2. Parenting Styles and Development CheckPoint
3. The Sexual Response Cycle Stage of Development | Physical Development | Cognitive Development | Social/Personality Development | Adolescence | Growth spurts, for two to three years they will grow 8 to 12 inches | | | Young Adulthood | | | | Middle Adulthood | | | | Late Adulthood | | | | Physical, Cognitive, Social, and Personality Individuals experience many changes to the physical body, cognitive abilities, social development, and personality development throughout the various stages of life. This article looks at a few of the changes experienced during stages of development of the adolescent, young adulthood, middle adulthood, and late adulthood.
Adolescent Stages of Development
The physical changes during adolescence include growth spurts of eight to twelve inches in a period of two or three years, and puberty which heralds acne, voice changes, body hair growth, growth of internal and external reproductive organs (ovaries, breasts, penis, and testes), production of estrogen and progesterone increase, erection and ejaculation for males, and menarche and mature egg release for females. (Nevid & Rathus, 2005)
Cognitively, the adolescent is able to participate in abstract thinking, also referred to as the formal operational stage, enabling them to process and group ideas; adolescence also brings egocentrism in the form of imaginary audience (believing everything centers around one's appearance, thoughts, and behaviors) and personal fable (the belief that one is invincible and incapable of experiencing anything harmful). (Nevid & Rathus, 2005)
Social and personality development in adolescence is exemplified in the adolescent's search for independence which frequently results in conflict with anyone in authoritative positions and the engagement in risk-taking or reckless behaviors in part due to one's belief of