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Chapter 3: The First Two Years - Body & Mind
Infancy: Sensorimotor Development
Definition: The sensorimotor stage occurs from birth to about age 2, where infants learn through their senses and motor actions. Key aspects of this stage are object permanence and the development of purposeful movement.
Example: Playing peek-a-boo with my parents when I was a baby. I didn’t realize that my parents were still there when they hid their faces, but I learned that they always reappeared, which showed me the concept of object permanence. -
Chapter 4: Early Childhood - Body & Mind
Early Childhood: Initiative vs. Guilt (Erikson)
Definition: This stage occurs from ages 3-6. Children assert control over their environment through play and interactions, gaining a sense of initiative. If these actions are criticized, they may develop guilt. Personal Example: When I was around 4 years old, I created my own games with my cousins. I enjoyed planning and leading the activities, which made me feel confident and capable. -
Chapter 5: Middle Childhood - Body & Mind
Middle Childhood: Concrete Operational Stage (Piaget)
Definition: This stage (ages 7-11) is characterized by logical thinking. Children can perform operations that involve concrete objects, but abstract thinking is still difficult. Personal Example: I remember solving math problems in elementary school using blocks. I understood that if you take a few blocks from one pile, you can still keep the same total amount if you add them to another pile. -
Chapter 6: Adolescence - Body & Mind
Adolescence: Formal Operational Stage (Piaget) Definition: This stage occurs from age 12 onward and is characterized by the ability to think abstractly, logically, and systematically. Adolescents begin to engage in hypothetical-deductive reasoning.
Personal Example: When I was 12, I started to think about hypothetical situations, like what I would do if I lived in a different country or had different opportunities. -
Chapter 7: Early Adolescence - Psychosocial Development
Adolescence: Identity vs. Role Confusion(Erikson) Definition: This stage occurs during adolescence (ages 12-18), where individuals explore different roles, beliefs, and values to develop a strong sense of self or face confusion about their identity. Personal Example: During my early teenage years, I experimented with different hobbies like painting and sports such as volleyball, trying to figure out what i truly liked. It helped me find what I was passionate about. -
Chapter 8: Social Development
Adolescence: Intimacy vs. Isolation (Erikson)
Definition: This stage occurs in pre-adulthood , but adolescents start forming deeper social connections, setting the foundation for future intimate relationships. Failure to form these connections can lead to isolation. Personal Example: As I reached high school, I began developing closer friendships with people, which gave me a sense of belonging and security. These connections helped me feel less isolated. -
Chapter 10: Adolescence - Social World
Adolescence: Peer Influence and Social Development
Definition: During adolescence, peer relationships become more important, influencing social behaviors, decision-making, and self-identity. Personal Example: Throughout high school, my friends and I often made decisions together, whether it was choosing where to hang out or what to wear. I felt like I belonged to the group, and this influenced my self-esteem and social identity. -
Chapter 9: Cognitive Development
Adolescence: Postformal Thought (Sinnott)
Definition: Postformal thinking starts in adolescence, allowing flexibility, multiple perspectives, and the understanding that there’s often more than one correct answer.
Personal Example: In my junior year, I began thinking seriously about life after high school, realizing that there wasn’t just one "right" choice for college or career and that I could learn from any decision.