Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Psychology School
This introduction to lifespan developmental psychology focuses on key issues in development and ageing, including early social development, the role of early input in language acquisition, attachment and intimate relationships, child-rearing, moral reasoning, memory and problem-solving. A cross-cultural focus is adopted wherever possible.
This course provides an introduction to lifespan developmental psychology, emphasising recent theory and research. It is not possible to cover all aspects of human lifespan development within any one course, and so lectures will feature key issues, sometimes focusing on some age ranges more than others, but using examples from other ages. Throughout, the course will emphasise developmental psychology as a research discipline. Students will learn to understand and think critically about theoretical issues and empirical research and to communicate this understanding.
EXPECTATIONS
A typical week in PSYC2030 will consist of a 2-hour lecture (RECORDED) and a 2-hour tutorial (NOT RECORDED), both of which will be delivered in person. All information presented in lectures and tutorials are assessable, and students are expected to be available to attend and engage with lectures and tutorials each week.
Tutorials will not be recorded, as they are designed to be interactive. A significant portion of the tutorial hours will be dedicated to group work. Therefore, you will need to be present in class for the duration of each tutorial, and we expect that you will engage with your classmates and tutors. Given that tutorials are not recorded, information presented in tutorials will only be available through attending the tutorial sessions. You must sign on to a tutorial session using the standard UQ signon procedure via Allocate+.
You will need to spend between 6 to 10 hours per week engaging with the lectures and tutorials, completing relevant readings for tutorials, and preparing for and completing assessments for this course. Theﾠactivities and assessments are designed to build on your learning throughout the semester.ﾠThere is no final exam, so you cannot delay your study until the end of the semester.
Course requirements
Assumed background
Students are strongly advised not to undertake PSYC2030 unless they have completed PSYC1030. PSYC2030 assumes a basic knowledge of developmental topics covered in PSYC1030, as well as familiarity with searching for research articles and writing research papers. Students who disregard this warning may find some of the material difficult, and will not be given special help to compensate.
Recommended prerequisites
We recommend completing the following courses before enrolling in this one:
PSYC1020 or PSYC1030
Companion or co-requisite courses
You'll need to complete the following courses at the same time:
PSYC1040, if not taken in first year
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Guest lecturer
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Aims and outcomes
(1) To acquaint students with the basic concepts, theories, and research methods in lifespan developmental psychology, highlighting links between developmental processes in childhood and later life and development in socio-cultural context.
(2) To provide opportunities for students to develop an understanding of research methods used in developmental psychology and an awareness of ethical considerations when conducting research.
(3) To provide opportunities for students to develop written and oral communication skills.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
demonstrate familiarity with key concepts, theories, and research methods in lifespan developmental psychology
LO2.
describe links between developmental processes in childhood and later life and development in socio-cultural context
LO3.
demonstrate an understanding of research methods used in developmental psychology
LO4.
demonstrate the fundamentals of critical thinking in psychology.
LO5.
demonstrate further development of written and oral communication skills
LO6.
demonstrate an awareness of ethical considerations when conducting psychological research
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quiz | Online knowledge acquisition tests | 55% |
12/03/2025 12:00 pm 2/04/2025 12:00 pm 30/04/2025 12:00 pm 28/05/2025 12:00 pm
In each week of the test, you will be able to log into Blackboard to access the test between 12PM noon on Tuesday and 12PM noon on Wednesday. Once you open the test on Blackboard, you will have 60 minutes to complete the test. Please note that each test will only be available for 24 hours. Tests must be submitted BEFORE Wednesday 12PM sharp (noon 12:00.00) in each week of the test. |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Pamphlet | 15% |
9/04/2025 3:00 pm |
| Essay/ Critique | Gender Development in Early Childhood | 30% |
14/05/2025 3:00 pm |
Assessment details
Online knowledge acquisition tests
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Quiz
- Weight
- 55%
- Due date
12/03/2025 12:00 pm
2/04/2025 12:00 pm
30/04/2025 12:00 pm
28/05/2025 12:00 pm
In each week of the test, you will be able to log into Blackboard to access the test between 12PM noon on Tuesday and 12PM noon on Wednesday. Once you open the test on Blackboard, you will have 60 minutes to complete the test. Please note that each test will only be available for 24 hours. Tests must be submitted BEFORE Wednesday 12PM sharp (noon 12:00.00) in each week of the test.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06
Task description
Format
There are 4 tests throughout the semester. Access to the tests is via Blackboard at any computer that has internet access. The tests are timed and you have 60 minutes to complete each test. Once you begin the test, the timer will begin to count down and after 60 minutes, the test will submit automatically unless you submit it prior to it timing out. If you leave the page during the test or your internet connection drops, you will be able to log into the test again; however, the timer will not stop. You will not be able to restart.
