Lifespan Development

Lifespan Development.
Lifespan development refers to the stages a person must pass through from birth to maturity (Baltes, Lindenberger and Staudinger 32). There are eight stages of lifespan development. The first stage is the infancy, from birth to 18 months and involves trust versus mistrust and hope. The main focus is on the father and mother’s nurturing capacity and child care, particularly in regards to visual touch and contact (Baltes, Lindenberger and Staudinger 40). Depending on the care, the child will develop confidence, trust, optimism, insecurity, and mistrust. The second stage is the toddler, which consists of 18 months to 3 years of age. The child has a chance to develop autonomy and self-esteem with new skills being learned (Baltes, Lindenberger and Staudinger 41). The thirst stage is the preschooler, which begins from 3 to 5 years of age. Here, the child develops an urge to imitate the adults around them and playing roles to develop such characters. Moreover, the school age child is the next stage, involving 6 to 12 years of age. Here, the person is capable of learning, developing, and achieving several new skills and knowledge, thereby developing a feeling of industry or inferiority (Baltes, Lindenberger and Staudinger 42). The fifth stage is the adolescent, ranging from 12 to 18 years of age. The development relies primarily on what the individual does. The person has to struggle to realize and get his or her identity and struggle with social contact.
Subsequently, the young adult of 18 to 35 years is the next stage.

Here, people are inclined to look for love and companionship and settle down and form families (Baltes, Lindenberger and Staudinger 42). The seventh stage is the middle-aged adult of 35 to 55 or 65 years of age. Work and career are the most important items at this phase, together with family. The stage is also associated with the period when persons can assume greater roles and control. The last stage is the late adult of 55 or 65 to death. The issue here is the reflection of the fulfillment and contentment to depict a sense of integrity or looking back the failures and involvements, showing a sense of despair (Baltes, Lindenberger and Staudinger 43).
Illustration
Lifespan development stages can be summarized in the following pictures.

Works Cited
Baltes, Paul B., Ulman Lindenberger, and Ursula M. Staudinger. Life Span Theory in Developmental Psychology. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2006.