2. INTRODUCTION
✣ Development means, “a progressive series of
changes that occur in orderly predictable
pattern as a result of maturation and
experience”.
✣ Development is continuous process from
conception to death.
✣ Developmental psychology is concerned with
the scientific understanding of age-related
changes in experience and behaviour.
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3. Stages In Human Development
Prenatal
Infancy
Early
Chilhood
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Middle
Childhood
Late
Childhood
Adolescence
Early
Adulthood
Mature
Adulthood
Old Age
4. Prenatal Stage
✣ It is the period from conception to birth.
✣ The development of the brain is of particular
importance.
✣ At 22 weeks the fetus can react to acoustic
stimuli and can be studied.
✣ Development of speech is based on prenatal
learning.
✣ Babies can remember musical patterns they
hear in the womb.
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5. Infancy
✣ This period extends from birth to 18 months
of age.
✣ The age of trust or mistrust.
✣ The child only needs nourishment and care.
✣ The newborn has to adjust with the
temperature changes.
✣ Learns to breath, deficate, suck and swallow.
✣ It is a time for radical adjustments.
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6. Early Childhood
✣ This stage ranges from 18 months to 3 years.
✣ The muscular and nervous systems develops
remarkably by the second year.
✣ The child needs guidance as it learns to
distinguish right and wrong and begins to
develop conscience
✣ Gets ready to read and is able to speak
effectively by this stage.
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7. Middle Childhood
✣ This stage extends from 3 to 5 years.
✣ It is at this time, the child’s willingness to try
new things is facilitated or inhibited.
✣ Can understand and express relationships
between the past and the future.
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8. Late Childhood
✣ This period ranges from 5 to 12 years.
✣ The child develops greater attention span,
needs less sleep and gains rapidly in strength.
✣ The child learns to get along with age-mates
and learns physical skills necessary for
ordinary games.
✣ Spend more time in acquiring skills and need
accomplishment regardless of ablility.
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9. Adolescence
✣ This period extends from 12 to 20 years.
✣ The individual attains puberty leading to
many changes in the individual’s sexual,
social, emotional and vocational life.
✣ Described as a period of storm and stress.
✣ Understanding and responding to the unique
developmental characteristics of young
adolescents is central among the tenants of
middle level education.
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10. Early Adulthood
✣ This stage extends from 20 to 30 years.
✣ As an adult, the individual takes a firmer place
in society, usually holding a job, contributing
to community and maintaining a family and
care for offspring.
✣ Shows increase in leadership qualities.
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11. Mature Adulthood
✣ This period ranges from 30 to 65 years of age.
✣ It is also called the ‘Middle Age’.
✣ One has to adjust to the deterioration of body
and strength of this age.
✣ The person becomes able enough to assist
teenage children to become responsible and
happy adults.
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12. Old Age
✣ This stage is the extension after 65 years till
death.
✣ By this age people’s goals and abilities have
become more limited.
✣ Rapid decrease in strength.
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13. Conclusion
It is important to consider the stages
of development in order to
understand developmental
psychology. People in similar
developmental stages display similar
psychological characteristics.
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