Overview of Life Span Development
The process of the development of an individual’s life span covers a vast age range, beginning during the period between conception and birth and stretching across the individual’s life span. The different periods range from infancy, to different stages of childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Genetically, important characteristics begin to develop as the newborn emerges into the world. Simultaneously, the developing child’s surroundings begin to influence development as well; so much that the genetically developed characteristics can be altered. Not only does development occur over a period of a many years, it also occurs across three separate, yet overlapping domains. This is called the biopsychosocial process, and includes biological, cognitive, and psychosocial domains. Biologically, development is described via body changes, maturation, and growth. Cognitively speaking, development is a mental process of knowing; which includes imagining, perceiving, reasoning, and problem solving. Psychosocial focuses on the development of emotions, personality, social interactions and expectations.
Biologically, in the infancy and toddlerhood stage, the body doubles in height and their weight increases four times its amount. The individual’s neurons grow dramatically, thus faster and more efficient message transmission occurs. The experiences that this baby encounters will initiate the brain to more efficiently respond to outside stimulation. Motor skills increase and sensory and perceptual skills begin to develop rapidly. The child, during this stage, encounters vast cognitive developments. It begins with the basic structure of language learned illustrated through baby talk. The very first communication is illustrated through crying, cooing and then babbling. These language skills are heightened in that by the age of 1, the child can speak just a few words and within a years’ time, the child is putting words together to...