) Cognitive changes: Memory, language processing, problem-solving, wisdom, factors related to
cognitive change, lifelong learning;
d) Psychosocial changes: Personal relationships in late life - social contact, relationships and health,
multigenerational family, non-marital kinship ties - relationships with adult children or their
absence, relationship with siblings;
e) Work and retirement: Transitioning into retirement, retirement age changes, delayed retirement,
stages, post-retirement care.

UNIT V: THE END OF LIFE 9 Hours

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a) Primary and secondary ageing; Theories of ageing: Evolutionary theory, cellular clock theory,
damage theories (DNA, mitochondrial, free radicals), immune and hormonal stress theories;
Aspects of death – biological and social;
b) Care of the dying: Curative, palliative, hospice;
c) The experience of dying: Kubler-Ross’s stages of dying
d) Right to die: Medical, legal, and ethical issues - suicide and euthanasia; Types of euthanasia and
assisted suicide;
e) Patterns of grieving death and bereavement across the lifespan;
f) Finding meaning and purpose in life and death;
g) Religious practices after death: Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, Sikhism, and Christianity.

References
1. Lally, M., & Valentine-French, S. (2017). Lifespan Development: A Psychological Perspective.
California: College of Lake County.
2. Papalia, D.E., Olds, S.W., &Feldman, R.D.(2004). Human Development. (9th Edn.) New Delhi:
Tata Mc-Graw Hill Publishing Company Ltd.
3. Sigelman, C. K. & Rider, E. A. (2018). Life-Span Human Development. (9thEdn.). Cengage
Learning.
4. Sigelman,C.K. (1999). Life-Span Human Development. (3rd Edn.) New York: Brooks/Cole
Publishing Company.
5. Shaffer, D.R., Kipp, K. (2010). Developmental Psychology: Childhood and Adolescence.
(8thEdn.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
6. Shaffer, D.R. (1996). Developmental Psychology. New York: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company.
7. Zanden, Vander. (1997). Human Development. (6thEdn.) New York: The McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc.