UNIT IX—DEVELOPMENTAL
PSYCHOLOGY
STAGE THEORISTS AND PREVAILING ISSUES IN DEVELOPING
THROUGH THE LIFESPAN
Dr. Connie Giles
1/23/2012
KOHLBERG’S STAGES OF MORAGL DEVELOPMENT COMPARED TO PIAGET’S STAGES OF COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
KOHLBERG’S STAGES OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT
Stages of Psychosexual Development
According to Sigmund Freud, personality develops through a series of stages in which the the energies of the id are focused on certain erogenous areas. This
psychosexual energy, or libido, was described as the driving force behind behavior.
Stage
Age
Characteristics
Oral Stage
Birth
to 1
year
An infant's primary interaction with the world is through the
mouth. The mouth is vital for eating, and the infant derives
pleasure from oral stimulation through gratifying activities
such as tasting and sucking. If this need is not met, the child
may develop an oral fixation later in life, examples of which
include thumb-sucking, smoking, fingernail biting and
overeating.
Anal Stage
1 to 3
years
Freud believed that the primary focus of the libido was on
controlling bladder and bowel movements. Toilet training is a
primary issue with children and parents. Too much pressure
can result in an excessive need for order or cleanliness later
in life, while too little pressure from parents can lead to
messy or destructive behavior later in life.
Phallic Stage
3 to 6
years
Freud suggested that the primary focus of the id's energy is
on the genitals. According to Freud, boy's experience an
Oedipal Complex and girl's experience and Electra Complex, or
an attraction to the opposite sex parent. To cope with this
conflict, children adopt the values and characteristics of the
same-sex parent, thus forming the superego.
Latent Stage
6 to
11
years
During this stage, the superego continues to develop while
the id's energies are suppressed. Children develop social
skills, values and relationships with peers and adults outside
of the family.
Genital Stage
11 to
18
years
The onset of puberty causes the libido to become active once
again. During this stage, people develop a strong interest in
the opposite. If development has been successful to this
point, the individual will continue to develop into a wellbalanced person.
Stages of Adolescent Development
Stages of Adolescence
Early Adolescence
Approximately 11 – 13 years of
age
Middle Adolescence
Approximately 14 – 18 years of
age
Physical Development
Cognitive Development
Puberty: grow body
hair, increase perspiration and
oil production in hair and skin,
Girls – breast and hip
development, onset of
menstruation Boys – growth in
testicles and penis, wet dreams,
deepening of voice
Tremendous physical
growth: gain height and weight
Greater sexual interest
Growing capacity for
abstract thought
Mostly interested in
present with limited thought to
the future
Intellectual interests
expand and become more
important
Deeper moral thinking
Puberty is completed
Physical growth slows
for girls, continues for boys
Continued growth of
capacity for abstract thought
Greater capacity for
setting goals
Interest in moral
reasoning
Thinking about the
meaning of life
Social-Emotional Development
Struggle with sense of
identity
Feel awkward about one’s
self and one’s body; worry about
being normal
Realize that parents are
not perfect; increased conflict
with parents
Increased influence of
peer group
Desire for independence
Tendency to return to
“childish” behavior, particularly
when stressed
Moodiness
Rule- and limit-testing
Greater interest in privacy
Intense self-involvement,
changing between high
expectations and poor self-concept
Continued adjustment to
changing body, worries about
being normal
Tendency to distance
selves from parents, continued
drive for independence
Driven to make friends
and greater reliance on them,
popularity can be an important
Stages of Adolescence
Late Adolescence Approximately
19 – 21 years of age
Physical Development
Young women,
typically, are fully developed
Young men continue to
gain height, weight, muscle
mass, and body hair
Cognitive Development
Ability to think ideas
through
Ability to delay
gratification
Examination of inner
experiences
Increased concern for
future
Continued interest in
moral reasoning
Social-Emotional Development
issue
Feelings of love and
passion
Firmer sense of identity
Increased emotional
stability
Increased concern for
others
Increased independence
and self-reliance
Peer relationships remain
important
Development of more
serious relationships
Social and cultural
traditions regain some of their
importance
THREE PREVAILING ISSUES IN PSYCHOLOGY’S EXAMINATION
OF DEVELOPING THORUGH THE LIFE SPAN:
Nature versus
Nurture
•To what extent are the qualities that we possess
"inborn" or acquired via genetic inheritiance?
•To what extent are the qualities acquired as a
result of our experiences and enviromental
influences?
Continuity versus
Discontinuity
•How much does development simply slow and
continuours, and based on experiences?
•How much of our development is
"discontinuous: (i.e., predisposed, biologically
determined and genetically pre-set to unfold in
stages)?
Stability versus
Change
•Are peoples' personalities consistent, or do
they change over time?
•Researc shows there is consistency to
personality, yet life is a process of becoming
•Earliest years provide a poor basis for
determining personality
•As peole grow older, personality stabilizes