Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat is Developmental PsychologyTheoriesStagesWhen to See a Developmental PsychologistDiagnosisFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What is Developmental Psychology
Theories
Stages
When to See a Developmental Psychologist
Diagnosis
Frequently Asked Questions
Close
Change is inevitable. As humans, we constantly grow throughout our lifespans, from conception to death (or ‘womb to tomb’). The field of developmental psychology explores the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social changes that happen as people age.
Psychologists strive to understand and explain how and why people change throughout life. While many of these changes are normal and expected, they can still pose challenges that people sometimes need extra assistance to manage.
The principles ofnormative developmentwith specific milestones help professionals spot potential problems and provide early intervention for better outcomes. Developmental psychologists can work with people of all ages to address roadblocks and support growth. However, some choose to specialize in a specific age group, such as childhood, adulthood, or old age.
Lifespan Development: How We Grow and Change Over the Years
Developmental psychology is the branch of psychology that focuses on how people grow and change over the course of a lifetime.
Those who specialize in this field are not just concerned with the physical changes that occur as people grow; they also look at the cognitive, emotional, and social development that occurs throughout life.
Some of the many issues developmental psychologists assist with include:
These professionals spend a great deal of time investigating and observing how these processes occur under normal circumstances. Still, they are also interested in learning about things that can disrupt developmental processes.
By better understanding how and why people change and grow, developmental psychologists help people live up to their full potential. Understanding the course of normal human development and recognizing potential problems early on can prevent difficulties with depression, low self-esteem, frustration, and poor achievement in school or work.
Developmental Psychology Theories
Developmental psychologists often consider awide array of theoriesto consider different aspects of human development. A few examples are listed below:
Each approach tends to stress different aspects of development, such as mental, parental, social, or environmental influences onchildren’s growth and progress.
Developmental Psychology Stages
As you might imagine, developmental psychologists often break down development according to various phases of life. Each of these periods of development represents a time when different milestones are typically achieved.
People may face particular challenges at each point, and developmental psychologists can often help people who might be struggling with problems to get back on track.
Prenatal Development
Developmental psychologists are interested in theprenatal period, seeking to understand how the earliest influences on development can impact later growth during childhood. They may examine how primary reflexes emerge before birth, how fetuses respond to stimuli in the womb, and the sensations and perceptions that fetuses are capable of detecting prior to birth.
Developmental psychologists may also look atpotential problemssuch as Down syndrome, maternal drug use, and inherited diseases that might have an impact on the course of future development.
Early Childhood Development
The period from infancy through early childhood is a time of remarkable growth and change. Developmental psychologists examine the physical,cognitive, andsocio-emotionalgrowth during this critical development period.
In addition to providing interventions for potential developmental problems at this point, psychologists are also focused on helping kids achieve their full potential. Parents and healthcare experts are often on the lookout to ensure that kids are growing properly, receiving adequate nutrition, and achieving cognitive milestones appropriate for their age.
Middle Childhood Development
Kids begin to make their mark on the world as they build theirunique sense of self, formfriendships, graspprinciples of logic, and gain competency through schoolwork and personal interests. Parents may seek the assistance of a developmental psychologist to help kids deal with potential problems that might arise at this age, including academic, social, emotional, and mental health issues.
Adolescent Development
The teenage years are often the subject of considerable interest as children experience the psychological turmoil and transition that often accompanies this period of development. Psychologists such as Erik Erikson were especially interested in looking at how navigating this period leads toidentity formation.
At this age, kids often test limits and explore new identities as they question who they are and who they want to be. Developmental psychologists can help support teens as they deal with some of the challenging issues unique to the adolescent period, including puberty, emotional turmoil, and social pressure.
Early Adult Development
Those who can build and sustain such relationships tend to experience connectedness and social support, while those who struggle with such relationships may feel alienated andlonely.
People facing such issues might seek the assistance of a developmental psychologist to buildhealthier relationshipsand combat emotional difficulties.
Middle Adult Development
This stage of life tends to center on developing a sense of purpose and contributing to society. Erikson described this as the conflict betweengenerativity and stagnation.
