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1.1: Childhood Defined

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    Learning Objectives

    In this chapter, we will explore

    • definitions of childhood
    • the areas of development that developmental psychologists study
    • the historical and cultural contexts we need to understand when studying development
    • the difference between growth and development
    • various themes which emerge when studying child development
    • how child development is studied

    Periods of Development

    As children move from infancy to young adulthood, they go through key periods of development. Ages and Stages is a term used to describe these periods of development. Although what defines these periods of childhood has varied widely throughout history and across cultures, The American Academy of Pediatrics defines these periods as follows:

    • Prenatal Period which begins with conception and ends with birth
    • Infancy which is marked by the months from birth through fifteen months
    • Toddlerhood which encompasses sixteen months through a child’s third birthday
    • Early Childhood, spanning three to five years of age
    • Middle Childhood, which spans the ages of five to twelve
    • Adolescence, which includes the ages of twelve to eighteen

    Each age and stage is characterized by its own set of expected characteristics and changes. As we seek to provide the best possible care and education for children, these distinct time periods provide a helpful framework in which to study childhood (Bee & Boyd, 2009; Berk, 2017; Childhood defined, n.d.).

    Domains of Development

    Within these five time periods, we are then able to study primary areas in which change occurs, referred to as the domains of development. We will examine child development across four major domains: Physical/ Biological, Cognitive (including intelligence), Social (relationships and self-awareness), and Emotional (encompassing internal states such as temperament, emotional regulation, and understanding the emotions of others).

    • Growth vs. Development: In talking about child development, it’s important to keep in mind that growth and development do not refer to the same processes, although they are often used interchangeably.
    • Development refers to overall changes that occur that result in improved functioning or achievement (for example, cognitive development, social development).
    • Growth refers specifically to physical or biological changes that occur. Growth can be directly observed and measured.

    This page titled 1.1: Childhood Defined is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Deirdre Budzyna and Doris Buckley (Remixing Open Textbooks with an Equity Lens (ROTEL)) via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.