Developmental psychology

Developmental Psychology, also known as Human Development or Development Across the Life Span, is a branch of psychology that deals with mental and psychological development of humans from conception to death. Among the topics addressed in developmental psychology are learning, maturation, critical periods, cognitive development, social development, moral development and aging. Almost all theories in developmental psychology are presented in a series of stages, such as Sigmund Freud’s psychosexual stages of development.

Theories:

Freud’s Psychosexual Development Theory: Proposed by Sigmund Freud (1856 – 1939), the theory suggests that over the course of childhood, sexual impulses shift through various stages:

Oral Stage, from birth to one year of age Anal Stage, from one year to three years of age Phallic Stage from three to six years of age Latency Stage from six to eleven years of age Genital Stage during adolescence

Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory: Proposed by Jean Piaget (1896 – 1980), this theory suggest that children learn by interacting with their environment and during that learning and interaction, cognitive development takes place:

Sensorimotor Stage, from birth to two years of age Preoperational Stage, from two to seven years of age Concrete Operational Stage, from seven to eleven years Formal Operational Stage, from eleven years of age and on

Erickson’s Psychosocial Theory: Proposed by Erik Erikson (1902 – 1994), this theory expanded upon Freud’s psychosexual stages and also put forth the idea that development must also be understood in context with the culture that the individual is maturing in and Erikson went beyond childhood in his studies and stages of development:

Trust vs. Mistrust, from birth to one year of age Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt, one year to three years of age Initiative vs. Guilt: from three to six years of age Industry vs. Inferiority Diffusion: from six to eleven years of age Identity vs. Identity Confusion: adolescence Intimacy vs. Isolation: young adulthood Generativity vs. Stagnation: middle adulthood Ego Integrity vs. Despair: old age