Stages of Development

STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT

/Any development process proceeds through some stages and each development stage differs from the other. Each stage of development has its characteristic. Psychologists have separated human life span into stages or periods and identified specific changes that may be expected during each stage. The transition from one stage to the next is gradual rather than sudden. The age groups assigned to each stage of the development are general as shown in below;

Stages of Development

S.N.	Age Groups(Years)	Stage of Development	Description of Each Stages
1.	Birth to 2 Infancy	Neonate	This stage is a period from birth to two weeks.
		Babyhood	This stage is of rapid growth and development. There are changes in body proportions as well as intellectual growth.
2.	2 to 6	Early childhood	This is the preschool period. It is also called the pre-gang age. In this stage, the child seeks gain control over his environment. He also starts to learn to make social adjustment.
3.	6 to 12	Late childhood	This is the primary school age. Here child is expected to acquire the rudiments of knowledge that are considered essential for successful adjustment to adult life. She/he is also expected to learn certain essential skills.
4.	12 to 18	Adolescence	This is the period of physiological change. It is the period when children become sexually mature. It’s also the period of intensified personal interaction with peers of the same and opposite sex.
5.	18 to 40	Young adulthood	The responsibilities of adulthood include important decisions like choosing a career, a life partner, etc. Young adulthood begins with setting goals and aspirations.
6.	40 to 60	Middle adulthood	After settling down in thirties and having lived through with rooting phase, the individual starts feeling sense of uprooting and dissatisfaction during the forties. A physical decline in the form of wrinkles, thickening waistlines, graying and thinning hair start appearing. The changes are often termed middle life transition, middle-age revolt, mid-career crisis or middle-age slump. These terms point U, the loss of youth and the coming of old age. In women, hormonal changes of menopause (ending of menstruation) generate anxiety and depression.
7.	Over 60	Late adulthood	Aging is a process, which causes loss of vitality. Aged adults are more concerned about their health and death. Their visit to doctors is more frequent. Retirement has the worst impact on aged adults. They gradually lose their sense of meaningfulness in life. Some develop interests in social service and spend their time in financial planning, reading, travelling, visiting religious places and enjoying nature.