PSYCHOLOGY

GROWTH &

DEVELOPMENT

GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT

• Growth can be defined as an increase in size, length, height, and weight or the changes in quantitative aspects of an organism.

•  Development is a series of orderly progression towards maturity. It implies overall qualitative changes resulting in the improved functioning of the organism.

GROWTH VS DEVELOPMENT

• quantitative changes in size, weight number etc.

• one of the parts of development.

• changes that take place in particular aspects of the body & behaviour

• continue throughout life but stops with the attainment of maturity

• changes may be measured

• quantitative & observable

• may or may not bring about

development.

• qualitative

• changes in the quality

• overall changes in the individual. Growth is one of its parts

• describes the changes in the organism as a whole.

• continuous process- from womb to tomb

• changes are qualitative in nature & cannot be measured- can be assessed

• possible without growth

PRINCIPLES OF DEVELOPMENT

• There are seven principles of development that have been put forth from the scientific knowledge gained from observing children.

PRINCIPLES OF DEVELOPMENT

• PRINCIPLE OF CONTINUOUS DEVELOPMENT

• PRINCIPLE OF ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT

• PRINCIPLE OF SEQUENTIAL DEVELOPMENT

• PRINCIPLE OF UNIQUE DEVELOPMENT

• PRINCIPLE OF INTER-RELATED DEVELOPMENT

• PRINCIPLE OF INTERACTION OF HEREDITY & ENVIROMENT

• PRINCIPLE OF INTERACTION OF MATURATION & LEARNING

PRINCIPLE OF CONTINUOUS DEVELOPMENT

• This states that development is a continuous process.

• Only disease or severe malnutrition may halt its continuity for some time.

PRINCIPLE OF ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT

• It states that development proceeds from general to specific directions.

PRINCIPLE OF SEQUENTIAL DEVELOPMENT

• According to this, development follows a sequential pattern wherein puberty is achieved before full physical structure.

PRINCIPLE OF UNIQUE DEVELOPMENT

• This states that even though there is a set pattern of development every individual differs with regards to the time he achieves the changes.

• For ex. All children crawl before standing but the age at which they perform these activities is different.

PRINCIPLE OF INTER-RELATED DEVELOPMENT

• This states that the three types of developments that take place in an individual are social, mental and emotional.

• However these three are inter-related and one doesn’t exist without the other.

PRINCIPLE OF INTERACTION OF HEREDITY & ENVIROMENT

• According to this principle, an individual is the product of his heredity and environment.

• Even though the genes play an important role in determining the rate and quality of growth and development, his socio-cultural, emotional and physical environment has its own importance.

PRINCIPLE OF INTERACTION OF MATURATION & LEARNING

• Maturation refers to the changes in the developing organism due to ripening of abilities, characteristics, traits, behaviour due to training etc.

• This principle states that the interaction of the maturity and learning process of an individual influences growth and development.

STAGES OF CHILD’S DEVELOPMENT

• Every child is a changing, growing and developing organism. Rousseau attempted to divide the child’s development into 4 stages. 

• infancy lasting upto 5 years,• childhood lasting upto 12

years,• adolescence upto 18 years• maturity from 18 years

onwards