Two Approaches to Human Development

If you believe that Nicole and Gab will show extensive change from birth to
adolescence, little or no change in adulthood, and decline in late old age, your
approach to development is traditional. In contrast, if you believe that even in
adulthood developmental change takes place as it does during childhood,
your approach is termed the lifespan approach. Paul Baltes, an expert in life-
span development, gives the following characteristics:
a. Development is lifelong. It does not end in adulthood.
b. Development is plastic. Plasticity refers to the potential for change.
Development is possible throughout the lifespan. No one is too old to
learn. There are no such things as “I am too old for that..”
c. Development is multidimensional. The development consists of biological,
cognitive, and socio-emotional dimensions.
d. Development is contextual. Individuals are changing being in a changing
world. Individuals respond to and act on contexts. These contexts include
the individual’s biological makeup, physical environment, cognitive
processes, and historical, social, and cultural contexts.
e. Development involves growth, maintenance, and regulation.
f. Growth, maintenance, and regulation are three (3) goals of human
development. The goals of individuals vary among developmental stages.
For instance, as individuals reach middle and late adulthood, concern
with growth gets backstage while maintenance and regulation take the
center stage.