Culture and Human Development

©2019 Walden University 1

CU001: Culture and Human Development — Evaluate the influence of culture on social, emotional, and cognitive developmental
processes and human behavior to gain a better understanding of individuals across the world

Assessment Rubric

Rubric Criteria
0

Not Present
1

Needs Improvement
2

Meets Expectations

Module 1: What is Culture and Why Should Psychologists be Interested?
Introduction

Provide a brief
introduction of culture
and components of culture

LO 1.1 Introduce culture
and components of culture

Response is not present. Response is a vague, inaccurate,
or incomplete introduction of
culture and does not include the
various components of culture.

Response provides a complete,
clear, accurate, and thorough
introduction of culture and
includes the various
components of culture.

LO 1.2 Define culture

Response is not present. Response is a vague, inaccurate,
or incomplete definition of
culture.

Response a provides complete,
clear, accurate, and thorough
definition of culture

LO 1.3 Describe forms/aspects of
various sample cultures

Response is not present. Response is vague, inaccurate,
or incomplete and does not
describe the forms/aspects of
various sample cultures.

Response provides a complete,
clear, accurate, and thorough
description of forms/aspects of
various sample cultures.

LO 1.4 Explain how your
definition of culture applies to
your news story or current
event

Response is not present. Response is a vague, inaccurate,
or incomplete explanation of
how your definition of culture
applies to your news story or
current event.

Response provides a complete,
clear, accurate, and thorough
explanation of how your
definition of culture applies to
your news story or current
event.

Current Event
LO 1.5 Describe the
international, credible news
story or current event regarding

Response is not present. Response is a vague, inaccurate,
or incomplete description of the
international, credible news

Response provides a complete,
clear, accurate, and thorough
description of the international,

©2019 Walden University 2

Rubric Criteria
0

Not Present
1

Needs Improvement
2

Meets Expectations

child and/or adults being
debated (e.g., child labor,
immigration, migration,
refugees, international scores
on standardized tests)

story or current event regarding
child and/or adult being
debated.

credible news story, or current
event regarding child and/or
adult being debated.

Specific Recommendations

LO 1.6 Analyze the news story or
current event, and explain what
you learned about culture and
psychology as it relates to
addressing the situation

Response is not present. Analysis of the news story or
current event along with an
incomplete explanation of what
you learned about culture and
psychology as it relates to
addressing the situation is
vague.

Analysis of the news story or
current event along with a
thorough explanation of what
you learned about culture and
psychology as it relates to
addressing the situation is clear.

LO 1.7 Provide two to four specific
recommendations based on culture
and psychology related to the
issues in the news story or current
event

Response is not present. Response provides vague,
inaccurate, or incomplete
recommendations based on
culture and psychology related
to the issues in the news story
or current event.

Response provides complete,
clear, accurate, and thorough
recommendations based on
culture and psychology related
to the issues in the news story
or current event.

Module 2: Birth to Adolescence and/or Module 3: Adulthood
Lifespan Development

LO 2.1 Explain the cultural
implications on human
development based on the
event related to children and/or
adults

Response is not present. Response is a vague, inaccurate,
or an incomplete explanation of
the cultural implications on
human development based on
the event related to children
and/or adults.

Response provides a complete,
clear, accurate, and thorough
explanation of the cultural
implications on human
development based on the
event related to children and/or
adults.

©2019 Walden University 3

Mastery Rubric No Yes

Exceeds Expectations: Culture and Human Development

Evaluate the influence of culture
on social, emotional, and
cognitive developmental
processes and human behavior
to gain a better understanding of
individuals across the world

The Executive Summary of Talking Points
paper does not thoroughly examine a credible
news story or current event related to child
and/or adult dilemmas from an expert’s
perspective. The influence of culture on social,
emotional, and cognitive developmental
processes and human behavior is not
addressed thoroughly.

The Executive Summary of Talking Points
paper thoroughly examines a credible news
story or current event related to child and/or
adult dilemmas from an expert’s perspective.
The influence of culture on social, emotional,
and cognitive developmental processes and
human behavior is thoroughly addressed.

Professional Skill Building

The faculty assessor will provide feedback based on the following Professional Skills: Engaging Multiple Social and Cultural
Perspectives, Information Literacy, Inquiry and Analysis, and Written Communication. Although the feedback is here to inform the
development of your skills, it is not a barrier to achieving the Competency unless the writing is too poor score the content of the
Assessment. Review the rubric, and check your work based on the Learning Objectives listed. If you are concerned that your writing
will not meet these expectations yet, reach out to your Faculty Subject Matter Expert (SME) so he or she can work with you to
further develop this important professional skill.

It is highly recommended that you use this opportunity to practice these important skills in the context of this Competency
Assessment in order to receive feedback about your current level of proficiency.

Engaging Multiple Social and Cultural Perspectives: Apply strategies to develop intellectual flexibility and broad knowledge that
enables perception of the world through the perspectives of diverse social and cultural perspectives.

