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Developmental Chart PSY 357
Lifespan Development (PSY-357)
Grand Canyon University
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PSY-357 – Lifespan Development
Developmental Periods
Directions: For each developmental period, discuss the physical, socioemotional, and cognitive developmental theories, and identify the theorists. Include any concerns/issues that might arise during each developmental period. While APA style is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected, and documentation of sources should be presented using APA formatting guidelines. Each description should be a minimum of 50 words with two to three outside references, not including your textbook, for each developmental period. You will add information to the chart as you study and research each developmental group throughout the course. The entire chart, filled out completely, is due to your instructor at the end of Topic 8. You will not be required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite.
Physical Development Socioemotional Development
Cognitive Development Concerns or Issues
Prenatal and Infancy
The Prenatal and Infancy stages are the first stages of a human’s lifespan. The Prenatal stage of development begins with the formation of the zygote, this is called the zygote period. The zygote period begins with fertilization, after seven days the zygote is implanted into the uterine wall and is now an embryo. The embryonic period lasts for eight weeks, after the eight
Infants depend greatly on their facial expressions and body language to communicate their feelings and emotions. They also learn to read others’ emotions and social cues. Infants will rely on their automatic reflexes such as crying and screaming in order to communicate their needs. The sounds and means of communicating varies by age, the first couple months are filled with
Jean Piaget explains how newborns begin to interact with their environment via reflexive behaviors. This would classify infants in the Sensorimotor Stage of Development. (Huitt, W. & Hummel, J. 2003) The infants intelligence will solely be demonstrated through their motor activity. In their first month of infancy, infants will use their automatic reflexes to interact and
Concerns and issues are heavily present in these stages of development. During pregnancy mothers have to care for their nutrition and health in order to have a healthy fetus. Regular checkups and proper prenatal care are essential. During the infancy stage, infants are heavily dependent on their caregivers for essential care. Their nutrition and overall physical and mental
weeks the embryo is considered a fetus. The fetal period will continue until birth. Once the fetus is born, it is considered an infant. The infant will nearly double in weight by four months and triple in weight and size by their first year. Within the first two months of age, infants develop the ability to turn their heads but are still too weak to support their head and neck on their own. By months 3 and 4 the infant’s motor skills and further developed. They now have control of their hands, feet, and sensory skills. In their 5th and 6th months, infants learn gross motor skills such as sitting and crawling. In the later months, 9+ months, infants can pull themselves up to stand and will eventually learn how to walk. Walking ages vary between infants, but average
cries, screams and grunts. By month 4, babies begin cooing in order to communicate and express themselves. By being able to express themselves, babies begin building bonds with those around them. This is when Erickson’s theory of Trust vs. Mistrust stage develops. Infants will trust those who are nurturing and care for their needs. Mistrust will develop in infants if they are abused or neglected by those around them, especially caregivers. As the infant develops trust they learn to rely on their parents/caregivers for their needs and begin to recognize strangers and unfamiliar environments. By the age of 3-5 months, infants will learn to be comfortable with familiar people and objects. At this phase, infants will also begin to become attached to parents and
learn as much about the world around them as possible. In months 2-4, infants will learn behaviors that benefit them, such as crying for food and sucking on their thumb because it soothes them. Infants will also learn object cues such as seeing their bottle and knowing it is time to eat. At ages 6+, infants will begin to interact with their environment at a deeper level since they have developed gross and fine motor skills. A major skill infants gain is object permanence. They will learn that even though objects are out of sight they are still exist.
health rely heavily on others.
