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From infancy to old age: Do you know the stages of psychological development we go through throughout our lives?
Developmental psychology is the science that studies how and why humans grow, change, and adapt throughout life. The field initially focused on infants and children, but over time it has expanded to include the entire lifespan including adolescence, adult development, and old age. Developmental psychologists try to explain changes in thinking, feeling, and behavior throughout life. This field examines changes in three important dimensions: physical development, cognitive development, and socioemotional development. These three dimensions cover a wide range of areas, including motor skills, executive functions, moral understanding, language acquisition, social changes, personality, emotional development, self-concept and identity formation, etc.
Developmental psychology examines the impact of nature and nurture on human development and changes over time.
Many researchers are interested in the interaction between personal characteristics, individual behavior, and environmental factors, including social context and the built environment. Current debates in developmental psychology include the debate between biological essentialism and neuroplasticity, and the debate between developmental stages and dynamic system development. Although the study of developmental psychology has its limitations, current researchers are working to understand how transitions occur across life stages and the impact biological factors may have on our behavior and development.
Historical background
The theoretical sources that laid the foundation for modern psychological development can be traced mainly to Jean-Jacques Rousseau and John B. Watson. In the mid-18th century, Rousseau described three stages of development in "Emile: Or Education": infancy, childhood and adolescence. Rousseau's ideas were supported by educators at the time. Developmental psychology, on the other hand, focuses on studying why certain changes (such as cognitive, social, intellectual, and personality) occur over time. Several theorists have made important contributions in this area, one of which is the psychologist Erik Erickson, who created a model of psychosocial development consisting of eight stages.
Theories of psychological development
Psychological development stages
Sigmund Freud proposed a theory that human behavior is driven by the pursuit of pleasure, and that this process changes with stages. Each period of pleasure-seeking represents a stage of psychological development, a step in the process of becoming an adult. The first stage is the oral stage, which lasts from birth to about one and a half years; the second is the anal stage, which lasts from about one and a half to three years old; the third is the genital stage, which lasts from three to five years; and the fourth is the latent stage, which lasts from five to five years. The transition from age to adolescence. The fifth stage is the reproductive period, from adolescence to adulthood. During this long development process, Freud believed that there was a tension between consciousness and unconsciousness, and proposed the personality structure of id, ego and superego.
Cognitive development theory
Swiss scholar Jean Piaget believed that children actively construct knowledge through interaction with the physical and social environment. He advocates that adults play an important role in helping children learn, including providing appropriate materials. His theory holds that the development process is a process of constantly reconciling contradictions, a process called "balance." Piaget proposed four cognitive development stages: sensorimotor stage, pre-operational thinking stage, concrete operational thinking stage and formal operational thinking stage. His theory emphasized that these stages do not occur at a specific age, but rather that each stage builds on the previous one.
Stages of moral development
Piaget believed that logic and morality develop through constructive stages. Larence Kohlberg expanded this view further, arguing that the process of moral development is primarily concerned with justice and continues throughout an individual's life. In doing so, Kohlberg established three levels of moral reasoning.
Stages of psychosocial development
German-American psychologist Eric Erickson and his wife Joan Erickson proposed eight stages of human development, which are influenced by biological, psychological and social factors. At each stage, one must resolve a challenge or dilemma. Successfully solving challenges at a certain stage can enable individuals to internalize positive virtues, while failure to solve them will deepen negative perceptions of themselves or the surrounding environment, thereby hindering personal development.
System theory and cultural influence
Uri Bronfenbrenner proposed ecological systems theory, which describes four types of nested environmental systems and emphasizes two-way influences within and between systems. These systems include microsystems, intermediary systems, exosystems, and macrosystems. Human development is not determined by a single factor, but is the result of complex interactions between the environment and the individual. In addition, Lev Vygoky focused on the role of culture in children's development, emphasizing the importance of social interaction and situational tools for children's learning.
Throughout life, we face a variety of challenges and stages, each of which offers opportunities to learn more about ourselves and explore our place in the world.
From our early years growing up to looking back into old age, we all go through intense psychological developmental changes. These changes not only affect our emotions and behaviors but also shape our values and identities. So, how do you think the different stages of psychological development have affected you in your own life?
