CPSY5303

What are the roots of becoming who we are, as individuals in society? What roles do others—parents, siblings, peers, teachers, and communities—play in the socialization of an individual, and how stable are the forces and outcomes of these influences? This course focuses on social development throughout the human lifespan, with an emphasis on how biology, culture, and relationships influence that development. Throughout this course, we will discuss how knowledge about social development can inform our interpretation of social issues and guide our reaction to them, in terms of behaviors, practices, and public policy. Among the many possible applications of social development, we focus in particular (but not exclusively) on positive psychology, widespread social problems such as poverty and social disparities, and prevention science. We emphasize individual differences in social development, and attend to the interplay between social development and cognition, learning, and biological development.

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