HUMAN GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
Why Study Human Growth and Development
Human beings keep changing. During their lives, they change in size, appearance and
psychological makeup. The way they change differs from individual to individual. However,
the fundamental underlying patterns of growth and development remain more or less the same
and take place in an orderly way. Each individual, with his unique heredity and the way he is
nurtured, determines the way he traverses the broad highway of his life at his rate of progress.
Hc will attain the stature, shape, capacities and developmental status in a way, which is peculiar
to him at each stage of life.
A knowledge of development patterns, what these are like and what causes variations in the
development of children, is essential for both scientific and practical reasons.
A knowledge of the pattern of human development will help you know, for example, what to
expect of children. It will also help you know approximately at what age behavioural changes
take place, and when these patterns are generally replaced by more mature patterns.
This is significant since, if too much is expected from children, they develop a feeling of
inadequacy. On the othcr hand if too little is expected of them, they do not have an incentive to
realise their potcntial. Knowing exactly what to expect from children enables developmemt
psychologists, teachers and parents to set guidelines in the form of hcight-weight scales, age-
weight scalcs, age-hcight scalcs, mental age scales, and social or emotional development
scales.
Deviations from normal development might be investigated in causal terms and appropriate
intervention might be planned to help those who vary considerably in personal, social and
emotional adjustment or development.
A knowledge of dcvclopmcnt patterns helps teachers and parents guide the child's learning
propcrly. A child must be helped to acquire skills of walking when he is of an age appropriate
,for this skill. Not providing learning opportunities at the appropriate time would delay the
normal development of the child.
In social development children are expected to adjust socially to their age-mates. If they are
deprived of the necessary learning opportunity, they will not be ready to acquire the necessary
skills characteristic or later childhood. When the development pattern is normal, one period
prepares children for, and leads them effectively into, the next.
A knowledge of dcvclopmcnt patterns helps teachers and parents prepare the child
psychologically for the physical and behavioral changes that would occur as they grow up. In
fact, in this matter, the role of the school is crucial.
The study of the human mind and behavior of the individual helps a professional service user in
Understanding different activities of the individual
Knowing the cause of the particular behaviour
Knowing the positive and negative qualities of the individual
Understanding intelligence, abilities, attitudes, motivation, aptitudes and
personality of the person
Understanding actions and interactions of the individual in the peer group
and causes of his activities
Learning about the situation where an individual is
Understanding his parents and other family members and the rearing
process
, Understanding the problems of the individual and seek help
GROWTH: CONCEPT AND DEFINITION
Growth refers to physical increase in some quantity over time. It includes changes in terms of
height, weight, body proportions and general physical
appearance.
In Encyclopedia Britannica, growth is defined as “an increase in size or the
amount of an entity”. It means growth involves all those structural and
physiological changes that take place within individual during the process of
maturation.
For example, growth of a child means the increase in weight, height
and different organs of the child”s body
.
Hurlock has defined Growth as “change in size, in proportion, disappearance
of old features and acquisition of new ones”.
Growth refers to structural and physiological changes (Crow and Crow, 1962).
Thus, growth refers to an increase in physical size of whole or any of its part and
can be measured.
DEVELOPMENT: CONCEPT AND DEFINITION
, Development refers to the qualitative changes in the organism as whole.
Development is a continuous process through which physical, emotional and
intellectual changes occur.
It is a more wider and comprehensive term than growth.
It is also possible without growth.
In Webster‟s dictionary development is defined as “the series of changes which
an organism undergoes in passing from an embryonic stage to maturity.”
In Encyclopedia Britannica is the term development defined as “the
progressive change in size, shape and function during the life of an organism by
which its genetic potential are translated into functioning adult system.” So,
development includes all those psychological changes that take in the functions
and activities of different organs of an organism.
.
Development is continuous and gradual process (Skinner).
According to Crow and Crow (1965) Development is concerned with growth as well as those
changes in behavior which results from environmental situation.”
Thus, development is a process of change in growth and capability over time
due to function of both maturation and interaction with the environment.
