The Development of Social Cognition

3 units

Children’s ability to navigate the social world is a foundational skill that is present early in life and continues to develop throughout childhood. This course will explore topics such as infants' concept of agency, their understanding of intentions, how children learn from and about other people, how they begin to trust unfamiliar individuals, think about and interact in social groups, build relationships, and decide what is moral. We will also spend time examining what happens when the human capacity to understand the mind and regulate behavior is impaired, exploring neurodevelopmental and other disorders that typically begin in childhood (e.g., Autism, ADHD). This class should be of interest to students interested in all areas of psychological science, the application of developmental psychology to real-world issues including child care, education, law, public policy, pediatric medicine, and who (later!) want to be more informed parents.