GROWTH

AND
DEVELOPMENT
 GROWTH

Refers generally to the physical growth, i.e. Growth

from the fertilized egg at the time of conception to
the fully grown body of the adult.
It means increase in the size of the various parts of
the body
 According to Hurlock
GROWTH is change in size, in proportion, disappearance of
old features and acquisition of new ones.
e.g.: Height, Weight, Disappearance of temporary teeth and
Acquisition of Permanent teeth
According to Crow and Crow(1962)

Growth refers to structural and physiological

changes
 DEVELOPMENT
It refers to the progressive changes that take place with time
in the behavior of the organism.
According to Hurlock(1959)
Development means a progressive series of changes that occur in an orderly
predictable pattern as a result of maturation and experience.
 According to Crow and Crow (1962)
Development is concerned with growth as well
as those changes in behavior which results
from environmental situations.
 According to J.E. Anderson(1950)
Development does not consist merely of adding
inches to one’s height or improving one’s
ability. Instead development is a complex
process of integrating many structures and
functions.
 According to Liebert, Poulos and Marmor
(1979)
Development refers to a process of change in
growth and capability over time, as function
of both maturation and interaction with the
environment. Thus, development includes
• Growth
• Capability
• Maturation
• Interaction with the environment
 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GROWTH AND
DEVELOPMENT
GROWTH
The term is used in purely physical sense. It
generally refers to increase in size, length.
Changes in the quantitative aspects come into
the domain of Growth.
DEVELOPMENT
Development implies overall change in shape,
form or structure resulting in improved working
or functioning.
Changes in the quality or character rather than
the quantitative aspects comes in this domain.
 GROWTH
• It is a part of developmental
process. Development in its
quantitative aspect is
termed as growth.
• Growth does not continue
throughout life. It stops
when maturity has been
attained.
• Growth involves body
changes.
DEVELOPMENT
• It is a comprehensive and
wider term and refers to
overall changes in the
individual.
• Development is a wider and
comprehensive term and
refers to overall changes in
the individual. It continues
throughout life and is
progressive.
• Development involves
changes of an orderly,
coherent type tending
towards the goal of
maturity.

GROWTH
• The changes produced by
growth are the subject of
measurement. They may be
quantified.
• Growth is cellular . It takes
place due to the
multiplication of cells.
DEVELOPMENT
• Development implies
improvement in functioning
and behavior and hence
bring qualitative changes
which are difficult to be
measured directly. They are
assessed through keen
observation in behavioral
situations.
• Development is
organizational. It is
organization of all the parts
which growth and
differentiation have
produced.

GROWTH
Growth may or may not bring development.
E.g.: A child may grow fat but by becoming
fat no functional improvement may take
place.
DEVELOPMENT
Development is also possible without growth.
E.g.: A child may not gain height, weight or size
but can have functional improvement in other
aspects .
PRINCIPLES OF GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

Development is a
continuous process
(from birth to death)
Development
follows a direction
and uniform
pattern (orderly
manner)

❖Cephalo-caudal -
from head to tail
❖Proximo-distal-
from nearer to far
apart
 Locomotion-
Sequence of
development is
followed.
 Development proceeds from general to specific responses-
Reacts to the stimuli with the whole body and gradually learns to
give specific responses.

4 Months old 12 Months Old

PRINCIPLE OF HIERARCHICAL INTEGRATION –
states that simple skills typically develop
separately and independently but are later
integrated into more complex skills.

Development lacks uniformity of rate – There are

periods of acceleration and periods of decelerated
growth. Different body systems mature at different rates.
 PRINCIPLE OF INDEPENDENCE OF SYSTEMS
suggests that different body systems grow at different
rates.
For instance, the nervous system is highly developed during infancy.
• Most traits of development are correlated-
e.g.: a child whose intellectual development
is above average, is also superior in many
other aspects.
 Development is a product of contribution of Heredity
and Environment-
It is not possible to indicate exactly in what proportion heredity
and environment contribute to the development of an individual.
 Development is both qualitative and
quantitative-
While growth takes place, the functional organization of the
individual also improves.
There are wide individual differences in growth pattern i.e. development is
unique-
Individuals differ from each other in their pattern and rate of growth.
• Development is cumulative- Each change is
the culmination of prior growth and
experience.
• Development is a result of interaction of
Maturation and Learning- Maturation refers
to changes in a developmental organism due
to the unfolding and ripening of abilities,
characteristics, traits and potentialities
present at birth. Learning
denotes the changes in behavior due to
training or experience.
• Development is predictable- The rate of
development of each child at an early stage
helps in predicting the developments at a later
stage.
• Development is spiral and non-linear- It is in
the form of a cork-screw.
Domains of children's development are closely
related to each other

