A developmentalist who focuses on the distinct stages in the life span emphasizes

A) maturation.
B) later development.
C) the continuity of development.
D) the discontinuity of development.

A developmentalist who focuses on distinct stages in the life span would emphasize the discontinuity of development, meaning that development occurs in distinct stages with different characteristics and milestones. This perspective contrasts with a perspective that emphasizes the continuity of development, which suggests that development occurs gradually and continuously over time without clearly defined stages. Maturation and later development may be relevant concepts to discuss within a stage-based approach to development but do not capture the essence of a stage-based perspective as clearly as discontinuity.