For many psychologists, developing means moving from one stage to another during one’s life. The idea of developmental psychology began with the work of Erik Erickson. He thought that people go through stages of development throughout their whole life. These stages were marked by changes in how they think about themselves, others, and the world around them. They also change how they deal with problems and challenges in their lives. While it was believed that cognitive and intellectual development stopped after adulthood, after Erikson’s work it became widely accepted that humans continue to develop through life, experientially if not cognitively. During the turbulent years between childhood and adulthood, we develop into self-reliant, independent individuals who learn from our mistakes and grow stronger through adversity. We mature physically, mentally, and emotionally, and begin to forge meaningful friendships and bonds with others. These relationships serve as anchors during times of transition and uncertainty, helping us prepare for the future. Lack of adolescent experience usually results in fear of commitment, low self-esteem, and inability to form bonds in later life.
Mind and brain
In many cultures around this world, there is the view that humans have a soul that exists independently of the physical body. For Greek philosophers, the soul was also viewed as the seat of our reasoning abilities - what we would call our minds today. While Aristotle...