©2019 Walden University 4

Professional Skills Building

0

Not Present

1

Needs Improvement

2

Meets Expectations

LO1: Recognize the value of one’s
own and others’ social and cultural
perspectives

Recognition is not
present.

Response demonstrates a vague
understanding of the value of one’s
own and others’ social and cultural
perspectives.

Response demonstrates a clear
understanding of the value of one’s own
and others’ social and cultural
perspectives.

LO2: Recognize how knowledge
from different cultural and social
perspectives might affect
interpretations of issues in society

Recognition is not
present.

Response demonstrates a vague
understanding of how different
cultural and social perspectives
might affect interpretations of
issues.

Response demonstrates a clear
understanding of how different cultural
and social perspectives might affect
interpretations of issues.

LO3: Evaluate the source of one’s
own perspectives on selected issues
in culture and society

Evaluation is not present. Response provides an incomplete
evaluation of the source of one’s
own perspectives on selected
issues in culture and society.

Response provides a thorough evaluation
of the source of one’s own perspectives on
selected issues in culture and society.

LO4: Evaluate competing social and
cultural perspectives
on specific problems in order
to arrive at a solution

Evaluation is not present. Response provides an incomplete
evaluation of perspectives and/or
does not offer a viable solution.

Response provides a thorough evaluation
of differing perspectives and makes a
judgement regarding viable solutions.

Information Literacy: Apply strategies to evaluate information in order to effectively analyze issues and make decisions

Professional Skills Building
0

Not Present

1

Needs Improvement

2

Meets Expectations

LO1: Identify and locate credible
sources

No sources or noncredible
sources are present.

Sources are inconsistently credible,
appropriate, and relevant to the
topic and/or assessment.

Sources are mostly credible, appropriate,
and relevant to the
topic and/or assessment.

©2019 Walden University 5

LO2: Analyze information sources Analysis is not present. Analysis superficially applies aspects
of sources that are most relevant to
the topic and/or assessment and/or
analysis is unclear.

Analysis thoroughly and clearly applies
aspects of sources that are most relevant
to the topic and/or assessment.

LO3: Synthesize information from
multiple credible sources

Synthesis is not present. Synthesis demonstrates a vague
connection between multiple sources
and/or the topic.

Synthesis demonstrates a clear and
cohesive connection between multiple
sources and/or ideas to support a given
topic.

Inquiry and Analysis: Apply strategies to identify, frame, and evaluate issues and problems.

Professional Skills Building
0

Not Present

1

Needs Improvement

2

Meets Expectations

LO1: Identify a problem or
question in a selected area of
study

No problem or question is
presented.

The problem or question is vague or
inappropriate to the selected field of
study.

The problem or question is clearly stated in
a form appropriate to the selected field of
study.

LO2: Use a logical organizing
principle to identify the key parts
or elements of a problem or
question in a selected field of
study

Elements or parts of the
problem or question are
not presented.

Elements or parts of the problem or
question are presented in a
disorganized manner.

Elements or parts of the problem or
question are presented in an organized
manner.

LO3: Evaluate theories and
approaches to explain complex
problems within a chosen field of
study

No theoretical approach is
presented.

A theoretical approach is vaguely
presented.

A theoretical approach to the problem or
question is presented and justified.

LO4: Apply organizing principles
and theoretical approaches to
identify solutions to a problem

No attempt is made to
connect theories or
organizing principles to
solutions to the problem.

Connections between theories or
organizing principles solutions to the
problem are vague.

Theories and organizing principles are used
to make connections, identify gaps and/or
provide evidence for showing solutions to
the problem or questions.

©2019 Walden University 6

Written Communication: Write with clarity, coherence, and purpose

Professional Skills Building
0

Not Present
1

Needs Improvement
2

Meets Expectations

LO1: Develop clear introduction statements (AWE
3; essay-level skills)

Introduction statement is
not present.

Introduction statement is
unclear and/or unfocused.

Introduction statement is well
defined and clearly describes the
topic and focus of the response.

LO2: Use transitions to connect ideas (AWE 3;
essay-level skills)

Transitions are not
present.

Transitions are used
inconsistently or limit reader’s
access to ideas.

Writing conveys a cohesive idea
through the effective use of
transitions.

LO3: Use appropriate tone and vocabulary for a
given audience (Awe 3; Awareness of audience
and discipline)

Vocabulary and tone are
inappropriate for the
audience.

Vocabulary and tone vary
throughout the writing, limiting
reader’s access to ideas.

Vocabulary and tone
communicate key concepts that
are appropriate for the audience.

LO4: Apply APA formatting and style guidelines
(Awe 3 awareness of audience and discipline and
credit to source)

APA formatting and style
are not present.

Writing inconsistently uses in-
text citations and references.
Major errors in APA Style
impede understanding and/or
violate standards for academic
integrity.

Writing uses in-text citations
appropriately, includes references
when applicable, and is formatted
according to APA Style. Minor
errors in APA Style do not impede
understanding or violate
standards for academic integrity.