Three Developmental Domains

Human development is studied across three main domains: physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional.

Physical processes, known as maturation, refer to the continuous biological changes that occur throughout an individual's life. These include genetic inheritance from parents, hormonal shifts during puberty and menopause, and changes in brain structure, height, weight, and motor abilities.

Cognitive processes involve changes in a person's thinking, intelligence, and language skills. Tasks like engaging in problem-solving or memorizing a new address illustrate cognitive development.

Socio-emotional processes involve changes in relationships, emotions, and personality. For instance, an infant smiling at their mother's touch or an adolescent feeling joy at a senior prom

These developmental processes are observed across three main life stages: childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.

Childhood spans from birth to around age 10. Adolescence, which begins around ages 10 to 12, marks the transition into adulthood. Adulthood is divided into three stages: early, the 20s and 30s; middle, the 40s through mid-60s; and late, mid-60s and beyond.