| Psychology as a science is developing with | | | | |
| close connection with other sciences, but the | | | | The common factor of all theories regarding |
| greatest influence it suffers from is in | | | | psychological development is that the person |
| sociological science. | | | | is central figure. The key elements that are |
| | | | prevalent along all the theories are the |
| A person is product of his self and the | | | | importance of cognitive development and |
| manner by which his environment affects him. | | | | perceptions and behavioral orientation. |
| In all theoretical models regarding the | | | | Critical periods for psychological |
| development of a personality, the conscious | | | | developmental have been identified as early |
| person is supposed to be motivated by | | | | childhood and adolescence. However, there has |
| internal interactions within his person. | | | | been recent debate regarding the development |
| These two levels of personality interact with | | | | of the psychology of a person into stages. |
| his environment and affect him | | | | Like the concept of normalcy, the stages of |
| individualistically developing his unique | | | | psychological development are now being |
| personality and psychological identity. | | | | studied whether they are to be used as |
| | | | standards or guidelines. |
| Social theories are used to understand and | | | | |
| explain the tendencies, patterns or movement | | | | One contention is that psychological |
| of both individuals and society based on the | | | | development which encompasses the person: his |
| context of the social order they occur in. | | | | biology, orientation and perception; and the |
| Socials only are able to explain aspects of | | | | world he moves in: the social structure, |
| behavior and may be difficult to apply in a | | | | norms, traditions, perceptions and |
| universally. A person’s psychological | | | | environments. In this view, psychological |
| development may follow psychological models | | | | development is considered a lifetime |
| or social behavior models but will vary | | | | interactive process that continues and |
| greatly based on the history, anthropology, | | | | perpetuates itself during the lifetime of a |
| economics, politics, theology and biology of | | | | person. |
| the person. | | | | |