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At a GlanceEven if you’re not majoring in developmental psychology or pursuing a career in the field, learning about human development can help you in your daily life.Developmental psychologycourses are required for many college majors, but you might want to take the course even if you don’t need it for your degree. Knowing how people grow and change throughout life is essential if you want to work in a variety of fields, such as:HealthcareEducationMedicineNursingPsychologySocial workEven if you aren’t working in these fields and don’t plan to, understanding human development can be incredibly useful in your daily life.Here are five reasons you should learn about human development.Freud’s Stages of Development
At a GlanceEven if you’re not majoring in developmental psychology or pursuing a career in the field, learning about human development can help you in your daily life.
At a Glance
Even if you’re not majoring in developmental psychology or pursuing a career in the field, learning about human development can help you in your daily life.
Developmental psychologycourses are required for many college majors, but you might want to take the course even if you don’t need it for your degree. Knowing how people grow and change throughout life is essential if you want to work in a variety of fields, such as:
Even if you aren’t working in these fields and don’t plan to, understanding human development can be incredibly useful in your daily life.Here are five reasons you should learn about human development.
Freud’s Stages of Development
1You’ll Appreciate Life’s ChangesWestend61 / Getty ImagesWe often think of human development as a process that’s done when we’re adults. But it’s an ongoing process that continues throughout life.If you understand how you’ll grow and change as time passes, it will help you appreciate whatever stage of life you’re in, as well as manage the challenges and opportunities that come with it.For example, middle age is often a time for thinking about how you’ve arrived at where you are in life and contemplating the future. As you are confronted with the reality of an aging body, your mind might turn to the legacy you want to leave behind.Is Aging the Secret to Happiness?
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You’ll Appreciate Life’s ChangesWestend61 / Getty ImagesWe often think of human development as a process that’s done when we’re adults. But it’s an ongoing process that continues throughout life.If you understand how you’ll grow and change as time passes, it will help you appreciate whatever stage of life you’re in, as well as manage the challenges and opportunities that come with it.For example, middle age is often a time for thinking about how you’ve arrived at where you are in life and contemplating the future. As you are confronted with the reality of an aging body, your mind might turn to the legacy you want to leave behind.Is Aging the Secret to Happiness?
You’ll Appreciate Life’s Changes
Westend61 / Getty Images
We often think of human development as a process that’s done when we’re adults. But it’s an ongoing process that continues throughout life.
If you understand how you’ll grow and change as time passes, it will help you appreciate whatever stage of life you’re in, as well as manage the challenges and opportunities that come with it.
For example, middle age is often a time for thinking about how you’ve arrived at where you are in life and contemplating the future. As you are confronted with the reality of an aging body, your mind might turn to the legacy you want to leave behind.
Is Aging the Secret to Happiness?
2You’ll Learn About YourselfGuido Mieth / Getty ImagesLearning more abouthow children developcan give you some insight into how you grew up. What experiences shaped your personality and preferences? How did your upbringing influence who you are today?For example, you may realize that the experiences you had as a child influenced how you view the world and relate to others. You may see patterns or trends in your behavior, emotions, and relationships that are rooted in something that you learned as a child. You can ask yourself if these lessons are helping you now or if they’re something you may want to try to leave in the past.Answering these questions may even let you see into your future. Being informed about the aging process will help you feel more prepared for the realities of getting older.Understanding human development can empower you to:Address end-of-life concerns.Develop and maintain supportive relationships.Make informed choices about your lifestyle habits and medical care that support your health.Plan for your needs as you age so you can stay safe and independent.Aging doesn’t always follow a defined path. Many factors determine the path your life will take. But the earlier you understand and recognize those factors, the sooner you can start working on them.How to Heal Your Childhood Wounds
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You’ll Learn About YourselfGuido Mieth / Getty ImagesLearning more abouthow children developcan give you some insight into how you grew up. What experiences shaped your personality and preferences? How did your upbringing influence who you are today?For example, you may realize that the experiences you had as a child influenced how you view the world and relate to others. You may see patterns or trends in your behavior, emotions, and relationships that are rooted in something that you learned as a child. You can ask yourself if these lessons are helping you now or if they’re something you may want to try to leave in the past.Answering these questions may even let you see into your future. Being informed about the aging process will help you feel more prepared for the realities of getting older.Understanding human development can empower you to:Address end-of-life concerns.Develop and maintain supportive relationships.Make informed choices about your lifestyle habits and medical care that support your health.Plan for your needs as you age so you can stay safe and independent.Aging doesn’t always follow a defined path. Many factors determine the path your life will take. But the earlier you understand and recognize those factors, the sooner you can start working on them.How to Heal Your Childhood Wounds
You’ll Learn About Yourself
Guido Mieth / Getty Images
Learning more abouthow children developcan give you some insight into how you grew up. What experiences shaped your personality and preferences? How did your upbringing influence who you are today?
