Growth and Development

 Concept of Growth and Development

Content

1. Growth

• Meaning
• Definition
• Nature

2. Development

• Meaning
• Definition
• Nature
• Types of development
• Stages of Development

3. Difference between Growth and Development.

GROWTH

Meaning of growth:

a) Growth is the process of physical maturation resulting in an increase in the size of the body and various organs.

b) Growth occurs by multiplication of cells and an increase in the intra-cellular substance.

c) It is the quantitative changes in the body i.e., the changes the body that can be measured for example, increase in height and weight of a person.

d) The growth of a child starts in his/her mother’s womb and continues till the end of his/her adolescence i.e., age of 18 or 19 years.

Definition of Growth:

According to Crow and Crow,

“Growth refers to structural and physiological change.”

According to Hurlock,

“Growth is change in size, in proportion, disappearance of old features and acquisition of new ones.”

According to Herbert Sorensen,

“By human growth is meant the growth in size, weight, and working capacity of internal and external organs of his/her body, which continues from the time of conception till death.”

According to Frank,

“Growth is regarded as the multiplication of cells as growth in height and weight.”

Nature of Growth:

a) Growth is quantitative i.e., it can be measured.

b) Growth is general and everyone has same pattern of growth.

c) Growth occurs both internally and externally.

d) Growth is not continuous i.e., it starts from the time of conception and continues till the end of adolescence.

e) Growth does not have a continuous pace.

DEVELOPMENT

Meaning of Development

a) Development is the process of functional and psychological maturation of an individual.

b) It includes physiological, psychological, emotional and social changes that occur.

c) Development refers to systematic changes which lead an individual from dependency to self reliance through his/her life.

d) Development of an individual begins from the time of conception and continues lifelong.

e) It is a continuous process that includes growth, maturation and learning in itself.

Definition of Development:

According to Hurlock,

“The term development means progressive series of changes that occur in an orderly predictable pattern as a result of maturation and experience. Development results in new characteristics and new abilities on the part of individual.”

According to Webster Dictionary,

“Development is the series of change which an organism undergoes in passing from an embryonic state to maturity.”

According to J.E. Anderson (1950),

“Development is concerned with growth as well as those changes in behavior which results from environmental situations.”

Nature of Development:

a) Development has a definite pattern.

b) It is a lifelong process i.e., it continues throughout life.

c) Development is both qualitative and quantitative.

d) Rate of development is not uniform for everyone.

e) Development has a comprehensive meaning.

f) Development is a product of heredity and environment.

Types of Development:

There are four dimensions of development.

 a) Physical and Motor development:

•  It means physical growth and strengthening of a child’s bone, muscles, and their ability to move and touch objects in his/her surrounding.
•  Basically, it is associated with the quantitative changes that occur in an individual’s body.

(b) Emotional Development:

•  It refers to one’s ability to recognize, express, and manage his/her feelings at different stages of life and to have empathy for feelings of others.
•  A person’s emotional development, both positive and negative emotions, is largely affected by his/her relationships with his/her parents, siblings and peers.

c) Social Development:

• It refers to the process by which a child learns to interact with others around him/her.
• As children develop their own individuality within their community, they also gain communication skills and learn how to process their actions.

d) Moral Development:

• It refers to the development of the sense of right and wrong, correct and incorrect, judgment and responsibility in an individual.
• Through moral development, an individual inculcates values which determine his/her actions and these actions determine his/her life.

e) Cognitive Development:

• It refers to the development of ability to think, reason and analyse.
• It also includes abilities like attending, perceiving, observing, imagining, and solving problems.
• Language development is an important part of cognitive development.

Stages of Development:

The most commonly accepted stages of development are as follow:

Difference between Growth and Development

There major differences between Growth and Development have be mentioned in the table below: