The 9 stages of the life of human beings
Although many times we consider that "life" is one thing that we all experience, the truth is that there are some nuances that make each of us go through it in different ways. One of the factors that makes change is the material context in which we live, such as the type of family in which we are born, the money we have, the place we inhabit, etc.
But nevertheless, a factor no less important is the way in which our own body makes us live . And, in that sense, the passage of years and age make us experience things differently.
Are there "life stages"?
That's why, for example, that in the history of psychology there are many authors who have proposed to classify stages of life , especially those that are part of one of its phases: childhood. Although each one defined its own criteria to decide where one ended and where the other began.
Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, defined different stages of psychosexual development, a theory closely related to his idea of the unconscious mind. Jean Piaget, in turn, laid the foundations of Evolutionary Psychology by establishing stages of cognitive development ranging from childhood to adulthood.
But all these ideas are framed in a broader theoretical context that tells us about the stages of life in general, assessing both psychological changes and those that are physical.
The different phases of life that we went through
We'll see now what are the main stages of life that define how we behave , how we perceive reality and what our needs are.
Although it is true that the limits of these stages are not very clear and it is debatable whether some begin or end sooner or later, there is a relative consensus about what they are and how they occupy our lives.
1. Prenatal stage
Life begins before birth, and the prenatal stage is the one that includes the moments in which the uterus has not yet left . In that period we are already able to learn through touch and sounds, that is, the human brain already associates stimuli with adequate responses.
- Related article: "The 3 phases of intrauterine or prenatal development: from the zygote to the fetus"
2. Early childhood
Early childhood begins at the moment of birth and ends around 3 or 4 years . It is the stage in which the most important steps are taken in the development of language and in addition the essential learnings about how the world works and the movement of things are carried out.
In addition, the use of language makes it begin to create increasingly abstract and complex concepts that will help to reach a deeper level of understanding about things.
3. Early childhood
This stage of life is the one that, more or less, goes from 3 to 6 years ; that is why it is also defined as a preschool stage.
In this phase self-concept is formed and the ability to think about the mental states of others is gained, either to intuit their intentions or to know what information they do not know. This skill is called theory of mind.
4. Intermediate childhood
Intermediate or school children go from 6 to 11 years . At this stage there is much progress in the ability to understand mathematical operations and the structure of complex sentences.
In the same way, the importance of having good relationships with others and of giving a good image begins to gain weight, and inclusion in a group of friends is also valued more.
5. Adolescence
Adolescence ranges from 11 to 17 years . It is a crucial stage, since it consolidates the ability to think in abstract terms and also produces hormonal changes that can produce some emotional lability.
In addition, in adolescence the most intense part of the search for one's identity takes place, and the social circles to which one wishes to belong gain much influence in the person.
6. Stage of youth
This stage goes, approximately, from 18 to 35 years . Here the consolidation of the most lasting friendship circles takes place and one learns to live with a high degree of independence, so that one almost does not depend on the parents anymore. Psychologically and biologically, the physical and mental capacities also reach their ceiling, and between 25 and 30 years they begin to decline slightly.
7. Stage of maturity
Maturity ranges from 36 to 50 years . In this phase the work facet is consolidated and a specialization is learned that will generate income to live independently in most Western countries.
On the other hand, the expectations of change in one's life are becoming moderate and the vital objectives are more oriented towards stability.
8. Stage of mature adulthood
This phase goes from 50 to 65 years . In it, it is customary to consolidate the income level to levels that allow you to live better than before, but there are body changes that you have to know how to manage. At the same time, the assessment of stability also increases.
9. Seniors
Seniors begin at age 65 , and in it a new independence is gained by the disappearance of the usual work obligations and the occurrence of the departure of the sons and daughters that may have been.
In some cases this produces the Empty Nest Syndrome, and the exposure to grief is more frequent as family members of the same generation and friends die.
