Lifespan Growth & Development
Ranger College & Breckenridge High School
Welcome to Dual Credit Lifespan Growth & Development - PSYC2314
Spring Semester 2024
Developmental psychology is a scientific approach which aims to explain growth, change, and consistency through the lifespan. Developmental psychology looks at how thinking, feeling, and behavior change throughout a person’s life. That definition comes from this excellent website.
On Monday, 01/15/24, we will initiate our womb-to-tomb journey, beginning, of course, with early childhood. We will also walk through the course expectations at that time. Since all of you were in the General Psychology class last semester, you already know how we academically operate. I am exceedingly proud of your efforts last semester as well as your overall interest in learning. I'm excited this semester. Again, thank you for your hard work during the fall semester!
Calvin Best, BED & MA
calvin.best@breckenridgeisd.org
BHS Classroom Phone: 254-212-4730 EXT 1102
Unit #1: Early Childhood Development
Unit Begins Monday, 01/15/24 & Runs about Three Weeks
Unit Exam Prompt & Requirements - Issued 01/15/24
SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT - 01/18/24 - Please read these two essays concerning the history of childhood and be ready to discuss them on Monday, 01/22/24. Our quiz for today will happen on Monday IF I AM NOT IN CLASS TODAY. I may be in a meeting next door in the conference room during class, and I might not be. Please turn in your exams as planned. Thank you and I apologize for any confusion. ESSAY #1 (You Can Skip the First One) ESSAY #2 (Use This One, Please)
Unit Description: What is Early Childhood Development?
Overview from The World Health Organization: Early childhood development (ECD) encompasses physical, socio-emotional, cognitive and motor development between 0-8 years of age. Neuro-scientific evidence is rapidly evolving and in 2016, updated evidence became available on the burden of children at risk of sub-optimal development, effective interventions, affordability of their delivery, and the cost of inaction.
The early years are critical, because this is the period in life when the brain develops most rapidly and has a high capacity for change, and the foundation is laid for health and well being throughout life. Nurturing care – defined as care that is provided in a stable environment, that is sensitive to children’s health and nutritional needs, with protection from threats, opportunities for early learning, and interactions that are responsive, emotionally supportive and developmentally stimulating – is at the heart of children’s potential to develop.
Supplemental Reading for Quizzes
Tuesday, 01/16/24 - Pages 4-6 Up to (but not including) Concept 3
Monday, 01/22/24 - Pages 6-7 Quiz Is Only over Concept 3
Tuesday, 01/23/24 - Pages 7-9 for Only Concepts 4&5
Wednesday, 01/24/24 - Pages 9-11 for Only Concept 6
Thursday, 01/23/24 - Pages 12 thru End for only Concept 7 & Concluding Thoughts
Supplemental Resources
PDF Article over the Abecedarian Project
Road Map of Theories of Childhood Development
Overview: History of Childhood
Cultural-Anthropological Narrative of Childhood
Main Presentation over Behaviorism
Main Presentation on Erik Erikson
John Piaget Website - Overview of Cognitive Development
Piaget vs. Erikson Compare & Contrast
Supplemental Reading for Piaget - Quiz over Entire Brief Essay Thursday, 02/01/24
Understanding the Behaviorist School
Unit #2: Applied Abnormal Psychology - Serial Killers, Cult Leaders, & Terrorists
Unit Duration: Begins Monday, 02/07/24
FINAL EXAM PROMPT & REQUIREMENTS
Overview & Learning Objectives: In this unit of instruction, we engage in the “application” of our prior unit concerning the theoretical aspects of psychopathy and deviance, focusing on serial killers, cult leaders (and the bizarrely obedient thinking of cult followers), and terrorist organizations (and their members). All three share things in common, but they also differ in several respects. For instance, a terrorist typically kills numerous people whom he or she does not know in any way, and the same can often be said about many serial killers. A terrorist, on the other hand, typically murders in the name of a religious ideology (often with the high risk of his or her own sacrificial death) whereas a serial killer murders people for typically non-ideological reasons and with no intention of sacrificing himself or herself in the process. A cult leader, by comparison, typically does not kill his “subjects'' as much as he skillfully manipulates them into blinded allegiance to his will. This latter condition can correspond to features associated with a charismatic leader of a terrorist organization -- someone such as Osama Bin Laden -- who recruits and then radicalizes his new conscripts, and then the subjects do the killing for the leader but are manipulated into believing that their actions are an essential part of a much "greater good" and that a heavenly reward awaits them in paradise.
We will investigate several cases and topics in this realm in order to apply key concepts from clinical and developmental psychology as well as psychopathy, studying initially several infamous serial killers such as BTK, Ted Bundy, Ed Gein, and others, focusing on their psychological profiles. We will also examine cult leaders such as David Koresh and Jim Jones. We will conclude our investigation with terrorism, as mentioned above. This should prove to be a truly interesting unit!
SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT FOR TUESDAY, 02/27/24
Please Read This Article and be Prepared for a Quiz on Wednesday, 02/28/24
Please read this essay: Dennis Rader Quiz/Test for Tuesday, 02/13/24
Google Doc Quiz/Test Completed "During" Class
Special Reading Assignment about John Wayne Gacey TBA
Serial Murderer Assignment TBA
Serial Murderer Assignment #2 ◦ DENNIS RADER
Serial Murderer Assignment #3 ◦ JOHN WAYNE GACY
Serial Murderer Assignment #4 ◦ ED GEIN
Serial Killer Information
The Deveopment of Serial Killers
Understanding Forensic Science
READING ASSIGNMENTS FOR JIM JONES
TBA - Pages 7-10.5 (Stop at Historiography of Peoples Temple)
TBA - Bottom of Page 15-19
TBA - Pages 20-22
JIM JONES ANALYSIS & ESSAY PROMPT - ISSUED Thursday, 03/07/24
Helpful Psychological Profile Video - Timeline Information
Resources
Serial Killer Basics from a Law Enforcement/Psychological Perspective
Jim Jones Biographical Documentary on YouTube
Jim Jones SlideShare Presentation
Extensive Website about Jonestown
Ten Things to Know about Cults
Comprehensive Overview of Cults
Comprehensive Video over Cult Characteristics
Connection between Cults & Terrorism
Use This Online Slide Share Resource Called Cults 101
Understanding Cults Supplemental Reading
Davis Koresh & Branch Davidians
Brief Online Essay about Common Characteristics of Cult Leaders
Challenges of Adolescence
Essay Exam Prompt & Requirements
This unit builds upon previous ones; therefore, you will see several similar ideas. We will take a good look at adolescent development and the types of challenges that young people face while in that age range.
Due Monday, 04/03/23 · Pages 7-10
Due Tuesday, 04/04/23 · Pages 11-13
Due Wednesday, 04/05/23 · Pages 14-15
Due Tuesday, 04/10/23 · Pages 16-18
Multiple Intelligence Theory - Moving Beyond the IQ Mindset
Emotional Intelligence Online Test
Additional Online Emotional IQ Test
Cynthia Rylant's Checkouts - Late Adolescence Crush Effect
Unit #4 - Young Adulthood: Choices & Transistions
Essay Exam Prompt & Requirements: Short Answer Questions
Having worked through childhood into and through the late teen years, we now examine a period of life characterized by choices and transitions: what to do with one's life after high school? It's not always easy to know, and "developmental" factors play a key role alongside the usual suspects: temperament, upbringing, key relationships, resources, physiology, aptitudes, and inclinations. Let's take a good look at this critical time of life, keeping in mind that you all are now entering this transitional period that is increasingly being referred to as "Emgerging Adulthood."
Emerging Adulthood Artilce for Supplemental Reading
Quiz over Pages 469-471 - Wednesday, 03/24/21
Quiz over Pages 472-474 - Thursday, 03/25/21
Quiz over Pages 475-477 - Friday. 03/26/21
Qiouz over Pages 478 thru End - Monday, 03/29/21
Resources
Early Adulthood Presentation #2
Unit #3: Criminal Psychology & Psychopathy - Part I
Note: On Monday after Spring Break, 03/22/21, we will utilize class time to finalize the exam requirements over this unit, which will center upon the role od deviance in criminal psychology. We will likely need to do this on Tuesday as well. Here are two excellent overviews that we will utilize:
Two years ago, we asked the students what "other" topics they might like to study since we had made it through several of the main areas of General Psychology. I was interested to see how we might "apply" what we had studied, especially topics from Clinical Psychology; namely, personality disorders. They chose the criminal mind. That ended uo becomming an excellent, effective way to extend what we had previously learned into reality -- both for students and for the teacher. This unit is actually part one of a two part unit. Part one is more about theory whereas part two is much more about application.
Supplemental Reading Quiz - Tuesday, 02/23/21 - Pages 1-3 - On the Brain
Supplemental Reading Quiz - Wednesday, 02/24/21 - Pages 4-7 - On the Brain
Psychological Factors Underlying Criminal Behavior
Supplemental Reading Quiz - Monday, 03/01/21 - Pages 458-460
Supplemental Reading Quiz - Tuesday, 03/02/21 - Pages 463-465
Genetic Factors in Criminal Behavior
Supplemental Reading Quiz - Wedneday, 03/03/21 - Pages 24-26
We will read and watch "The Chaser," as this disturbing tale takes us on a tour of disassociation that will inform us as to how some criminal minds work. In that spirit, we will also read and watch an excellent adaptation of "The Tell Tale Heart," one of the best stories ever written about mental compartmentalization and perseveration. Edgar Allan Poe was clearly a genius in this macabre genre of literature. Another excellent story that sheds lights on compartmentalization but with a Fruedian type of anger displacement is Ray Bradbury's "All Summer in a Day," which we will read in class as well as watch the video.
On a lighter but related note relative to what we've been studying, we will read The Secret Life of Walter MItty. Just click that title at left for the PDF, online file. This story deals with something much less serious than a personality disorder and definitely less intense than psychopathy. This story really concerns what a modern psychologist might call neurosis or self-misunderstanding. I think you will find Walter Mitty's flights of fancy interesting and informative, but I think you will also see that a "break" with reality could go in a negative or positive direction. I think that when we are dealing with psychopathy, which is the centerpiece of a good bit of criminal psychology, we need to understand that a "psychotic" break with reality can turn (with lots of help) into something positive rather than always into deviant behavior that is criminal in nature.
Unit #6: ESP, Body Language, & One's Sixth Sense
Duration: Wednesday, 03/27/19 thru Friday, 04/05/19
Unit #5: Traveling through Adulthood, Part 2
We've recently worked on a unit where we examined several of the challenges associated with early adulthood and systems of morality. In this unit, we will examine intuition as a key aspect of perception alongside an examination of facts versus opinions versus values.
Exam Essay Prompt - Issued Tuesday, 02/26/19
Resources:
Unit #4: Traveling through Adulthood, Part 1
Duration: Thursday, 02/14/19 thru Monday, 03/04/19
Reading Quiz for Tuesday, 02/26/19 over B. Cultural Relativism; C. Ethical Non-Realism; &, D. Ethical Non-Cognition
Reading Quiz for Wednesday, 02/27/19 over Descriptive Relativism & Cultural Relativism