Developmental Psychology

Question: Write on the stages that are common in development Solution: Development is generally defined as the emerging and expanding of capacity of individuals to provide greater facilities in functioning, such as development in motor ability from uncertain steps to proficiency in games. Development is often achieved through growth. The stages of development can be explained in the following ways: Stages of development Stage 1: INFANCY PERIOD (Birth to 2 years) The infancy period is the stage that starts from the date of birth up to year two. This period is the shortest stage of all. (a) Physical characteristics: The physical development refers to the ability of the infant to use his body practically, for instance, the characteristics observed are as follows: The infant uses his body, legs and arms to move around and explore the environment The body is now stable and is used to obtain objects with fingers He is presently inactive and therefore can sleep up to 24 hours a day Reflex action is more in use now. His response are centred on noise making, throwing of legs and arms and bringing them to haggling position Body growth is noticed in the first year with an increase in height and weight

 Physically, reflexes are now controlling the newborns actions and movements the body squirms, twists and bends. The back arches, the lower parts sways, the head rolls from side, the arm slash, the leg kicks and the mouth sucks and swallows. The approximate age and various stages of physical development that occurs in infants according to Oladele (1989). Age (months) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Stage chin up chest up reach and miss sit and support sit in lap and grasp object sit on high chairs sit alone stand with help stand holding furniture crawl pull to stand by climbs upstairs steps stands alone walks alone

Of course there are individual differences in the rate of development. Some babies walk as early as nine month old, some grasps objects by seven month or earlier while others could wait till eleven month. (b) Mental development i. At this stage, the body is physically and psychologically dependent on his mother for physical and mental well-being. Mentally, the child depends on the presence or near presence of his mother and emotional state seduces that of another. This emanates from the fact that at birth his nervous system though complete, the brain weight is approximately half of that the adult. The body possesses no knowledge.
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At the age of three month, his brain grows in size and weight and responses to environment which his mother and other immediate objects.

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The thinking of the infant is generally in concrete terms. This has been attributed to his sensuousness. The pressings even from the process of sucking, urinating, defecation and feel of air and water on his body and other sensations all contributes to his growth

(c) SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT The infants root of social behavior is from his smile. This is strengthened with the satisfaction of his biological needs by his mother. Research has shown that the quality of mothers touch has possible influence on the babys behavior. A baby demonstrates his social development by the attitude of his mother, i.e. tenderness, tolerance and approval has positive influence on his social personality. STAGE 2: EARLY CHILD (2 years 6 years) This stage begins at approximately at the age of two and extends to the age of six. (a) Physical development Growth in physical dimension during the age of two to six is not as accelerated as in infancy. The child begins to assume the body proportion of an adult. Leg growth is rapid. The head growth is slow and trunk is intermediate. The height and weight are affected by a number of variables such as parents, nutrition and illness. The child undergoes some physical and psychological changes, the muscles develop at a very rapid speed. Psychological changes are noticeable in respiration, heart rate. Nerve fibers near the brain areas are near maturity.

(b) Social development

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At this stage, the child begins to explore his environment independently because social environment extends beyond the home. He begins to develop feelings of autonomy. Children of both sexes play together without discrimination. They learn to cooperate with each and make friends. Negativism increases between the age of three to six and is a product of social situation. A child at this stage tends to be frustrated by adult interference. (c) Emotional development At this stage of development, emotion is frequent but temporal. It means the child shift his emotion very rapidly. As for example, a child of 3 year who is weeping will be happy if given sweet or biscuit. Children fail to hide emotion but express them indirectly through deferent activities such as crying, nail biting, thumb sucking and speech difficulties. (d) Mental development The intellectual development of the child is accelerated after the age of two because he now begins to explore his social environment and acquire new experiences. At this stage, the child begins to form concept of physical and social reality. At the age of six, the child develops perception of form, size, colour, time and distance and so on. Memory increases at a very rapid speed. Creativity development and imagination begins to grow. He begins to think and reason in relation to concrete materials. He can also begin to use symbol in language, drawing symbol play and problem solving and equally ask questions about his environment. STAGE 3: LATER CHILDHOOD (6 years to 12 years) Later childhood is an important phase in child development. This is the period when the nicest children often begin to behave in the most awful way. Parents and teachers gets annoy and the children too. This period requires proper guidance and counseling for adequate adjustment of the child in the society.

