Youth Development at a Glance
Ages | Spiritual | Physical | Intellectual | Emotional | Social | Character |
Birth | Weight: 3-4kg Height: 50cm Progressive development of posture, grasping and walking. |
Sensiry-motor stage: from reflexes, constitution of patterns of actions combining perceptions and movements to reach and aim. | Elementary emotional reactions states of satisfactions and dissatisfaction. Pleasure associated with sucking (oral stage). Desired object: mother's breast 3 months: smiling response to human faces. |
No differentiation between self and others. Immediated imitation. | No awareness of self. | |
6-9 months | Standing upright. | Action games. | Recognition of mother. | Anguish and fear of strangers. | ||
10-12 months | First steps. | Delayed imitation. | ||||
2 years | Cleanliness (sphincter control) | Mental representations of action patterns. Appearance of symbolic games. Aquisition of notions of objects, space, time and the relation between cause and effect. |
Anal stage: affective value attached to sphincter control. | Appearance of symbolic function (ability to represent absent objects). First words (20 words at age 2) |
Appearance of “no”, sign of construction of personal identity. | |
3 years | Acceptance of regulations and ieals promoted by one's parents; confusion between the paternal image and the concept of God. | Growth slows down. | Genital stage: Interest in genitals; masturbation; curiosity about differences between the sexes. | Egocentric speech; collective monologues; interest in one's appearance; shyness. | Identification with the parent of the same sex. (Oedipus complex) Creation of “Superego”. | |
4 years | Anthropomorphic, magical an egocentric religiosity. | Affective identification with parents based on confidence and admiration. | ||||
5-7 years | Notion of good and evil, right and wrong linked to religion. | Precision in movements and balance aquired. | Intuitive thought (affirmation without demontration). | “Latency period”: sexual energy ariented towards other goals. | Development of speech (2,500 words). Rules considered intangible and determined by adults. “Moral realism”: mistakes judged by damage caused; intentions ignored. Acceptance of moral norms. |
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7-10 years | Acceptance of family's spiritual heritage. Conformity to conventional morality. Orientation towards “law” and “order”. |
Slower Growth. At ease with one's body. |
Intellectual curiosity. Development of the capacity for logical reasoning on concrete data. Notion of conservation, ability to classify, make series and count. |
Latency period: emotional balance. Affective attachment which goes beyond the family circle. |
Reciprocal exchanges. Adoption of different roles; ability to imagine oneself in another person's situation. The child tries to adapt to a group and be appreciated. |
Conformity to the group. By adaptiong to a wide variety of situations (school, groups), the child discovers him/herself as a multi-faceted personality. He/she gains a deeper understanding of him/herself. |
10-11 years (girls) 11-12 years (boys) |
Developemnt of moral autonomy. Acceptance of moral principles as a way od sharing rights and responsibilties within a group. |
Onset of puberty: acceleration in growth (firstly height, then weight); clumsiness. Appearance of secondary sexual characteristics. Ill at ease with one's body. |
Stage of concrete logical operations. Development of the capacity for logical reasoning on abstract data. |
Awakening of sexual impulses with the onset of bilogical puberty. Strong but confusing emotions. Need for friendship. Need to assert oneself as an individual. Identification with heroes. |
Childhood rules and regulations called into question. Ability to create new rules through mutual consent. Groups established for the purpose of common activities. |
Period of opposition and rejection of previous identifications. |
13-15 years | Childhood religious practices called into question. Use of symbols to express spiritual meaning. Interest in ideologies and religions. Notion of contract and democratic acceptance of the law. |
Sexual maturity. | Stage of formal logical operations reached (reasoning through hypotheses and deductions). | Awakening of the Oedipus complex; development of sexual identity. Adolescent crisis, idealism and depression. Age of friendship. Attraction towards the opposite sex (earlier among girls). |
Period of social restructuring. Rebellion against authority. Efforts to define personal moral values. More closely-knit groups formed, based on mutual trust. Search for a common identity. |
Crisis of identity. Search for new models for developing one's identity. |
15-16 years | Acceptance of universal values (Human rights). | Solidarity with peers. Worries, intense excitement. Need for security, success and accomplishment. |
Individual awarenedd of principles (personal code of honour). | Structuring of one's self image. Development of personal autonomy. | ||
17-20+ years | Orientation towards universal ethics. | Recognition of enrichment due to accepting individual differneces. Problem of social and professional integration. |
Confirmation of personal choices. Search for a social role. |