PSYC 251
Developmental Psychology
Winter 2026
Topics
- Human development
- Adolescence
- Learning
- Research methods
- Child development
Readings
- Required Text: Siegler, R.S., Saffran, J.R., Graham, S., & Gershoff, E.T. (2024). How Children Develop: Canadian 7th Edition. Worth Publishers: MacMillan Learning.
Fall 2025
Topics
- Human development
- Adolescence
- Learning
- Research methods
- Child development
- Brain
- Language
- Intelligence
- Emotion
- Attachment
- Relationships
- Gender
Readings
- Listed material: Please also note that the 7th edition is the required text for this class. Material from this text will be assigned as reading in preparation for the lectures. However, the lectures will only partially overlap with material from the textbook. Any material assigned as reading may be tested on the
- Required: Robert Siegler, Jenny Saffran, and Susan Graham and Elizabeth Gershoff “How Children Develop: Seventh Canadian Edition”(or looseleaf version or e-text)
- Listed material: Week 2: Early Developmental Processes: September 10
- Listed material: Week 3: Theories of Cognitive Development: September 17
- Listed material: Week 4: Language and Symbolic Development: September 24
- Listed material: Chapter 6 (all pages) Week 5: Conceptual Development: October 1
- Listed material: Week 6: Intelligence and Academics: October 8
- Listed material: Week 7: Theories of Social Development: October 22
- Listed material: Week 8: Family and Peer Relationships: October 29
- Listed material: Chapter 13 pp. 465-478 and pp. 484-487 Week 9: Emotional Development: November 5
- Required: Chapter 10 all pages
- Listed material: Week 10: Attachment and the Development of the Self: November 12
- Listed material: Week 11: Moral Development: November 19
- Listed material: Chapter 13 pp. 478-483 Week 12: Gender Development: November 26
2025
Topics
- Human development
- Adolescence
- Learning
- Research methods
- Child development
Readings
- Listed material: 12/18/24, 4:45 PM Syllabus - PSYC 251 - Developmental Psychology (ASO) W25 https://onq.queensu.ca/d2l/le/content/940185/viewContent/5589713/View 3/17
- Required Text: Siegler, R.S., Saffran, J.R., Graham, S., & Gershoff, E.T. (2024). How Children Develop: Canadian 7th Edition. Worth Publishers: MacMillan Learning.
Fall 2024
Topics
- Human development
- Adolescence
- Learning
- Research methods
- Child development
- Brain
- Language
- Intelligence
- Emotion
- Attachment
- Relationships
- Gender
Readings
- Listed material: Please also note that the 7th edition is the required text for this class. Material from this text will be assigned as reading in preparation for the lectures. However, the lectures will only partially overlap with material from the textbook. Any material assigned as reading may be tested on the
- Required: Robert Siegler, Jenny Saffran, and Susan Graham and Elizabeth Gershoff “How Children Develop: Seventh Canadian Edition”(or looseleaf version or e-text)
- Listed material: Week 2: Early Developmental Processes: September 11
- Listed material: Week 3: Theories of Cognitive Development: September 18
- Listed material: Week 4: Language and Symbolic Development: September 25
- Listed material: Chapter 6 (all pages) Week 5: Conceptual Development: October 2
- Listed material: Week 6: Intelligence and Academics: October 9
- Listed material: Week 7: Theories of Social Development: October 23
- Listed material: Week 8: Family and Peer Relationships: October 30
- Listed material: Chapter 13 pp. 465-478 and pp. 484-487 Week 9: Emotional Development: November 6
- Required: Chapter 10 all pages
- Listed material: Week 10: Attachment and the Development of the Self: November 13
- Listed material: Week 11: Moral Development: November 20
- Listed material: Week 12: Gender Development: November 27
2024
Topics
- Human development
- Adolescence
- Learning
- Research methods
- Child development
Readings
- Listed material: Robert Siegler, Nancy Eisenberg, Jenny Saffran, and Elizabeth Gershoff “How Children Develop: Sixth Canadian Edition” (or looseleaf version or e-text)
- Listed material: Please also note that the 6th edition is the required text for this class. In the event of exceptional circumstances, the 5thedition may be used as an alternative (though this is not recommended). However, students should NOT purchase the 4thedition.
