Name: Noelita Tench

Student Identification Number: AC2011394

Course Number and Title: Human Growth and Development 2 – S04V

Assignment Number: Assignment 4

Date of Submission: December 19th ,2023

Part A: Development focus of Middle childhood to middle adulthood

adolescence, early adulthood, and middle adulthood where they experience physical, emotional,

cognitive, and social changes that help develop their self-identity, interpersonal relationships,

and intimacy. The developmental focus for each stage is different. In early childhood which is

between the age of 6 and 12 years, children’s physical growth is slow but steady. Physical

growth continues, although at a more stately pace than it did during the preschool years.

(Feldman, 2019) Muscular coordination is also an area of development for middle childhood. As

their muscle coordination develops, they can engage in many sporting activities as they learn the

skills required for these sports. Language and memory develop in middle childhood.

Adolescence, which is the stage right after middle childhood, is between the ages of twelve and

twenty. During this stage, children experience a growth spurt as well as puberty. They also

experience cognitive development as they begin to think abstractly and critically. Generally,

during adolescence, the focus is finding one’s identity. As adolescents try to do so they begin to

focus on the relationships that they have with their peers while trying to gain independence and

less reliance on family members. These peer relationships and identity crises can cause

experimentation of drug and alcohol abuse, as well as sexually transmitted diseases as

adolescents begin experimenting and forming relationships with various partners. The stage after

adolescence is early adulthood, between the ages of twenty to forty. In early adulthood,

individuals are still trying to find their identity but there is a focus on career identity and personal

identity. Their career identity is apparent as they try to gain stability and financial independence

by seeking suitable employment that is aligned with their qualifications, skills, and interests. In

terms of personal identity, individuals in the early adulthood stage begin forming intimate

relationships with hopes of getting married and starting a family. Emotional maturity and
regulation are also developed in this stage as levels of stress, responsibility, conflict and

challenges increase. Middle adulthood is between the ages of forty to sixty-five and is considered

the next stage experienced by individuals. In this stage, individuals begin to reflect on past

decisions, which may influence their goals, growth, beliefs and values.

Part B: Identity of self from middle childhood to middle adulthood

Eric Erickson highlights that children go through a stage called industry versus inferiority

during middle childhood. At this age, children are learning and mastering various skills that help

them with finding their identity. If mastery or competence is attained in these skills, children

gain a sense of industry but if it is not then they feel inferior. During the middle childhood years,

when children accomplish certain tasks, they seek praise, support and recognition from others

which include their parents, teachers, and peers. When it is received, these children’s self-esteem

and confidence are boosted. For example, John is learning basketball and will practice and watch

videos to get better at the sport. As he plays for his team, he feels good about himself when he

scores, and his parents and peers cheer him on. He also doesn’t feel defeated when he misses

because he gets encouragement and support from his parents and teammates.

As children move from middle childhood into adolescence, they are still trying to find

their identity and place in this world. Erikson describes this stage as identity versus role

confusion. He explains that during these years “Individuals form their identity by examining

their beliefs, goals, and values” (Mcleod, 2023) During this stage adolescents engage in

exploration and experimentation as they try to find their identity. For example, an adolescent

may be seen looking gothic one time and another time looking like an athlete and drawn towards

sports. This is also a stage where children go through puberty which causes many physical,
emotional, and social changes. Puberty can influence how adolescence views themselves and the

identity that one takes. During this stage, individuals are also prone to peer pressure or get easily

influenced by their friends or peers. For instance, John is on his school’s basketball team, and his

teammates are partying a lot, drinking alcohol, and engaging in sexual activities because they

think it is cool, so he does it too because he wants to be considered cool too.

