Developmental

Sub-categories

Theories of Development

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP): Site describes issues and characteristics of early, middle, and late adolescence in clear, concise terminology.
An Overview of ADD: An overview of ADHD from an organization in Maryland called "Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.
Biological and Sociocultural Views and Consequences of Gender Stereotyping: This article presents a discussion concerning whether sex roles have a biological or social basis.
Canada's Drug Strategy: Site provides information about injection drugs; marijuana; and the relation between drugs and youth, seniors, Aboriginal people, and fetal alcohol syndrome.
Canadian Council on Social Development: Site provides statistics, reports, and reviews of issues concerning issues social development relevant to Canadians. There is an entire section devoted to the meaning of cultural diversity in Canada.
Developmental Psychology: A leading journal in developmental psychology.
Dr. William Pollack: This site is supplementary to Dr. William Pollack's book, "Real Boys: Rescuing Our Sons From the Myths of Boyhood". There are links to a great page called "Advice From Real Boys' Voices" which includes advice on topics such as depression and bullying.
EServer.org: Accessible Online Publishing: Site lists electronic papers and texts that discuss and address gender studies and related issues. Topics include sex, gender, sexual identity and sexuality, and cultural practices. This is a great place to begin research for a term paper or project.
Effective Parenting Styles: This is a site where both teachers and parents can find tips on how to deal with effective strategies for dealing with a variety of child/adolescent behaviors. It also has good links to parenting sites with access to related literature.
Emotional Intelligence Site: "The information on this independent site covers everything from the academic and corporate definitions of emotional intelligence to articles on parenting, relationships and emotional and sexual abuse."
Emotional Intelligence: Popular or Scientific Psychology: This article briefly discusses the merits of emotional intelligence with respect to whether it is a popular or scientific theory.
Gender Gallery: Site highlights popular media related to issues of gender and sexual orientation. It also provides links to online discussions, organizations, and resources.
Gender.org: Web site offers links to news and resources focusing on issues of gender and gender-oppression in society. Links to literature clearinghouses, advocacy, and resources are included.
Health Canada: Site provides a Canadian perspective on health issues.
Human Relations Publications: University of Missouri has written a number of web pages dedicated to topics in human relations. The ones on child development (e.g., Baby Basics: Social and Physical Development and How Preschoolers Develop: Body, Mind and Personality) are aimed at parents, but have some useful information for students.
Humanistic Psychology: From Maslow to the 21st Century: This site discusses the founding of humanistic psychology, Carl Rogers, methods of inquiry, humanistic psychotherapies, and humanistic psychology today.
Infants, Children and Adolescents: An Allyn-Bacon web site to accompany a developmental psychology textbook. For each chapter there are links to websites of related agencies and organizations.
Jean Piaget: This article provides a brief summary of Piaget, the creator of an influential developmental theory.
Journal of Family Psychology: Journal is concerned with research related to family issues.
Journal of Moral Education: This is a site that connects to the table of contents of the latest volumes of the Journal of Moral Education. Issues published relate to an interdisciplinary approach to moral education and development across the lifespan.
Journal of the AACAP: Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Includes abstracts from the journal; topics include suicide and violence prevention, juvenile delinquency, grandparents, parents, and children at risk for depression.
Learning to Learn: Modules are provided about the following topics: consciousness, metacognition, learning styles, memory, language, reading, writing, problem solving, creativity, and the biology of learning.
Murray Research Center: "The Henry A. Murray Research Center of Radcliffe College is a center for research on the changing lives of American women. The center's primary purpose is to promote the use of existing social science data to explore human development and social change. To this end the center has established a national archive of over 200 studies that it makes available for new research. This archive is part of an active research center that offers staff assistance to data users, seminars and conferences on methods for using existing data, research grants to doctoral students and postdoctoral scholars, and a visiting scholars-in-residence program.".
National Association for Self-Esteem: This is the web page for the National Association for Self-Esteem (NASE). It provides links to the Self-Esteem Today magazine and also outlines NASE's mission statement.
Parent's Handbooks: Site provides parents with information about what is considered to be normal development for children and adolescents. It is a good resource for parents and/or people interested in social, emotional, and cognitive development of children and adolescents.
Peer Resources: Site allows you to learn about new developments in the peer support area, links to workshops, conferences, and literature.
Personal Construct Psychology: Site provides links to articles concerning George Kelly's personal construct theory.
Queendom: Experts in Personality and Intelligence Testing: Site provides a wide variety of online, interactive tests of personality, intelligence, and health-related dimensions. Apart from the many self-tests and quizzes (that are scored for you online) there are links to articles, resources, discussion boards, etc.
Sexual and Reproductive Health: This Canadian site deals with sexual and reproductive health. Although this site is intended for all ages, it offers selected links that may focus your area of interest. It is also linked to other sexual and reproductive health organizations, activities, programs, and services nationally.
Sibling Rivalry: "This short essay discusses the causes, consequences, and solutions to the many social, psychological, and family problems brought about by sibling rivalry."
Temperament.com: "This Page is about behavioral individuality in infants, children and adults. It is intended as a clearinghouse for research and practical information about temperamental characteristics to be used by parents, students, professionals and others who have an interest in temperament".
The Jean Piaget Society: Interdisciplinary group dedicated to exploring the developmental construction of human knowledge.
The Maslow Nidus: This site provides links to articles written by Maslow.
The Methods of Developmental Psychology: Briefly discusses observational, experimental, cross-sectional & longitudinal designs.

