Development is an ongoing process that last from birth to death. Humans undergo various types of development at different stages of their lives. Here, we outline the development of attachment styles in infancy, the cognitive development from infancy through adolescence, and a stage theory of development that spans infancy to old age.
Pre-attachment (0-2 Months): indiscriminate social responsiveness
Attachment in the making (1-6 months and over): recognition of familiar people
Clear-cut attachment (6-30 months and over): separation protest, fear of strangers
Goal-corrected partnership (24-48 months and over): mutual relationships (children understand parents’ needs and goals)
Although attachment is usually studied in the context of the mother-infant relationship, attachment between father and child is also necessary for the mental well-being of a child. This clip from Finding Nemo (2003) demonstrates how the mutual nature of attachment can leave the parent with some separation anxiety, especially in early childhood. Obviously, these characters are fish, not people, but they are written to have human-like traits and relationships.
Sensorimotor (birth - 2 years): differentiates self from other objects; achieves object permanence (understanding that objects continue to exist when they are no longer present to the senses)
Pre-operational (2 - 7 years): learns to use language and represent objects with images and words; classifies objects by single feature
Concrete Operations (7 - 12 years): can think logically about concrete objects; achieves conservation of mass, number, and weight
Abstract Operations (12 years and up): can think logically about abstract propositions; becomes concerned with the possible and the real
In the sensorimotor stage, playing with toys develops babies' motor skills. However, children continue to play with toys after motor skills have been developed. In this clip from Toy Story (1996), Andy uses his imagination as he plays with his favorite toy, Woody. Although toys don't talk in real life, playing with them can help children develop socially and cognitively.
Industry vs Inferiority (school age; 6 - 12): Meeting standards
Identity vs Role Confusion (adolescence; 12 - early 20s): Integrated sense of self
Intimacy vs Isolation (young adulthood; early 20s - 40s): Giving and receiving love, maintaining a relationship
Generativity vs Stagnation (maturity; 40s - 60s): Having and nurturing the next generation
Integrity vs Despair (old age; 60s and beyond): Acceptance of life as it was lived, the people and relationships that were nurtured
The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005) centers around Andy, a middle-aged man still trying to achieve developmental tasks that would fall under the "Intimacy vs Isolation stage." It demonstrates how development is never as linear and clear-cut as stage theories would suggest.