After going through adolescence, the next stage that is experienced is early adulthood. In

early adulthood, the focus is on career and relationship development. Individuals seek a career

that they enjoy or would like to fulfil and attain stability in as well as build intimate

relationships, from which they hope to start a family and get married. Erikson names this stage

Intimacy versus isolation. He believes that “building healthy, meaningful, and lasting

relationships is key in this stage in helping one with one identity, and if that is not achieved then

the virtue of love is not developed which leads to a feeling of isolation, loneliness, or

depression.” (Mcleod, 2023) For instance, after completing his studies John's friend is married

but John is still struggling to meet a girl whom he can settle down with. This makes him feel

lonely and insecure.

In the next stage, which is middle adulthood, individuals try to gain their identity through

their meaningful contributions to society. Factors that influence their identity are marriage,

building a family, and having children. Erikson considers this stage Generativity vs. stagnation.

He states that, “During middle adulthood, we display our need for longevity, not necessarily in a

physical sense, but as life’s continuation in our children or the long-term impact we have on

others.” (Mcleod, 2023) Individuals in this stage, who have been productive feel a sense of pride

and care and those who have not been productive feel disconnected or uninvolved. For example,

an individual during this age will feel that the success of their children of the strong or positive
bond that they have with their partner are meaningful contributions to society and will feel proud

of these accomplishments. However, an unmarried individual or one with no child will feel that

they have not contributed meaningfully to society or feel that they have been stagnant in life.

Part B: Interpersonal relationships from middle childhood to middle adulthood

From middle childhood to middle adulthood, interpersonal relationships are formed that

impact one's life. During middle childhood, a child’s most important relationship is no longer

built with family members or caregivers but with teachers and friends. (Collins, 1984) The

relationships formed are not as complex as when the child enters adolescence. A child in this

stage would place more importance on building relationships with their peers, however, it would

be based on common interests or shared activities. For example, two girls may become friends

because they both like climbing trees. In addition to that, children at this age commonly compare

themselves with their peers or classmates to help with identity formation or to build their self-

esteem. For example, John would want to race with his classmate Tim to show his friends or

classmates that he is faster than Tim.

In adolescence, a greater influence on peer relationships and acceptance helps shape

behaviours and attitudes. Children go beyond common interests and activities to seek or build

friendships. Social status is one of the main influences on interpersonal relationships built during

this stage. Children will develop relationships or friendships to be part of a group, to feel a sense

of belonging and to boost their self-esteem and confidence or because an individual or group

might be popular. For instance, Tina will befriend her classmate Joan because Joan is popular or

will interact with Joan and her friend to feel a sense of belonging as they interact with each other
and spend time together. As adolescents go through puberty which brings about hormonal

changes, they experience more complex relationships and begin dating.

In adulthood, interpersonal relationships are more complex and intimate. Interaction in

early adulthood is based on many factors which include background, character, compatibility,

and goals. (Lang & Cone, 2022) The friendships built during adulthood are done with the hopes

of leading to close long-term friendships. Individuals explore romantic relationships that can

result in marriage. For example, Ted will ask Dana on a date if he feels attracted to her and

thinks that they are compatible or have a chance of having a serious relationship. In addition to

building romantic relationships, during this stage, healthy relationships are built with children as

they are born, with spouses when marriage occurs, and with parents and other family members.

These healthy relationships continue to grow as one is in middle adulthood, however, there is a

shift in focus, which is taking care of children and parents who are elderly. For some individuals,

they may have children who have become independent which causes changes in relationships.

These individuals may then start forming friendships based on new hobbies or shared interests

with individuals. For example, Joan’s daughter is now in college so she has gotten a new hobby

which is baking, and joined a baking club. During this stage, adults may also build relationships

within their workplace with co-workers and even clients or customers as they interact with them.

Part B: Intimacy from middle childhood to middle adulthood

Individuals experience intimacy from middle childhood to middle adulthood, however

the level and form are different at each stage. In middle childhood intimacy takes the form of

children sharing their thoughts or feelings with their friends, family members, and siblings.

