Cursos / 1º Ciclo / Institute of Psychology and Educational Sciences :: Psychology

PSICOLOGIA DO DESENVOLVIMENTO DA CRIANÇA E DO ADOLESCENTE - 2025/2026

1º curricular year
Semestralidade: 1st semester
ECTS: 6

Teachers

Leading Teacher: Prof. Doutora Mariana Sousa
Assistant Professor: Prof. Doutora Mariana Sousa

Class type and School hours

Orientação Tutorial : 1 Horas
Teórico-prática : 2 Horas

Teaching Language

Portuguese

Main Aims/Objectives

To know the object of study, goals, scope and strucural methodologies in Developmental Psychology
To understand and debate the main models and theories on human development
To know the main developmental milestones and tasks of childhood and adolescence

Specific Aims/Objectives

To identify the object of study, objectives, scope, and strucural methodologies Developmental Psychology
To understand and debate the assumptions of the main models and theories on human development
To know the main milestones and developmental tasks of childhood and adolescence
To mobilize models and theories on human development to understand developmental processes in childhood and adolescence

Skills to be acquired

To convene knowledge allowing for:
- identifying the object, objectives, scope and strucural methodologies in Developmental Psychology
- understanding and debating the main developmental milestones and tasks in childhood and adolescence
- mobilizing models and theories on human development to understand the developmental processes in childhood and adolescence

Teaching Procedures

- Exposition
- Discussion in large group
- Analysis and discussion of papers
- Analysis and discussion of videos illustrating the programmatic contents
- Supervision of the group work

Programme

1. Developmental Psychology
1.1. Object, goals and scope
1.2. The concept of development
1.3. From Psychology based on the theories of developmental stages to the contextual and ecological approaches focused on the vital cycle
1.4. Methodologies more frequently used in Developmental Psychology
2. Development in childhood
2.1. The perinatal period: genetic and perinatal factors
2.2. Birth and postpartum
2.3. Child´s social and emotional development:
2.3.1. Attachment theory
2.3.2. Main acquisitions in the emotional domain
2.3.3. Main acquisitions in the social domain
2.4. The child´s cognitive development
2.4.1. J. Piaget´s theory of cognitive development
2.4.2. L. Vygotsky´s sociocultural development theory
3. Development in adolescence
3.1. The concept of adolescence
3.2. Pubertal changes and their Implications for different dimensions of development
3.3. Main developmental milestones in adolescence
3.4.The process of identity construction: E. Erickson´s psychosocial development theory

Evaluation Type

Continuous Assessment
- Attendance (i.e., it is mandatory to attend at least 70% of the classes)
- Two written tests carried out during the semester
- A group project, to be presented orally, in tutorial guidance sessions

Summative Assessment
- A mid-term exam at the end of the semester, or
- A final exam at the end of the academic year.

Teaching Resources

Computer, projector, chart , scientific articles

Sustainability Objectives

Keywords

development, children, adolescent, models and theories on childhood and adolescence development

Main Bibliography

Complementary Bibliography