Scenario:
Development is the sequence of age-related changes that happen over the course of life span. Several famous psychologists, comprising Sigmund Freud, Erik Erikson, Jean Piaget, and Lawrence Kohlberg, describe development as a sequence of stages.
A stage is a period in development in which people parade typical behaviour patterns and establishes particular capacities.
The different stage theories share three assumptions:
1. People pass through stages in a specific order, with each stage building on capacities developed in the previous stage.
2. Stages are related to age.
3. Development is discontinuous, with qualitatively different capacities emerging in each stage.
Questions:
Question 1: Illustrate, using instances and in your own words what you understand by a “stage of development”.
Question 2: Discuss each of assumptions, providing instances where necessary.