HUMAN GROWTH

AND DEVELOPMENT
PAMELA ARUNGA
30.07.2020
Developmental Psychology

It is the study of growth and

development from
conception to death
A branch of basic psychology
that attempts to explore the
life long process or changes.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Developmental Psychology

 The scientific study of growth,

development and behaviour changes
of beings from conception through to
death. These changes are physical,
emotional, mental, social etc.

 It is synonymous with the term ‘Child

psychology’ which is the study of
human growth and development.
Developmental Psychology

• The study of human growth and

development that concerns itself with
the description and explanation of
changes in human behaviour that are as
a result of maturation and experience.

• It studies physical, cognitive and

psychosocial changes across the life-
span. It looks at how changes occur
qualitatively and quantitatively over
time.
• Research in child development
attempts to answer 3 questions:
– How does it take place? Stages,
sequence, do the skills become more
progressively different

– Nature of changes: categorize

differences e.g between 2 and 4 years

– What makes these changes occur? What

forces are responsible for child
development
Importance of
Developmental Psychology.
It gives us a general understanding
of the processes
 It enables us to appreciate the
needs and challenges facing
individuals as they grow up.
Helps appreciate individual
differences
• Provides a better
understanding of adult
behaviour. To understand an
adult, you need to
understand the child first

• Indicates what behaviour,

and development is usual at
particular times. It helps us to
predict behaviour
Gives insight into the appropriate
age/stage that individual acquire
certain capabilities

Helps in the planning of learning

It equips the teacher with

competence to react
appropriately to any behavioural
changes encountered among
students.
• Teachers are able to become
aware of the potential and
abilities of different
children/students

• Provides a background
information about childen’s
behaviour and psychological
growth under a variety of
environmental conditions
• It gives an understanding of the
basic psychological processes
e.g learning, motivation,
socialization, maturation etc,

• It makes us know how children

learn and this may make the
teacher to vary methods of
teaching.

• The teacher is able to

appreciate the needs and
challenges facing individuals as
they grow up,
• Helps teachers to react
appropriately to any
behavioural changes they may
encounter among students

• Assists teachers in molding the

child

• Teachers are able to

understand basic principles of
growth and development.
Behaviour:
Observable aspects or activities of an individual
or organism.
Maturation:
 Describes the state of readiness; whereby the
body parts and cells are ready for function.
• Increase in child’s competence and
adaptability.
• It is describing the qualitative change in a
structure.
• The level of maturation depends on child’s
heredity.
Growth
It refers to an increase in physical size of
the whole body or any of its parts.
It is quantitative changes that occur from
conception to death. There are different
types of growth:

• Hyperplastic growth – increase in the

number of cells
• Hypertrophic growth – increase or
decrease in the size of cells

• Non-cellular growth – material increase

or decrease in the body e.g Urine,
excretion etc
Changes in bodily proportions
with age.
Development:
It refers to a progressive increase in skill and
capacity of function.
 Refers to qualitative changes that take place in
a human being from conception to death as a
result of maturation and environment

 Emergence of capabilities over time. The

changes could be social, emotional, physical
and moral. Physically for instance, could be in
terms of motor development e.g a child sitting -
> crawling ->walking ->running.
 It can be measured through observation.
By understanding what to expect during each stage of development ,
parents can easily capture the teachable moments in everyday life to
enhance their child's language development, intellectual growth, social

development and motor skills .

NB:

Growth and development are interrelated.

Growth facilitates development and vice
versa. For instance, a child whose muscles
are growing properly will easily be able to
walk at maturation.

It is not possible to draw a line where growth

stops and development starts.
Domains of Development

Development is described in three domains, but growth

in one domain influences the other domains.
 Physical Domain:
 body size, body proportions, appearance, brain development, motor
development, perception capacities, physical health.
 Cognitive Domain:
 thought processes and intellectual abilities including attention, memory,
problem solving, imagination, creativity, academic and everyday knowledge,
metacognition, and language.
 Social/Emotional Domain:
 self-knowledge (self-esteem, metacognition, sexual identity, ethnic identity),
moral reasoning, understanding and expression of emotions, self-regulation,
temperament, understanding others, interpersonal skills, and friendships.
STAGES OF HUMAN GROWTH AND
DEVELOPMENT
Growth and development occurs in
stages. We experience different
things at different times, capable
of different things at certain
times, etc. Each developmental
stage will pose different
challenges. Below is an outline of
the major growth and
developmental stages with
approximate age:
Periods of Development

