Community College of City University

Division of Social Sciences

DSS10161 Understanding Human Growth and Behaviour
Part-time (Year 1) Semester B 2015-16

Aims
The aim of this course is to equip students with the fundamental concepts and theories in
psychology and enable them to apply the knowledge to social work settings.

Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs)

Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:
1. Apply psychological knowledge and methods to study human growth, development,
and behaviour;

2. Identify the development stages, tasks, and needs characterising normal human
growth across cultures and settings;

3. Analyse the different psychosocial processes underpinning human interactions in a

variety of diverse settings; and
4. Apply the knowledge of relevant psychosocial processes to help promote human
growth, development, and adjustment.

Schedule
Lecture: Friday 7:00 8:50pm AC2 1301
Tutorial: Friday 9:00 10:50pm
T61 & T63 (week 3,5,7,9,11,13); T62 (week 2,4,6,8,10,12)
Week

Lecture

Responsible
lecturer

Tutorials

1) 15/1/16
(Friday)

Introduction of the course

Ms Man

No tutorial in
Week 1

Overview of major
psychological theories and
psychodynamic perspective

Fanny

2) 22/1/16

Behavioural, social-cognitive
and humanistic perspectives

Ms Man

3) 29/1/16

Learning and motivation

Ms Man

Tutorial 1:
(Week 2/3)
Psychological
perspectives

4) 5/2/16
5) 19/2/16

Human growth and

development I: Infancy and
Childhood

Fanny

Tutorial 2:
(Week 4/5) Learning
and motivation

6) 26/2/16

Human growth and

development II: Adolescence
and Youthhood

Ms Man

7) 4/3/16

Human growth and

development III: Adulthood,
Family and Parenthood

Fanny

Tutorial 3:
(Week 6/7)
Attachment and lifelong impact

8) 11/3/16
9) 18/3/16

Human growth and

development IV: Late
Adulthood/ Old Age

Ms Man

Tutorial 4:
(Week 8/9) Maslow
and life- long
impact

10) 1/4/16
11) 8/4/16

Psychopathology and mental

health

Ricky

Tutorial 5:
(Week 10/11)
Erikson and lifelong impact

12) 15/4/16
13) 22/4/16

Social psychological influences Fanny

Week 14

Q and A Revision
(to be arranged if needed)

Tutorial 6:
(Week 12/13)
Revisiting human
growth and
development
through observation

Assessment
Students are required to attempt ALL assessment components. Failure to comply
will lead to failure of the course.
Type of assessment

Brief Description of assessment tasks/ activities

10

Students contribute their views in case discussion and

analysis, guided reflection and sharing, and participate

tasks/activities

i.

Contribution to
tutorial activities

in tutorial learning activities.

2

ii.

Test

20

A mid-semester test assesses students understanding

of the concepts covered in the first three lectures and

related tutorials of the course. Test will be conducted:
Date: 27/2/2016 Saturday (week 6)
Time: 11:00am to 12:15pm (week 6)
Venue: 1503 AC2

iii. Observation report

30%

Each student will observe a chosen target and apply

concepts on human growth and development to
assessing the targets behaviours. Submit a report of
about 1000 words with 5 observation logs as
attachment. Report has to be uploaded to Canvas on or
before 9/4/2016 Saturday (week 11) 11:59pm.

iv. Final examination

40

A final examination assesses students abilities to

explain and apply concepts covered in the course to

analyze situations. It will be lasted for 2 hours.

Contribution to tutorials will be assessed on students:

punctuality for all sessions
preparation before class by reading references and activities
willingness to contribute views and participate in discussion, analysis and

activities
actively participate in sharing of observation report in the last tutorial

Observation report will be assessed on students demonstration of abilities to:

apply appropriate concepts for understanding and analysis
develop relevant and logical content
clarity of presentation
good use of English
Please refer to the assessment rubrics for assessment criteria.
Submission of assignments:
1. Please follow the submission timeline of the observational report, upload your
file to CANVAS before 11:59pm, 9/4/2016, Saturday, and submit a hard copy
according to the instruction of your respective tutor.
2. Marks will be deducted for late submission to CANVAS. A deduction of 10% of
each assignments weighting will be imposed for every 24 hours or part thereof
on your mark of this assignment.
3

3.

