Developmental theory consists of descriptions of human development from conception to the end of life to aid understanding and provide explanations for human behavior across the life span. Most theories provide logical or conceptual frameworks for understanding specified phenomena; for developmental theories, the phenomenon of interest is human development. The best known comprehensive developmental theories of human development include those by Piaget, Vyogotsky, and Erikson. Other developmental theories address some aspect of human development (e.g., cognitive, moral, or identity development) or a particular epoch of development (infancy, childhood, adolescence, early adulthood, middle adulthood, or late adulthood). Developmental theories describe many dimensions of individual development, and the range of dimensions they encompass reflects the breadth of this topic. These dimensions include changes in biology, cognition, emotions, ...

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