STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT
1. PRENATAL – conception to birth
Stages of Prenatal Period
a. period of the zygote or germinal stage
b. period of the embryo or embryonic stage
c. period of the fetus or fetal stage
Characteristics
a. the hereditary endowment is fixed once and for all at this time
b. favorable conditions in the mother’s body can foster development of hereditary potentials while
unfavorable conditions can stunt their development
c. the sex is fixed
d. proportionally greater growth and development takes place during this period at any other
throughout the individual’s entire life
e. it is the time of many hazards
f. it is the time when significant people form attitudes the newly created individual
2. INFANCY – from birth to the end of the second week
Characteristics
a. the shortest of all development periods
b. a time of radical adjustments because the infant learns to adjust to his new environment
c. a plateau in development
d. a preview of later development
e. a hazardous period
3. BABYHOOD – from the end of the second week to the end of the second year
Characteristics
a. the true foundation age
b. an age of growth and change
c. an age of decreasing dependency
d. the age of increased individuality
e. the beginning of the sex-role typing
f. an appealing age
g. the beginning of creativity
4. EARLY CHILDHOOD – from 2 to 6 years old at which point, relative dependency of babyhood is over
Characteristics
a. Names used by parents
1. problem age or the troublesome age
2. toy age
b. Names used by educators
1. preschool age
c. Names used by psychologists
1. pre-gang age
2. exploratory age
3. questioning age
4. imitative age
5. creative age
5. Late Childhood – from 6 to 10 or 12 years old which is the age of reason up to the time the child
becomes sexually mature
Characteristics
a. Names used by parents
1. troublesome age
2. sloppy age
b. Names used by educators
1. elementary school age
2. critical period in the achievement drive
c. Names used by psychologists
1. gang age
2. age of conformity
3. creativity age
4. play age
6. Puberty – from 10 or 12 to 13 or 14 years – period when child changes from an asexual to a sexual
being.
Characteristics
a. an overlapping period
b. a short period
c. divided into stages
1. prepubescent stage
2. pubescent stage
3. post pubescent stage
d. a time of rapid growth and change
e. a negative phase
f. occurs at a variable age
7. Early Adolescence – from 13 or 14 to 17 years of age – years regarded as terrible teen years
Characteristics
a. an important period
b. a transitional period
c. a period of change
d. a problem age
e. time of search for identity
8. Late Adolescence – starts at late 17 and ends when one is 21
a. transitional period
b. period to build up confidence in oneself
c. time one starts to make decisions about one’s future
d. beginning of independence
e. period of stability and less impulsiveness
9. Early Adulthood – from 40 to 60 years old
Characteristics
a. getting started in an occupation
b. selecting a mate
c. learning to live with a marriage partner
d. starting a family
e. rearing children
f. managing a home
g. taking on civic responsibility
h. finding a congenial social group
10. Late adulthood – from 40 – 60 years old
Characteristics
a. achieving adult, civic and social responsibility
b. assisting teenage children to become responsible and happy adults
c. developing adult leisure time activities
d. relating oneself to one’s spouse as a person
e. accepting and adjusting to the physiological changes of middle age
f. reaching and maintaining
11. Old Age or Senescence – starts at 60 and extending to the time of death
Characteristics
a. adjusting to decreasing physical strength and health
b. adjusting to retirement and reduced income
c. adjusting to death of spouse
d. establishing an explicit affiliation with members of one’s age group
e. establishing satisfactory physical living arrangements
f. adapting to social roles in a flexible way.
General Psychology Coursebook
Gregorio C. Taag, et.al