 The prenatal period

 Infancy
 Early childhood
 Middle childhood
 Late childhood
 Adolescence
 Early adulthood
 Middle adulthood
 Late adulthood
Prenatal stage
-From CONCEPTION to BIRTH
Conception—when a sperm penetrates the ovum
Lasts about 9 months, equivalent 280 days or 42 weeks
- The 3 primary stages of prenatal development are
the:
• Zygotic period /Germinal - a fertilized egg (first two
weeks after conception)

• Embryonic period (weeks three through

eight after conception)

• Fetal period (two months after conception

until birth)
Germinal stage (Zygote stage)
After conception
Within 36 hours the fertilized egg multiplies
rapidly into a mass of cells
Migrates down the fallopian tube to the
uterine cavity
About the 7th day it implants on the uterine
wall
Many zygotes are rejected at this stage
The placenta begins to form
8 week embryo
Embryonic Stage (2 – 8 Wks)
 Most of the vital organs begin to form
 Cell division becomes more specialized
 About an inch long at the end of this stage
 Begins to look human
 A period of great vulnerability since the basic
physiological structures are being formed
 Most carriages occur during this period
 Most birth defects are mostly a result of what
happens at this stage
12 week fetus
Fetal stage
 Rapid body growth
 Muscles and bones begin to from
 Capable of physical movement as skeletal structures
harden
 Organs gradually begin to function
 Sex organs start developing from the 3rd month
 During the last 3 months, the brain cells multiply very
fast
 Layer of fat is deposited under the skin for insulation
 Respiratory and digestive system mature
 Fetus reaches age of visibility between 22-26 weeks
(26 – 28 weeks its at 85% survival)
18 week fetus
24 weeks (6 months)
28 weeks (7 months)
32 weeks (8 months)
Prenatal Influences
on Development
 Nutrition
 Mother’s age
 Anxiety
 Mother’s general health
 Maternal age
 Teratogens—any agent that causes
a birth defect (e.g., drugs, radiation, viruses)
 Maternal Diseases and infections
Infancy stage

 The developmental period from birth to 18 or 24

months
 A time of extreme dependency on adults
 Many psychological activities are just beginning
 Individual able to interact with
environment
 There is acquisition of basic skills
Early Childhood

 The developmental period extending from the end

of infancy to about 2 – 4 years
 Often called the “preschool years”
 Children learn to become more self-sufficient
 Children now develop school readiness skills
 Children spend many hours playing with peers
Middle Childhood

 The developmental period extending

from about 4 to 6 years of age
 preparation for school and learning
 Fundamental skills of reading, writing,
and arithmetic are mastered
 Slower growth and development
changes
 Growth and development continues,
with some body organs close to adult
size/maturity; e.g the brain
Late Childhood

 The developmental period extending from about 6

to 11 years of age (1-2 years before adolescence)
- Characterized by very slow growth and
development (latent years)
 Approximately corresponds to the elementary
school years
 Fundamental skills of reading, writing, and
arithmetic are mastered
- Child is formally exposed to larger world and its
culture
Adolescence

 The developmental period of transition from

childhood to early adulthood—entered at 10-12
years, ending at 18-22 years
 Begins with rapid physical changes. It begins
with the appearance of secondary sex
characteristics and ends when somatic growth is
completed and the individual is psychologically
mature.
 Pursuit of independence and identity are
prominent
 Thought is now more logical, abstract, and
idealistic
Early Adulthood

 The developmental period beginning in the late teens or

early twenties and lasting through the thirties
 A time of establishing personal and economic
independence
 Also a time of career development
 Early adults select a mate, start a family, and rear
children
Middle Adulthood

The developmental period beginning

around 36 years of age and extending to
about 45
A time of expanding personal and social
involvement and responsibility
Also a time of assisting the next generation
in becoming competent
Middle adults reach and maintain
satisfaction in a career
Late adulthood
• 46-65 years

