Chapter 6. Developmental Psychology
What is one thing that always goes up but never comes down? Our age! As we grow older, we undergo physical and cognitive development. This journey takes us through several key stages of life: infancy, early and middle childhood, adolescence, and early, middle, and late adulthood. Each stage presents its milestones, challenges, and changes. Developmental psychology is the field that studies these stages across the human lifespan, seeking to understand how and why we change over time. It also examines how early relationships (particularly our attachment to caregivers) and different parenting styles shape our development. In this chapter, we will explore theories proposed by influential developmental psychologists, including Jean Piaget, Erik Erikson, and Mary Ainsworth, among others.