Child

Aboriginal Head Start Program: The Aboriginal Head Start program is based on the Head Start Program created in the United States and has been tailored to fit the needs of Canadian Aboriginals.
Attachment Research Center: This site provides information about Bowlby's theory of attachment, the controversies associated with his theory, preverbal communication, attachment, aggression, and psychotherapy.
Attachment Theory and Research at Stony Brook: This is a University of Stony Brook site and it reviews the Bowlby-Ainsworth studies on attachment theory. It also provides links to attachment research, literature, and resources.
Birth Psychology: In the pages of the Association for Pre- & Perinatal Psychology and Health (APPPAH) "you'll be able to explore the many mental and emotional dimensions of pregnancy and birth in everything from scholarly articles to personal stories and late-breaking headlines.".
Can Infants Count?: Article discusses some of the evidence for and against the claim that infants are capable of counting.
Canada's Children: Canada's Children: A Fact Sheet of Social Indicators - includes statistics on a number of topics including poverty, homelessness, child abuse, daycare, school achievement, teenage parenthood and others.
Child Labour: This site is sponsored by the International Labour Organization and is concerned with the issues of child labour. Site may help orient someone trying to understand the possible problems associated with child labour.
Child Trauma Academy: Site provides a number of articles concerning many issues related to child abuse.
Child Trends Links: Links to welfare and poverty, teen pregnancy, trends and statistics, fatherhood, and children and youth.
Child Welfare Information Gateway: Child Welfare Information Gateway connects professionals and concerned citizens to timely, essential information and resources targeted to the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and families.
Child and Family News: Although this site is intended to supply ideas and information for journalists, students may be interested in reading about some of the issues concerning child and family news that Tufts University believes are notable. It may be useful for choosing a topic for a paper.
Child-Neuro Home Page: The main purpose of this site is to coordinate the available Internet resources concerning issues in child neurology, both for professionals and patients.
Children Without Friends: Article discusses the problems that children without friends experience, the causes of peer rejection, and ways to improve social skills.
Children's Understanding of What's Real on Television: Article discusses how children of different age groups classify what they think is real or possible on television.
Children, Youth and Family Consortium Research Links: A list of research on children and adolescents compiled from a variety of sources put together by the University of Minnesota's Children, Youth, and Family Consortium. This includes reports on prevention, youth in single-parent families, resiliency and risk, adolescent nonmarital childbearing and welfare, child nutrition, and other topics.
Cultural Diversity and Early Education: This report discusses many issues related to cultural diversity and early education such as cultural diversity at home and the implications for early education.
Dissociations in Infant Memory: This article by Carolyn Rovee-Collier published in the "Eye on Psi Chi" discusses the development of memory systems in infants.
Early Brain Development: This article discusses the importance of early brain development and some actions that foster brain development.
Early Brain Development: Article discusses brain development in infants and how it is influenced by interaction, touch, stable relationships, safe environments, self esteem, quality care, communication, play, music, and reading.
Early Childhood Behavior and Temperament Predict Later Substance Abuse: Article discusses how the early childhood behaviour, temper, gender differences, protective factors, and family relationships predict substance abuse later in life.
Early Learning Resources: List of links, books, and other materials for teaching 3-6 year olds to read, do math, tell time, etc.
Early Report: Attachment and Bonding: Article discusses "the importance of attachments in children's development.".
Educational Implications of Prenatal Exposure to Drugs: Article provides information about the short and long term effects of exposure to drugs, environmental factors that influence the effects of drugs, and the educational implications prenatal exposure to drugs has on children.
Embryology: Site describes the development of an embryo from fertilization to birth.
Emotional Learning in Infants: A Cross-Cultural Examination: Article describes how American parents and Kenyan Gusii parents treat their children differently and how the development of their children is affected by the two different styles.
English Words May Hinder Math Skills Development: Article discusses how "the words and symbols used to represent numbers may interfere with understanding of math concepts.".