• Reduced family commitments

• Increased social responsibility

• Significant body changes

• Some preparing for retirement,

others retired
Old age
• 66 years and up

• Reduced activity

• Most are retired

• Significant health changes

• Incapacitation

• DEATH
Death and Dying
In general, anxiety about dying tends to
decrease in late adulthood
Kubler-Ross stages of dying
Denial
Anger
Bargain
Depression
Acceptance
Not universally demonstrated
Principles of Growth and
Development
1. Growth and development is influenced by heredity and
environment.
 The two aspects are influenced by both what we acquire
from our parents as well as by our interaction with the
environment. The potential of an individual is determined by
our heredity at conception. The environment then plays a part
in determining whether this potential is to be realized or not.
 (Consider body size, intelligence, creativity etc.)
2. Growth and development is a directional
process.
 G&D proceeds from head to tail- the
Cephalocaudal aspect. E.g
Babies attain the use of their upper parts of the
body (head, arms) before the lower parts. G &
D proceeds from the centerline to the outer or
distal parts.
 E.g. Babies attain good use of their
arm\forearm before the wrist and the fingers.
 Consider scribbling among toddlers or
infants.
Growth Pattern
3. Growth and development is cumulative in nature.
It progresses from one stage the next, building on the
previous achievements. It is not sudden or drastic. One
does not wake up one morning and find they are able to
do something new, or they have grown taller, heavier etc.
E.g. Babbling to talking, sitting to walking etc.
It is patterned and continuous but it is not always smooth
and gradual. Consider periods of rapid growth.
4. Growth and development is a whole process.
Different aspects are interrelated and inter dependent.
Aspects of growth and development should not be looked
at in isolation since different aspects influence each other.
Consider Physical aspects may affect other areas such as
social, emotional, moral etc. or what the following: -
severe malnourishment, lack of stimulation, love attention
etc.
5. Growth and development is an
individualistic process.
Individuals grow and develop at
different rates or pace.
The trend of development is similar with
everybody, but the pace is individualistic.
No two individuals are the same in all cases,
e.g. two babies aged nine months and one of
them is already walking while the other does
not.
6. Growth and development proceeds
from general to specific.
We begin as a mass of cells, language
development begins from general crying,
writing begins from scribbles etc.
7. Structure precedes function.
The body’s structures have to be in place and in
order before their functioning.
Consider muscles, vocal cords, brain cells,
reproductive structures etc. No amount of
practice can bring about capability unless
maturation has been attained.
8. There are critical or sensitive periods in the
development of certain body.
Severe interferences on G & D means serious and
permanent deficiencies may occur. Consider the
growth and development of major organs within the
first month after conception, development of trust and
attachment during infancy and early childhood.
9. Growth and development is a
continuous process. It does not stop,
until death.
Mechanisms of Genetic Heredity

• This refers to the transmission of characteristics

through the genes, from the parents to their offspring.
• The tendency for the offspring to resemble their
parents
Are differences among individuals inherited or acquired
from the environment? or better still are they a result of
the interaction between heredity and the environment.
Biologists have noted that the human body has two
kinds of cells- somatic and germ
Biologists have noted that the human
body has two kinds of cells-
1.Somatic and
2. Germ
Somatic cells are all the cells in the body (except the
ovum & sperm) that govern the body’s formation of
bones, muscles and organs. Each cell contains
chromosomes, which also contain smaller cells
called genes.
Chromosomes
Are threadlike structures that convey heredity.
Every somatic cell contains the same grouping
of 23 pairs of chromosomes. Same species of
organisms have the same number and type.
 Human beings have 46 chromosomes arranged in 23
pairs. Each chromosome is made up of genes, which
are the smallest units of heredity. There are
approximately 44000 genes on each chromosome pair.
Each gene is different and has a “message” to
contribute to the total genetic code. The message is
contained in the chemical structure of the gene. This is
a complex chemical code carrier for all body cells
called deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA.
 Some genes are common to the human species and
they ensure that we develop smooth rather than fur,
lungs instead of gill etc. Other genes determine
individual characteristics such as eye, skin, hair
colour and susceptibility to certain diseases. This
means that genes carry two kinds of messages: one
kind makes one distinctively human and the other
makes one a unique individual.
 Somatic cell divide and reproduce in a process
called mitosis, which is the process of division
and reproduction that results into a double
number of the cell’s chromosomes. Each cell
produced through this process has the same
genetic content as every other in the body
because each gene makes a copy of itself during
mitosis.
Germ cells
These are also called gametes and
they are similar to somatic cells in
their chemical composition. These
are sperms in males and ova in
females.
➢ Each gamete contains 23 chromosomes, which is half
the number for the somatic cell. Germ cells produce
in a halving process called meiosis. During this
process the chromosomes separate twice (rather than
once as in mitosis) to form four daughter cells. The
chromosomes are halved in this process and the cell
contains only half the parental genes.
➢ Genotype refers to the underlying genetic makeup
of an individual. That is the characteristics that
have been acquired form the parents.
➢ Phenotype refers to the expressed or observed
gene characteristics of an individual. It is possible
for one to have the same phenotype as his\her
genotype, but in many instances there are cases of
a phenotype that differs from the genotype.