Actual chronological age is only a relative indicator of the developmental stage of someone’s physical, cognitive and psychosocial. However, as unique as everyone is, some typical trends in development have been identified throughout the life cycle as milestones of normal progression. It is imperative to examine the developmental phases when dealing with the teaching and learning process as individuals progress from infancy to senescence in order to fully appreciate the behavioral changes occurring in the cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains.
Our journey through life is more than biological, as much as they are affected by physical change. They are colored by culture, history, economic and political realities. Although many of these changes are normal and expected, they may still present challenges that sometimes require help to manage. Developmental psychologists often use a number of theories to focus on various aspects of human development. For example, someone evaluating a child’s intellectual development might consider the cognitive development theory of Piaget, which outlined the key stages that children are going through as they learn. The theory of psychosocial development by Erik Erikson and the theory of sociocultural development by Vygotsky are two popular theoretical frameworks that address the social influences on the process of development.
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Biological Approach
How much do our genes define how we grow and learn, and how much does the environment have to do with it? It is known to many that parents contribute genes that directly influence development, and how these genes affect the child, is determined by his environment. Our parents are a crucial part of this environment. We know from many studies that the child’s genetic makeup strongly influences most aspects of human growth and development. “With the advent of technology, earlier information provided through rudimentary scientific methods and intuition can now be supported by data and research findings” (Nagel, 13). For example, poor nutrition can stun height, and poverty can limit your learning abilities. Genes provide the material code for all biological structures and processes to develop and function, but the code is neither prescriptive nor unique.
Many factors come into play that can produce significant differences such as family size, socioeconomic status, culture, religion and educational level. Building the foundation is important for the childhood years because they will set the stage for the individual to prolong the development of important life skills. A time of rapid and dramatic change is the embryonic period. The embryo acquires the cell lines needed to generate all of the body's organ systems within a matter of a few weeks; it undergoes rapid growth and develops its characteristic form. Interactive processes are essential even during this very early period to guide the organism's developmental course. My mother ran track, cross country, and was a cheerleader. She took very good care of her body and because of this, as well as monitoring her nutrition, I was born healthy. Usually, those who learn better are those with a secure family system and a highly encouraging environment. An environment in which they can make mistakes and learn without judgement from them. Biological factors, such as genes, hormones and the brain all have a major impact on human behavior, such as age and gender. The biological approach believes that most behaviors are inherited and have a function that is adaptive (or evolutionary).
The brain develops through a dynamic interaction of the underlying biological processes and environmental exposures of experiences. At conception, this process begins and continues throughout life. The brain develops rapidly and fundamentally during the early years of a child, and neuronal connections are strengthened. Because of this, early childhood is a window of both high risk of disruption vulnerability and high potential for positive developmental influences impact.
Cognitive Approach
Jean Piaget looked form a biological angle at the concept of cognitive development. To him, the key principles of the human intellect and growth are adaptation and organization. He argued that people are always striving to have a balance in their minds. Adaptation occurs when the child experiences cognitive impairment, that is, what the child sees the world as expected and what he or she is going through. From a newborn baby to an eleven-year-old child, both inherited genes (nature) and experiences that occur throughout our lives (nurture) affect cognitive development. Human brain development plays a key role in life long living, learning, and other skills needed. What makes us all individuals is the cognitive understanding and interpretation of information from our brain. Children with insomniac mothers don’t sleep as long or as deeply, but paternal insomnia doesn’t seem to have the same effect. “As the child assimilates an event in the environment, structure is given to that environment. Accommodation occurs as change is made in structure based on what is actually known from the experience. Without accommodating, the child's view of the world would never evolve” (Ginsberg & Opper, 1979).
Young kids learn language at an amazing pace. Children are biased in listening to speech from birth. Comprehending how infants master language so quickly is a challenge. Despite the fact that language learning depends on social interactions. My mother sang to me in English and in Spanish while I was in her womb. By the age of four years old, I was bilingual! The causes of good, normal development as well as illness, disabilities and developmental issues are best viewed in many or even most cases as an interplay between genes and environment. While the genetic makeup of a child has an impact on how strongly some environmental influences can shape whether genes are turned on or off.