Comparison of Growth and Development
Why Study Human Growth and Development
Human beings keep changing. During their lives, they change in size, appearance and
psychological makeup. The way they change differs from individual to individual. However,
the fundamental underlying patterns of growth and development remain more or less the same
and take place in an orderly way. Each individual, with his unique heredity and the way he is
nurtured, determines the way he traverses the broad highway of his life at his rate of progress.
Hc will attain the stature, shape, capacities and developmental status in a way, which is peculiar
to him at each stage of life.
A knowledge of development patterns, what these are like and what causes variations in the
development of children, is essential for both scientific and practical reasons.
A knowledge of the pattern of human development will help you know, for example, what to
expect of children. It will also help you know approximately at what age behavioural changes
take place, and when these patterns are generally replaced by more mature patterns.
This is significant since, if too much is expected from children, they develop a feeling of
inadequacy. On the othcr hand if too little is expected of them, they do not have an incentive to
realise their potcntial. Knowing exactly what to expect from children enables developmemt
psychologists, teachers and parents to set guidelines in the form of hcight-weight scales, age-
weight scalcs, age-hcight scalcs, mental age scales, and social or emotional development
scales.
Deviations from normal development might be investigated in causal terms and appropriate
intervention might be planned to help those who vary considerably in personal, social and
emotional adjustment or development.
A knowledge of dcvclopmcnt patterns helps teachers and parents guide the child's learning
propcrly. A child must be helped to acquire skills of walking when he is of an age appropriate
,for this skill. Not providing learning opportunities at the appropriate time would delay the
normal development of the child.
In social development children are expected to adjust socially to their age-mates. If they are
deprived of the necessary learning opportunity, they will not be ready to acquire the necessary
skills characteristic or later childhood. When the development pattern is normal, one period
prepares children for, and leads them effectively into, the next.
A knowledge of dcvclopmcnt patterns helps teachers and parents prepare the child
psychologically for the physical and behavioral changes that would occur as they grow up. In
fact, in this matter, the role of the school is crucial.
The study of the human mind and behavior of the individual helps a professional service user in
Understanding different activities of the individual
Knowing the cause of the particular behaviour
Knowing the positive and negative qualities of the individual
Understanding intelligence, abilities, attitudes, motivation, aptitudes and
personality of the person
Understanding actions and interactions of the individual in the peer group
and causes of his activities
Learning about the situation where an individual is
Understanding his parents and other family members and the rearing
process
, Understanding the problems of the individual and seek help
GROWTH: CONCEPT AND DEFINITION
Growth refers to physical increase in some quantity over time. It includes changes in terms of
height, weight, body proportions and general physical
appearance.
In Encyclopedia Britannica, growth is defined as “an increase in size or the
amount of an entity”. It means growth involves all those structural and
physiological changes that take place within individual during the process of
maturation.
For example, growth of a child means the increase in weight, height
and different organs of the child”s body
.
Hurlock has defined Growth as “change in size, in proportion, disappearance
of old features and acquisition of new ones”.
Growth refers to structural and physiological changes (Crow and Crow, 1962).
Thus, growth refers to an increase in physical size of whole or any of its part and
can be measured.
DEVELOPMENT: CONCEPT AND DEFINITION
, Development refers to the qualitative changes in the organism as whole.
Development is a continuous process through which physical, emotional and
intellectual changes occur.
It is a more wider and comprehensive term than growth.
It is also possible without growth.
In Webster‟s dictionary development is defined as “the series of changes which
an organism undergoes in passing from an embryonic stage to maturity.”
In Encyclopedia Britannica is the term development defined as “the
progressive change in size, shape and function during the life of an organism by
which its genetic potential are translated into functioning adult system.” So,
development includes all those psychological changes that take in the functions
and activities of different organs of an organism.
.
Development is continuous and gradual process (Skinner).
According to Crow and Crow (1965) Development is concerned with growth as well as those
changes in behavior which results from environmental situation.”
Thus, development is a process of change in growth and capability over time
due to function of both maturation and interaction with the environment.
Comparison of Growth and Development
