Language & Development 2 - PSY00019I
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 2 2026-27 |
Module aims
This module aims to give students a deeper understanding of the psychology and neuroscience of language and developmental psychology, building on the knowledge acquired on the sister module of year 1. The language sessions aim to introduce processing models and behavioural and neurological evidence of how we process language through the mapping between words, grammar, and world knowledge. The developmental sessions provide students with an opportunity to study contrasting accounts of cognitive development. including children's social development and the development of a sense of self. The Skills sessions associated with this module provide the opportunity to perform qualitative and quantitative analyses on data sets relevant to developmental disorders and to explore career paths in this area.
Module learning outcomes
- Define terms such as “ambiguity”, “parsing”, and “syntax”, and explain their significance for theories of language understanding
- Describe key developments in children's social cognition and social behaviour.
- Explain the main brain mechanisms involved in language processing and how they relate to neuropsychological disorders and neural development.
- Contrast the strengths and weaknesses of different theoretical perspectives on cognitive development, such as Empiricism and Nativism.
- Evaluate how our understanding of cognitive development (e.g. the development of Conceptual Knowledge and Cognitive Ability) has changed over time.
- Evaluate the benefits and challenges of qualitative and quantitative data analyses to address research questions relating to developmental disorders.
Module content
The language sessions of this module begin by considering how we, as children and adults, understand meaning through the mapping between words, grammar, and world knowledge. In the second half of the module, students will learn about some basic brain mechanisms that make language and communication possible, as well as the different neuropsychological disorders that can occur as a result of brain damage.
In skills weeks, you will consider features of Autism Spectrum Condition and Developmental Language Disorder and perform qualitative and quantitative data analyses on data sets relevant to these developmental disorders. You will also have the opportunity to learn about different career paths related to supporting individuals with developmental disorders.
The developmental sessions of the module cover the development of skills in major cognitive domains, including concept formation, learning, memory, attention and intelligence. These will be examined from a developmental perspective, focusing on how specific skills change and develop over the first years of life. The final section of the module examines children’s social development, exploring the development of the self, group identity and interpersonal behaviour.
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Closed/in-person Exam (Centrally scheduled) | 50.0 |
| Essay/coursework | 50.0 |
Special assessment rules
None
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Closed/in-person Exam (Centrally scheduled) | 50.0 |
| Essay/coursework | 50.0 |
Module feedback
The marks on all assessed work will be provided on e-vision.
Indicative reading
Harley, T. A. (2008). The Psychology of Language: From data to theory (3rd. ed.) Hove: Psychology Press.
Slater S. & Bremner, J. G. (2011). An Introduction to Developmental Psychology, 2nd edition.