Physical
Language Development in one
Aesthetic domain influences
Cognitive and is influenced by
development in other
Emotional
domains.
Social
Domains of children's development are closely
related to each other

Physical
Language Development in one
Aesthetic domain influences
Cognitive and is influenced by
Emotional development in other
Social domains.
 Development occurs in a relatively orderly
sequence
with later abilities, skills, and knowledge building on
those already acquired.
Development proceeds at varying rates
from child to child as well as unevenly within different
areas of each child's functioning.
 Aspects of Human
Development

• 1. Physical development - changes in the body

structure and motor skills.

• 2. Perceptual development - development of sensory

capacities such as the changes in the seeing and
hearing abilities of infants.
 Aspects of Human
Development

• 3. Cognitive or Intellectual development - change in

mental abilities, learning capacity, memory, reasoning
thought processes and language.

• 4. Personality and Social development - changes in

self-concept, gender identity and one’s quality of
interpersonal relationship.
 8 Stages of Development

• 1. Prenatal stage
• 2. Infancy (0-2 years old)
• 3. Early childhood (3-6 years old)
• 4. Middle childhood (7-12 years old)
• 5. Adolescence (13-19 years old)
• 6. Young adulthood (20-35 years old)
• 7. Middle adulthood (36-49 years old)
• 8. Late adulthood/Old age (50 years old-Death)
Infancy:
It is a state refers to first 3 years of life. It is a
period of maturity (both physically and
mentally) and complete dependence.
At birth, mostly male baby are heavier than
female.
 Characteristics of Infancy:
Various Dimensions of Development are:
Physical Development:
• Very rapid (weight become almost double in 4
months and height increases by 10 inches upto
2nd year)
• Child derives pleasure from his own body
(sucking thumb)
• Head and facial skeleton is more developed
than other body part
• Trunk is very heavy during this period
•Heart beat is irregular
•Food take longer time to reach intestine
infancy
Nervous System:
• rapid growth of brain and its size and weight
increases
• Nerve cells attain maturity
•Improvement in the functioning of sensory
organ
Motor Development:
• Co-ordination and control of body movements.
•Starts grasping things and objects
•Starts sitting, crawling by the end of 4 months
and starts walking with support by the end of 8-9
months.
•Walking starts by one-two years.
infancy

Language development:
• Starts vocalization in form of cries or
explosive sound to express in early stages
•He utters some words in six to seven months
like mama, papa (some may be meaningful
and some may be meaningless)
•Language development properly begins in
the beginning of second year and begins to
speak properly but short sentences.
•
infancy

Intellectual Development:
• Capacity to grasp new word depends on rote
memory
•He lacks abstract learning (limited to concrete things)
•Sign of creativity is seen by end of two tears. Infant
engages in collecting new articles
•Period to make beliefs. He believes whatever is told to
him.
•Infant perceives an unfamiliar object as a form of
figure
infancy
Social Development
• He learns social skills in the company of his parents and other family members.
•He learns how to respond on a particular situation.
•By end of two year he take notice of other infants and plays with them
•He depends on family for his all social needs ( like love, interpersonal
relationship, adaptability etc)
•He become aware of people around him and starts responding accordingly
First month: Understand human and other voices
Second month: Recognizes human voices and greets with smile or cry
Third month:Recognizes mother and father
Forth Month: Recognizes other human faces
Fifth month: Recognize tone of voice (love or hate)
6-7 months: welcome known person with smile
8-9 months: Plays with his own shadow
24 months: Participates in elders talks
infancy

