Human development is a complex process that occurs in stages throughout an individual's lifespan. While every person is unique and will experience development differently, there are certain milestones that are typically associated with three main stages: childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.
Childhood is generally considered to be the period from birth to around age 12. During this time, children go through many physical, cognitive, and social-emotional changes as they grow and learn about the world around them. They learn to crawl, walk, and talk, and their brains develop the capacity for abstract thinking and problem-solving. They also develop friendships, learn how to express and manage their emotions, and become more independent as they grow.
Adolescence is the stage of development that begins during puberty and lasts until around age 20. Adolescents experience many physical changes as they go through puberty, including the onset of sexual maturity and the growth of secondary sexual characteristics such as breasts in girls and facial hair in boys. Adolescents also experience cognitive changes, such as the ability to think abstractly and consider the consequences of their actions. They may also begin to question authority and become more independent.
Adulthood is the final stage of development, which begins in the early 20s and lasts until the end of an individual's life. Adults are generally considered to be self-sufficient and responsible for their own actions and decisions. They may establish careers, get married, and start families of their own. They may also continue to grow and learn throughout their lives, taking on new challenges and responsibilities as they age.
Each stage of development brings with it new challenges and opportunities for growth. Childhood is a time of discovery and learning, adolescence is a time of questioning and finding one's identity, and adulthood is a time of responsibility and independence. While the specific experiences of each individual will vary, these three stages are an important part of the human developmental journey.
Human Development Stages From Infancy to Late Adulthood
During adolescence, young men and women are primarily concerned with finding their identity and expressing who they are in the world. Age-linked development periods and cases in point of defined intervals include: ages 0-1 month newborn ; ages 1 month — 1 year infant ; toddler ages 1-3 years ; ages 4-6years preschooler ; ages 6-13 years school-aged child and ages 13-20 adolescent Kail, 2006. Schools compare students and make these comparisons public through team sports, test scores, and other forms of recognition. Teenagers embark on the transition to becoming adults, attempting to define who they are as individuals and how they fit in the world. It can help to use synonyms for definitions of the bolded terms. A 15-year-old is an adolescent — no longer a child, but not yet an adult either. It can also be a time of becoming more realistic about possibilities in life previously considered; of recognizing the difference between what is possible and what is likely.
When they do not meet these milestones, it can help direct us to where medical or environmental interventions can be made. Obviously, 18-year-olds are very different from 64-year-olds, which is why scholars often distinguish young adults from middle-age adults. Puberty is defined as the biological changes of adolescence. For that matter, good influence can be encouraging whereas bad influence can be motivating. . Depending on the child's age and development, children have different abilities to comprehend the reality of what divorce means, why it happened, and how it will impact them, says Dr. But parents are still a critical support throughout this time.
Ainsworth developed three categories of attachment based on the outcomes. Positive emotions like love and affection are shown. They usually have wrinkled, blotchy red skin and a large head. Early Adulthood Photo Courtesy Josh Gray The twenties and thirties are often thought of as early adulthood. In this stage, children learn to speak up for their needs.
All of the major structures of the body are forming and the health of the mother is of primary concern. If your child wares a size 2 then your child is in the little kids sizes. Of course, there is a certain discomfort in thinking about death but there is also a certain confidence and acceptance that can come from studying death and dying. Beyond this basic importance of childhood, however, lies an ugly truth. This style is often matched with stronger or harsher punishments for a child.
They learn to trust other people as needs are met. His Social Constructivist Approach helps understand and builds upon the knowledge already children have with the new knowledge that the adults can aid the child to learn Vygotsky, 1998. Early adulthood involves few physical changes, but it's a time of important emotional development, as young adults decide where they want to live, who they want to live with, and what type of work they want to do. This page was brought to you by Thomas Armstrong, Ph. These latter individuals may well marry, have children, or both by the time they are 18 or 19, while those who go to college and especially those who get an advanced degree may wait until their late 20s or early to mid-30s to take these significant steps. Monumentally, families nurture, shape and model children into who they later become. Love and work are primary concerns at this stage of life.
Ironically, adolescents have a sense of invincibility that puts them at greater risk of dying from accidents or contracting sexually transmitted infections that can have lifelong consequences. To grow and develop in good health, adolescents need information, including age-appropriate comprehensive sexuality education; opportunities to develop life skills; health services that are acceptable, equitable, appropriate and effective; and safe and supportive environments. From simple essay plans, through to full dissertations, you can guarantee we have a service perfectly matched to your needs. Adolescence As many readers may remember, adolescence can be a very challenging time. This imagination serves as a source of creative inspiration in later life for artists, writers, scientists, and anyone else who finds their days and nights enriched for having nurtured a deep inner life.
8 Stages of Human Growth and Development from Infancy to Adulthood
However, either way it is duly influenced by their family and general background. After birth, our brains go through a wild growth period in our early years similar to our bodies. Example: The sense of independence that starts to develop during childhood is amplified during adolescence. If you are married, your spouse might not be very happy to have you go barhopping every weekend night or even more often; if you are employed full time, your employer might not be very happy to have you show up hung over. Your essay should show the connection between childhood and adolescence, and also discuss the role of puberty in adolescence. On top of physical changes, most middle-aged adults also experience stress from dealing with older children and taking care of aging parents.
Justice Quarterly, 26 2 , 238—267. Social class, race and ethnicity, and gender continue to affect how people fare during adulthood. They usually have more impulse control by now and may be better able to gauge risks and rewards accurately. Moreover, how well they do fare often depends on their social location—their social class, their race and ethnicity, and their gender. As people move toward adulthood, the Success in this stage results in a coherent identity and sense of self. The influence of dating relationships on friendship networks, identity development, and delinquency.
Stages of Development Changes From Adolescence Through Adulthood
Social class affects the likelihood of reading to children: only 40% of children in families below the poverty level are read to daily, compared to 64% of children in families with incomes twice the poverty level or higher. As always, if you have concerns about your child's emotional or mental health, don't hesitate to reach out to their pediatrician, a family therapist, or healthcare provider. Disillusionment about love and marriage can lead some children of divorce to have issues trusting their future partners and maintaining their own relationships, says Dr. Periods of Development Think about the life span and make a list of what you would consider the periods of development. We need to advocate for prenatal education and services for poor mothers, and support safe and healthy birthing methods in third world countries. A child also needs guidance as they begin to test out new skills and gain confidence in their decision-making.