I. Course Title: Maturity and Aging
II. Course Number: PSYC 429
III. Credit Hours: 3 credits
IV. Prerequisites: PSYC 121
V. Course Description:
Examines aging processes and resultant changes in psychomotor skills, learning, thinking
and intelligence, employment and productivity, personality, and life review. The course
adopts a biopsychosocial approach to the study of aging and later life, whereby students
will describe the interactions between person (e.g., biological/physical/individual
differences – cognition, personality, self) and environment (e.g., cultural, social
institutions/context, cohort/generation). Students will be required to analyze their
own stereotyped beliefs and perceptions about the aging process and the ultimate impact
on society and their own aging experience.
Note(s): Cultural or Behavioral Analysis designated course.
VI. Detailed Description of Content of the Course:
Major topics to be covered in a typical semester will include:
1. Introduction to maturity and aging
2. Young adulthood
- a. Physical development
- b. Personality and social development
- c. Marriage/parenthood
- d. Vocational development
- e. Intellectual development
3. Middle adulthood
- a. Physical development
- b. Personality and social development
- c. The family
- d. Vocational development
- e. Intellectual development
4. Later life
- a. Physical development
- b. Personality and social development
- c. The family
- d. Retirement
- e. Intellectual development
5. Death and Bereavement
VI. Detailed Description of Conduct of Course:
A number of instructional strategies will be employed to enhance student engagement,
and may include any or all of the following general strategies.
- Lecture
- Online content, activities, and assignments
- Individual and group presentations
- Individual and collaborative research activities
- Community-based projects
- Video instruction
- Instructor-led class discussions
- Small-group discussions
- Informal writing activities
- Written and critical thinking assignments
- Group activities
- Case studies
- Guest speakers
- Journals or class blogs
VII. Goals and Objectives of the Course:
Having successfully completed this course, the student will be able to:
- Identify and describe major milestones of physical, cognitive, social/cultural, and
emotional development in adulthood and late life.
- Describe the interrelationships among the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional
aspects of development.
- Describe and evaluate how environmental and cultural influences impact physical, cognitive,
social and emotional development in adulthood and late life.
- Analyze one’s own perceptions, stereotypes, and behaviors regarding adulthood and
late life, evaluate the accuracy of those perceptions, stereotypes, and behaviors,
and describe how stereotypes about aging affect behavior during adulthood and later
life, and one’s own experience of aging.
VIII. Assessment Measures:
Assessment measures may include any combination of the following strategies:
- Examinations (Objective and essay questions)
- In-class or out-of-class quizzes
- Student presentations
- In-class discussion and participation
- Written assignments/projects
- Evaluation of research
- In-class application assignments
- Online assignments
- Group participation
- Class attendance
Other Course Information: None
Review and Approval
September 2001 Updated and put in new format Dr. Alastair V. E. Harris
March 01, 2021