Introduction
Since I have no memory of my prenatal development and birth, I can strictly rely on the information I have learned about these processes. Prenatal development takes place in three primary stages. The first two weeks following conception are known as the germinal stage, followed by the embryonic period from the third to the eighth week, and the fetal period lasts from the ninth week until delivery.
Biological
Metabolic programming brought on by fetal growth restriction increases the chance of developing metabolic syndrome and, as a result, adult cardiovascular morbidity (Crispi & Gratacós, 2018). Furthermore, fetal cardiac and arterial remodeling and a subclinical state of cardiovascular disease are closely linked to fetal growth limitation. The psychological functioning of pregnant women alters during pregnancy. It is frequently accompanied by ambivalence and mood swings, ranging from exhilaration to depressive reactions to anxiety, lethargy, and exhaustion.
Psychology
Increased maternal distress during pregnancy raises the likelihood that the unborn child will develop mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, and schizophrenia.
Sociocultural
Early sociocultural development is linked to a child’s developing capacity to feel, regulate, and express those feelings, establish deep and secure interpersonal relationships, explore their surroundings, and learn while considering expectations from their family, society, and culture (Malik & Marwaha, 2018).
Infancy & Toddlerhood
Reflecting on my personal experience, I can recall progress from crawling to walking and running during this time, being able to explore with more significant curiosity because of their increased mobility.
Biological
Genetic predispositions, brain chemistry, hormone levels, nutrition, and gender are biological factors that impact the motor development of children, according to Luisa & Losada (2020).
Psychology
According to Salvadori et al., infants as young as three months old already exhibit behavioral responses that suggest emotions like surprise, discomfort, calm, and excitement (2021). By the end of the first year, new emotional states, including fear, sadness, and anger, all develop.
Sociocultural
Infants and toddlers pick up on the world through reassuring and trustworthy relationships.
Early Childhood
As a child, I remember having a healthy family situation that positively impacted my brain development, laying the groundwork for all future learning, behavior, and health.
Biological
The following three natural elements have an impact on growth and development:
- Genetic Inheritance
- Gender
- Hormones.
Psychology
Individual and contextual factors may influence children’s emotional and behavioral challenges, such as the family’s socioeconomic situation, parent stress, and other environmental exposures. The family environment significantly predicts children’s behavior issues, according to Grazuleviciene et al. (2017).
Sociocultural
Language, law, aesthetics, appearance, religion, values, attitudes, social organization, family, community, and a person’s role or status are a few examples of socio-cultural elements involved in children’s growth.
Middle & Late Childhood
Reflecting from a personal side, I can remark on learning various gross and fine motor abilities as I began having greater control over how my body moves.
Biological
According to Larsen & Luna, there are two significant periods of brain growth in middle and late childhood (2018). Between ages 6 and 8, there are noticeable increases in eye-hand coordination and fine motor skills. The frontal lobes mature between 10 and 12, when logic, planning, and memory skills improve.
Psychology
Their psychosocial development influences children’s ability to comprehend emotions. Children of school age can describe emotion by referring to feelings rather than physical occurrences.
Sociocultural
The distinct cultural influences children experience, such as those related to food, language, art, and religion, impact how they develop emotionally, socially, physically, and linguistically.
Adolescence
I can enlist the five main features of adolescence biological growth and development: an ambiguous position, increased decision-making, increasing demands, and the quest for identity.
Biological
Between childhood and adulthood, puberty is a time of rapid growth, the emergence of secondary sexual traits, the attainment of fertility, and significant psychological changes (Laube et al., 2020).
Psychology
The birth of abstract thought, the increasing capacity to absorb the perspectives or viewpoints of others, the formation of personal and sexual identity, and the onset of puberty are the most significant psychological and psychosocial changes.
Sociocultural
Cultural norms and social structures may influence adolescent development individually through the mediating impacts of close social surroundings like family and friends.
Emerging & Early Adulthood
Experiences that were included for me personally were:
- Becoming autonomous, working to become a self-sufficient individual with a unique existence.
- Identifying myself entailed establishing preferences, philosophies, likes, and dislikes.
- To gain emotional stability, which is regarded as a sign of maturation.
