STAGES OF HUMAN

DEVELOPMENT
Prenatal Period

Infancy and Toddlerhood

Preschooler or Early
Childhood

Middle Childhood

Adolescent

Adulthood
 Prenatal Period
Conception occurs by normal fertilization or
other means. The genetic endownment interacts
with environmental influences from the start.

Basic body structures and organs form: brain

growth spurt begins. Physical growth is the
most rapid in the life span.
 Prenatal Period

Abilities to learn and remember and to respond

to sensory stimuli are developing

Fetus responds to mother's voice and develops

a preference for it.
 Infancy and Toddlerhood
All senses and body systems operate at birth to varying degree. The
brain grows in complexity and is highly sensitive to enviromental
influence
Physical growth and development of motor skills are
rapid.
Abilities to learn and remember are present, even in early weeks. Use
of symbols and to solve problems develop by end of second year.

Comprehension and use of language develop rapidly.

 Infancy and Toddlerhood
Attachements to parents and other forms.

Self-awareness develops.

Shift from dependence to autonomy occurs.

Interest in other children increases.

Preschooler or Early Childhood
Growth is steady; appearance becomes more slender
and proportions more adultlike.

Handedness appears; fine and gross motor

skills and strength improves.

Memory and language improve.

Preschooler or Early Childhood
Independence, initiative, and self-control
increases.

Play becomes more imaginative, more elaborate,

and usually more social.

Family is still the focus of social life, but

other children become more important.
 Middle Childhood
Growth slows. Strength and athletic skills improve.

Cognitive improves benefit from formal schooling.

Peers assume central importance

 Adolescence
Physical growth and other changes are rapid and profound.
Reproductive maturity occurs.

Ability to think abstractly and use scientific reasoning develops.

Immature thinking persists in some attitudes and behaviors.

Education focuses on preparation for college or vocation.

 Adolescence
Search for identify, including sexual indentiy, becomes central.

Relationships with parents are generally good.

Peer group may exert a positive or negative influence.

ADULTHOOD (Ages 18 – 65)

Adulthood signals that time in an individual’s life when choice and more
control over one’s life typically occur. This may or may not be the case for
individuals with an intellectual disability.

Distinct Stages of Adulthood:

1. Young Adult (18 – 25)
2. Mature Adult (25 – 55)
3.3. Older Adult (55 – 65)
4.Elder Adult (65 – death)
 1. Young Adult (18 – 25)- It is typical in our society for
young adults to move from their family home and high
school experience, to their own home and either work or
post secondary education. It is typical to graduate from
high school into human service programs. The supports
and services offered to young adults are too often rooted in
low expectations and limited opportunity for individuals.
• Physical development complete
• Emotional maturation continues to develop
•Usually learned to accept responsibility for actions and
accept responsibility criticism.
• Usually knows how to profit from errors
• Socially progress from age-related peer groups to
people with similar interests.
2. Mature Adult (25 – 55)- It is typical in our society for mature adults to
marry, have children, and purchase a home. It is also common for
individuals to establish a career. Again, for many individuals with
disabling conditions barriers exist that restricts their involvement in
romantic relationships, parenting, home ownership, and employment.
It is more typical for individuals with disabling conditions to still be:
living at home with their parents or living in
a community residence, attending a sheltered work program,
unmarried and without children.
• Physical changes begin to occur:
• Hair begins to begin to thin and gray
• Wrinkles appear
• Hearing and vision decrease
• Muscles lose tone
• Main concerns: children, health, job security, aging, parents and fear
of aging
• Love and acceptance still take a major role
3. Older Adult (55 – 75)- It is typical in our society for older
adults to
retire. Often this is seen as a time to rest and reflect on the
accomplishments of life. Individuals with disabling conditions
often do not retire or retirement is merely a modified extension of
the service they were initially placed in. Currently service
providers are striving to create interesting and individualized
retirement options.
• Fastest growing age bracket of society
• Physical deterioration (brittle bones, poor coordination
• Some memory problems
• Coping with retirement and forms of entertainment
• Very concerned with health and finances
• Significant number become depressed; suicide rate is high
4. ElderAdult (75 – death)- make important
contributions to society as family members,
volunteers and as active participants in the
workforce. While most have good mental
health, many older adults are at risk of
developing mental disorders, neurological
disorders or substance use problems as well
as other health conditions such as diabetes,
hearing loss, and osteoarthritis. Furthermore,
as people age, they are more likely to
experience several conditions at the same
time.
Young Adult (18 – 25) Mature Adult (25 – 55) Older Adult (55 – 65)
Human Development is a complex; is unique to each person.
Not everyone goes through the stages in lock-step fashion. As
you provide support to someone through the stages of always
consider and respect the uniqueness of the person. If the
person has a disability, don’t assume that they are somehow
“stuck” at some earlier level. All people grow, learn, and
develop as human beings.
THANK YOU FOR
LISTENING!
 Developmental
Psychological Issues and
Debates
 Historical Origin
Developmental psychology as a discipline did not exist
until after the industrial revolution when the need for
an educated workforce led to the social construction
of childhood as a distinct stage in a person's life.

The notion of childhood originates in the Western world

and this is why the early research derives from this
location. Initially, developmental psychologists were
interested in studying the mind of the child so that
education and learning could be more effective.
Developmental changes during adulthood is an even more
recent area of study. This is mainly due to advances in
medical science, enabling people to live to old age.
Charles Darwin is credited with conducting the first
systematic study of developmental psychology. In 1877
he published a short paper detailing the development
of innate forms of communication based on scientific
observations of his infant son, Doddy.
However, the emergence of developmental psychology as
a specific discipline can be traced back to 1882
when Wilhelm Preyer (a German physiologist)
published a book entitled The Mind of the Child. In the
book, Preyer describes the development of his own
daughter from birth to two and a half years.
Importantly, Preyer used rigorous scientific
procedures throughout studying the many abilities of
his daughter.
 Table of Contents
Nature Continuity
01 Vs. 03 Vs.
Nurture Discontinuity

Early Experience
02 Vs.
Later Experience
 Nature vs. Nurture
• Nature refers to the aspects of heredity and
genes that are influenced.

• Nurture refers to the way we are in an

environment how we are raised and treated
and any experiences we may live
through(Cherry 2018)
How does the Nature-Nurture
issue Work Together in the
Developmental Process?
The supporters of the “extreme nature” side are
called nativists. (Mcleod, 2018).

The extreme “nurture” supporters are called

empiricists
 What do Nature and Nurture
Influence??

Nature is seen as the influence of genetics in a person’s

psychopathology, behavior, and personality. In the
developmental process, nature plays a very important role
on the development of the fetus and a baby as it grows into
its toddler years and so on. Nature, or genetics, can be seen
as with a role of heredity and maturation, which can be seen
as sex characteristics and a kid gets older. (Feldman, 2017,
pg. 327–328).
 Early Experience vs. Later Experience
A second important consideration in developmental
psychology involves the relative importance of early
experiences versus those that occur later in life. Are we
more affected by events that occur in early childhood, or
do later events play an equally important role?

Psychoanalytic theorists tend to focus on events that occur

in early childhood. According to Freud, much of a child's
personality is completely established by the age of five. If
this is indeed the case, those who have experienced
deprived or abusive childhoods might never adjust or
develop normally.
 Continuity vs. Discontinuity

A third major issue in developmental psychology is that

of continuity. Does change occur smoothly over time,
or through a series of predetermined steps?
Some theories of development argue that changes are
simply a matter of quantity; children display more of
certain skills as they grow older.
Thank You!!
Who is Sigmund Freud?
 5 Stages of Psychosexual Development Stage
* Oral Stage - The oral stage occurs between birth to about 18
months. During this time, an infant gets most of their pleasure from
their mouth. This is associated with behaviors like eating and
thumb-sucking.
* Anal Stage - is the period of human development occurring at
about one to three years of age. Around this age, the child begins to
toilet train, which brings about the child's fascination in the erogenous
zone of the anus. The erogenous zone is focused on the bowel and
bladder control.
* Phallic Stage - the phallic stage is the third stage of psychosexual
development, spanning the ages of three to six years, wherein the infant's
libido (desire) centers upon their genitalia as the erogenous zone.
* Latency Stage- is a time of exploration in which the
sexual energy repressed or dormant. This energy is still present,
but it is sublimated into other areas such as intellectual pursuits and
social interactions. This stage is important in the development of
social and communication skills and self-confidence.
* Genital Stage - begins with the onset of puberty. During this period,
the person seeks ways of satisfying sexual impulses in dyadic relationships,
and aggressive impulses through competition, physically demanding
activities, exercise, and argumentation.
THANK YOU! ☺

- Angelica Maniaul