Infancy
(Stage 0: undifferentiated ) | - No concept of right/wrong
- No convictions to guide behavior
- Beginnings of a faith are established with the development of basic trust through relationships with the primary caregiver
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Toddler/Preschooler
(Stage 1: intuitive-projective ) | Toddlers: - Imitate the religious gestures and behaviors of others without comprehending the meaning or significance of the activities
Preschoolers: - Assimilate some of the values and beliefs of their parents
- Parents’ attitudes toward moral codes and religious beliefs convey to child what they consider good and bad
- Follow parental beliefs as part of daily lives rather than through an understanding of their basic concepts
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School-age
(Stage 2: mythical-literal ) | - Spiritual development parallels cognitive development
- Closely related to child’s experiences and social interactions
- Develop strong interest in religion
- Accept existence of a deity
- Petitions to an omnipotent being are important and expected to be Answered
- Good behavior is rewarded/bad behavior is punished
- Conscience is bothered when they disobey
- Have reverence for many thoughts and matters
- Able to articulate own faith
- May even question validity of faith
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Preadolescent
(Stage 3: synthetic-convention ) | - Become increasingly aware of spiritual disappointments
- Recognize that prayers are not always answered (at least on their own terms)
- Begin to reason, to question some of the established parental religious standards
- May drop or modify some religious practices
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Adolescent
(Stage 4: individuating-reflexive ) | - Become more skeptical
- Begin to compare parent’s religious standards with the standards of others
- Attempt to determine which to adopt and incorporate into their own set of values
- Begin to compare religious standards with the scientific viewpoint
- Time of “searching” rather than “reaching”
- Uncertain about many religious ideas but will not achieve profound insights until late adolescence or early adulthood
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