Fetal Development Overview: Site provides an outline of the events that occur in fetal development. It includes images and an animation of a developing fetus.
Fetal Psychology: This article discusses the development of a fetus' ability to move, taste, hear, see, learn, and be alert.
Fostering Goodness: Teaching Parents to Facilitate Children's Moral Development: Article discusses the components of moral development and functioning children and how they can be influenced by various characteristics of parents.
Historical Perspectives on Pain: Experiments in Infant Pain: Article discusses how in the past it was believed that infants did not feel pain and how current evidence indicates that infants actually do feel pain.
Impact of Televised Violence: Article discusses the impact television violence has on children.
Income and Child Well-being: A New Perspective on the Poverty Debate: Site provides a summary of research concerning children from low income families and their communities, families, behaviours, health, learning, and culture.
Jean Piaget: Article provides a brief biography of Jean Piaget and a summary of the four stages of his developmental theory.
Kids Health: Site provides information about the development of children and adolescents. It also provides information about the health issues they may face.
Language Development in Children: Site provides a chart of typical milestones in the language development of children.
Language Development in Twins, Triplets, and Higher Order Multiples: Article discusses how twins may have delayed language development. It also provides a list of milestones in language development.
Nurturing Language Development: Aimed at parents, this site describes the characteristics of typical language development for children at various ages from infancy to preschool. Includes 7 references.
Pediatric Psychiatry Pamphlets: A series of "pamphlets" about child and adolescent psychiatric disorders written by a pediatric psychiatrist "meant to address the specific culture of western Nova Scotia". Included are attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder, panic, separation anxiety disorder and agoraphobia.
Perspectives on Violence: Birth and Violence: Article discusses how children who are unloved and unwanted are more prone to become violent adults.
Physical Knowledge in Infancy: Some examples of tests that can be used to study object permanence in infants are provided.
Prenatal Development Presentation: Site provides a week by week summary concerning the development of a fetus. It also includes pictures of the developing fetus.
Principles of Heredity: A brief explanation of genetics and heredity. Includes self-tests to determine amount of material recalled.
Psychological Effects of Orphanage Care: Article discusses the psychological effects of orphanage care on children, maternal deprivation, the comparison of orphans to other children, and criticisms of reports about the effects of orphanage care.
Social and Emotional Development Milestones: Site provides a summary of children's self awareness and of their ability to interact with others at various ages.
Society for Research in Adult Development: "The international membership of the Society for Research in Adult Development includes people from all disciplines who are interested in positive adult development. Positive adult development refers to development starting in late adolescence and continuing through life. The focus is on expanded capabilities and changes that improve the quality of life.".
Society for Research in Child Development: Members of this society endeavour to establish and maintain ethical standards for research with children and try to use the results of their research to influence policies made affecting children and their families.
Teaching Gentleness in a Violent World: Article discusses whether children are naturally caring, how parents teach their children to be caring, and how they are affected by the outside world.
The Beginnings of Behavior: A description of prenatal development (including a figure depicting prenatal development) and early reflexes. Includes self-tests to determine amount of material recalled.
The Debate Over Child Care Isn't Over Yet...: "The largest-ever study of child care finds little evidence that out-of-home care harms development in the first three years, but long-term effects are still unknown."
The Future of Children: Site provides links to journal articles concerning issues relevant to children.
The Mistakes Young Children Make: Preoperational Reasoning: Articles discuss some of the mistakes that young children may make with respect to egocentrism, animism, conservation, and reversibility.
The Origins of Babble: Article discusses the development of language in infants.
The Visible Embryo: This site offers a visual and written description of abnormal and normal development of a human embryo from conception to birth.
Zero to Three: Site provides information concerning infants from the time they are born until the age of three. Some of the topics that are covered in the website are developmental milestones, brain development, and early literacy.

