Characteristics of Developmental Periods 1

Characteristics of Developmental Periods

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December 10, 2010

Characteristics of Developmental Periods 2

Stages and Characteristics of Developmental Periods:

Infancy (Birth -2 years)

The infancy stage consists of “basic human traits—emotional, bonds to other human

beings, nonverbal communication and language expression, motor exploration of the physical

environment, and systematic approaches to learning about people, places, and things.’ (Prentice

Hall, 2004).

Distinctive developmental features include: “distinctive cry, physical reflexes, an

attractive smile, and a brain alert to both novelty and sameness” (Prentice Hall, 2004). While in

this infancy stage babies also learn to crawl, reach for objects, and climb.

Physical developmental features include: growth, changes in proportion, increasing

ability to move around, decline of crying, improvement over muscle and eye coordination, self

help skills increasing.

Early Childhood (2 yrs. to 6 yrs.)

Early childhood development includes: “creativity, fantasy, wonder, and play. They

reinvent the world, try on new roles, and struggle to play their parts in harmony” (Prentice Hall,

2004). Communication and language skills develop quickly, socially and emotionally those who

are in the stage of early childhood are: endearing, trusting, and affectionate. They also become

more interested in others, spend time with playmates, and infuse social interactions with fantasy.

Distinctive developmental features include : language and communication skills develop

quickly, language helps build with the knowledge of the world and daily tasks.

Characteristics of Developmental Periods 3

Physical developmental features include: loss of baby appearance, never ending physical

energy, obtaining fine motor skills, transitioning away from napping,” movements of infancy

give way to fluid rolling, tumbling, running, and skipping” (Prentice Hall, 2004).

Middle Childhood (6yrs to 10yrs)

Children in this stage show motivation and persistence in their activities and

customs, reading, writing, cook, as well as daily chores and tasks, learn and apply rules to

daily lives and activities, and care for younger siblings.

Distinctive Developmental features include: comparing their performance to

others their age, differences in academic performances are noticeable through the years,

gain a sense of what is expected of them , rules become important, motor skills are now

stable as well as proficiency in athletic skills (Prentice Hall, 2004).

Physical Developmental features include: steady gain of both height and weight,

loss of baby teeth; replaced by permanent adult teeth, fluency of fine motor skills,

participation in organized sports (Prentice Hall, 2004).

Early Adolescence (10yrs. to 14yrs.)

In this stage young adults “slowly lose their childlike bodies and make strides toward

reproductive maturation.” (Prentice Hall, 2004).

Distinctive developmental features include: looking and feeing awkward, and hormonal

changes can lead to unpredictable mood swings, a heightened sensitivity to what other s think

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about them, friends become a board through which adolescents gain social support and seek

assurance that their appearance and behaviors are acceptable (Prentice Hall, 2004).

Cognitive changes include expansion in abilities to think logically, abstractly, and

exhaustively, they feel entitled to challenge the existing order, become critical of social

organizations (Prentice Hall, 2004).

Physical developmental changes include: rapid growth, the beginning of puberty, risk

taking behavior, Self-consciousness about one self.

Late Adolescence (14yrs. to 18yrs.)

“As teenagers continue to mature, they lose some of the gawky, uneven appearance of

early adolescence and blossom into attractive young adults. And, resembling young adults, late

adolescents often feel entitled to make decisions” (Prentice Hall, 2004).

Distinctive developmental features are: They try hard in school, explore career

possibilities, gain job experience, and refrain from seriously risky behaviors. This is not the same

for all teenagers; some go the other route by, experimenting with alcohol, drugs, sex, and

violence and in general thinking more about here-and-now pleasures than potential long-term

consequences.

Physical developmental changes are: strong appetites, increasing of sexual activity,

greater risk taking behavior, in girls completion of growth spurt and in boys, ongoing increases

in stature (Prentice Hall, 2004).

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Referneces:

Prentice Hall. (2004). In T. M. Ormro, Child Development: Educating and Working with Children and

Adolescents,. Pearson Education, Inc.