- Listed material: If you choose to use the 5th edition text, the page numbers listed in each Module Overview will not match the page numbers of your textbook. Therefore, if you are using the 5th edition, please reference the page numbers located in this document instead: PSYC 251 5th Edition Textbook Page Numbers.
Fall 2023
Topics
- Human development
- Adolescence
- Learning
- Research methods
- Child development
- Critical thinking
Readings
- Listed material: Siegler, R., Eisenberg, N., Saffran, J., & Gershoff, E. (2020). How Children Develop (6th Canadian Edition). Macmillan Learning.
- Listed material: Reading the textbook is very important for you to obtain the foundational knowledge that is required for the course.
- Listed material: You may select a hardcover or e-book version of the textbook (note that the Launchpad program is not required).
- Listed material: Assessments % of grade Due date Discussion posts 20% Post 1 (10%)
- Listed material: The hard deadline for discussion posts & essays is therefore Sunday 11:55PM after the stated deadline.
- Listed material: Possessing or using unauthorized study materials or aids during a test - Copying from another's paper - Unauthorized removal of materials from the library, or deliberate concealment of library materials Facilitation Enabling another's breach of
2022-2023
Topics
- Human development
- Adolescence
- Learning
- Research methods
- Child development
- Brain
- Language
- Intelligence
- Emotion
- Attachment
- Relationships
- Gender
Readings
- Listed material: Please also note that the 6th edition is the required text for this class. In the event of exceptional circumstances, the 5edition may be used as an alternative (though this is not recommended). However, students should NOT purchase the 4th edition as there are substantial differences from the 6th. Material from this text will be assigned as reading in preparation for the lectures. However, the lectures will only partially overlap with material from the textbook. Any material assigned as reading may be tested on the
- Required: Robert Siegler, Nancy Eisenberg, Jenny Saffran, and Elizabeth Gershoff “How Children Develop: Sixth Canadian Edition”(or looseleaf version or e-text)
- Listed material: Chapter 1 (all pages for both 5th and 6th edition)
- Listed material: Week 2: Early Developmental Processes: September 15
- Listed material: Chapter 2 pp. 44-70 (5th edition) or pp.41-62 (6th edition)
- Listed material: Chapter 3 pp. pp. 93-124 (5th ed.) or 79-104(6th ed) PLUS Box 3.4
- Listed material: Week 3: Theories of Cognitive Development: September 22
- Listed material: Week 4: Language and Symbolic Development: September 29
- Listed material: Chapter 6 (all pages for both editions) Week 5: Conceptual Development: October 6
- Listed material: Week 6: Intelligence and Academics: October 20
- Listed material: Week 7: Theories of Social Development: October 27
- Listed material: Week 8: Family and Peer Relationships: November 3
- Listed material: Chapter 13 pp. 550-565 and pp. 581-584 (5th ed.) or pp.457-472 and 478-482 (6th ed.) Week 9: Emotional Development: November 10
- Listed material: Chapter 10 all pages both editions Week 10: Attachment and the Development of the Self: November 17
- Listed material: Week 11: Moral Development: November 24
- Listed material: Chapter 13 pp. 566-580 (5th ed.) or 472-478 (6th ed.) Week 12: Gender Development: December 1
2022-2023
Topics
- Human development
- Adolescence
- Learning
- Research methods
- Child development
Readings
- Listed material: Please also note that the 6 edition is the required text for this class. In the event of exceptional circumstances, the 5 edition may be used as an alternative (though this is not recommended). However, students should NOT purchase the 4 edition. If you choose to use the 5th edition text, the page numbers listed in each Module Overview will not match the page numbers of your textbook. Therefore, if you are using the 5th edition, please reference the page numbers located in this document instead: PSYC 251 5th Edition Textbook Page Numbers.