Adolescent

Adolescence Directory On-Line: ADOL: Adolescence Directory On-Line. Offers a number of links to sites related to adolescence. The Mental Health Issues link offers 18 topics including suicide, sexual abuse, adolescent development, eating disorders, grieving, and many others. When selected, each of the above topics provides links to several other web sites.(E.g., clicking on "adolescent development" resulted in 5 further links. Clicking on "normal adolescent development" resulted in a web page written by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychology which described issues and characteristics of early, middle, and late adolescence.).
Adolescence and Peer Pressure: Article provides some facts about peer pressure.
Adolescent Growth and Development: Article discusses physical, cognitive, and psycho-social development and how it affects adolescents.
Adolescent Violence: Article discusses adolescence, some problems which may be encountered by adolescents, and the effect of violent entertainment on adolescents.
Adolonics: A Teen Slang Dictionary: This website provides you with a list of vocabulary to keep you current with the latest adolescent vocabulary.
Eating Disorders in Adolescents: Principles of Diagnosis and Treatment: Article discusses the issues that arise when adolescents have eating disorders.
Girls and Puberty: The Crisis Years: Article discusses some of the issues that girls are faced with during puberty such as self-esteem, health, and weight issues.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Youth Issues: Site is designed to help illuminate people to the issues of homophobia and heterosexism. This site is part of the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS). The main target groups are teachers, parents, and students.
More Girls Experience Early Puberty: In recent years, more girls have been experiencing puberty. This article discusses a couple of possible explanations as well as the implications that early puberty has on young girls.
Normal Adolescent Development: Site discusses the typical thoughts and behaviors of adolescents as they develop.
Reproductive Health of Young Adults: Site is a comprehensive presentation of contraception, pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. It also has a great set of references and information concerning reproductive health of young adults.
Rock and Roll: Does It Influence Teens' Behaviour?: Music plays an influential role in adolescent's lives. This article looks at how music influences teens' behaviours.
The Identity Development of Multiracial Youth: This article discusses some of the challenges that multiracial youth face in their process of forming an identity.
Youth Drinking: Risk Factors and Consequences: Article presents a number of developmental and psychosocial risk factors for youth drinking and substance use as well as some of the possible consequences.

