Complex approaches to understanding typical and neurodivergent development
Hana d'Souza, Ph.D.
Centre for Human Developmental Science, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, UK
Annotation
Development is a complex process involving interactions between multiple domains across levels of description. In recent years, large consortia have been established to better understand both typical and neurodivergent development. The lecture will present data from a large-scale study of Down syndrome with a focus on individual differences in infants and toddlers. The following discussion will address the methodological limitations of traditional developmental paradigms that attempt to isolate single domains. Instead, it will emphasize the need to embrace development through complex interactions among processes (e.g., motor skills, attention allocation, and the actions of social partners) and within the contexts in which these processes unfold. This approach provides new insights into both typical and neurodivergent development and has the potential to fundamentally reconceptualize our understanding of neurodevelopmental conditions.
Learning outcomes
Upon completing the module, students will be able to:
• explain the principles of a process-based approach to developmental psychology,
• critically evaluate the limitations of traditional developmental paradigms and approaches,
• describe key findings from current studies on Down syndrome in early childhood,
• discuss the implications of this approach for understanding neurodivergent development,
• apply the concept of complex interactions across developmental domains to their own research questions.
Recommended reading
D’Souza, H., & D’Souza, D. (2024). Stop trying to carve nature at its joints! The importance of a process-based developmental science for understanding neurodiversity. In Y. Chen & J. J. Lockman (Eds.), Advances in Child Development and Behavior (Vol. 66, pp. 233–268). JAI. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.acdb.2024.06.004
Course completion
The course credit (1 ECTS) is awarded for active participation in the lectures and discussion (two lecture blocks on Thursday, October 30, at 14:00 and 16:00, and a discussion on Friday, October 31, from 10:00 to 12:00; both days in lecture room U34) and submission of an infographic. The infographic should address the question ‘How could this approach change our understanding of X,’ where X can represent any topic in developmental psychology chosen by the student. The infographic must be submitted through the university information system (IS). The course credit will be granted by Assoc. Prof. Lenka Lacinová.
