H U M A N D E V E LO P M E N T :

MEANING, CONCEPTS AND

APPROACHES
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
•Pattern of
movement or
change that begins
at conception and
continues through
the life span.
TWO APPROACHES TO HUMAN
DEVELOPMENT:
CHARACTERISTICS OF LIFE-SPAN
APPROACH:
1.Development is lifelong.
–It does not end in adulthood
2. Development is plastic.
• Plasticity refers to the potential to
the potential for change.
• development is possible throughout
the life-span.
• no one is too old to learn
3.Development is multidimensional. .

• Development consists of biological,

cognitive, and socio-emotional
dimensions.
• Development is as a complex process.
•Biological processes involve
changes in the individual's physical
nature
1. Development is relatively
orderly.
 2 TYPES OF PATTERN:
2 Types of Pattern:
1. Proximodistal Pattern -
where growth starts at the center of
the body and moves towards the
extremities.
2. Cephalocaudal Pattern -
where the greatest development
takes place at the top of the body.
3. Development takes place gradually.
While the pattern of development
is likely to be similar, the outcomes
of development processes and the
rate of development are likely to
vary among individuals.
•Cognitive processes involve
changes in the individual's thought,
intelligence, and language.
•Socio-emotional processes include changes
in the individual's relationship with other
people, changes in emotions, and changes
in personality
4. Development is contextual.
• Contextual perspectives consider
the relationship between
individuals and their physical,
cognitive, and social worlds. They
also examine socio-cultural and
environmental influences on
development.
5. Development involves growth,
maintenance and regulation.
• growth, maintenance and regulation are the
three goals of human development.
• Growth is the progressive increase in the
size of a child or parts of a child.
• Development is progressive acquisition of
various skills (abilities) such as head support,
speaking, learning, expressing the feelings and
relating with other people.
• Growth and development go together but
at different rates.
• Maintenance - the process of maintaining or
preserving someone or something, or the state of
being maintained.
• Regulation - a rule or directive made and maintained
by an authority.