Question- What is meaning of Stages Of Human Development ?

Answer-

According to S. Feldman, “Human life proceeds by stages. The life periods of the individual are no less real and significant than the geographical ages of the earth or the evolutionary stages of life. Each stage is distinguished by a dominant feature, a leading characteristic which gives the period its coherence, its unity, and its uniqueness.” And Lawton has observed very correctly that “each period in the life span has its own problems of adjustment. These age periods are related, not in surface story, since problems change; it is the method of attacking these problems which is likely to remain the same. throughout the life span, people develop techniques of handling each of their difficulties. Some of these techniques are suitable and efficient, others are inappropriate and wasteful, or a method may be suitable for one age period and not another,”

As to the question what is permanent and what is transitory in human behaviour, it can be said that while problems are transitory because these keep changing, the techniques to tackle the problems are remain same throughout and are, therefore permanent. For example, some persons are in the habit of facing each and every problem squarely land boldly while others initially try to escape them and face them hesitantly when forced to do so. The human life span can be divided into eleven distinct stages. These are :

1. Pre-natal : From conception to birth.
2. Infancy : Two weeks from birth.
3. Babyhood : From two weeks to two year.
4. Early childhood : From two years to six years.
5. Late childhood : From six years to ten years.
6. Puberty or pre-Adolescence : From ten to thirteen or fourteen years.
7. Early Adolescence : From thirteen or fourteen to seventeen years.
8. Late Adolescence : From seventeen to twenty-one years.
9. Early Adulthood : From twenty-one to forty years.
10. Middle Age : From forty to sixty years.
11. Old Age or Senescence : From sixty years till death.

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