Human Development specialists study the physical and psychological changes that human beings experience across their life spans—from motor skills development to psychological and emotional development in the areas of problem-solving, language acquisition, personality and identity formation, social and emotional maturation, and beyond. They explore the interaction between biology and environment, and work to enhance development across the life span in diverse social contexts. Students distinguish between observations and theory (reality and fantasy, data and inferences/assumptions). Students collect verifiable and reliable data, present their findings, and link their research with existing literature in the field. Students pose a burning, researchable question; justify the desire to investigate by placing the question in professional, social, and personal context; address issues of diversity and anti-bias in the field and in their approach; collect information, analyze, and synthesize the findings; and evaluate the implications of their findings.
