Evolutionary psychology, also called developmental psychology, is a field of psychology, which is responsible for the study of man's behavior from birth to death, that is, it includes the study of the life cycle of people; observing the way in which human beings change their actions as time passes and how man faces an environment that is constantly changing.
Psychologists classify it as a psychological change that occurs systematically throughout the individual's life. Therefore, this science seeks to understand the way in which people perceive and act in the world and how all this makes them change according to age; either by learning or by maturation.
Among its main objectives are to explain the behavior of people and the way in which they evolve, to recognize the causes and processes that originate those changes that arise between one stage and another. These changes that arise in the person throughout life can be defined through certain factors that are opposite such as: heredity versus the environment, regulations versus ideography, and continuity versus discontinuity.
In the same way, there is another factor that also influences the evolution of the person and that is the context, this will allow a better understanding about the psychological development of the person throughout his life, among the different contexts the historical one can be mentioned, the socioeconomic, the ethnic, the cultural, etc. These to refer to the most representative.
During the last century, there have been different theories that have contributed their investigations, in order to try to explain the phenomenon of change. Each of these theories presents its own explanations, which on certain occasions may be contradictory to those shown in other currents. And it is precisely that, that diversity of theories that end up enriching the understanding of the phenomenon of evolution. Among the most outstanding theoretical models are: Lev Vygotsky's sociocultural model; the genetic psychology of Jean Piaget.
For the prominent American psychoanalyst, Erik Erikson, well recognized, it should be added, for his contributions to developmental psychology; the human being goes through or basic stages:
The incorporative stage: this stage is considered the oral phase, which begins with birth, up to the first year of life, in this phase the child depends entirely on its environment.
The stage of early infancy or anal muscle phase; which begins from the first year to three years, during this stage the child begins to have a little more independence by having greater control of their sphincters and muscles.
The preschool stage begins at three and ends at four years, in this stage the child begins to realize his external environment.
The school stage: begins at six and ends at twelve years, during this stage the child shows his ability to interact socially and for the first time away from his family environment.
The stage of adolescence: it goes from twelve to twenty years approximately, during this stage the young person consolidates his identity.
The young adult stage: begins at twenty and culminates at forty, during this stage the individual begins to integrate into society, exercising a job and forming his own family.
The mature adult stage: begins at forty and culminates at sixty, during this stage the individual fulfills the role of facilitator of the new generations. Adults during this period fulfill this task by acting as parents, teachers or guides.
The older adult stage: from the sixties onwards, during this stage the adult understands that his life cycle is already coming to an end and his integrity lies in accepting the succession of generations and the culmination of natural life.
