Lifespan Development and Personality
Ethan A. Pyka
University of Phoenix
PSY/103
Dr. Kristi Hendrix
27 February 2012
Lifespan Development and Personality
Introduction
Lifespan development is a field of elaborate study that tries to understand the systematic and intra-personal changes that progress with age, from conception to death. The process starts with the surfacing of the fetus upon conception. Universally, the known developmental phases are the infancy, early and middle childhood, adolescence, early, middle and late adulthood, all of which progressing with an outstanding transformation in an individual’s character (Austin, 2002).Personality on the other hand is an active and coordinated group of characteristics which advertently influence a person’s behavior in a number of situations. These are largely initiated by genetic component as well as the environment also referred to as the genotypic and phenotypic factors respectively (Damon, 2006). This paper will outline some of the factors that affect physical, cognitive, moral and social development as well as the personality of an individual in the adolescence stage.
Adolescence (12-18 years)
Adolescence can be defined as the transition phase from late childhood to early adulthood. It is a phenomenal period associated with fundamental changes in both physic and cognitive facets. It basically begins with the commencement of puberty and proceeds to adulthood (12-18 years).
Factors that affect physical development in adolescence stage
A myriad of factors have been noted to adversely affect physical development in adolescents. These are hereditary and environmental.
Genetics is a biological aspect that determines the rule of heredity. A gene, the basic unit of heredity, is usually passed down the family tree, from parents to the offspring. These genes encode almost all the physical characteristics of an individual. Some of the features largely determined by genes include the height and weight....