Young adult thinking, especially in the early twenties of a person, is similar in many ways to adolescent thinking. Many young people see life from an idealistic point of view, in which marriage is a fairy tale in which lovers live happily, political leaders never lie or distort the truth, and salespeople always have in mind the best interests of consumers. People in their twenties have not always had the benefit of multiple life experiences, so from a naively trusting and black-or-white perspective they can still see the world. As with most, if not all humans, my heart was broken at the tender age of 26. My first true love.
Psychosocial Approach
According to Erikson, the stage of trust versus mistrust is the most important period in a person’s life because it forms both our view of the world and our personalities. When a child develops these early relationships, weeping plays an important role in establishing the bond between the caregiver and the child. An infant who can trust the mother or father or meet their needs will take a basic sense of confidence in the world (to meet their needs) in this stage. A sense of confidence aids in understanding boundaries and limits. The failure to complete this stage can lead to a lack of trust and therefore a sense of fear about the inconsistent world. AN example of trust versus mistrust is when a child’s mother leaves the room for a short amount of time and the child does not cry. The need for love, affection, warmth and food for the child is met. To build sense of trust, parental continuity and responsiveness are important.
For instance, biological psychologists believe that dopamine (a neurotransmitter) levels affect schizophrenia. As a child, when my parents would leave me with a babysitter, I would immediately tear up. This is an example of Erikson’s first stage of trust versus mistrust. I was very attached to my parents, and felt very secure with them because of the consistent love I received at home. With the babysitter, I was anxious because I wasn’t familiar with them. Now gender is a little more complicated. Gender refers to the anatomical sex or sexual assignment of an individual, as well as the cultural and social aspects of being male or female. The personal sense of maleness or femininity of an individual is his or her gender identity. According to cultural and social expectations, the outward expression of gender identity is a gender role. “Culturally shared values about emotion are transmitted in the form of display rules, which are culturally shared norms that dictate how, when, and where we should interpret, experience, and communicate our emotional experiences”.
Gender identity seems to be forming very early in life and is most likely to be irreversible by age four. While the exact cause of gender identity remains unknown, the process is clearly influenced by biological, psychological, and social variables. Genetics, prenatal and postnatal hormones, brain and reproductive differences, and socialization all interact to shape the gender identity of a child. Ultimately, the differences brought about by physiological processes interact with influences of social learning to establish a clear identity of gender. Starting at birth, most parents treat their children as their genitals appear. Parents are even less aggressive about their baby girls than their baby boys. Children quickly develop a clear understanding that they are either female or male, as well as a strong desire to adopt manners and behaviors that are appropriate for gender. According to many authorities, this understanding normally takes place within 2 years of age. My mother taught me to sew, cook, clean the house, all roles typically given to a female.
Confusing gender identity and sexual identity often leads people to make inaccurate assumptions about others that may affect how well we understand and communicate with others. For example, if the gender expression of myself is different from what people expect, it is often assumed that someone is gay or lesbian. Like men working as hairdressers or women working as mechanics.
Conclusion
There are over seven billion people living on earth, all with different characteristics. Name, age, nationality, socioeconomic status and more. But it is the combination of these identities that makes all human beings unique and complex. Human development is a complex process of lifelong development that begins when a person is in their mother's womb and extends to death. Each person moves from infancy, childhood, and adulthood through similar stages of life as they age and move. However, each person in this world has their own personal development with individuality, process of thinking and life as they are exposed to different environmental and biological experiences. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, a now, 32-year-old Hispanic and African American woman. I was a the oldest of two who grew up in a home where both my father and mother were my providers. My mother had two separate jobs to provide the family's basic needs, as well as my father, and my aunts and grandmother became our primary caretakers. While my parents had been working for long hours, they showed interest, care, and concern for the well-being of us both. They took the time to check in when we were at home, and when they were at work, they communicated daily by telephone. This connection helped us all to feel more connected.
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