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Human Growth and Development Lecture 1

This document provides an overview of key concepts in human development and growth from a psychological perspective. It defines development and growth, distinguishes between qualitative and quantitative changes, and describes the domains of development as physical, cognitive, and psychosocial. Examples are given for each type of change and domain. The document also outlines stages of the lifespan from prenatal to old age and discusses the holistic bio-psychosocial approach to understanding human development.

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Quâmė Phrìp
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138 views

Human Growth and Development Lecture 1

This document provides an overview of key concepts in human development and growth from a psychological perspective. It defines development and growth, distinguishes between qualitative and quantitative changes, and describes the domains of development as physical, cognitive, and psychosocial. Examples are given for each type of change and domain. The document also outlines stages of the lifespan from prenatal to old age and discusses the holistic bio-psychosocial approach to understanding human development.

Uploaded by

Quâmė Phrìp
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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lecturers' num: 0279444629

General Texts
1. Any textbook titled human dev./ lifespan dev.
2. Any textbook titled Child development

Suggested And Recommended Textbooks


1. Santruck, Child dev.
2.kaplan, The human Odyssey,:Lifespan dev.
3. Boyd And Dee, The Growing child.
4. Kail, And Cavanaugh. Human Dev;A Lifespan view
5.Kail, Robert Children and their dev.

Exercise
1. Describe the difference between qualitative and quantitative development
2. Cite Egs for qualitative and quantitative dev.
3. Note the Diff between dev and growth as used by Psychologist/dev. scientist.

References
Kaplan ch1, santruck ch1, Boyd and Dee ch1, Kail and Cavanaugh ch1, Kail ch1.

Nature and Nurture


check
santruck ch3 pages 84-90
Kaplan pages 64-66 ch3

What is Development and Growth


psychologist use the term to refer to the pattern of change that begins at conception
through the death. The branch of psychology that search developmental changes in
organisms (humans and animals) with time or as they grow older is called
Developmental Psychology/science.
Human growth and development focuses on developmental changes in individuals
with age or time or as she or he grows older. Human growth and development in
psychology is usually called Lifespan developmental psychology, that's dev changes
in the individual from conception to death.

Developmental changes can be


a. quantitative
b. qualitative
c.

Quantitative change
Quantitative development involves the change in amount or quantity or frequency or
degrees.
Such changes are usually quantified easily. For example, in terms of inches or
centimeters, or kilograms. Egs, increase in height, weight, num of teeth, frequency of
smiling, etc.

Qualitative Development
Certain changes in process, function, structure, organization or kind
for example, the transformation of a caterpillar or cocoon to an Insect is an example
of qualitative Development.
Similarly, a change from infancy to adolescence is an example.
There are changes in your way of thinking, feeling and growth.

Development can be both qualitative and quantitative.


For example, present 16 pictures of
a. four pictures of food,
b. four pictures of furniture
c. four pictures of items of clothes
d. four pictures of cars
Ask these children, of Various ages first to look at all the pictures and then to try to
recall as many pictures as they can after a minute or two of sitting.
Results: you may observe that,
a. older children remember more items than younger children thus indicating a
quantitative change
b. you have noticed a quantitative change in the strategies or organisation or in
process of thinking Older children used to help them remember the items. for
example, younger children usually do not make use of categories whereas older
children do. In other words, changes in memory ability to recall events involve both
quantitative and qualitative changes.

Growth and Development


Technically, psychologist use the term Growth to refer to quantitative change in
development while development is a general term that involves either
quantitative/qualitative or both. Human growth and development is an aspect or an
area in Developmental Psychology that focuses on changes that occurs in human
needs overtime or throughout his or her lifespan. Therefore, human growth and
development is usually called Lifespan developmental psychology. Lifespan means
from conception to death.

Domains of Development
Development is a complex process because it is a product or the result of several
processes involving physical, cognitive/mental and psychosocial/personality
changes. Conventionally, developmental changes are categorized into three areas or
domains.
1. Physical domain
2. Cognitive or mental domain
3. personality or psychosocial or socioemotional domain

changes in the Physical Domain


The Developmental changes in the physical domain involves changes in an
individual's body such as appearance, motor skills, hormonal changes or puberty all
reflect biological changes in development. Changes in vital organs such as the heart,
lungs, liver, kidney, reproductive organs as you age all affect our behavior.

Cognitive or mental processes


changes in mental functions such as individuals thoughts or thinking, intelligence,
memory, language, dreams, fantasies,
c. Psychosocial or socioemotional or personality
changes in these areas involves an individual's changes in his or her emotions or
personality. An infant's smile for instance, in response to her mother's touch, a
Young boy's aggressive attack on the playmate, a teenagers interest in dating all
reflect personality socioemotional or psychosocial changes in human development or
as one grows or ages from infancy to adulthood.
Development in different areas or domains are connected. Using domain
classifications helps organize dispersions of human development. However, it's
important to always remember that the three areas or domains, i.e, physical,
cognitive, personality do not develop or function independently. Development in
these different domains is always intertwined or connected.
Cognitive and personality development for example,.are not independent. Advances
in one area of development affects advances in the other area. For example, A ten
year old cognitive growth such as he becomes and excellent student in school will
influence his psychosocial development such as he becomes friends with peers who
share his or her zeal or interest for school. When a boy goes through puberty, which
is a change in the physical domain his or her ability to think abstractly (cognitive) and
his or her feelings about potential romantic partners(psychosocial) change as well.
To understand the nature of human development and growth, psychologist take the
holistic approach to development: the biological, cognitive and social factors that
influence human development and growth.
this Holistic approach in health and psychiatric sciences is called Bio-psychosocial
approach to human development.

STAGES OF THE LIFESPAN/PERIODS OF DEVELOPMENT


For the purposes of organizing and understanding human development is commonly
described in terms of stages or periods. The most widely used classification of
developmental periods involves the following sequence:
The Prenatal period, infancy, early childhood, middle childhood, adolescence, early
or young adulthood, middle adulthood, old age, death.

Prenatal - from conception to birth


Infancy - birth to 2 years. Infancy ends when a child begins to learn to talk.
Early childhood - 3 to 6 years.(preschool)
middle childhood - 6 to 12 years
adolescence
early adulthood 20 to 30
Middle adulthood - 40 to 50s
old age 60+

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