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PSY 211 Tracks and Topics for the Final Project

For the final project and the assignments throughout this course, you must choose one of two tracks in the study of human life span development. The track you choose determines the studies you will use to review literature, find a research gap, and design a study for your final project. Don’t worry if you are not familiar with the tracks or topics at this point in the course; you will be learning much more about them throughout the term. Choose your track and topic thoughtfully, however, as you will not be able to switch your track and topic once chosen. Track One looks at the role that prenatal exposure to substances plays in human development. Track Two focuses on the role that environmental factors play in human development. Note: When you write your final project, you will use at least three articles out of the five presented in your track. Use the articles that best demonstrate your chosen research gap and that lead into your research question. You may use any combination of the articles used for assignments in Modules One through Three and the optional articles provided in Module Four.

Track One Module One (article used for Modules One and Three milestone assignments)

 Focused and Shifting Attention in Children With Heavy Prenatal Alcohol Exposure This article examines the relationship between fetal alcohol syndrome and attention problems in children.

Module Two (article used for Module Three milestone assignment)

 A Framework for Addressing the Needs of Students Prenatally Exposed to Alcohol and Other Drugs This article addresses some of the effects of prenatal exposure to drugs and alcohol on children’s later school performance. It also talks about ways in which these children’s special needs can be met.

Module Three (article used for Module Three milestone assignment)

 Reactivity and Regulation in Children Prenatally Exposed to Cocaine This article explores the effects of a mother’s cocaine use on children’s reactivity and self- regulation when performing problem-solving tasks.

Module Four Optional Articles (may be used for final project)

 Prenatal Substance Exposure: What Predicts Behavioral Resilience by Early Adolescence? This study examines the relationship between prenatal exposure to substances such as alcohol, cocaine, and marijuana and an adolescent’s later behavior.

 Prenatal Tobacco Exposure: Developmental Outcomes in the Neonatal Period This article examines the effects of exposure to smoking in the neonatal period on infants in the immediate neonatal period.

Track Two Module One (article used for Modules One and Three milestone assignments)

 Infant Developmental Outcomes: A Family Systems Perspective This article looks at how factors such as parents’ mental health, the parent/infant relationship, and the parental couple’s relationship affect an infant’s development.

Module Two (article used for Module Three milestone assignment)

 Contextualizing Video Game Play: The Moderating Effects of Cumulative Risk and Parenting Styles on the Relations Among Video Game Exposure and Problem Behaviors This article discusses behavioral problems associated with video game use and the ways that parenting styles might influence or offset them.

Module Three (article used for Module Three milestone assignment)

 Family Disruption in Childhood and Risk of Adult Depression This article discusses the link between family disruption due to divorce in early childhood and depression in adulthood.

Module Four Optional Articles (may be used for final project)

 A Longitudinal Test of Video Game Violence Influences on Dating and Aggression This article looks for a link between experiencing video game violence and negative outcomes such as dating aggression, depression, and antisocial personality traits.

 Exposure to Smoking in Movies and Smoking Initiation Among Black Youth This article examines the relationship between seeing smoking in movies and actual smoking behavior in young African Americans.