prepubescent changes set in. Children will begin to grow at a steady pace. Physical changes will occur and usually children’s limbs will grow at a faster rate than the rest of their bodies. At this stage in development is when motor skills will begin to further develop. Recess and play are important at this stage since children tend to be more agile and athletic. Overall, growth is not as prominent as it was in early childhood and in puberty. (Kail, R. & Cavanaugh, J. 2018)
focuses on middle and late childhood. Children are now exposed to other people aside from their primary caregivers. Through their abilities, children begin to grow confident and have pride in themselves. By hanging out with classmates and friends, children may see that they are better at certain things over their peers or find out the opposite. This can lead to children getting a confidence boost or feel out of place at school or in their social group. At this stage, self- confidence is a major socioemotional factor, it will determine whether children feel like their accepted or the “odd one out”. (Cherry, K. 2019)
development as the Concrete Operational stage. Children begin to lose their egocentric thinking and realize there are different views and perceptions in the world. This stage also begins the period of practical thinking and problem solving, though children are still unable to think hypothetically. Children will begin to learn by observing and applying experience. (Huitt, W. & Hummel, J. 2003)
health and mental development of children. Obesity is a serious issue in middle to late childhood. Good eating habits and physical activity should be implemented by caregivers in order to ensure children are getting proper nutrients and avoid obesity. Due to the heavy focus on self confidence in this stage, children who are underdeveloped or overweight may have a harder time mentally since they feel out of place among their peers. This is where mental health becomes an issue because depression or anxiety may set in due to them feeling out of place due to their appearance and lack of confidence. Adolescence At this stage of development, physical maturation is occurring, it is a process known as puberty. Puberty brings
In the adolescent stage, we are often found trying to figure out who we are and what we want in life. Erickson explains this
Jean Piaget explains that during this cognitive stage of development, adolescents develop logical thinking and
Decision making, behavior, and mental health are the major areas of concern during adolescence. Decision
on primary and secondary changes in sex characteristics. Females will experience changes in their bodies such as breast development, pubic hair, and menses, which is their first period. In males, their testes and scrotum will further develop. Facial and body hair will develop as well. Boys will also notice their voice will begin to get deeper. Along with these primary and secondary changes, adolescents will experience a large growth spurt. This is the only time, aside from infancy, that we experience a change in growth this drastically. Overall, this maturation in adolescents takes place over the course of 4 years, the first two years are usually where these changes occur. (Kail, R. & Cavanaugh, J. 2018) (NHS, 2018)
stage as the Identity vs. Confusion stage. Adolescents are often asking themselves “Who am I?” and that is the question directly associated with this stage in life. Teens develop their identity at this time, and it is heavily influenced by their perception of themselves and those around them. Since adolescents are always socializing at school and home, their perception and idea of who they are is constantly changing. When transitioning from childhood to adulthood, this perception of who they are and how others have a direct effect on it causes confusion and they tend to start questioning their identity. Due to this stage of identity and confusion, reassurance and encouragement is essential to promote
egocentric thinking returns. Teens are able to problem solve and use critical thinking in order to measure out consequences and think of long-term solutions and methods. This ability slowly progresses and develops during adolescence. The Formal Operational stage of cognitive development is described as the stage in which adolescents are using abstract and logical thinking and are able to manipulate their thoughts without concrete manipulation. Examples of this stage of cognitive development would be the mastering of mathematical equations and imagining the possible outcomes of their actions. Overall, this developing stage of cognition will change and evolve throughout adolescence and adulthood. (Huitt, W. &
making often leads to teens making poor choices due to peer pressure and their social group. This is where substance abuse comes into play. Teens will feel pressured to drink or try drugs due to those around them and the need to feel accepted. Behavior is often influenced by this too. Teens will feel like they are being watched and judged at all times and feel the need to modify their behavior due to this. This is where mental health becomes an issue. Since teens are navigating through personal explorations and forming their identity, depression and anxiety are possibilities. When teens feel out of place or isolated due to them not fitting in, issues with their self-confidence are developed. This leads to depression and suicidal thoughts due to their lack
followed by disappointment. The issue of intimacy vs isolation is often tied and associated to love. When young adults fail to find a partner and build that intimate connection it leads them to feel isolated and develop a sense of failure in that department. Same goes for work and finances, when individuals fail in these key goals, they isolate themselves and feel as if they have failed in life. A key question in this stage of development is “Will I be loved, or will I be alone?”. Those who succeed at building meaningful relationships usually succeed in other aspects in their lives and tend to be content with themselves. On the other hand, those who fail tend to be dissatisfied with themselves and that is when the issue of isolation arises. (Cherry,
interacting, and living in early adults is practical, realistic, and individualistic. (Huitt, W. & Hummel, J. 2003)
becoming an adult. A failed degree, job, or relationship can lead to depression and isolation in young adults leading to serious mental issues. (Feldman, 2006).
K. 2018).
Middle Adulthood Middle adulthood is characterized by a decline in physical abilities and the onset of menopause and andropause. In middle adulthood, individuals start to notice a gradual decline in their health and physical capabilities. There is a decrease in strength, coordination, and sensation in middle adulthood. Major changes are loss of sight, presbyopia, and loss of hearing, presbycusis. Another major change is menopause for women and andropause for men. Women will notice a change in their physical functions and appearance including fertility and loss of menstruation. Men will also see a change in fertility and physical attributes. Aging becomes very prominent with the appearance of deeper wrinkles, gray
In Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development, middle adulthood is tied to the Generativity vs. Stagnation conflict. This stage is characterized by middle aged adults trying to nurture and invest in things and people that will outlast them, like their children. We also see that they try to put work into society and do good for the upcoming generations. Adults find themselves trying to leave a mark in the world by being the best parents or members of society in order to leave a positive footprint since they see that they are aging and realize they will not be here forever. When adults see that they cannot accomplish everything or struggle to find a way to contribute, they find themselves dealing with the feeling of stagnation
Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development identifies Formal Operational stage as the period of cognitive development middle adulthood falls in. Much like early adulthood, logical thinking and problem solving are strong and mature. There are two forms of intelligence that are the focus of middle adulthood, crystallized and fluid. Crystallized is acquired knowledge throughout the lifespan and fluid is based on the basic processing of information. In middle adulthood we see a decrease in fluid knowledge since the ability to process information at high speeds declines. Due to the decline in fluid intelligence we see an increase in crystallized intelligence and it
Physical and mental health are areas of concern in middle adulthood. Physical health is at a decline due to the loss of agility and abilities. Health issues begin to arise due to a decrease in overall health and bad habits catching up to middle aged adults. Drinking, unhealthy diets, and smoking are some of the causative agents in health issues amongst middle aged adults. Aside from physical health, mental health is also an area of concern. Mid-life crisis sets in when adults face the fact that they are aging and running pout of time to accomplish and be influential towards society. A mid-life crisis can be dangerous to adults because it may lead to depression in many individuals who do not know how to get out
relationships within their family and social circle often helps with avoiding the feeling of stagnation and promoting generativity and self- accomplishment. (Cherry, K. 2018). Late Adulthood Late adulthood is the peak of aging. Aging becomes more drastic towards physical appearance. Wrinkles, loose skin, warts, skin tags, spots, and gray hair are extremely prominent. We also see a loss of coordination, balance, agility, and senses. Routine functions become hard tasks and there is a loss in muscular strength resulting in the loss of ability to carry out everyday functions. Along with physical appearance and ability decreasing. Physiological changes take place. The elderly’s immune system and routine organ function will decline
Erickson’s theory ties this stage of development to the conflict of Integrity vs. Despair. The main question in this stage is “Did I live a meaningful life?” and is focused on wisdom and reflecting back on life. During the Integrity vs Despair stage, people reflect on the life they lived and whether they are fulfilled or disappointed in their accomplishments. They are either satisfied with the way their life went or in despair over a life that went to waste. (Cherry, K. 2018)
Piaget’s Formal Operational stage is still present in late adulthood. Late adulthood is filled with individuals who are wiser and far more mature than the previous generations. Unfortunately, cognitive development is at a decline in late adulthood. There is lowered brain function along with memory loss and the onset of neurological diseases. Cognitive impairment can arise from individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s, and many other diseases. As adults age, there is a decrease in brain size and plasticity.
Late adulthood is filled with issues and concerns due to the decline in physical and cognitive health. Due to the loss in physical abilities, the elderly usually requires a lot of health care and monitoring. It is hard for them to accept that they are now codependent due to their body not being what it used to and it slowly degenerating. Cognitive diseases also cause concern due to the elderly needing a caregiver to help with everyday functions since simple information and tasks are harder on them than they used to. Overall, their bodies are slowly giving in to the
resulting in them being way more susceptible to illness.
This results in the loss of neurons. Due to the loss of brain size and neurons, there is a decline in balance, coordination, memory, and many other essential cognitive functions. Overall, there is a loss in everyday functions and simple information. (Kail, R. & Cavanaugh, J. 2018)
aging and caregivers are essential in keeping them as healthy as possible and safe.
End of Life At this stage in development, aging and health issues begin to detrimentally deteriorate one’s physical health, cognitive health, and the necessary functions needed to maintain life. There is a decline in organ function, sight, sound, and motor functions. Most people depend on a caregiver to carry out their activities of daily living. Due to loss of muscle strength, coordination, and balance, many people are bound to a wheelchair, walker, or immobile.
Erickson’s theory on psychosocial development remains the same as Late Adulthood. Individuals are still dealing with Integrity vs Despair but will often settle and be content with their lives. They continue to reflect on their life and deal with their regrets and “what ifs”. Individuals are also dealing with the fact that they are at the end of their life and they need to decide how they want their families to take care of them once they pass. They often write down
At the end of life, the remaining cognitive abilities will decline rapidly. Proper function of cognition of often never preserved and individuals will not be able to carry out everyday tasks such as driving or going to the store on their own due to their lack of processing and remembering simple information. Memory loss is prevalent in individuals at the end of life stage. Once the individual is about to pass there may be hallucinations and
Concerns and issues in this stage of life are mostly regarding mental health. Individuals may become frightened at the thought of death and what it brings. They may struggle to accept what stage they are in and what they are leaving behind. Comfort is essential to the elderly in this stage of development because it is an emotionally draining period. It may be overwhelming for them to cope with this period due to the pain, stress, and intense emotions they are experiencing. (Woo,
Cherry, K. (2018, April). Understanding Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial Development. Retrieved April 6, 2020, from
verywellmind/erik-eriksons-stages-of-psychosocial-development-
Feldman, R. S. (2006). Development across the life span (4th ed.). Retrieved April 4,2020 from Pearson Education New Zealand.
Huitt, W., & Hummel, J. (2003). Piaget’s theory of cognitive development. Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta GA:
Valdosta State University. Retrieved 2020 from chiron.valdosta/whuitt/col/cogsys/piaget.html.
Kail, R. V., & Cavanaugh, J. C. (2018). Human development: A life-span view (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning. ISBN-13:
9781337554831
Papalia, D. E., Olds, S. W., & Feldman, R. D. (2007). Human development (10th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
Developmental Chart PSY 357
Course: Lifespan Development (PSY-357)
University: Grand Canyon University
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