Chap. 4 – Impression

It is interesting examining how the psychological landscape of the human mind changes in a lifetime. Many factors assist in uniquely developing the mind of an individual, and each individual transitions through the psychological states at times dependent on their biological make-up and life experiences. The following is my interpretation of the eight psychological stages of life:

 

Stage 1: Infancy (Birth – 2 years)

The psychological state of an infant is limited to basic survival instincts and the dependency to be cared for. This is a rapid stage of experiencing and processing completely new stimuli, including sensory information such as sights and sounds.

Stage 2: Early Childhood (2 years – 4 years)

This is when children are still heavily dependent upon their caretakers for survival. They do not understand societal rules. They can identify the sensory information they experience and associate this information with past experiences to infer meaning. Early language development is present.

Stage 3: Mid Childhood (4 years – 9 years)

Children can make the association between words and meaning. They have developed many self-sufficient tendencies and understand some social trends. They begin to develop many relationships with peers, rather than just caretakers. They are curious, and their minds are flexible enough to be taught in a learning environment.

Stage 4: Late Childhood (10 years – 13 years)

Children begin displaying signs of independence and uniqueness in personality. They question often and are easily taught new information. They have close relationships with peers and find a sense of individuality.

Stage 5: Puberty (13 years – 16 years)

At this stage, children experience angst. They want independence but are not usually able to be completely self-sufficient without direction. They begin to experience sexual desires. They are often faced with the difficulty of discovering where they fit in to society.

Stage 6: Early Adulthood (17 years – 25 years)

Adults are completely self-sufficient and strive for self-actualization. They can assess their lives and solve their problems. Often, they have adventurous and risk-taking tendencies, but also begin to desire stability.

Stage 7: Adulthood (25 years – 65 years)

This is the peak psychological state. Adults are self-sufficient, experienced, and strive for happiness. They are still capable of learning new things and retaining new information. They can care for others. They have many relationships in their lives. Stability is key to their mental health.

Stage 8: Seniority (65 years – Death)

In many ways, the psychological state of these adults begins to recede. Mental processes may slow or become inefficient. Things learned in early experiences of life, such as language and some life-sustaining habits, are still present. However, their psychological state can deteriorate so much that they will again need care and support from others to survive.

One thought on “Chap. 4 – Impression

  1. It is very interesting to read about how you would classify the different levels of cognitive development. For Stage 1, “Infancy,” you kept it within the same age group as Piaget’s Sensorimotor stage. While you did mention the development of senses, you focused more on children developing survival instincts, which is very interesting.

    In stage 2, you kind of split up the age groupings in Piaget’s Preoperational Stage by creating your own from the age of 2-4 which you called, “Early Childhood.” At this age, children are better able to hold conversations with others, and have a better understanding of the world around them from experiences. I like that you made the age group a lot smaller because I feel that there is a huge difference in the cognition of a 2 year old and a 7 year old and I did not like that Piaget didn’t have a stage in the middle.

    In your Stage 3, “Mid Childhood,” you noted that 4-7 year olds begin to develop friendships with peers, which I feel is a very important step in child development because you can see the egocentrism that is mentioned in Piaget’s Preoperational Stage is subsiding and they are more able to think outside of themselves. In this stage they are also beginning to go to school (as also mentioned in Piaget’s Concrete Operational Stage) which is a major stepping stone in child development.

    In your Stage 4, which you called “Late Childhood,” you made the cut off at age 13. I agree that 10-13 year olds are developing a sense of self and individuality, while having more tight-knit friendships.

    I really like that your Stage 5 all revolves around Puberty, because that is a huge cognitive stage in a developing person. This is the first time that kids ever discover their sexual urges and desires, and start developing strong feelings towards other, and maybe even start dating.

    I like that you expanded past Piaget’s Formal Operational Stage in terms of age, because you cannot categorize a 12 year old’s brain and a 25 year old’s brain together because there is a huge cognitive difference. Your “Early Adulthood” stage expands on a young adults desire for adventure and fun, but includes this is also the time where you are trying to find a stable career path.

    I agree that your “Adulthood,” between the ages of 25-65 years is when your cognition is at its peak. You are stable at this point in your life and experience such a vast range of things in these years.

    And lastly, I’m really glad that you included a “Seniority” stage. This is the age where you typically stop working, and depend more on others to live a full life. I also really like that you mentioned how the psychological state begins to recede. This is also the time period where signs of dementia and Alzheimer’s can start to set it.

    All in all, I really liked your developmental stages and seeing your thought process behind each one. Good job!

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