Content
The tests for this course are held in lieu of a final exam. For this reason, the tests will include a mixture of multiple choice and short answer questions that are of exam-level complexity. Each test will primarily assess your grasp of the lecture and tutorial material (including prep readings + activities), but content from other course resources (e.g., ECP, Blackboard information) are also assessable. Further instructions and details will be provided in the lectures, tutorials, and on the Blackboard site.
Submission guidelines
Once you open the test on Blackboard, you will have 60 minutes to complete the test. Tests must be submitted BEFORE Wednesday 12PM sharp (noon 12:00.00) in each week of the test.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
For full details please review the School of Psychology Student Guidelines - Extensions and Deferred quiz/exam.
Pamphlet
- Mode
- Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia, Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 15%
- Due date
9/04/2025 3:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05
Task description
For this piece of assessment, you will design a pamphlet that concisely presents a piece of developmental research that is targeted at parents. You must choose something that is covered in lectures and you cannot select a study on gender development as this is the focus of your essay. You will receive tutorial content on: 1) how to effectively summarise empirical evidence; 2) how to present empirical research in a pamphlet format; and 3) what content is expected. The purpose of this piece of assessment is to allow you to demonstrate your ability to summarise and communicate empirical evidence in an accessible way to a non-academic audience.
Submission guidelines
Electronically through Blackboard.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 14 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
For full details please review the School of Psychology Student Guidelines - Extensions and Deferred quiz/exam.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item will be applied for every day or part thereof past the submission deadline, including weekends and public holiday. Assignments submitted more than 7 calendar days after the submission deadline, without an approved extension, will receive 0%. Assignments will not be accepted for marking after results have been released to the rest of the class.
Gender Development in Early Childhood
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
14/05/2025 3:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06
Task description
Topic: While gender is often thought of as a topic reserved for adolescence or adulthood, research asserts that a child's gender identity may develop within the first two years of life. As social and academic conversations about gender continue to move beyond the binary, many developmental scientists are confronted with the fact that theories of gender development often present divergent or competing explanations of how, when and why gender develops. Regardless, parents, educators, and health professionals alike want to ensure informed, inclusive and safe developmental spaces are afforded to all children, regardless of their gender. You are contacted by Australian Psychologist and asked to write an essay that presents two theories of gender development. You can choose any two relevant theories of gender development to present. However, regardless of the theories chosen, you must rely on empirical evidence to support the theory's practical application and draw a conclusion on which of the two theories best explains gender development.
Description: The purpose of this piece of assessment is to allow you to demonstrate your ability to explain a theory, find relevant empirical research, critically evaluate evidence and formulate a convincing argument. You will have already had lecture and tutorial content related to gender development. In this essay, you must introduce two academic perspectives that are based on research. You will then incorporate additional studies to support the arguments of each side. Finally, you will discuss your own conclusion about whether you consider the theoretical perspectives to be adequately supported by the evidence.
The essay is to be written in APA format with a word length of 2000 words excluding references. You must include a title and a reference list with all (and only) cited references noted. No abstract is required. Although this assessment piece will be discussed in general terms in your practical classes, the essay assesses your ability to work independently. Thus, you should use your library skills to locate relevant material independently. There are many different approaches possible and you will need to research some possible angles and then narrow your focus. Studies that are mentioned in the lecture on Gender Development will be a good starting point, but keep in mind that you cannot use the articles provided as starter readings on Blackboard as your main research articles. To ensure that you do not go overboard with reading, you must limit your reference list to a maximum of 10-12 references. It is better to have a thorough discussion of a few major issues than to include too many different issues and end up with a superficial discussion. Your understanding, critical thinking, and ability to communicate key issues will be assessed, as well as your integration of the literature. General essay marking criteria and guidelines are provided. The guidelines will be discussed extensively in several of your tutorials.
Submission guidelines
Essay to be submitted electronically via TurnItIn (through Blackboard). NOTE: You will no longer receive an automatic submission receipt from Turnitin confirming your assignment has been received. You should download a copy of the digital receipt from the Assignment Dashboard and keep this as a record.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 14 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
For full details please review the School of Psychology Student Guidelines - Extensions and Deferred quiz/exam.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item will be applied for every day or part thereof past the submission deadline, including weekends and public holiday. Assignments submitted more than 7 calendar days after the submission deadline, without an approved extension, will receive 0%. Assignments will not be accepted for marking after results have been released to the rest of the class.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 29.99 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 30 - 46.99 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 47 - 49.99 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64.99 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74.99 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84.99 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Appealing Assignment Marks
If you are unhappy with your mark for the written assessmentﾠin the course, or would like more feedback, you must correspond withﾠyour tutor first. We askﾠthat you take your assignment away for at least 48 hours andﾠread the comments carefully before you contact your tutor.
