Unit information: Developmental Psychology and Language in 2017/18

Unit name	Developmental Psychology and Language
Unit code	PSYC20003
Credit points	20
Level of study	I/5
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2C (weeks 13 - 18)
Unit director	Professor. Davis
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School of Psychological Science
Faculty	Faculty of Life Sciences

Description including Unit Aims

This unit develops your knowledge of developmental psychology and language, and the experimental approach to studying human behaviour during early childhood and interpreting the research from a cognitive neuroscience perspective. It also focuses on the development of linguistic abilities from early infancy to adulthood, paying particular attention to the biological foundations of language, its evolutionary origins and underlying brain mechanisms.

The aims of this unit are to build on Year 1 Developmental Psychology and the methodological approaches used in the study of developmental psychology and the psychology of language, and the application of these to particular areas such as critical period, cognitive development, early memory, speech recognition, and reading.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, a student will be able to:

1. Describe the topic and methodological approaches to the study of developmental psychology and psychology of language.
2. Explain the application of these approaches to the study of specific areas of psychological science.
3. Identify these methodologies in other areas of psychological science.
4. Appraise the conceptual and historical issues in the subject matter of this unit and their relationship with other areas of psychological science.
5. Demonstrate the skills necessary to stage a seminar-based presentation.

Teaching Information

Lectures, revision session, and seminars (presenting at one of the seminars).

Assessment Information

One 1600-word essay (20%); one oral presentation (20%) and one 2-hour written exam (60%).

Reading and References

Essential:

Gathercole, S. E. & Baddeley, A. D. (1993). Working memory and language. Hove: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Goswami, U. (2002). Blackwell handbook of childhood cognitive development. Oxford: Blackwell.

Harley, T. A. (2008). The psychology of language: From data to theory (3^rd ed.). Hove: Psychology Press.

Jackendoff, R. S. (2002). Foundations of language: Brain, meaning, grammar, evolution. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Johnson, M. H. (1997). Developmental cognitive neuroscience. Oxford: Blackwell.

Recommended and further reading will be made available through Blackboard.