Biological
By this stage, adults have grown to their full height, weight, and physical peak (Tieland et al., 2018). Stamina and strength progressively deteriorate as the adult approaches the conclusion of this life period.
Psychology
Early in life, a person is preoccupied with learning to share intimacy, building relationships, and looking for intimate love. Long-term partnerships develop, and marriage and procreation frequently follow. The young adult must also make decisions about their career.
Sociocultural
Emerging adulthood is characterized by significant issues with identity, instability, self-focus, feeling in-between, and new opportunities. People’s cultural backgrounds help them define who they are.
Middle Adulthood
Not having experienced this stage of life, I can rely on the learned information: at this period, attitudes and behaviors vary significantly because each person has a unique existence. The emotional state of the middle-aged brain is more stable, less neurotic, better able to control emotions, and more adept at navigating social situations.
Biological
Midlife brings about a few significant hormonal and physical changes. Vision and hearing abnormalities increase joint discomfort, and weight gain occurs.
Psychology
Adulthood brings about stability and personality transformation. For instance, whereas neuroticism and an openness to new experiences tend to decrease with age, self-assurance, kindness, self-control, and emotional stability tend to rise.
Sociocultural
The essential tension of maturity is between generativity and stagnation, which is the social responsibility of middle age. Finding one’s life’s purpose and making a difference in the lives of others through volunteering, mentorship, and child-rearing are examples of generosity.
Late Adulthood
Not having experienced this stage of life, I can rely on the learned information. In this stage, elderly persons remain independent and socially active rather than allowing themselves to become isolated. More healthy aging persons play active social roles and uphold family responsibilities.
Biological
Many changes may occur in later adulthood, including some degree of brain atrophy and slowing neurological functions.
Psychology
Older adults may develop distrust, experience increased guilt over their diminished abilities, feel less competent compared to others, and lose their sense of self as they become more reliant on others.
Sociocultural
Anger and distress are less common, peripheral social relationships are cut off, and meaningful social partners are kept. Positive emotion is still very steady, showing a slight decline in some studies among the eldest old.
Conclusion & Insights
There are several reasons why it is crucial to comprehend human growth. One of the benefits is that it aids in self-understanding. One can better learn who they are today by being aware of the influences that shaped them as children. One can understand their children more fully by becoming knowledgeable about human growth. Knowing the psychology behind a child’s development can be very helpful for anyone who is or plans to become a parent. One would learn more effective ways to communicate with kids. After studying human development, they will better understand how they have changed throughout their lives. Last but not least, one can distinguish between what is typical and what is not.
References
Crispi, F., Miranda, J., & Gratacós, E. (2018). Long-term cardiovascular consequences of fetal growth restriction: biology, clinical implications, and opportunities for prevention of adult disease. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 218(2), S869-S879. Web.
Grazuleviciene, R., Andrusaityte, S., Petraviciene, I., & Balseviciene, B. (2017). Impact of Psychosocial Environment on Young Children’s Emotional and Behavioral Difficulties. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(10). Web.
Larsen, B., & Luna, B. (2018). Adolescence as a neurobiological critical period for the development of higher-order cognition. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 94, 179-195. Web.
Laube, C., Van den Bos, W., & Fandakova, Y. (2020). The relationship between pubertal hormones and brain plasticity: Implications for cognitive training in adolescence. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, 42, 100753. Web.
Luisa, M., & Losada, J. L. (2020). Association Between Preschoolers’ Specific Fine (But Not Gross) Motor Skills and Later Academic Competencies: Educational Implications. Frontiers in Psychology, 11. Web.
Malik, F., & Marwaha, R. (2018). Developmental stages of social-emotional development in children.
Salvadori, E. A., Colonnesi, C., Vonk, H. S., Oort, F. J., & Aktar, E. (2021). Infant Emotional Mimicry of Strangers: Associations with Parent Emotional Mimicry, Parent-Infant Mutual Attention, and Parent Dispositional Affective Empathy. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(2). Web.
Tieland, M., Trouwborst, I., & Clark, B. C. (2018). Skeletal muscle performance and aging. Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, 9(1), 3-19. Web.