If you still feel that there are points of contention after taking the time to reflect on your work in light of your tutor's comments, we ask that you write an email to your tutor specifying (i) the specific marking criteria you are unsure about; and (ii) your justification for why you believe your mark for the criteria should be re-evaluated. Tutors will NOT respond to queries that do not address these points.
If you are unable to resolve your queries via written correspondence with your tutor, you can then apply for yourﾠassignment to be remarked. Please note that, as part of your application for remark, you will be required to attach a copy of the written correspondence with your tutor. Applications without evidence for written correspondence with your tutor will not be accepted. Please consult my.UQ Websiteﾠfor information on how to apply for a remark (UQ Policy and Procedures Library (PPL) - Assessment Procedure, Section 3 Part G atﾠAssessment Procedure / Document / Policy and Procedure Library (uq.edu.au).ﾠAlso note that this remark is final and your mark (and possibly your grade for the course) can go up or down.
Academic Integrity
Written assessment in the course will be electronically screened for potential academic misconduct (e.g., plagiarism, collusion) using TurnitIn. Any assignments that are flagged by TurnitIn to have substantial overlap in content with other sources will then be manually examined by the course coordinator and the course tutor(s). If the nature of overlap is deemed to be of valid concern by course staff, then your assignment, along with the TurnitIn report and any other relevant documentation (e.g., overlapping sources) will be sent to the UQ School of Psychology's Academic Integrity Officer to be formally investigatedﾠfor academic misconduct. You will not receive any marks for the criteria (based on the marking rubric) whichﾠcontainﾠwork concluded as non-original. Further penalties may apply depending on the nature of the case. All students will be required to submit an originality statement along with their written assignment--more information on this will be provided on Blackboard and in the tutorials.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Do I have to sign on for a tutorial?
Yes, you need to sign on to a tutorial via Allocate+. You must attend the same tutorial session you are signed on for each week.ﾠThe tutor who runs the tutorial you sign on for is the person who will be marking your written assessment, so you want to get instruction directly from that person.
Should I really attend all my tutorials?
Yes! They are vital to your final result and will contain information that is separate toﾠtheﾠlectures. It’s particularly important that you attend the tutorials as the content is designed to help you prepare for the assessments in this course (i.e., quizzes, written assessment). Tutorial sessions will not be recorded, given that much of the learning will take place via engagement in in-class activities and group discussions. If you want to do well in the course, you should attend all tutorials and engage.
I can’t make it to my usual tute this week.ﾠWhat can I do?
If you have a legitimate reason, you may sit in on another tutorial in the same week. You will need to contact the PSYC2030 lead tutor to arrange for and receive the details for an alternative tutorial session that suits you that week.
How do I contact my tutor? Can I have their email address?
Tutors don’t have weekly consultation times outside of tutorials. You can find their email addresses on Blackboard -> Course Staff Contacts, however, you should endeavour to raise issues in class or directly afterwards. You can also use the Discussion Forum on Blackboardﾠto raise questions about course content and to communicate your queries to your tutor and other students in your tutorial.
I received an overall failing grade of 3 in this course. What can I do?
You may be eligible to sit a supplementary exam.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (24 Feb - 02 Mar) |
Lecture |
Orientation/Studying Development Over the Lifespan Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L06 |
Week 2 (03 Mar - 09 Mar) |
Lecture |
Methods of Lifespan Development Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L06 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L06 |
|
Week 3 (10 Mar - 16 Mar) |
Lecture |
Gender Development Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L06 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L06 |
|
Week 4 (17 Mar - 23 Mar) |
Lecture |
Development and Screen Media Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L06 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L06 |
|
Week 5 (24 Mar - 30 Mar) |
Lecture |
Development of Past and Future Thinking Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L06 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L06 |
|
Week 6 (31 Mar - 06 Apr) |
Lecture |
Development and Supernatural Belief Systems Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L06 |
|
Week 7 (07 Apr - 13 Apr) |
Lecture |
Language Development Learning outcomes: L01, L03 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L06 |
|
Week 8 (14 Apr - 20 Apr) |
Lecture |
Emotional Development and Attachment Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L06 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L05 |
|
Mid-sem break (21 Apr - 27 Apr) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Mid-semester Break |
Week 9 (28 Apr - 04 May) |
Lecture |
Pretend play, Theory of Mind and Autism Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
|
Week 10 (05 May - 11 May) |
Lecture |
Prenatal Development Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L06 |
Week 11 (12 May - 18 May) |
Lecture |
Development and Cognition Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L06 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L05 |
|
Week 12 (19 May - 25 May) |
Lecture |
Development in a Cross-Cultural Context Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L06 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.
School guidelines
Your school has additional guidelines you'll need to follow for this course: