This is a handout on Principles of Growth and Development. These slides are prepared for B.Ed. and B.Ed.Special Education students

1. Principles of Development
BEDSE101 Human Growth and Development
Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.

2. Principles of Development
I. Development involves changes
II. Early development is more critical than later development
III. Development is the product of Maturation and Learning
IV. The developmental pattern is predictable
V. The developmental pattern has predictable characteristics
VI. There are individual differences in development
VII. There are certain periods in developmental pattern
VIII.There are social expectations for every period
IX. Every area has some potential hazards
X. Happiness varies at different periods
Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.

3. (I)Development involves changes
What is the goal of developmental changes
?
Self realisation or achievement of potentials.
Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.

4. Types of changes in Development
• Change in Size
• Change in Proportion
• Disappearance of old features
• Acquisition of new features
Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.

5. Change in size
Physical Changes
• Height
• Weight
• Circumference
• Internal organs
Mental Changes
• Memory
• Perceptions
• Reasoning
• Creative imaginations
• Problem solving
Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.

6. Changes in Proportions
Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.

7. Disappearance of old features and acquisition of new
features
Disappearance of old features
Babyish locomotion and speech
Fantastic imagination
Babyish hair
Milk teeth
• Acquisition of new features
• Second teeth
• Primary and secondary sex
characteristics
• Moral standards
• Religious belief
• Reasoning
Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.

8. (II)Early development is more critical than
later development
An individuals maladjustment is rooted in unfavourable childhood experiences ( Sigmund
Freud)
What are the conditions affecting early foundations ?
• Nourishment and care
• Interpersonal relationship
• Emotional states
• Child training methods
• Early role playing
• Family structure
• Environmental stimulations
Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.

9. (III)Development is the result of Maturation
and Learning
Maturation : Unfolding of characteristic potentialities present in the individual
Learning : Realising potential through training and effort
• Prenatal period comes mainly from maturation
• Maturation decides the readiness
Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.

10. (IV) The Developmental Pattern is
Predictable
• Every species including human following a pattern peculiar to that
species.
• Two laws to predict the direction of development
• Caphalo -caudal LawSlide 14
• Proximo Distal LawProximo –distal
Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.

11. Caphalo- Caudal Pattern
Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.

12. Proximo –distal
Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.

13. Cephalo-Caudal and Proximo-Distal Pattern of
Development
Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.

14. Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.

15. Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.

16. • Some environmental and physical conditions may accelerate or dalay
the development
Prenatal conditions : mother’s health thyroid, blood pressure, blood
sugar, teratogens.
conditions like –malnutrition, illness, seasons, emotional strain, lack of
stimulations.
Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.

17. (v)Developmental Pattern has predictable
characteristics
Developmental pattern is predictable and there are some similar
characteristics
• Similarity in Developmental Pattern
• Development proceeds from general to specific
• Development is continues
• Different areas develop at different rate
• There is correlation in Development.
Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.

18. Similarity in Developmental Pattern
• All children follow similar developmental pattern with
one stage leading to the next.
• Stand before walk
• Babbling before speaking word
• Scribbling before writing
Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.

19. Development Proceeds in a General to
Specific Pattern
• The child attains control over the gross
muscles(big muscles) first then later only gets
control over the finer muscles(small/specific
muscles)
• In early stage the child uses entire body to do an
action later uses specific parts only.
Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.

20. Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.

21. Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.

22. Development is continues
• From the moment of conception till the womb the
development continues
• But not in similar rate
• Every time development is not linear sometimes
backward development happens
Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.

23. Different Areas Develop in Different Rate
Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.

24. (IX)There is Correlation in Development
• Rapid physical development is correlated with rapid mental
development
• Cognitive development is correlated language developmet
Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.

25. There are individual differences in Development.
• Although the pattern of development is similar but children follow their on
way.
• Some children develop in a smooth, gradual, step by step way but others
move in spurts
• Some show slight swings some show wide swings.
Internal Conditions
+ Individual Difference
External Conditions
Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.

26. Physical
Development
Depends partly on hereditary potentials
Partly on environmental conditions like food, sunlight, fresh air,
climate, physical illness
Intellectual
Development
Hereditary potentials
Emotional climate,
Encouragement and opportunities
Personality
Development
Genetic factors
Attitudes, social relationships(inside and outside home)
Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.

27. (VII)There are periods in the developmental
pattern
• Even if development is a continues process it is always not linear.
• Some periods are characterised by rapid development and some are
characterised by slow development.
• Some periods are of equilibrium and some periods are of
disequilibrium.
• In equilibrium stage the child is making good adjustment and easy to
manage. During disequilibrium stages adjustment is affected by
internal or external conditions.
Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.

28. Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.

29. (VIII)There are social expectations for every
developmental period
• The social expectations are known as developmental tasks.
• The task arises at or about a certain period in the life of an individual ,
successful achievement leads to success with later tasks, failure leads
to unhappiness and disapproval from the society and difficulty in
attaining further tasks(Havighurst).
Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.

30. Stage Developmental Tasks
Birth to 6 years 1. Learning to walk.
2. Learning to take solid foods
3. Learning to talk
4. Learning to control the elimination of body wastes
5. Learning sex differences and sexual modesty
6. Forming concepts and learning language to describe social and physical reality.
7. Getting ready to read
Late Child
1. Learning physical skills necessary for ordinary games.
2. Building wholesome attitudes toward oneself as a growing organism
3. Learning to get along with age mates
4. Learning an appropriate masculine or feminine social role
5. Developing fundamental skills in reading, writing, and calculating
6. Developing concepts necessary for everyday living.
7. Developing conscience, morality, and a scale of values
8. Achieving personal independence
9. Developing attitudes toward social groups and institutions
Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.

31. Stage Developmental Task
Adolescence 1. Achieving new and more mature relations with age mates of both sexes
2. Achieving a masculine or feminine social role
3. Accepting one's physique and using the body effectively
4. Achieving emotional independence of parents and other adults
5. Preparing for marriage and family life Preparing for a career
6. Acquiring a set of values and an ethical system as a guide to behavior;
developing an ideology
7. Desiring and achieving socially responsible behavior
Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.

32. (IX)Every area of development has potential
hazards
• Even if the developmental pattern is progressing normally,
there are some hazards in some areas of development.
• That interfere with normal pattern of development.
• Some of these hazards are environmental and some are
internal.
• They cause for plateau in development.
• “The struggle that inevitably characterise all growth can
generate utterly reliable talents as well as intractable
problems”(Erikson).
Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.

33. Reference
• Hurlock, E. B. (1949). Adolescent development.
• Santrock, J. W. (2002). Life-span development.
Dr.Kavitha N Karun, Asst.Prof. Army Institute of Education,
Greater Noida., Affiliated to GGSIPU, New Delhi.