Course Description

Shakespeare observed that “one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages”. Many theories on different aspects of personhood, including personality, emotions, cognitions, and morality, also typically depict development as progressing through stages. However, are life stages really distinct categories or are they social constructions created by humans to serve particular social purposes?  What scientific evidence do we have that supports the life stage demarcations?  If they are social constructions, what purposes do these constructions serve?  How does culture and modernization impact on the lived experience of these stages? This course critically examines these issues and enables students to reflect on what has shaped us as individuals. Topics include:

i. major psychological and biological theories of stages of development and maturation,

ii. sociological and anthropological approaches to development,

iii. rites of passage,

iv. portrayals of development in the literature and the arts,

v. role of culture and modernization in shaping the developmental experiences of individuals, and

vi. individual and social implications of different approaches to development.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Describe and explain the major stage theories of development and alternative approaches to development in psychology, biology, sociology and anthropology, including their underlying assumptions and key concepts.
  2. Analyse and discuss portrayal of human developmental stages in literature and the arts.
  3. Critically examine the validity of the stage approach to development. Analyse and evaluate evidence for and against it, by synthesizing psychological, biological, sociological and anthropological perspectives.
  4. Analyse and discuss the complexities and holistic nature of human development and the interconnectedness of culture, societal change and human biology.
  5. Demonstrate an ability to apply a broad perspective to achieve greater intercultural understanding of human development and to critically reflect on how one’s own development has been shaped by multiple forces.
  6. Analyze and articulate the social implications of different perspectives on development and consider the impact of the internet age and globalization.

Study Load

Activities Number of hours
Lectures 24
Tutorials 8
Reading / Self-study 35
Life stage documentaries, movies and music, with class discussion 5
Assessment: Essay / Report writing 20
Assessment: Presentation (incl preparation) 8
Assessment: Individual self-reflection portfolio 50
Total: 150

Assessment

  • 100% coursework
Assessment Tasks Weighting
1. Group presentation (of specific life stage) 20
2. Rites of passage poster presentation 20
3. Individual portfolio 30
4. Essay project 20
5. Performance in small group discussion tutorials and TV documentary/movie/arts class discussion 10

Required Reading

Journal Papers

  • Markstrom, C. A., & Iborra, A. (2003). Adolescent identity formation and rites of passage: The Navajo Kinaalda ceremony for girls. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 13(4), 399-425.
  • Nelson, L. J., Badger, S., & Wu, B. (2004). The influence of culture in emerging adulthood: Perspectives of Chinese college students. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 28(1), 26-36.

Books

Selected chapters from:

  • Mendelson, E. (2007). The things that matter: What seven classic novels have to say about the stages of life. New York: Anchor Books.
  • Mitchell, P., & Ziegler, F. (2011). Fundamentals of development: The psychology of childhood (2nd ed.). London: Psychology Press.
  • Pillemer, D. B., & White, S. H. (2005). Developmental psychology and social change: Research, history, and policy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Sigelman, C. K., & Rider, E.A. (2012). Life-span human development (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

Recommended Reading

Selected chapters from:

  • Arking, R. (2006). The biology of aging: Observations and principles (3rd ed.). Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press.
  • Arnett, J. J. (2007). Adolescence and emerging adulthood: A cultural approach (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Prentice Hall.
  • Burman, E. (2008). Deconstructing developmental psychology (2nd ed.). London; New York: Routledge.
  • Cunningham, H., & Morpurgo, M. (2006). The invention of childhood. London: BBC Books.
  • Eliot, L. (2000). What's going on in there? How the brain and mind develop in the first five years of life. New York: Bantam.
  • Grimes, R. L. (2002). Deeply into the bone: Re-inventing rites of passage. Berkeley: University of California Press.
  • Shakespeare, W. (2005). Seven Ages of Man. In W. Shakespeare, & Oliver, H. J. (Ed.), As you like it. London: Penguin.
  • Tudge, J., Shanahan, M. J., & Valsiner, J. (2008). Comparisons in human development: Understanding time and context. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Sample Documentaries for Class Discussion

  • A child of our time - A documentary that follows the lives of 25 babies born around 2000 from birth to adulthood
  • Journeyman - a documentary about rites of passage, mentoring and male culture in America.
  • Bodysong - a documentary directed by Simon Pummell with images from film and digital footage across 100 years that depicts human life stage processes
  • PBS documentary series “The Secret Life of the Brain”

Recommended Websites

Course Co-ordinator and Teacher(s)

Course Co-ordinator Contact
Dr A.M. Lee
Department of Psychiatry, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine		 Tel: 2255 4486
Email: amlee@hkucc.hku.hk
Teacher(s) Contact
Dr A.M. Lee
Department of Psychiatry, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine		 Tel: 2255 4486
Email: amlee@hkucc.hku.hk
Dr C. Cheung
Department of Psychiatry, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine		 Tel: 2819 8578
Email: charlton@hku.hk