Entwicklungspartnerschaften

Entwicklungsphase (developmental phase) is a concept used in psychology and education to denote a period during which an individual undergoes characteristic patterns of change in cognitive, emotional, social, and physical domains. The phase is defined by typical tasks, milestones, or competencies that emerge within a given age range, and by shifts in how the person interacts with the environment.

Scholars differ on whether development occurs in discrete stages or as a continuous process. The stage-based view is exemplified by theories such as Piaget's cognitive stages and Erikson's psychosocial stages, which describe qualitatively distinct periods. Other approaches treat development as gradual, with changing rates rather than abrupt transitions.

Across the lifespan, common developmental phases include prenatal development; infancy; toddler and preschool years; school-age years; adolescence; and adulthood (emerging, early, middle, and late). In each phase, typical achievements and challenges appear, such as language blossoming in infancy, formal schooling in childhood, identity exploration in adolescence, and aging-related changes in late adulthood. However, there is substantial individual and cultural variation in timing and expression of these phases.

The concept informs education, parenting, and social policy by highlighting when certain supports, interventions, or opportunities are appropriate. It should be used flexibly, recognizing that not all individuals fit neatly into predefined phases and that culture, health, and socioeconomic factors influence development.