Emotional Development:
•He is egocentric and selfish (he don’t want to
share things)
•He cries and become irritated if he is chided.
• Emotions are intense, frequent and unstable
•He cannot hide his feelings
•Emotions of anger fear, disgust, elation and love
are seen. (mostly at the time of eating, wakeup
after sleeping etc.)
Childhood
The Childhood is divided into two parts viz.
Pre- Childhood: 3-6 years
Early Childhood: 6-9 years
and Late Childhood: 9-12 years
Childhood: The Childhood starts just after the stage
of Infancy. This is a very crucial stage where a child
takes a better pace in physical, mental, social,
intellectual, motor and language development.
Childhood is a stage when child start depending on
himself.
The formal education of a child starts at this stage.
Characteristics of Early Childhood
Physical and Motor Development
• He acquires many motor skills like catching,
throwing, running, jumping riding a tricycle.
•Growth in Height and body weight, formation of
muscles
•Growth of legs is very rapid
•Self feeding, play with toys, using pencils for
writing and sketching
•Involvement in games and other motor activities
have started
Early Childhood

Intellectual Development
•Perceptual development begins from mass movement
•The child perceives those things which are concerned with his
mental set and interest
•Child begins to explore and acquire new experiences
•Child starts perceiving clear shape, size, colour, distance
•Span of attention increases
Language Development:
•The child has mastery over four major task
1.Comprehension of the speech
2.Building Vocabulary
3.Using and combining words into sentences
4.Pronouncing the words clearly
•Development of Language is not uniform
Early Childhood

Social Development:
•Feeling of autonomy. They starts to explore and
manipulate their environment independently
•Child starts making friends. He learns
cooperation, sympathy, quarreling teasing etc at
this stage
•Child want to dominates among his peers and
other people
•Negativism increases in this age
Early Childhood

Emotional Development:
•Emotional swings are very rapid at this age
(starts weeping at one situation and starts
laughing at another situation)
•Emotions of a child are intense irrespective of
the intensity of the stimulus.
•Child cannot hide their emotion and thus
express them by different activities like crying,
throwing objects and laughing etc
•Development of deep sentiments of affection
for his parents
•Child starts to show moodiness.
Characteristics Late Childhood

Physical Development
•Slow and steady uniform growth in external
as well internal organs are seen.
•Milk teeth are replaced by permanent set.
•Refinement in motor skills
•Change in shape of mouth as new teeth grow
•Muscular development is seen
Late Childhood

Intellectual Development
•Development of power of observation, reasoning and
abstract thinking
•Child can derive information and pleasure from book
•Child can apply Mental power, perceptual ability.
•IQ increases slowly and steadily
•Love adventurous tales and love biographies
•Courage and loyalty increases
•A child starts day dreaming
•Child learns conceptual problems and their solutions
•Child starts admiring things and people around him
Late Childhood

Emotional Development
•Rapid shift from one type of emotion to another is
seen and child learns how to control his emotions in
various social situations
•Emotional responses become less diffused
•Fear of animals, ghosts loneliness etc that were
dominated in early childhood disappears in this stage
•Angriness and jealousy with more preferred children
grows
•Control on joy, love, grief affection etc is shown in this
stage
•Complex of superiority or inferiority develops
•Indifferent attitude among children of opposite sex
Late Childhood

Social Development
•Loves to play with peers and shares his belongings with
them
•Better time of developing team spirit and sportsmanship
•Social horizon of child increases (markets, zoos,
Shopping malls, Children clubs, parks etc)
•Leadership quality grows rapidly
•Starts accepting social norms
•Child indulges in fights with peer if found them wrong
•Sex indifference become sharp
•Some delinquent acts like bullying, stealing become
prominent
Late Childhood
Language Development
•Child can easily express his views in his Mother
tongue
•Starts speaking clear and meaningful sentences
Moral Development
•Capacity to understand relationship develops rapidly
•Child accepts lawful and unlawful matter
•Starts respecting and obeying his teachers and
parents
•Development of right and wrong concepts
 Adolescence

• The developmental period of transition from childhood

to early adulthood.
• Begins with rapid physical changes.
• Pursuit of independence and identity are prominent
• Thought is now more logical, abstract, and idealistic
 ADOLESCENCE
Derived from Latin Word ‘adolescere’ means ‘to
grow’ or ‘to mature’.
Jersild- “Adolescence is that span of years during
which boys and girls move from childhood to
adulthood mentally, emotionally, socially and
Physically”.
 I. Physical Development
• Height & Weight Changes
• Secondary Sex Characteristics
• Continued Brain Development
 Rapid Gains in Height & Weight

