Psychology as a science developed with close relationships with other sciences, but the greatest influence it suffered was in the sociological sciences.

A person is a product of himself and the way in which his environment affects him. In all theoretical models of personality development, the conscious person should be motivated by internal interactions within himself. These two levels of personality interact with their environment and influence them individually to develop their unique personality and psychological identity.

Understanding Stages in Developmental Psychology

Social theory is used to understand and explain trends, patterns or movements of individuals and societies based on the context of the social order they live in. Social is only able to explain aspects of behavior and may be difficult to apply universally. A person’s psychological development can follow a psychological model or a social model of behavior but will vary widely based on the person’s history, anthropology, economics, politics, theology and biology.

A common factor in all theories regarding psychological development is that the person is the central figure. A key element that is common throughout all theories is the importance of cognitive development and of perceptual and behavioral orientation.

psychological development

Critical periods for psychological development have been identified as early childhood and adolescence. However, there has been debate recently regarding the development of a person’s psychology into stages. Like the concept of normality, the stages of psychological development are now being studied whether they will be used as standards or guidelines.

One contention is that of the psychological development that includes the person: his biology, orientation, and perception; and the world it transfers: social structures, norms, traditions, perceptions and the environment. In this view, psychological development is considered as a lifelong interactive process that continues and perpetuates itself throughout a person’s lifetime.