Introduction to Social and Developmental Psychology Assignment - Case Study

As part of the formal assessment for the programme you are required to submit an Introduction to Social and Developmental Psychology assignment. Please refer to your Student Handbook for full details of the programme assessment scheme and general information on preparing and submitting assignments.

After completing the module you should be able to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a range of developmental theories and topics.
   
   
2. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of group norms and social influence processes including cultural influences, group interactions, leadership and member roles.

3. Recognise different perspectives or theories of developmental and social psychology.

4. Integrate ideas and findings through appropriately linking theories and research evidence in developmental and social psychology.

Your assignment should include: a title page containing your student number, the module name, the submission deadline and a word count; the appendices if relevant; and a reference list in the correct format. You should address all the elements of the assignment task listed below. Please note that tutors will use the assessment criteria set out below in assessing your work.

Peter is 10 years old and is cared for by his grandparents following removal from his mother at a few months of age. At first he was with foster-parents, separated from his two older brothers. After several changes of foster homes, his grandparents decided they could take him and his  brothers and care for them until they were old enough to be independent. Peter has some behavioural issues and attachment difficulties. He  finds it hard to integrate into social groups with his peers as they don’t want to include him. Unfortunately, Peter has an issue with soiling  himself and is undergoing therapy for this at the local hospital. He often smells of faeces and is shunned by the other children and called  ‘smelly’. He suffers name calling and bullying.

Peter has attachment issues that mean he does not trust people and thinks that those who are  friendly towards him will eventually turn against him. He cannot form a loving relationship with his siblings or grandparents and feels they could  abandon him at any time.

1. Identify theories of socio-emotional development in relation to childhood and attachment up to the age of 11 years and discuss  critically, linking your discussion to the case study. (Developmental psychology).

2. Identify theories relating to exclusion and discrimination as inter-group behaviour and social influence processes and discuss critically in relation to the case study. (Social psychology).

• Introduce the nature of socio-emotional development related to attachment and exclusion and discrimination and related concepts. Include a definition of each concept.
  
  
• Provide an overview of what you intend to do in this essay and the structure.

• Provide a discussion and evaluation of socio-emotional development theories and research material. Structure this section using paragraphs, each paragraph should address one main idea and at size 12 font, with single spacing formatting, should be no more than a third of a page long.

• Include a second section discussing theories relating to exclusion and discrimination, evaluating theories from social psychology.
  
  
• Address the essay question throughout. Additionally, make sure to link the arguments and debates you present, back to the key concepts and aims of your essay throughout.

c) Conclusion

• Pull the threads of your essay together with a firm conclusion.
  
  
• Your conclusion should address intentions referred to in the introduction.