For example, you may realize that the experiences you had as a child influenced how you view the world and relate to others. You may see patterns or trends in your behavior, emotions, and relationships that are rooted in something that you learned as a child. You can ask yourself if these lessons are helping you now or if they’re something you may want to try to leave in the past.
Answering these questions may even let you see into your future. Being informed about the aging process will help you feel more prepared for the realities of getting older.
Understanding human development can empower you to:
Aging doesn’t always follow a defined path. Many factors determine the path your life will take. But the earlier you understand and recognize those factors, the sooner you can start working on them.
How to Heal Your Childhood Wounds
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You’ll Find New Ways to Interact with Kids
Alistair Berg / Getty Images
If you plan on having or working with children someday, studying human development can improve your interactions with them. For example, you’ll learn how to:
Once you understand the stages of development, you’ll be more comfortable talking, playing, and being around kids. Of course, these skills will be most important if you want to pursue a career that involvesworking with children.
How to Become a Child Psychologist
4You’ll Understand Your Children BetterTom Merton / Getty ImagesIf you’re a parent or plan to be, one of the best things you can do for your family is learn about child development. A lot takes place in the years between infancy and adulthood, and you’ll want to understand what happens at each stage along the way.Understanding how kids grow helps caregivers support their children and work through challenges. Human development gives you greater insight into how (and why) your children behave, think, learn, and feel the way they do.Child development is a complex process. Learning more about how kids grow physically, socially, emotionally, and cognitively can lead to a deeper understanding of the children in your life.For example, there are a lot of firsts to experience after you become a parent. While no two kids are alike, if you have an idea of what is usually going on in the mind of a two-year-old, you won’t feel caught off guard when they start asserting their independence and testing boundaries.Wha’s Your Parenting Style?
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You’ll Understand Your Children BetterTom Merton / Getty ImagesIf you’re a parent or plan to be, one of the best things you can do for your family is learn about child development. A lot takes place in the years between infancy and adulthood, and you’ll want to understand what happens at each stage along the way.Understanding how kids grow helps caregivers support their children and work through challenges. Human development gives you greater insight into how (and why) your children behave, think, learn, and feel the way they do.Child development is a complex process. Learning more about how kids grow physically, socially, emotionally, and cognitively can lead to a deeper understanding of the children in your life.For example, there are a lot of firsts to experience after you become a parent. While no two kids are alike, if you have an idea of what is usually going on in the mind of a two-year-old, you won’t feel caught off guard when they start asserting their independence and testing boundaries.Wha’s Your Parenting Style?
You’ll Understand Your Children Better
Tom Merton / Getty Images
If you’re a parent or plan to be, one of the best things you can do for your family is learn about child development. A lot takes place in the years between infancy and adulthood, and you’ll want to understand what happens at each stage along the way.
Understanding how kids grow helps caregivers support their children and work through challenges. Human development gives you greater insight into how (and why) your children behave, think, learn, and feel the way they do.
Child development is a complex process. Learning more about how kids grow physically, socially, emotionally, and cognitively can lead to a deeper understanding of the children in your life.
For example, there are a lot of firsts to experience after you become a parent. While no two kids are alike, if you have an idea of what is usually going on in the mind of a two-year-old, you won’t feel caught off guard when they start asserting their independence and testing boundaries.
Wha’s Your Parenting Style?
5You’ll Be Equipped to Recognize Challenges and Offer HelpMarc Romanelli / Getty ImagesThe earlier developmental problems are detected, the sooner intervention can begin. No matter what the situation, early detection and treatment can lead to better outcomes.While everyone is different, human development tends to follow a predictable pattern. Once you have studied the process, you’ll have a sense of what is typical at certain ages and stages.When you understand what to expect in early childhood, it’ll be easier to spot possible signs ofcognitive, social, or emotional development disorders. You will also be more prepared for struggles that may come up later in life.For example, you may notice that a child in your life isn’t speaking as much as would be expected for their age or that they’re having a hard time with motor tasks like learning to throw and catch a ball.The earlier in life that developmental challenges are noticed, the sooner a child can get the support they need to thrive.
