Cycle of Human Development 2

Cycle of Human Development 2
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Cycle of Human Development - Stages and Ages

You are invited to read the previous two blogs before proceeding to read this blog. Their links are (1) Introducing Cycle of Human Development and (2) Cycle of Development - 1.

Here is a table showing the stages of physiological development of a human being.

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A table showing the stages and ages of Development in the Cycle of Development is shown here:

You may tap the picture to have a better view of it

I mentioned in the previous blog that we can study 'Cycle of Human Development' from three perspectives. The first perspective is to understand the stages through which a growing child develops into adulthood. The second perspective is to understand how the stages affect our life generally, and our perceiving, assessing, evaluating and responding to the same reality in different ways. This occurs when we are living through a different stage of the current development cycle. The third perspective is to understand the challenges we face if we have not cleared tasks of any particular stage successfully during our growing years.

I am covering the significant tasks that a growing child has to clear to grow into an empowered adult psychologically and emotionally. If the child clears the relevant stage successfully the memories of the experiences of that stage contribute healthily to the development of the ego states of the relevant age. If it faces challenges; lack of support, neglect or abuse from care takers, then the stage is not cleared successfully. The traumas of that stage adversely affect adult life. This is adult life from age of 19 years as per literature. In my view it is age of 39 years onward. The first 19 years are focused to clear the primary tasks. The growing human has a second chance to clear the tasks between age 19 to 38. Ego states of experiences get incorporated into the Ego State structure of Child - Adult - Parent.

Now coming to the stages:

Being Stage - Warmth, Care, Comfort, Nurture, Acceptance, Holding, Touch and Love.

Doing Stage - Appeasing the needs relevant to the five senses - seeing, touching and tasting in the main.  The child has become mobile and is engaged in clearing tasks relevant to locomotion.

Thinking Stage - The child is now understanding some words and 'commands' of parents. It is making sense of the world. It is curious and is engaged in 'thought' provoked exploration.

Identity Stage - The child has the urge to be on its own. It tends to 'disobey' parents. Its capacity to break limits of the freedom boundary is challenged. If it succeeds well and good. It may give up altogether if it doesn't. In an alternative it may tire trying out.

Skills Stage - The child is engaged in honing skills of types. It is open to learn play, sports, dance, singing, reading and engage in many more activities. The child is disciplined. It organises its activities as per dictates of its parents. It rarely comes to their adverse notice. Puberty sets in. Its tasks are showing up.

Being in Integration - Tasks are related to puberty, exploration of primary and secondary sex organs. The growing teenager is expressing its independence and asking questions when parents are concerned about its new ventures. It requires attention, care, comfort, love and affection of its parents. Parental support is important.

Doing in Integration - The tasks are identical to those of Being in Integration. It needs support to be on its own in its various life tasks of peer bonding and cross sex associations. Parents need to hold back anxiety and support it to grow on its own.

Thinking in Integration - They are identical to tasks of Being and Doing. In addition it needs parental support in beginning to break the symbiotic association with parents. Parents need to support its enquring mind with reading material.

Identity in Integration - In reality this lasts from 14.5 years to 19 years. The period from 16 to 19 years is the identity stage of the next 13 year cycle as well. The teenager needs a lot of parental support for it to maturely grow up into an adult. Fidelity is challenged. The child needs education how to manage its many urges, drives, impulses, desires, needs and wants in a mature and healthy way. It is an important period for the teenager to incorporate values, principles and moral boundaries. The unaccomplished tasks of this period show again many times during the period of life after 39 years of age.

Skills in Integration - These are mostly identical to those Identity in Integration. They are repeated here for sake of emphasis. It is a three year period where the child is exploring cross sex associations. Fidelity is challenged.  The child needs education how to manage its many urges, drives, impulses, desires, needs and wants healthily. It is an important period for the teenager to incorporate values, principles and moral boundaries. The unaccomplished tasks of this period show again many times during the period of our life after 39 years of age.

I will be covering the tasks and challenges of these stages from the second perspective in the next blog.

Please note that the contents of this blog are based on my own understanding of the stages of Cycle of Human Development. I use it successfully in resolving client issues in my psychotherapy practice.

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