Adult and Gerontology

APA Division 20: Site of APA's Division for Adult Development and Aging contains many resources.
About Chronic Disease: Article provides some interesting facts about the prevalence of chronic disease among women and minority groups.
Aging and Death in Folklore: Site lists some common myths about aging and death.
Alzheimer Society of Canada: Site provides information about caring for people with Alzheimer's Disease, current research findings about Alzheimer's Disease, and other resources concerning Alzheimer's Disease.
Alzheimer's Society: About Dementia: Site provides information about the different types of dementia such as Alzheimer's, vascular, head injury, AIDS, alcohol-induced, and head injuries that have dementia-like symptoms.
Arthritis Canada: Site provides a link to the Arthritis Society which contains information about the disease that commonly plagues seniors.
Assessing and Managing Depression in the Terminally Ill Patient: Article discusses some of the barriers to recognizing depression in terminally ill patients. In order to illustrate the points made, case studies are provided along with examples of how to diagnose and treat depression.
Basics of Geriatric Care: This manual of geriatric care provides information about the biology of aging, geriatric nursing and social work, the continuity of care, the quality of care, social issues that older people face, and more.
Caregiver Network, Inc.: Information presented is directed toward caregivers of the elderly and the ill.
Changing Career Patterns: It is very common in today's society for people to change careers throughout their working lives. This article discusses the influences that encourage career mobility and the qualities that enhance career mobility.
Clinical Geriatrics: Anxiety Disorders: Article provides a discussion of some common anxiety disorders in the context of how they affect the elderly. Comorbidity and management techniques are presented as well.
Cognitive Changes and Aging: Article provides a summary of what happens to crystallized and fluid intelligence, attention, processing speed, and memory as people grow older.
Dating, Love, Marriage, and Sex: Site provides information about attraction, love, marriage, divorce, the cultural taboos of sex, and other topics.
Dementia: This site provides a summary of many of the issues that concern people with Dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Some of the topics covered in this website are diagnosis, treatment, caregiver's needs, and latest discoveries in the field.
Euthanasia History: This timeline highlights the major events in history that are either supportive and non-supportive of euthanasia.
Fighting Age-related Memory Decline: Article discusses how various types of food may help to help to slow memory or cognitive losses that occur when people age.
Gerontological Society of America: The home page to the Gerontological Society of America provides links to journals, web sites, and other resources concerning gerontology.
Geropsychology Central: This site provides links to resources concerning gerontology, dementia, Parkinson's disease, strokes, and assessments.
Going Solo: Article discusses how "unwed motherhood in industrial nations" has risen over the last forty years.
Grandparenthood in Canada: Site provides information about grandparenthood including demographics; meanings of being a grandparent; contact, help and emotional closeness that grandparents experience; sources of diversity in relationships between grandparents and grandchildren; and grandparents expectations and rights.
Hospice Net: Site provides information about hospices. Some of the articles contained within this site concern FAQs about hospices, dealing with dying, pain control, information for caregivers and information about bereavement.
Is It Depression or is It Dementia?: Since depression, subcortical dementia, and normal aging have similar neobehavioural characteristics, this article discusses how to differentiate between the three.
Late Onset Alcoholism: Gaining Understanding: Article discusses some of the possible causes of late onset alcoholism, how to assess alcoholism, and some treatment choices.
Lighting Design for Aging Eyes: Article discusses how the homes of older people should be lit.
Older Women Talk About Sex: Older women are often thought to have diminished sex drives. This article discusses a survey that found that older women are still interested in sex.
Parenthood Detrimental to Marriage? Not Necessarily...: "Marital researchers identify a prescription that may buffer newlyweds against stressors."
Psychology of Love: An Introduction: Site provides links to a number of articles about love. The articles discuss the historical background of love, current psychological theories of love, Freud's psychoanalytic theory of love, and attachment theories of love.
Recent Findings on Memory Issues: Site highlights a number of interesting facts about memory that researchers have recently discovered.
Social Gerontology and the Aging Revolution: Site provides information about the biology and psychology of aging, aging across culture and time, and the institutional impacts of the aging revolution.
The Caregiver's Handbook: This handbook discusses caring for elders, provides ideas that caregivers can use to look after themselves, and discusses the emotional and intellectual well-being of the elderly.
The Effects of the Mother's Employment on the Family and the Child: Since the majority of mothers are now employed, this article takes a look at some the effects this has had on the children being raised, the father's role, the mother's sense of well being, child rearing patterns, and the effects of non-maternal care. A discussion of changing employment patterns is also provided.
The End of Life: Exploring Death in America: Site provides links and readings concerning death.
The Health of Aboriginal Women: This article provides some astonishing facts about the health of aboriginal women compared to non-aboriginal women.
The Mysteries of Aging: Is Diet a Contributing Factor?: Article discusses how diet restriction may serve to slow down the aging process.
Theories of Aging Based on Predetermined or Programmed Events: A summary of both the pacemaker and the genetic theories of aging are provided.
Theories of Aging Based on Random Events: A summary of the following theories of aging are provided: cross-linking, wear and tear, free radical, rate of living, and somatic maturation.
Woolf Gerontology Page: Site provides information about aging, elder abuse and neglect, ageism, and gay and lesbian aging.