When in the adolescent stage, family intimacy shifts to peer intimacy. There is a deeper intimacy
with friends. As they form close friendships, they build trust and are more open to sharing their

personal experiences, thoughts, and feelings with friends. Exploration of romantic relationships

also starts in this stage. By the time an individual gets to early adulthood, their level of intimacy

is deeper and changes from peer intimacy to romantic and partner intimacy. Romantic

relationships are formed which may lead to marriage and possibly the start of a family. Even the

level of intimacy with friends is altered, as individuals now look to their friends for support and

connection.

Part B: Physical and cognitive changes of early and middle adulthood

Even when one reaches adulthood, they are still experiencing physical changes. These

changes are part of the natural ageing process. In early adulthood one experiences muscle

development and reproductive changes. Individuals are more fertile during these years and their

muscle mass and strength are in their prime. “Physical development and maturation are complete

in early adulthood. Most people are at the peak of their physical capabilities. They have attained

their full height, and their limbs are proportional to their size, rendering the gangliness of

adolescence a memory.” Adults who are in their early adulthood stage are at the peak of their

development and their senses are functioning at their best. This growth declines when one

reaches middle adulthood. They begin to experience sensory changes as their eyesight weakens

and face the possibility of hearing loss. Their cardiovascular health and reproductivity also

decline and a decrease in muscle mass, bone density, and skin elasticity is apparent.

The cognitive changes in early adulthood and middle adulthood also differ. Cognitive

development is also at its peak during the early years of adulthood. One's memory, processing,

and problem-solving skills are at their peak. Their long-term and short-term memory works best,
and they can recall information and learn and master new things quickly. Individuals also

experience higher levels of emotional intelligence and creativity during these years. However,

loss of cognitive functions occurs during the years of middle adulthood as it relates to episodic

memory and processing speed. The speed at which one processes information is slowed down

during the years of middle adulthood. Problem-solving, decision-making, and skills improve

because of experience and accumulated intelligence. There is also an enhancement in emotional

regulation.

Part C

Completion of this assignment and the material covered in this course has helped me

better understand the focus of each stage of human development from middle childhood to

middle adulthood as well as the changes that occur in each stage. While I understood the fact that

humans are expected to evolve and these developments are done over some time, this assignment

helped with recognizing which changes are apparent and expected at each stage of development.

Having this knowledge will help me as a teacher to understand my student's behaviour,

especially during the stages of middle childhood and adolescence, and how I can assist and

advise them when they are having a difficult time finding their identity, dealing with their

emotions and have questions about the change that they are experiencing or will experience. For

example, when my third-grade student Mia compares herself to her other classmates or when my

adolescent niece Kitanna starts to talk about wanting to date or being attracted to boys, I will

understand that it is part of the changes that they are going through and rather than getting angry

or being annoyed, I can advise them so that they are not misled, misguided or taken advantage

of. In addition to that, it has also enlightened me on changes that occur when moving from early
adulthood, which is the stage that I am in, to middle adulthood which is the stage that most of my

coworkers are in. Having this knowledge will help me cope with my coworkers who are in

middle adulthood and provide them with assistance in whichever areas they may be experiencing

changes. Furthermore, it guides me in knowing which coworkers I can approach for advice on

dealing with problems I encounter or assistance with decision-making. For example, suppose I

have difficulty teaching my third graders a concept in science. In that case, I can go to one of the

teachers who is in middle adulthood because they have experience and accumulated intelligence

that will be used to assist me.

References
Collins, A. (1984). Development During Middle Childhood: The Years From Six to Twelve.

Washington: National Academies Press.

Feldman, R. (2019). Development Across the Life Span (9th ed.). US: Pearson Education.

Lang, D. L., & Cone, N. (2022). Relationships in Early Adulthood. Retrieved from

INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH, AND WELL-BEING:

https://iastate.pressbooks.pub/individualfamilydevelopment/chapter/relationships-in-

emerging-early-adulthood/

Mcleod, S. (2023, October 16). Erik Erikson’s Stages Of Psychosocial Development. Retrieved

from Simply Psychology: https://www.simplypsychology.org/erik-erikson.html