If you are unable to comply with the deadline due to extenuating circumstances
such as illness, hospitalization, accident, family bereavement or other
unforeseeable serious personal or emotional circumstances, you need to present
your case via AIMS and submit original of the uploaded supporting document(s)
to the DSS General Office as soon as possible and no later than 5 working days
after per deadline.

4. Plagiarism (copying the work of another person, both in traditional text or on the
internet, without proper acknowledgement) is intolerable. Any paragraphs or
sentences drawn from other sources must be properly referenced using APA
format (including in-text citations and reference list). Students will get zero
mark in case plagiarism is detected, and will be subject to further penalty.

Teaching Team:
MAN Kam Yin (Course
examiner)
Lecturer and tutor of T62

3442 8840

sckym@cityu.edu.hk

5120

Fanny LIU
Lecturer

3442 8841

scfanny@cityu.edu.hk

5325

KWAN Chi Kin Ricky

Lecturer and tutor of T61

3442 5409

ckkwan@cityu.edu.hk

5302

LEUNG Kar Wah Tony

Tutor of T63

tonyleanne031241@gmail.co
m

Course references:
Berk, L. (2010). Exploring lifespan development (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn &
Bacon. (BF713.B466 2010)
Zastrow, C., & Krist-Ashman, K. (2013). Understanding human behaviour and the
social environment (9th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning.
(HM1033.Z37 2013)
Additional references by topics:

Attachment Theory
Holmes, J. (2014). John Bowlby and attachment theory (2nd ed.). London: Routledge.
(BF723.A75 H65 2014)
Howe, D. (2011). Attachment across the lifecourse: A brief introduction. New York,
N.Y.: Palgrave Macmillan. (BF575.A86 H69 2011)

Maslow: Hierarchy of needs

Rogers, A.T. (2013). Human behavior in the social environment (3rd ed.). New York,
N.Y.: Routledge. (HV40 .R664 2013)
Glassman, W., & Hadad, M. (2013). Approaches to psychology (6th ed.). Maidenhead,
Berkshire: McGrow-Hill. (BF121.G56 2013)
Individual Psychology (Adlerian Psychology)
Carlson, J., & Maniacci, M. (2012). (Eds.) Alfred Adler revisited. New York, N.Y.:
Routledge. (BF175.5.A33 A44 2012)
Sweeney, T. (2009). Adlerian counselling and psychotherapy: A practitioners
approach (5th ed.). New York, N.Y.: Routledge. (online accessible via CityU Library)
Erikson: stages of psychosocial development
Cloninger, S. (2004). Theories of personality: Understanding persons (4th ed.). Upper
Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson/Prentice Hall. (BF698 .C543 2004)
Newman, B., & Newman, P. (2012). Development through life: A psychosocial
approach (11th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. (BF713 .N48
2012 )
Social psychological influences
Hewstone, M., Stroebe, W., & Jonas, K. (2012). An introduction to social psychology
(5th ed.). Chichester, West Sussex: BPA Blackwell. (HM1033 .I59 2012)
5

Aronson, E. (2004). The social animal (9th ed.). New York, N.Y.: Worth Publishers.
(HM1033 .A79 2004)
Tennen, H., & Suls, J. (Eds.) (2013). Personality and social psychology (2nd ed.).
Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. (online accessible via CityU Library)
Mental health
Kirst-Ashman, K. K. (2010). Introduction to social work and social welfare: Critical
thinking perspectives (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole. (Chapter 12, Social Work
and Services in Mental Health, p.345-377) (HV40 .K4643 202)
Lundahl, B. E., & Hull, G. H. (2016). Applied human behavior in the social
environment. Boston, MA : Pearson. (Chapter 20, Mental Health and Mental Illness as
Influences on Human Behavior, p.469-496) (HM1033 .L86 2016)