Final answer:
Developmental psychologists explore the physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development through the lifespan, identifying key stages and milestones in infancy, childhood, adolescence, and beyond. Theories by Freud, Erikson, Piaget, and Kohlberg provide frameworks for understanding these developmental changes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Developmental psychologists study the lifespan development from conception through childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and death, viewing it as a lifelong process that encompasses physical, cognitive, and psychosocial domains. During infancy, which is the first year of life, significant physical growth occurs alongside development in motor skills, sensory abilities, and cognition. Toddlers, following infancy, continue to refine these skills and begin to develop language and social connections.
As childhood progresses, cognitive development features enhanced learning, attention, memory, and creativity, while physically, growth is steadier until the onset of puberty. With the arrival of adolescence, individuals experience rapid physical changes as well as advancements in mental, emotional, and social domains.
These developments are marked by various theories, including those by Freud, Erikson, Piaget, and Kohlberg, which respectively focus on psychosexual stages, psychosocial tasks, cognitive stages, and moral development. Such theories help us understand the complexity and individuality of each developmental stage.