- Required: Robert Siegler, Nancy Eisenberg, Jenny Saffran, and Elizabeth Gershoff “How Children Develop: Sixth Canadian Edition” (or looseleaf version or e-text)
2021-2022 · Developmental Psychology (ASO) W22
Topics
- Human development
- Adolescence
- Learning
- Research methods
- Child development
Readings
- Listed material: Please also note that the 6 edition is the required text for this class. In the event of exceptional circumstances, the 5 edition may be used as an alternative (though this is not recommended). However, students should NOT purchase the 4 edition.” If you choose to use the 5th edition text, the page numbers listed in each Module Overview will not match the page numbers of your textbook. Therefore, if you are using the 5th edition, please reference the page numbers located in this document instead: PSYC 251 5th Edition Textbook Page Numbers.
- Required: Robert Siegler, Nancy Eisenberg, Jenny Saffran, and Elizabeth Gershoff “How Children Develop: Sixth Canadian Edition” (or looseleaf version or e-text)
Fall 2021
Topics
- Human development
- Adolescence
- Learning
- Research methods
- Child development
Readings
- Listed material: Please also note that the 6th edition is the required text for this class. In the event of exceptional circumstances, the 5thedition may be used as an alternative (though this is not recommended). However, students should NOT purchase the 4thedition.” If you choose to use the 5th edition text, the page numbers listed in each Module
- Required: Robert Siegler, Nancy Eisenberg, Jenny Saffran, and Elizabeth Gershoff “How Children Develop: Sixth Canadian Edition” (or looseleaf version or e-text)
2021 · Developmental Psychology (ASO) W21
Topics
- Human development
- Adolescence
- Learning
- Research methods
- Child development
Readings
- Listed material: 1/15/2021 Syllabus - PSYC 251 - Developmental Psychology (ASO) W21 https://onq.queensu.ca/d2l/le/content/476299/viewContent/2688538/View 3/14 Robert Siegler, Nancy Eisenberg, Jenny Saffran, and Elizabeth Gershoff “How Children Develop: Sixth Canadian Edition” (or looseleaf version or e-text)
2020
Topics
- Human development
- Adolescence
- Learning
- Research methods
- Child development
Readings
- Required: Robert Siegler, Nancy Eisenberg, Judy DeLoache, Jenny Saffran & Susan Graham “How Children Develop: Fifth Canadian Edition” (or looseleaf version or e-text)
- Required: Please note: The Launchpad programme is not required! A copy of this text is available from the reserve library. Also, you may wish to buy the Fourth Edition of this textbook (PLEASE DO NOT BUY earlier editions than this as they are NOT Canadian!).
2020
Topics
- Learning
- Human development
- Adolescence
- Research methods
- Child development
Readings
- Listed material: Launchpad access is NOT REQUIRED and NOT SUPPORTED by the staff in this course.
Fall 2019
Topics
- Human development
- Adolescence
- Learning
- Research methods
- Child development
Readings
- Required: 1) Required Textbook: “How Children Develop: 5th Canadian Edition” by Robert Siegler, Nancy Eisenberg, Judy DeLoache, Jenny Saffran & Susan Graham.
- Required: NOTE: The loose-leaf or e-text versions are fine. The launchpad program is NOT
- required. The 4th edition of this textbook is also acceptable, but please do not use earlier
- Required: There are 3 copies of the textbook on reserve at the library.
- Required: of used copies floating around as this is the same textbook used last year J
- Required: 2) Required Program: “My Virtual Child” online program by Pearson. Go to www.myvirtualchild.com and register for a new student account. Select “I need to buy access” to purchase and make your account. When creating your child, be sure to enter the class ID 26914. Step-by-step instructions will be posted on OnQ.
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026–2027
- Syllabus / course outline ↗Winter 2026
- Syllabus / course outline ↗Fall 2025
- Syllabus / course outline ↗2025
- Syllabus / course outline ↗Fall 2024
- Syllabus / course outline ↗2024
- Syllabus / course outline ↗Fall 2023
- Syllabus / course outline ↗2022-2023
- Syllabus / course outline ↗2022-2023
- Syllabus / course outline ↗2021-2022
- Syllabus / course outline ↗Fall 2021
- Syllabus / course outline ↗2021
- Syllabus / course outline ↗2020
- Syllabus / course outline ↗2020
- Syllabus / course outline ↗Fall 2019