Unit – I

Nature and meaning of development – Heredity and Prenatal Development-Importance of prenatal period – hazards during prenatal period –genetic disorders –infancy-Physical Development-Cognitive Developmen-Social and Emotional Development-speech development-sex role typing –family relationships – personality development – hazards

Unit – II

Exceptional children, Definition –gifted children- mentally challenged –childhood disorders – Autism, Dyslexia, ADHD, ADD- Puberty – characteristics – body changes – effects of changes – unhappiness at puberty – hazards of puberty

Unit – III

Adolescence: Characteristics, physical changes. Emotionality, interests- sex interest and sex behaviour – secondary sex characteristics – family relationships – personality changes – hazards. Developmental tasks

Unit – IV

Adulthood. Characteristics of adulthood, physical, sensory, and psychomotor functioning, health in adulthood, changes in interest in adulthood, social mobility, sex role adjustment, personal and social hazards of adulthood, intellectual development, vocational adjustment, marital adjustment, adjustment to parenthood.

Unit- V

Social issues related to aging, relationship with siblings, friends, adult children; family management of elder care, adjustment to retirement, adjustment to single-hood, vocational and family hazards of old age, living arrangements for the elderly; Death: facing death;

Course Objectives:

1. Understand Nature –Nurture controversy in developmental psychology
2. Objectively interpret and understand human development
3. Comprehend the differences among various childhood disorders
4. Understand the importance of adolescence in one’s life span
5. Comprehend the care expected by old age.

Course Outcomes:

• COO1.To Solve the major issues, tasks and milestones of human development, such as physical, cognitive, social and emotional development throughout the lifespan.
• COO2. To apply and understand different childhood problems and becoming aware of pubertal changes and its impact
• COO3. To apply and realize that adolescence is the peak of rapid change both physically and emotionally
• COO4. To Evaluate how early childhood developmental tasks influence adulthood, marriage, parenthood and old age.
• COO5. To understand geriatric issues and to handle them effectively

Skills: To develop the knowledge in the normal development of an individual so that they can tap the area of focus for Counselling

1. Developmental psychology. A life span approach.5th edition. Elizabeth B.Hurlock. Tata McGraw Hill (1995)
2. Developmental Psychopathology. Weiner Charles. Mc Graw Hill 1994
3. Developmental Psychology. Shaffer, David R. (1993) IV Edition. Brooks / Cole
   Publishing Company
4. Counselling and Life Span Development. Thomas Murray Sage Pub.1990
5. Autism: Diagnosis and after. Mythily Chari IRIS 2004
6. Aging in Contemporary India. Biswas, S.K. (1987) Calcutta: The Indian Anthropological
   Society
7. Handbook of Psychology of Aging. Birren, J.E. & Schaie, W. (1996). New York:
   Academic Press