Those who engage in the world, contribute things that will outlast them, and leave a mark on the next generation emerge with a sense of purpose. Activities such as careers, families, group memberships, and community involvement are all things that can contribute to this feeling of generativity.
Older Adult Development
The senior years are often viewed as a period of poor health, yet many older adults can remain active and busy well into their 80s and 90s. Increased health concerns mark this period of development, and some individuals may experience mental declines related to dementia.
Theorist Erik Erikson also viewed the elder years as a time ofreflecting back on life. Those who can look back and see a life well-lived emerge with a sense of wisdom and readiness to face the end of their lives, while those who look back with regret may be left with feelings of bitterness and despair.
Developmental psychologists may work with elderly patients to help them cope with issues related to the aging process.
By being aware of these milestones, parents can seek assistance, and healthcare professionals can offer interventions to help kids overcome developmental delays.
These professionals often evaluate children to determine if a developmental delay might be present, or they might work with elderly patients who are facing health concerns associated with old age, such as cognitive declines, physical struggles, emotional difficulties, or degenerative brain disorders.
RecapDevelopmental psychologistscan support individuals at all stages of life who may be facing developmental issues or problems related to aging.
Recap
Developmental psychologistscan support individuals at all stages of life who may be facing developmental issues or problems related to aging.
Diagnosing Developmental Issues
To determine if a developmental problem is present, a psychologist or other highly trained professional may administer a developmental screening or evaluation.
For children, such an evaluation typically involves interviews with parents and other caregivers to learn about behaviors they may have observed, a review of a child’s medical history, and standardized testing to measure functioning in terms of physical and motor development, cognitive skills, language development and communication skills, and social/emotional skills.
If a problem is found, the patient may be referred to a specialist, such as a speech-language pathologist, physical therapist, or occupational therapist.
Developmental Disabilities: Types, Causes, Coping
Coping With a Developmental Diagnosis
Receiving a diagnosis of a developmental issue can often feel both confusing and frightening, particularly when you, your own child, or an elderly parent is affected. Once you or your loved one has received a diagnosis of a developmental issue, spend some time learning as much as you can about the diagnosis and available treatments.
Prepare a list of questions and concerns you may have and discuss these issues with your doctor, developmental psychologist, and other healthcare professionals who may be part of the treatment team. By taking an active role in the process, you will feel better informed and equipped to tackle the next steps in the treatment process.
The four major developmental psychology issues are focused on physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development.
The Eight major stages of development are:Prenatal developmentInfant developmentEarly childhood developmentMiddle childhood developmentAdolescent developmentEarly adult developmentMiddle adult developmentOlder adult development
The Eight major stages of development are:
Four developmental issues that psychologists explore are focused on the relative contributions of:
Learn More:Issues in Developmental Psychology
6 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.
Rabindran, Madanagopal D.Piaget’s theory and stages of cognitive development- An overview.SJAMS.2020;8(9):2152-2157. doi:10.36347/sjams.2020.v08i09.034
American Psychological Association.Psychosexual development. APA Dictionary of Psychology.
Erikson, EH & Erikson, JM.The Life Cycle Completed, Extended Version. W.W. Norton & Company; 1998.
Vygotsky LS.Play and its role in the mental development of the child.International Research in Early Childhood Education. 2016;7(2):3-25.
Erikson EH.Identity: Youth and Crisis. W. W. Norton; 1968.
Keenan T, Evans S.An Introduction to Child Development. 2nd ed. SAGE; 2009.Whitebread D, Grau V, Kumpulainen K, McClelland MM, Perry NE, Pino-Pasternak D.The Sage Handbook of Developmental Psychology and Early Childhood Education. SAGE Publications Ltd; 2019. doi:10.4135/9781526470393
Keenan T, Evans S.An Introduction to Child Development. 2nd ed. SAGE; 2009.
Whitebread D, Grau V, Kumpulainen K, McClelland MM, Perry NE, Pino-Pasternak D.The Sage Handbook of Developmental Psychology and Early Childhood Education. SAGE Publications Ltd; 2019. doi:10.4135/9781526470393
Meet Our Review Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit
What is your feedback?