Developmental Disorders

ADD Resources: ADD Resources is a rapidly growing national non-profit organization whose mission is to help people with ADD/ADHD achieve their full potential through support and education. Their website offers 100 free and carefully chosen articles helpful to adults with ADD/ADHD and to parents of children with ADD/ADHD, a free monthly eNews, 100 links to other ADHD-related websites, the National ADHD Directory, and more.
ADHD Just Doesn't Add Up to Brit Psych Society: An article from The Medical Post describing a report by the British Psychological Society which discusses the viewpoint that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is over-diagnosed in Canada and the U.S.
Asperger Syndrome: Site provides information, papers, articles, and links to other web sites concerning Asperger Syndrome. Asperger Syndrome is characterizes people who "[have] normal intelligence and language development, but who also [exhibit] autistic-like behaviors and marked deficiencies in social and communication skills."
Asperger's Syndrome: The Geek Syndrome: Article discusses Asperger's syndrome and why there is an increased incidence in Silicon Valley.
Autism Society of America: Offers support and information packages.
Autism Today: This online magazine devoted to autism contains scientific articles, personal stories, and news about recent discoveries concerning autism.
Center for the Study of Autism: Center for the Study of Autism. A U.S. organization that offers links to a number of topics related to autism including related disorders, issues, interventions, and other sites.
Conduct Disorder Links: Links to information about conduct disorder including descriptions, treatment, and research.
Crime Times: "Research reviews and information on biological causes of criminal, violent, and psychopathic behaviour."
Disorders of Childhood: A description of childhood disorders including attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, depression, and anxiety. Also provides 13 links to similar sites.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Site provides information and links to a vast number of resources about fetal alcohol syndrome.
Fragile X Syndrome: This site contains information concerning the Fragile X Syndrome including what it is, its causes, its characteristics, and the educational implications for those who have it.
Helping Young Children Deal With Anger: Article discusses how children experience anger. There are three components to anger: the emotional experience, the expression of anger, and the understanding of anger.
LD Online: An interactive guide to learning disabilities for parents, teachers and children.
Nonverbal Learning Disorders: Article discusses different types of nonverbal learning disabilities including motoric, visual-spatial-organizational, and social disorders. It also provides some strategies that can be used to cope with the disorders.
Nonverbal Learning Disorders on the Web: Site provides information and resources about nonverbal learning disorders.
Shyness: This article provides information concerning shyness and its effects on children and the self. The article also discusses the roles culture and technology play in facilitating shyness.
The Other Side of Attention Deficit Disorder: Site provides information about the positive and alternative views of ADD.
Tourette Syndrome Association: Site provides information and a number of online resources about Tourette Syndrome.
University Students with Autism and Asperger's Syndrome: Site is devoted to university students who have autism or Asperger's syndrome. Site describes the characteristics of the disorders and includes links and references.
Williams Syndrome Association: Site provides information about Williams Syndrome which is a rare developmental disorder.

Theories of Development

Cognitive Development and Intelligence: Site provides information about Piaget's and Vygotsky's theories, and about various theories of intelligence.
Gilligan's In a Different Voice: A detailed but clear description of Gilligan's theory of moral development, based on her book "In a Different Voice".
Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development: Describes Kohlberg's theory of moral development and compares it to Piaget's ideas. It also goes into detail about the whole concept of stages of development, discusses the relationship between moral thought and moral behavior, relates moral thought to other types of cognition, and discusses implications for education. It concludes with a discussion of the limitations of Kohlberg's theory, including Gilligan's ideas.
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: Article discusses the different components of Maslow's hierarchy of needs.
Moral Development and Moral Education: An Overview: Article provides an overview of the theories created by Piaget, Kohlberg, Turiel, and Gilligan.
Social Development Theory: Brief summary of Vygotsky's theory including 3 references. Includes a link to Genetic Epistemology (which gives a brief summary of Piaget's theory, links to other theorists exploring intelligences, & several references).
The Child & Family WebGuide: The WebGuide is an online rating and review guide that contains six categories of information: Family, Education, Health, Typical Development, Childcare, and Activities. This site is intended for parents and students studying child development at the high school, undergraduate and graduate level.
Verbal and Intellectual Development: A brief overview of language and cognition (including Piaget's theory). Self-tests are also provided.