Basic Concepts and Issues On Human Development

Download as docx, pdf, or txt
Download as docx, pdf, or txt
You are on page 1of 2

BASIC CONCEPTS AND ISSUES ON HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

The virtue of being born to humanity, every human being has a right to the
development and fulfilment of his potentialities as a human being
- by Ashley Montagu
Every living creature is called to become what it is meant to be. The caterpillar is
meant to become a butterfly; a seed into a full grown herb, bush or tree; and a
human body into a mature person, the person who is fully alive, the glory of God”
in the words of St. Irenaeus

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
- Is the pattern of movement or change that begins at conception and
continues through life span. It includes growth and decline.
Means that development can be positive or negative ( Santrock, 2000)

SOME MAJOR PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

1. Development is relatively orderly.


 Proximodistal Pattern
- Control of the trunk and the arms comes earlier as compared to the hands
and fingers.
 Cephalocaudal Pattern
- from the top – head, with physical growth in size, weight and future
differentiation gradually working its way down from top to bottom : neck,
shoulders, middle trunk, and etc.

2. While the pattern of development may be similar, the outcomes of


development processes and the use of development are likely to vary
among individuals.

Ex. Home with a loving and caring parents- warm and responsible children
and adolescents, adults

• home with deprived environment- carefree and irresponsible adolescents and


adults
• Individual differences in developmental characteristics and variation of ages
when people will experience events that will influence their development .
3. Development takes place gradually. – take weeks, months, years to
undergo changes
4. Development as a process is complex because it is a product of
biological, cognitive and socio-emotional processes (Sntrock,2002)
 Biological – physical changes, hormonal changes during puberty,
adolescence, cardiovascular decline during late adulthood.
 Cognitive processes involve changes in the individual’s thought,
intelligence and language.
 Socio-emotional Process - changes in the individual’s relationships
with other people changes in emotions, and changes in personality.
 Harmonious, displeasing, etc.
 In love, hatred, etc.

LIFE SPAN DEVELOPMENT


(Paul Baltres in Santrock, 2002)

Characteristics of Human Development


1. Development is lifelong.
- It does not end in adulthood, no development stage dominates development.
2. Development is multidimensional.
- Development consists of biological, cognitive and Socioemotional dimensions.
3. Development is elastic
– Development is possible throughout the life span.
4. Development is contextual – Individuals are changing beings in a changing
world.

You might also like