(a) Physical development There is show in increase in weight and height during late childhood. Girls are shown in all general proportion of the body. Children are free from disease at this stage. Physically the girls at the age of 11 are fully years ahead of the boys. Shedding of milk teeth and growth of permanent teeth change. However, there is a complete change of appearance in mouth, forehead, nose and chest. Any activity that involves the use of limbs, hand and legs is done in a better way than it was done in early childhood. Because of the increase in strength and manual dexterity, the child is now resistant to fatigue and he is accurate in motion and dealing with other objects. (b) Mental development The concept of national law develops in the child at this age. They now begin to distinguish themselves from the outer world. At this age, the children can easily and eagerly absorb information and are ready to accumulate ideas as the capacity for logical thinking is now increased. The understanding of size and quantity is now increased so much that they are interested in scientific stories and in using relationship in thinking about physical, mechanical and natural phenomenon in their environment. Children at this stage have better understanding and can solve problems conceptually and rationally. Their dealings with the environment are now flexible, symbolic and concrete. Early imaginary fears disappear by the age of 12. High ability to generalize is shown at this stage. (c) Social development At this stage children form peer groups of their sex, remain outside the home. Peer group becomes an important agent of socialization. It is a period of peak in rudeness in the school and at home. Complains of disobedience is highest. Sex differentiation becomes sharp. Girls play with girls and boys with boys. The

child becomes less selfish, self-centred and aggressive but more cooperative and outgoing. The development of social consciousness becomes more rapid. (d) Emotional development During early childhood, the child fears animals and high places. These fears begin to disappear during late childhood. By the end of this period, the child begins to control his emotion in school situation eventhoght his emotion at this stage is delicate and is easily angered by unfavourable comments and ridicules from peers. STAGE 4: ADOLESCENCE (12 years 19 years) Adolescent period is the stage of development between childhood and adulthood. It is a transitional period from child to various physical and mental changes. It is also refered to as teen age period. It is an overlapping period during which the child experiences dramatic changes physically, socially, emotionally and mentally. (a) Physical development i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. Increase in height, weight and strength Enlargement of sizes of procreative organs Growth of the breasts and widening of the hip in the girls The voice becomes deeper Growth of pubic hair in armpit and elsewhere Growth of the muscles in both boys and girls herald their future roles as father and mother. The shoulder of the boy widens while the pelvic of the girl broadens and their waist becomes circular. (b) Social development Adolescents now enter a quite new field of social responsibility. The following adjustments come with adolescence:

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Adjustment to social groupings such as peer group, close friends clique, gangs and crowds They begin to be concern about how other people perceive them They want to be recognize and they are more loyal to their peer groups They like moving in gangs and they begin to direct attention to members of the opposite sexes

(c) Emotional development The adolescent period heightens emotional development. It is manifested by male bearing tension, conflict and favoured with different people. Reasons for heighten tension includes changes of roles, vocational problems, difficulty in adjustment, physical changes and increase in strength. At this stage, the adolescent learns emotional upheaval as a result of conflict between his need and social realities of his developmental task. He has increased ability to share his emotion in relation to abstract objects. (d) Mental development The mental functioning of adolescent now surpasses that of later childhood in freedom, flexibility, elaboration, control and competence. They are able to apply logic to various problems by the age of 15 16 years. Their vocabulary and imagination increases and they have the ability to solve more difficult problems. Concepts such as morality, justice, wisdom are easily imbibed and their intellectual efficiency reaches its peak.