Throughout our lives, we constantly change and develop… But how does this development begin, and what shapes it? Would you like to trace the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social changes that an individual undergoes from the prenatal period to the early school years?
The course is designed for anyone interested in understanding the key processes that emerge at different stages of development. Starting from the prenatal period and continuing through infancy, early childhood, and the primary school years, we will explore together the fundamental concepts, theoretical approaches, and experimental research that form the foundation of developmental psychology.
In this course, we will focus on the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social changes that occur throughout an individual’s developmental process. The course will address the characteristics of development across different stages of life. We will begin by examining the scientific methods used to study development and the theoretical approaches that aim to explain how and why development occurs.
Next, we will discuss prenatal development and its various stages. We will also explore maternal health factors and other influences on prenatal development. Finally, we will examine brain development, cognitive development, as well as social and emotional development across three major periods: infancy, early childhood, and the primary school years. Throughout the course, we will examine examples from experimental methods and studies that allow us to investigate these domains at different stages of development.
This three-week course program aims to enhance participants’ understanding of scientific methods and the literature of developmental psychology, while introducing the fundamental research approaches used in the field. In addition, it seeks to develop participants’ ability to better understand the core biological and psychological issues that emerge throughout the stages of development from infancy to early childhood and the primary school years.
The course is designed for participants who may not yet have an advanced background in developmental psychology. Having a genuine interest in developmental psychology and a basic introductory understanding of the field will be sufficient for participation.
Our instructor, Dr. Eylül Turan, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Koç University and a Master’s degree in Cognitive Neuroscience from the University of Amsterdam. She completed her PhD in Psychology and Educational Sciences at KU Leuven, and is currently conducting postdoctoral research in the fields of developmental and cognitive psychology at the University of Washington in the United States.
The course will be held online via the Zoom platform on July 10, 17, and 24 , Thursdays, from 7:30 PM to 10:30 PM. The total duration of the program will be approximately 9 hours.
Week 1 (July 10)
- Introduction
- What is Developmental Science?
- Core Questions in Developmental Science
- Theories of Development
- Methods of Studying Development
- Prenatal Development and Birth
We will discuss what the science of developmental psychology is and explore its core questions. We will review the foundational theories proposed by key figures such as Freud, Erikson, Piaget, and Vygotsky, while also touching on modern theories that are frequently referenced today. After examining the main research methods used in the field, we will conclude by focusing on the first stage of development, the prenatal period.
Week 2 (July 17)
- Infancy
- Brain Development
- Cognitive Development
- Social and Emotional Development
- Early Childhood
- Brain Development
We will examine development across different domains during infancy. For instance, we will discuss neural connections forming in the infant brain and explore mechanisms known as “experience-expectant” and “experience-dependent” processes. In the context of cognitive development, we will cover Piaget’s observations on common mistakes children make during this stage. Then, we will focus on infants’ emotions and their communication with primary caregivers. In this part, we will examine attachment theories proposed by figures such as Freud, Bowlby, and Ainsworth, along with the experiments that helped us understand different attachment styles. In the final section of the week, we will turn our attention to brain development during early childhood.
Week 3 (July 24)
- Early Childhood
- Cognitive Development
- Social and Emotional Development
- Family Context
- Middle Childhood (Primary School Period)
- Brain Development
- Cognitive Development
- Social and Emotional Development
We will address cognitive, social, and emotional development during early childhood. In the cognitive development section, we will once again refer to Piaget’s observations and focus on the differences between early childhood and infancy. Within the scope of social and emotional development, we will discuss topics such as identity formation and gender schemas. We will also explore emotion regulation and the aggressive behaviors observed during early childhood. Next, we will move on to the family context, examining different parenting styles and their effects on children. Finally, we will transition to middle childhood and continue our discussion on various domains of development. In this section, our main focus will be on metacognition, intelligence, and moral development.
The participation fee is 1700 TL per person, VAT included. Payment details will be shared via email with participants whose applications have been approved as soon as possible.
