Life is characterized by constant change.

The more
or less predictable change in behavior associated with
increasing age is referred to as development (Lahey
1969). Hurlock defines it as a progressive series of
changes that occur in an orderly and predictable
pattern as a result of maturation and learning.

Human development is determined by a

continuous interaction between heredity and the
environment. Our behavior is a product of both
biological factors(nature) and psychological aspects of
the environment(nurture).

Hereditary characteristics are expressed through

the process of maturation. This term refers to the
unfolding of innately determined sequence of body
growth of bodily changes.

The childs development illustrated this regular

sequence of change. Before a child learns to walk, he
goes through a series of activities. He starts to raise his
head at about 2 months, sits at 4 months, crawls at 9
months and finally, he begins to walk at about 12
months. This internally programmed growth is called
maturation. A child will develop more or less according
to the schedule set by maturation, unless malnourished
or restricted in his or her movement

Physical growth is orderly and continuous. Each

child grows at his or her own rate. Some grow ahead of
others; some lag behind.

1.

Prenatal Stage: from conception to birth.

It is divided into three developmental sub stages:
(1) the zygote (fertilization to second week), (2)
embryo (from second week to second month), and (3)
fetus (from second month to birth).

Characteristics
Undergoes division
Miniature human being
Essential feature of the body established
Internal organs developed
heartbeat-directed
Fetal movements appear

Hazards of developmental stages:

Implantation in the wrong place
Miscarriage
Developmental irregularities
Prematurity or post maturity
Complications of delivery
Aftereffects of unfavorable prenatal environment; a
difficult and complicated birth
Condition leading to infant mortality; unfavorable
attitudes toward the infant

2. Infancy Stage: from birth to end of second week.

Characteristics:
Time of radical adjustments ( temperature change,
breaking, sucking, swallowing, and elimination)
Hazard:
Risky period because of the radical adjustments

3. Babyhood: from two weeks to two years old;

Characteristics
Age of rapid growth and change
Foundation age for behavior patterns and attitudes
Appealing age
Developmental tasks:
Learns to walk, talk and take solid food
Control in elimination of body wastes

Hazard:
Separation from mother, deterioration in family
relations, and training for much/less affection

4. Early childhood: from two to six years old.

Characteristics:
More frequent behavior problems
Preschool age
Imitative age
Questioning age
Toy age

Developmental tasks:
Learns sex differences
Formation of simple concepts of social and physical
reality
Relating oneself emotionally to parents, siblings and
other people
Hazards:
Speech defects
Lack of social acceptance
Conceptual errors
Illness and accidents

5. Late Childhood: from 6 to 12 years old.

Characteristics
Sloppy age
Gang age
Age of conformity
Play age

Developmental tasks:
Distinguishing right from wrong and development of
conscience
Skills for ordinary games
School skills
Hazards
Inappropriate built of body
Physical disabilities
Awkwardness
Social acceptance

6. Puberty: from 12 to 14 years old.

Characteristics:
Major concern is acceptance by his age mates and
membership in a gang
Time of rapid change in body proportion and primary
sec characteristics
Negative phase

Developmental tasks:
Knowledge of physical and social reality
Working with peer group
Becoming independent
Attitudes toward oneself as a growing organism
Skills in reading, writing and calculating
Develop conscience, morality and valued attitudes
toward social group/institutions

Hazards:
Unfavorable self-concept
Lack of preparation for pubertal change
Dissatisfied with appearance
Deviation on sexual maturing
Nonacceptance of socially approved sec roles

7. Adolescence: from 13 or 14 to 18 years old.

Characteristics:
Age of confusion, feelings of inadequacy and insecurity
Period of heightened emotionality due to physical and
glandular changes

Developmental tasks:
Accepts his body
Acceptance of approved sec roles
Learning to relate with the opposite sex
Emotional independence
Preparation for marriage
Hazards:
Physical defects
Failure to make transition to maturity(immaturity in
terms of social, sexual and moral behavior

