PART 1) The module presents the classical theories in developmental psychology. As introduction, the key questions in the field will be dicussed: the aims of the discipline, the nature of development, the quality of developmental transitions and their mechanisms. From the theoretical milestones of the discipline, provided by the Piagetian and Vygotsjian theories, other main theories will be presented, such as the Human Information Processing, the Social Learning and the Ethological theories. Finally, the most recent approach will be discussed, such as the so called Theory of theory, the innate modularity theory and the dynamic system perspective. For every approach, the mechanisms proposed as key for the study of development will be stressed.

PART 2) Observation methodology: definition and hystorical hints; different types of observation; different contexts in which to observe infant and child behavior; validity and reliability of observatinal data. Tools for observing: different kinds of instruments and their application to cognitive and communicative domains