• 4.1 to 3.5 inches per year

• Girls mature about 2 years earlier than boys

• Weight gain = muscles for boys; fat for girls

 Secondary Sex Characteristics:
• Pubic hair
• Menarche or penis growth
• Voice changes for boys
• Underarm hair
• Facial hair growth for boys
• Increased production of oil, sweat glands, acne
 Continued Brain Development
• Not completely developed until late
adolescence

• Emotional, physical and mental abilities

incomplete
• May explain why some seem inconsistent
in controlling emotions, impulses, and
judgements
 How Do These Changes
Affect Teens?
• Frequently sleep longer - 9 1/2 hours

• May be more clumsy because of growth

spurts-body parts grow at different rates
• Girls may become sensitive about weight -
60% trying to lose weight
• 1-3% have eating disorder
 How Do These Changes
Affect Teens?
• Concern if not physically developing at same
rate as peers - need to “fit” in (early vs. late
maturation)

• Feel awkward about showing affection to

opposite sex parent
 II. Cognitive Development
• Advanced Reasoning Skills
• Abstract Thinking Skills
• Meta-Cognition
Beginning to Gain Advanced
Reasoning Skills
• Options
• Possibilities
• Logical
• Hypothetically
• What if?
 Think Abstractly
• Can take others’ perspective

• Can think about non-concrete things like

faith, trust, beliefs, and spirituality
 Ability to Think About Thinking
• Meta-cognition

• Think about how they feel and what they are

thinking

• Think about how they think they are perceived by

others

• Can develop strategies for improving their

learning
How Do These Changes
Affect Teens?
• Heightened self-consciousness
• Believes no one else has experienced
feelings/emotions
• Tend to become cause-oriented
• Tend to exhibit a “justice orientation”
• “It can’t happen to me” syndrome
III. Psycho-Social Development
• Establishing identity
• Establishing autonomy
• Establishing intimacy

• Become comfortable with one’s sexuality

• Achievement
 Establishing Identity
• Erikson (1959): identity vs. identity diffusion

• Integrates opinions of other into own

likes/dislikes—needs interactions with diverse
others for this to occur
• Outcome is clear sense of values, beliefs,
occupational goals, and relationship expectations
• Secure identities-knows where they fit
 Establishing Autonomy
• Becoming independent and self-governing within
relationships

• Make and follow through with decisions

• Live with own set of principles of right/wrong

• Less emotionally dependent on parents
 Establishing Intimacy
• Develops close, open, honest, caring, and trusting
relationships

• Learn to begin, maintain, and terminate

relationships; practice social skills, and become
intimate from friends
 Educational Implications
• Need of paying attention to individual
differences of the learners.
• Avoid comparing the child with others.
• Undue pressure should not be put on the
students.
• Adapting learning programmes, procedures
and practices according to the level of
students.
• Need of motivating the child to learn as
development is a continuous process.
• Need for correlating different subjects and
examples to daily life.
• Need for a pragmatic outlook so as to not
place undue demands on the child.
• Practice maxims of teaching like proceed from
known to unknown, concrete to abstract,
simple to complex
• Use psychological methods of teaching.
• The learning experiences should be arranged
suitably according to the maturity of the child.
• The learning processes, experiences and
environment should be arranged according to
the level and needs of the students.
• A good environment should be provided to
the students, as it plays an important role in
the development of the child.
Factors affecting growth and development:
• Hereditary

• Environmental factors

Pre-natal environment
1-Factors related to mothers during pregnancy:
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Diabetic mother
- Exposure to radiation
- Infection with German measles
- Smoking
- Use of drugs
 Stages of Growth and Development

• Prenatal
• Middle Childhood
- Embryonic (conception- 8 w)
- School age
- Fetal stage (8-40 or 42 w)
- 6 to 12 years
• Infancy
- Neonate
- Birth to end of 1 month • Late Childhood
- Infancy
- 1 month to end of 1 year
- Adolescent
• Early Childhood - 13 years to approximately 18
- Toddler years
- 1-3 years
- Preschool
- 3-6 years