DEVELOPMENTAL PERIOD/STAGE: a time frame in a person’s life that is characterized by certain features,

STAGES OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

1. Pre-natal Period

2. Infancy (birth – 2 years)

3. Early Childhood (3 – 5 years)

4. Middle and Late Childhood (6 to 12 years)

5. Adolescence (13 – 18 years)

6. Early Adulthood (19 – 29 years)

7. Middle Adulthood (30 – 60 years)

8. Late Adulthood (61 years and above)

PRE-NATAL DEVELOPMENT : Progress before birth

PRENATAL - It involves tremendous growth – from a single cell to an organism complete with brain and behavioral capabilities.

3 PHASES

• GERMINAL STAGE = First 2 weeks

-  conception, implantation, formation of placenta

• EMBRYONIC STAGE = 2 weeks - 2 months

      -  formation of vital organs and systems

• FETAL STAGE = 2 months – birth

              - bodily growth continues, movement capability begins, brain cells multiply age of viability.

INFANCY (Birth-2 years)

• extreme dependence on adults

• beginning psychological activities

• language, symbolic thought, sensorimotor

• coordination, and social learning

• language of newborn is the cry

• usually eats every 2 to 3 hours

• uncoordinated movements

• toothless

• poor vision (focusing range 8 to 12 inches)usually doubles weight by 9 months

• responds to human voice & touch

(1 year old)

•  change from plump baby to leaner more muscular toddler

•  begins to walk & talk

•  ability for passive language (better understanding of what’s being said)

•  tentative sense of independence

•  determined explorer

TODDLER (2 years old)

• begins to communicate verbally (name, etc.)

• can usually speak in 3 to 4 word sentences

• famous for negative behavior “NO!” to everything! temper tantrums

•  will play side by side other children, but does not actively play with them

• great imitators 

EARLY CHILDHOOD (3 – 5 YEARS OLD)

• wants to be just like parents

• vocabulary and pronunciation continue to expand

• climbs stairs with alternating feet

• can briefly stand on one foot

EARLY CHILDHOOD (4 YEARS OLD)

• sentences are more complex; speaks well enough for strangers to understand

•  imagination is vivid; line between what is real & imaginary is often indistinct

EARLY CHILDHOOD (5 YEARS OLD)

•  can hop on one foot & skip

• can accurately copy figures

• may begin to read

• socialize with other children their age 

MIDDLE AND LATE CHILDHOOD (6-12 YEARS OLD)

• both large & small muscles well-developed

• developed complex motor skills

• independent activities to same sex group activities

• acceptance by peers very important

• parental approval still important

ADOLESCENCE (13-18 YEARS OLD)

• traumatic life stage for child & parent

• puberty occurs

• extremely concerned with appearance

• trying to establish self-identity

• confrontations with authority

EARLY ADULTHOOD / YOUNG ADULT (19-29 YEARS OLD)

• physical development complete

• emotional maturation continues to develop

• usually learned to accept responsibility for actions & accept criticism

• usually knows how to profit from errors

• socially progress from age-related peer groups to people with similar interests

MIDDLE ADULTHOOD (30-60 YEARS OLD)

• physical changes begin to occur:

• hair begins to thin & gray

• wrinkles appear

• hearing & vision decrease

• muscles lose tone

• main concerns: children, health, job security, aging parents, & fear of aging

• love & acceptance still take a major role

LATE ADULTHOOD (61 YEARS AND ABOVE)

• growing age bracket of society

• physical deterioration (brittle bones, poor coordination)

• some memory pro

• coping with retirement & forms of entertainment

• very concerned with health & finances

• significant number become depressed; suicide rate is high

DEVELOPMENTAL TASKS

• Learning to take food

• Learning to walk

• Learning to talk

• Learning to control the elimination of body wastes

• Learning sex differences and sexual modesty

• Getting ready to read

• Learning to distinguish right and wrong and learning to develop a conscience

• Learning physical skills necessary for ordinary games

• Building a wholesome attitude toward oneself as a growing organism

• Learning to get along with age-mates

• Beginning to develop appropriate masculine or feminine social roles

• Developing fundamental skills in reading, writing, and calculating

• Developing concepts necessary for everyday living

• Developing conscience, a sense of morality, and a scale of values

• Developing attitudes toward social groups and institutions

• Achieving personal independence

ADOLESCENCE (13 -18)

• Achieving mature relations with both sexes

• Achieving a masculine or feminine social role

• Accepting one’s physique

• Achieving emotional independence of adults

• Preparing for marriage and family life

• Preparing for an economic career

• Acquiring values and an ethical system to guide behavior

• Desiring and achieving socially responsible behavior

EARLY ADULTHOOD (19 - 29)

• Selecting a mate

• Learning to live with a partner

• Starting a family

• Bearing children

• Managing a home

• Starting an occupation

• Assuming civic responsibility

MIDDLE ADULTHOOD (30 - 60)

• Helping teenage children to become happy and responsible adults

• Achieving adult social and civic responsibility

• Satisfactory career achievement

• Developing adult leisure time activities

• Relating to one’s spouse as a person

• Accepting the physiological changes of middle age

• Adjusting to aging parent

LATER MATURITY (61 - OVER)

• Adjusting to decreasing strength and health

• Adjusting to retirement and reduced income 

• Adjusting to death of spouse

• Establishing relations with one’s own age group

• Meeting social and civic obligation

• Establishing satisfactory living quarters

ADOLESCENCE (13 -18)

• Achieving mature relations with both sexes

• Achieving a masculine or feminine social role

• Accepting one’s physique

• Achieving emotional independence of adults

• Preparing for marriage and family life

• Preparing for an economic career

• Acquiring values and an ethical system to guide behavior

• Desiring and achieving socially responsible behavior

EARLY ADULTHOOD (19 - 29)

• Selecting a mate

• Learning to live with a partner

• Starting a family

• Bearing children

• Managing a home

• Starting an occupation

• Assuming civic responsibility

MIDDLE ADULTHOOD (30 - 60)

• Helping teenage children to become happy and responsible adults

• Achieving adult social and civic responsibility

• Satisfactory career achievement

• Developing adult leisure time activities

• Relating to one’s spouse as a person

• Accepting the physiological changes of middle age

• Adjusting to aging parent

LATER MATURITY (61 - OVER)

• Adjusting to decreasing strength and health

• Adjusting to retirement and reduced income 

• Adjusting to death of spouse

• Establishing relations with one’s own age group

• Meeting social and civic obligation

• Establishing satisfactory living quarters