SYLLABUS

DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY PAPER II

Unit I
Growth and decline. Meaning of developmental changes; Significant facts about development; The life
span; Recent focus of interest in life span; Happiness and unhappiness during the life span.
Stages of development. Principles of development; The prenatal period; Characteristics of the
prenatal period; Characteristics of infancy; Major adjustments of infancy; Hazards of infancy;
Babyhood; Characteristics of babyhood; developmental tasks; Psychological functions: muscle,
speech; Interest in play; Understanding morality; Sex-role typing; Family relationships.
Unit II
Early Childhood. Characteristics of early childhood; developmental tasks; physiological habits;
Improvements in speech; Emotions; Socialization; Play understanding; Sex-role typing.
Late childhood. Characteristics of late childhood; Developmental tasks; Physiological habits; Skills;
Emotions; Socialization; Play understanding; Sex-role typing; Family relationships; Personality;
Hazards and happiness in late childhood.
Unit III
Characteristics of Puberty. Criteria, causes, age, growth, spurt; Body changes at puberty; Effects of
puberty changes and deviant maturing; Sources of concern; Hazards and unhappiness at puberty.
Adolescence. The adolescent years; Characteristics of adolescence; Developmental tasks;
Emotionality; Social interests and morality changes during adolescence; Sex interests; Sex behavior
and approved sex roles; Family relationships; Personality changes and hazards of adolescence.
Unit IV
Early Adulthood. Personal and social adjustments; Characteristics of early adulthood; Developmental
tasks; Changes in interests; Social mobility; Sex-role adjustment; Personal and social hazards of early
adulthood; Vocational and family adjustments: vocational, marital, parenthood, single hood; Hazards
of adjustments.
Middle Age. Personal and social adjustment; Characteristics and developmental tasks; Adjustments to
physical changes; Assessment of adjustments to physical changes; Vocational and family
adjustments: adjustments to vocational, family patterns, single hood, loss of a spouse, approaching
retirement and old age; Vocational and marital hazards of middle age.
Unit V
Old Age. Personal and social adjustments; Characteristics and developmental tasks of old age;
Adjustment to physical changes; Motor abilities; Hazards to personal and social adjustments in old
age; Vocational and family adjustment: adjustments to vocational, retirement, family life, loss of a
spouse, remarriage, cohabitation, single hood in old age; Living arrangements for the elderly;
Geographic mobility; Vocational and family life; Hazards and assessment of adjustment to old age.
References
Hurlock, E. B. (1980). Developmental Psychology: A Life Span Approach. New Delhi: Tata McGrawHill.
Santrock, J. W. (1997). Life Span Development. Chicago: Brown Mark.