PS102-4-AU-CO:
Growing in the world
2026/27
Psychology
Colchester Campus
Autumn
Undergraduate: Level 4
Current
Thursday 08 October 2026
Friday 18 December 2026
15
23 February 2026
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
BA 63C2 Psychological Studies,
BA 63C3 Psychological Studies (Including Year Abroad),
BA 63C4 Psychological Studies (Including Placement Year),
BA C801 Psychology (Including Year Abroad),
BA C802 Psychology,
BA C807 Psychology (Including Foundation Year),
BA C810 Psychology (Including Placement Year),
BSC C800 Psychology,
BSC C803 Psychology (Including Year Abroad),
BSC C811 Psychology (Including Placement Year),
BSC C812 Psychology (Including Foundation Year),
BSC C806 Psychology with Cognitive Neuroscience (Including Year Abroad),
BSC C808 Psychology with Cognitive Neuroscience,
BSC C809 Psychology with Cognitive Neuroscience (Including Placement Year),
BSC C813 Psychology with Cognitive Neuroscience (Including Foundation Year),
MSCIC999 Psychology with Cognitive Neuroscience,
MSCICA98 Psychology with Cognitive Neuroscience (Including Placement Year),
MSCICA99 Psychology with Cognitive Neuroscience (Including Year Abroad),
BSC C814 Psychology with Economics,
BSC C815 Psychology with Economics (Including Year Abroad),
BSC C816 Psychology with Economics (Including Placement Year),
MSCIC998 Psychology with Advanced Research Methods,
BSC C680 Psychology with Sport and Exercise,
BSC C681 Psychology with Sport and Exercise (including Year Abroad),
BSC C682 Psychology with Sport and Exercise (including Placement Year)
This module will introduce students to how humans grow and develop in the world. The principal approaches to the study of human development will be discussed, with a particular focus on how infants take their first "psychological steps" in the social world. Students will also develop the research skills that are needed to answer questions about how humans grow in the world.
The aims of this module are:
- To provide students with knowledge of the main theoretical and methodological approaches in developmental psychology, as well as a more in-depth understanding of early social development.
- To provide students with the opportunity to learn how to represent the relationship between continuous variables, how to conduct literature searches, how to structure an introduction section, and how to reference in APA style. These skills will be applied when creating a graph and when writing the introduction section to a scientific report.
By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:
- Understand some of the main theoretical and methodological approaches in developmental psychology.
- Acquire a more in-depth understanding of early social development in infants.
- Learn how to describe and graphically represent the relationship between continuous variables.
- Learn how to write the introduction to a scientific report.
- Master the skills required to conduct literature searches and to reference in APA style.
This module introduces key theories and approaches in developmental psychology, focusing on how psychological processes emerge and change across early development. It explores a range of influential theoretical perspectives and approaches (e.g. Vygotsky and Piaget), and considers how they contribute to our understanding of cognitive and social development. The module also examines early social understanding, including how infants learn from and interact with others.
This module will be delivered via:
- A combination of lectures and laboratory classes.
Lectures will address fundamental questions in developmental psychology, beginning with an overview of relevant research areas before focusing on key research questions and empirical findings. These examples will be used to introduce core methodological principles and basic statistical techniques commonly used in developmental research. Student engagement will be actively encouraged through discussion, questions, and the use of digital interactive platforms, helping to create an inclusive and accessible learning environment.
Laboratory classes will provide students with opportunities to apply the statistical methods introduced in lectures, as well as to engage in further discussion and consolidation of key concepts.
In addition, drop-in support sessions will offer students further opportunities to seek guidance on areas they find challenging. Online discussion forums hosted on Moodle will provide an additional space for peer interaction and academic support, and will help identify topics that may benefit from further clarification.
This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Written Assignment |
|
40% |
| Coursework |
Data Presentation |
|
20% |
| Written Exam |
Class Test |
|
40% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Carina De Klerk, email: c.deklerk@essex.ac.uk.
c.deklerk@essex.ac.uk
No
No
Yes
No external examiner information available for this module.
Available via Moodle
No lecture recording information available for this module.
Psychology
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