Description: UNIT 1. Conception to Birth 1. The End of Nature Versus Nurture, Frans B. M. de Waal, Scientific American , December 1999 This famed scholar explores the nature-nurture debate, and argues that the two interact to shape human development and behavior. Different psychological theories and historical influences are discussed, as is the authors prediction that evolutionary psychology will itself evolve to take better account of cultural influences. 2. Making Time for a Baby, Nancy Gibbs, Time , April 15, 2002 Advances in fertility technology are giving couples the chance to have children at later ages. Nancy Gibbs discusses the increased risk of problems such as miscarriage and chromosomal abnormalities of late-in-life babies. 3. The Mystery of Fetal Life: Secrets of the Womb, John Pekkanen, Current , September 2001 John Pekkanen describes the many potential threats to the fetuss well-being, including the mothers diet, drug use, caffeine, and environmental hazards. The fetuss ability to learn and remember is impressive, but the author argues that parents can risk overstimulating the fetus. UNIT 2. Cognition, Language, and Learning Part A. Early Cognitive and Physical Development 4. The Quest for a Super Kid, Jeffrey Kluger and Alice Park, Time , April 30, 2001 More than ever, parents seem eager to help their children become smarter and smarter at earlier ages. This article addresses some of the myths of early cognitive development and investigates parental guilt. 5. Long-Term Recall Memory: Behavioral and Neuro-Developmental Changes in the First 2 Years of Life, Patricia J. Bauer, Current Directions in Psychological Science , August 2002 This leading scientist describes research demonstrating that babies have long-term memory to recall past events well before their verbal skills develop. Babies memory skills may be based in their brain development. 6. Evolution and Developmental Sex Differences, David C. Geary, Current Directions in Psychological Science , August 1999 David Geary uses an evolutionary framework and Darwinian principles to predict and understand sex differences in childhood in behaviors such as social development, play, and sexual selection. The influence of culture is also considered. 7. Categories in Young Childrens Thinking, Susan A. Gelman, Young Children , January 1998 Susan Gelmans review of research by several prominent developmentalists describes how childrens thinking about the world is strongly influenced by the categories that they are able to create and use. Childrens thinking is also discussed in terms of the childs ability to distinguish appearance from reality, to understand the orderliness and naturalness of biological growth, and to use words and names as a guide for making inferences. 8. Do Young Children Understand What Others Feel, Want, and Know?, Angeline Lillard and Stephanie Curenton, Young Children , September 1999 When do children understand the minds of others? The authors describe research showing the emergence of young childrens intuitive or folk psychology, and discuss how parents and the culture can influence childrens understanding of others. 9. Giftedness: Current Theory and Research, Ellen Winner, Current Directions in Psychological Science , October 2000 Gifted children generate interesting questions for us. Are they born that way? If children are gifted in one domain, are they gifted in others? How important is the environment and practice, practice, practice? Ellen Winner addresses these issues and concludes that we do not yet know whether nature or nurture matters more in the creation of giftedness. Part B. Learning in School 10. The First Seven & and the Eighth: A Conversation With Howard Gardner, Kathy Checkley, Educational Leadership , September 1997 Howard Gardner defines intelligence and explains his theory of multiple intelligences. In this interview, he adds a new one naturalist intelligence and describes how multiple intelligences are related to teaching and learning. 11. How Should Reading Be Taught?, Keith Rayner, Barbara R. Foorman, Charles A. Perfetti, David Pesetsky, and Mark S. Seidenberg, Scientific American , March 2002 The scientists discuss the long-standing debate between phonics and whole-language approaches to teaching reading. The authors also discuss issues such as IQ and spelling errors. Their evidence supports the more traditional phonics approach as more effective. 12. Where the Boys Are, Cathy Young, Reason , February 2001 After decades of outcry that schools shortchange girls, social scientists, educators, and parents are now considering how boys may get the short end of the educational stick and be at risk in many ways. UNIT 3. Social and Emotional Development Part A. The Childs Feelings: Emotional Development 13. Emotional Intelligence: What the Research Says, Casey D. Cobb and John D. Mayer, Educational Leadership , November 2000 Success in life may have more to do with how we understand ourselves and others, whether we have empathy, and how well we interact with others. This emotional intelligenceEQ is more important than IQ, some say, and the authors present the debate on whether EQ really exists, how it is measured, and whether it can be taught in schools. Part B. Entry Into the Social World: Peers, Play, and Popularity 14. What Ever Happened to Play?, Walter Kirn and Wendy Cole, Time , April 30, 2001 Childrens liveslike their parentsare more structured and more organized than ever. Can the overscheduled child suffer from play deprivation in a culture where corporate America is marketing edutainment and schools are doing away with recess ? 15. Gender and Group Process: A Developmental Perspective, Eleanor E. Maccoby, Current Directions in Psychological Science , April 2002 This prominent psychologist describes how much of childrens gender socialization occurs within same-sex social groups. Interestingly, many sex-related qualities and behaviors emerge within a group setting more than when children are alone. 16. Girls Just Want to Be Mean, Margaret Talbot, The New York Times.com , February 24, 2002 Schoolrooms have different cliques of children, and this article describes girls cliques: Queen Bees, Alpha Girls, and the Really Mean Girls. Though boys are often viewed as the more aggressive sex because of their overt physical aggression, research is discussed on verbal and interpersonal aggression that is more common in girls. 17. Bullying Among Children, Janis R. Bullock, Childhood Education , Spring 2002 Bullying begins early in life and is, according to data, a nationwide problem. Janis Bullock discusses research on characteristics of bullies and their victims and the impact of this behavior on childrens development. Recommendations for working with bullies at school are offered. UNIT 4. Parenting and Family Issues 18. Contemporary Research on Parenting: The Case for Nature and Nurture, W. Andrew Collins, Eleanor E. Maccoby, Laurence Steinberg, E. Mavis Hetherington, and Marc H. Bornstein, American Psychologist , February 2000 This distinguished team of leading developmental psychologists summarizes research on parenting related to the interaction of nature and nurture, childrens temperament, and the roles of peers and the neighborhood. 19. What Matters? What Does Not? Five Perspectives on the Association Between Marital Transitions and Childrens Adjustment, E. Mavis Hetherington, Margaret Bridges, and Glendessa M. Insabella, American Psychologist , February 1998 This review of research addresses childrens adjustment to divorce, life in stepfamilies, and relations to stepparents. The authors also discuss childrens characteristics that influence their adjustments to their parents divorces and remarriages. 20. Whos in Charge Here?, Nancy Gibbs, Time , August 6, 2001 All parents struggle with discipline an

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