PSYC 332(S) Cognitive Development
In this course we consider how mental abilities, such as language, memory, thinking and imagination develop during the childhood years. We begin by asking how infants, who do not have language, make sense of their world and how language, once acquired, changes the way children understand their world. We study how children remember events, both every day and traumatic, and how memory relates to narratives about the self. We examine the development of thinking, reasoning, and imagination (e.g. pretend play, imaginary companions) and their intersection with related topics, such as children's ability to distinguish between fantasy and reality. Throughout these discussions, we consider the impact of biology (e.g. changes in the brain) and culture on cognition, as well as the similarities and differences in the cognitive abilities of normally-developing children and children with developmental problems (e.g., autism).
Format: seminar. Requirements: thought papers, midterm and final exam.
Prerequisites: Psychology 201 and Psychology 232 or permission of instructor. Enrollment limit: 19 (expected: 14). Preference to psychology majors.
Hour: KAVANAUGH