What branch of psychology focuses on physical, cognitive, and social changes throughout a person's life span?

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Developmental psychology is the branch of psychology that is specifically concerned with the various changes that individuals experience throughout their lifespan, including physical, cognitive, and social changes. This field studies how people grow and evolve from infancy through old age, examining the psychological changes that occur at different life stages.

Researchers in developmental psychology explore a wide range of topics, such as language acquisition in children, the emotional development of adolescents, and the cognitive decline that may occur in older adulthood. This focus on growth and change distinguishes developmental psychology from other branches. For instance, clinical psychology primarily deals with diagnosing and treating mental disorders, while cognitive psychology focuses on mental processes such as perception and memory. Social psychology, on the other hand, examines how individuals are influenced by their social environments and interactions. None of these fields encompass the extensive study of life-span development that is the hallmark of developmental psychology.

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