Nature of Development

• For detailed knowledge of the process of development it is necessary to generalize or understand the nature of development. The nature of development can be understood by the principles of development. According to Garrison and others, “When a child enters from one stage of development in the other stage, we see some changes in him”. Studies have proved that these changes take place according to definite principles. These principles are called the principles of development. Fundament principles of development are us under.

1. Development is a continuous process

• Development is a continuous process. It goes in constantly but the speed of development is sometime slow and sometime fast. For example the process of development of a child is very fast in first three years. There after it slows down but the process of development goes on constantly. There is no sudden change in an individual. According to Skinner “the principle of continuity of development process emphasise on the fact that there is no sudden change in an individual”.

2. Development is individualised process

• All individuals develop in their own way. Each child has their own rate of physical, mental, emotional and social development. If we observe six year old children, we find great differences in their height, weight, social, emotional and learning readiness, which explains this principle. Douglas and Holland have observed. “The rate of development in different individuals differs and this difference continues throughout the whole span of development”.

3. Development follows an orderly sequence

• Although the rate of development differs from man to man, yet the development of all the people follows an orderly sequence. Psychologists have pointed some definite trends of development out of which main trend are given below:
  (i) Cephalo-caudal : Development proceeds from head to foot. For example the head of fetus develop much before the feet. Even after birth head develop before the lower part of body develops.
  (ii) Proximodigital : Development proceed from centre to periphery. For example a child first uses shoulder and then elbow and then, wrists after that fingers to grasp a thing. In this way the child first uses the whole body and after that a particular part as fingers to hold something.
  (iii) Locomotion : The development of speed in all childern of all the culture of wo rld takes place in a sequence. For example the child first learns how to sit, then learns crawling and last of all he learns walking. Although the rate oflearning may be different yet the sequence remain the same. Similaly development of language also takes place in a definite sequence.

4. Development is product of interaction

• Development is the product of interaction of heredity and environment. Not only heredity and not only environment contributes to the development of an individual but it is due to the interaction of both. It is proved by the word of Skinner who writes. “It has been proved that heredity determines the extent beyond which the child cannot be developed. Similarly it has also been proved that in early years of life, poluted environment, malnutrition or serious disease weakens the potentialities”.

5. Different aspects of development are interrelated

• Various aspects of development are interrelated and interdependent. The early social behaviour of the child is related to his physical development. If the child 1s physically handicapped his social behaviour is affected by it. The positive effect of child’s motor elevelopment is exercised on his mental development. In this way different types of developments are interrelated and helps in the development of each one. Garrison and others writes “the view point related to body puts emphasis on the coordination and interrelationship of various body parts of the individuals.”

6. Development is in integrated form

• The process of development follows the principle of integration. According to it child learn to move first the whole part then afterthey learns to integrate those parts. Changing from general to specific, learns to use particular reactions in their integrated form. Kuppuswami writes, “In development movement proceeds from whole to part and from part to whole. Integration of different parts makes simplification of movement possible”.

7. Development is cumulative :

• Development is a cumulative process. Whatever change that is visible to us is accumulation of changes. The first word spoken by a child and the first step taken by them is the cumulative progress of continuous development activities. Every change is the accumulation of its previous growth and experiences.

8. Development proceed from the general to the specific

• At the time of birth this world appears confused. In the beginning child’s indiscriminatory behaviour begins to develop into more discriminatory, refined behaviour and goal directed behaviour. In all the directions of development before specific activities, is seen its general form. For example before grasping something with hands the child tries to strike randomly. Language development of the child at birth begins in the form of crying to common words. At first the child calls individuals as mother and by and by he develops language skill by learning vocabulary.

9. Development is Predictable

• By seeing the speed of development of child prediction can be made about the direction and form of their progress. For example on the basis of child’s physical, social and mental development their future development can be predicted. With the help of knowledge of a child’s mental abilities their future mental development can be predicted.

10. Rate of Development differs in male and female child

• The rate of development differs in male and female child. Girls grow and mature earlier than boys. In pre- adolescence girls are taller and heavier than the boys but by the end of adolecence boys become taller and heavier than the girls.

11. Development is spiral and not linear

• The child does not proceed straightly on the path of development with a constant or steady pace. Actually he makes advancement during a particular period but takes rest in the next following period to consolidate their development. In advancing further, therefore he runs back and then moves forward again like a spiral. In this way development proceeds spirally.

12. Early foundation is critical for later development

• Early foundation is very importent . The pettern of attitudes, experiences, habits and behaviour developed in the early years determines adjustment of individual in life in later years.

13. Role of maturation and learning in development

• Maturation and learning play important role in development. Maturation and learning generally, determine the sequence of behaviour. Leaming itself is that development which is caused by the efforts and exercise made by the individual himself.

14. Each phase of development has hazards:

• There are physical, psychological and environmental hazards m each stage of development. Hence it is necessary that parents and teachers should be conscious about hazards related to a particular stage so that they may protect the child from them.

15. Development is affected by cultural changes:

• The development of the child is affected by cultural changes. The development of an individual happens according to culture. The progress of culture developes qualities in a child according to the amount of progress.

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Important Points of Human Development :- 

1. Development means proceeding towards more maturity which is not quantitatively measurable but in qualitative change.
2. Development in continuous, systematic and sequential.
3. In each cell of parents there are 23 chromosoms and these constitute 23 pairs.
4. Each choromosom has many genes and each gene determines one or the other trait or characteristic.
5. Heredity provides potentialities to develop. These potentialities develop in environment.
6. Sigmund Freud propounded psychoanalytic theory and Erikson propounded Psycho­ social theory which describe the stages of development from birth to adulthood.

Human Development Questions And Answers

1. What is the meaning of heredity?
(A) Sperm and ovam
(B) Chromosomes and genes
(C) Mitosis and Meiosis
(D) DNA and RNA

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2. Which of the following theory has been propounded by Freud?
(A) Cognitive theory
(B) Psycho-social theory
(C) Stimulus-response theory
(D) Psycho analytic theory

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3. Who out of the following has propounded psycho-social theory?
(A) Sigmund freud
(B) Erik Erikson
(C) E.B. Hurlock
(D) Not any of these

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