Developmental psychology is the
scientific study of how and why
human beings develop over the course of their life. Originally concerned with
infants and
children, the field has expanded to include
adolescence,
adult development,
aging, and the entire lifespan. This field examines change across a broad range of topics including:
motor skills,
cognitive development,
executive functions,
moral understanding,
language acquisition,
social change,
personality, emotional development,
self-concept and
identity formation.