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You’ll Be Equipped to Recognize Challenges and Offer HelpMarc Romanelli / Getty ImagesThe earlier developmental problems are detected, the sooner intervention can begin. No matter what the situation, early detection and treatment can lead to better outcomes.While everyone is different, human development tends to follow a predictable pattern. Once you have studied the process, you’ll have a sense of what is typical at certain ages and stages.When you understand what to expect in early childhood, it’ll be easier to spot possible signs ofcognitive, social, or emotional development disorders. You will also be more prepared for struggles that may come up later in life.For example, you may notice that a child in your life isn’t speaking as much as would be expected for their age or that they’re having a hard time with motor tasks like learning to throw and catch a ball.The earlier in life that developmental challenges are noticed, the sooner a child can get the support they need to thrive.
You’ll Be Equipped to Recognize Challenges and Offer Help
Marc Romanelli / Getty Images
The earlier developmental problems are detected, the sooner intervention can begin. No matter what the situation, early detection and treatment can lead to better outcomes.
While everyone is different, human development tends to follow a predictable pattern. Once you have studied the process, you’ll have a sense of what is typical at certain ages and stages.
When you understand what to expect in early childhood, it’ll be easier to spot possible signs ofcognitive, social, or emotional development disorders. You will also be more prepared for struggles that may come up later in life.
For example, you may notice that a child in your life isn’t speaking as much as would be expected for their age or that they’re having a hard time with motor tasks like learning to throw and catch a ball.
The earlier in life that developmental challenges are noticed, the sooner a child can get the support they need to thrive.
Influential Theories About How Children Grow and Develop
7 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.UC Davis.Human development majors study people from womb to tomb.APA.Understanding developmental psychology.Maryville University.What is human development and why is it important?.Eckerd College.Human development.Pacific Oaks College.What is human development?.Hartshorne JK, Germine LT.When does cognitive functioning peak? The asynchronous rise and fall of different cognitive abilities across the life span.Psychological Science. 2015;26(4):433-443. doi:10.1177/0956797614567339Costello EJ.Early detection and prevention of mental health problems: Developmental epidemiology and systems of support.Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology.2016;45(6):710-717. doi:10.1080/15374416.2016.1236728
7 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.UC Davis.Human development majors study people from womb to tomb.APA.Understanding developmental psychology.Maryville University.What is human development and why is it important?.Eckerd College.Human development.Pacific Oaks College.What is human development?.Hartshorne JK, Germine LT.When does cognitive functioning peak? The asynchronous rise and fall of different cognitive abilities across the life span.Psychological Science. 2015;26(4):433-443. doi:10.1177/0956797614567339Costello EJ.Early detection and prevention of mental health problems: Developmental epidemiology and systems of support.Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology.2016;45(6):710-717. doi:10.1080/15374416.2016.1236728
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
UC Davis.Human development majors study people from womb to tomb.APA.Understanding developmental psychology.Maryville University.What is human development and why is it important?.Eckerd College.Human development.Pacific Oaks College.What is human development?.Hartshorne JK, Germine LT.When does cognitive functioning peak? The asynchronous rise and fall of different cognitive abilities across the life span.Psychological Science. 2015;26(4):433-443. doi:10.1177/0956797614567339Costello EJ.Early detection and prevention of mental health problems: Developmental epidemiology and systems of support.Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology.2016;45(6):710-717. doi:10.1080/15374416.2016.1236728
UC Davis.Human development majors study people from womb to tomb.
APA.Understanding developmental psychology.
Maryville University.What is human development and why is it important?.
Eckerd College.Human development.
Pacific Oaks College.What is human development?.
Hartshorne JK, Germine LT.When does cognitive functioning peak? The asynchronous rise and fall of different cognitive abilities across the life span.Psychological Science. 2015;26(4):433-443. doi:10.1177/0956797614567339
Costello EJ.Early detection and prevention of mental health problems: Developmental epidemiology and systems of support.Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology.2016;45(6):710-717. doi:10.1080/15374416.2016.1236728
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