Discussion Thread: Developmental Psychology, Relational Developmental Systems Perspective, Erikson
This is a graded discussion: 100 points possible
As you engage with the material for Modules 1 and 2 (Lerner Ch 1-3), what issues come up for you? What are your thoughts and feelings about the topics? Share your perspectives on the material, and support your perspectives with material from the course and/or other scholarly materials. Some topics and questions to consider in writing the post are:
Based on the materials from Modules 1 and 2, what is developmental psychology (or developmental science)? What do developmental psychologists/scientists do? What is the benefit of developmental psychology/science? Why study developmental psychology/science? Which research methods are useful in studying development, and why?
Were there any topics in that were particularly interesting to you? If so, which ones, and why?
Was there anything that seemed surprising to you or different from what you previously thought? If so, what, and why? How was it different or surprising?
What did you learn from the chapter you read in the Handbook of Child Psychology and Developmental Science? Discuss some of the main points of the chapter.
Discuss your perspectives on the relational developmental systems perspective of development. How does it differ from more traditional theories of development?
Discuss the relevance of Erik Erikson’s theory to lifespan development.
Is developmental psychology an appropriate field for a Christian? Why or why not? How would you respond to someone who tells you the Bible is the only information a person needs about psychology and that its precepts conflict with those of developmental psychology? Are the Bible and developmental psychology compatible?
You are not limited to these questions and topics, and you do not need to answer all the questions or address all the topics posed above. They are suggested to provide a starting point for your thought processes. Share your own ideas that relate to the topics of the module, and pose questions of your own if you wish. First person is acceptable in the discussions.
Lerner, R. M. (2018). Concepts and Theories of Human Development (4th ed.). Routledge. ISBN: 9781848728318.