8. Early Adulthood: from 18 to 40 years old.

Characteristics
Reproductive age or parenthood age
Problem age due to adjustments in major areas of ones
life: vocation, marital status, parenthood, etc.
Creative age
Developmental tasks
Having and occupation
Selecting a mate

 Starting

a family
Rearing children
Managing a home
Civic responsibility
Finding a social group
Hazards:
Difficulty in mastering tasks
Religious (mixed marriage)
Social(difficulty in finding congenial group
Sex-role hazards

 Sexual

adjustments
Marital, financial, parenthood, in-laws, vocational
9. Middle age: from 40 to 60 years old.
Characteristics
Most dreaded period of mans life span
Time of achievement
tome to evaluate ones accomplishments
Men become bored with daily routine of work and
family life.

Developmental tasks
Acceptance of physical change (senses)
Change interest
Task related to vocational adjustments
Adjusting to aging parents
Assisting teenage children
Become responsible adults
Grandparenthood
Prepare for retirement

Hazards:
Poor social adjustments
menopause anxiety
changing roles
Need to change interests as a result of physical change
Unrealistic aspirations
Quarrels between husband and wife

10. Old age: 60 years old and above.

Characteristics
Slow and gradual physical and mental decline
Change of roles
Developmental tasks
Adjustments to change
Hazard
Acceptance of traditional beliefs and cultural
stereotypes about old people.

Stage theorist consider behavior as a series of

changes from one stage to the next. They believe that
all children pas through the same stages in the same
order and that a child cannot progress to the next stage
until he masters the present.

Cognitive development
Jean Piaget, a Swiss biologist and psychologist,
made a study on the development of cognition in
children. He believes that children pass through 4
stages of cognitive development. According to Piaget ,
intelligence or ability to understand develops gradually
as the child grows.
1. Sensorimotor stage: from birth to two years old.

Characteristics
Infant learns to differentiate himself from others.
Discovers the relationship between ones action and its
effects on the environment
Learns the concept of object permanence that object
continue to exist even when they are no longer visible.

2. Preoperational Stage: from 2 to 7 years old.

Characteristics
Starts to use language
Capable of thinking in the form of mental image and
words.
Egocentric of self centered thinking
Begins to use numbers to develop conservation
concepts

3. Concrete Operational stage: from 7 to 12 years old.

Characteristics
Increase ability to think logically
Can understand concrete concepts only
Can deal with objects he has direct sensory contact
Thinking becomes less egocentric
Achieves object conservation concepts

4. Formal Operational stage: 12 years old and above.

Characteristics
Can thing in abstract terms
Can solve problem systematically and reasons with
hypothesis
Ability to thing beyond what is present in the reality
Concerned with the future and ideological problem

Moral development
to live with other people, you have identify what
is considered as good and bad behavior. Lawrence
kohlberg proposed a theory focusing on moral
reasoning.
.

Preconventional or Premoral level stage: from 0 to

11 years old.
Stage 1: Punishment orientation
The physical consequence of an action determines
whether it is good or bad. if a child receives
punishment he considers his behavior as wrong. he
behaves to avoid punishment.
1.

Stage 2: Reward orientation.

child behaves to obtain rewards.
2. Conventional level stage: from 7 to 13 years old.
Stage 3: Interpersonal concordance(good boy- nice
girl)
a child does what is expected of him. He follows
what is pleasing and approved by others.

Stage 4: Orientation towards authority.

Focus is on rules and laws it is right to do ones
duties and show respect for authority
3. Postconventional level stage: 13 years old and above.
Stage 5: social contract orientation.
Correct behavior is based on standards agreed upon
by society. Rightness or wrongness of an act depends
on the principles generally accepted in the community.

Stage 6: Universal Ethical Principle Orientation.

Morality is a function of the conscience. The
individual acts according to his own personal
principles.

THANK YOU

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