This document discusses human growth and development. It defines growth as an increase in size that can be measured, while development refers to qualitative changes that lead to maturity. Some key points made include: - Growth and development follow general patterns and principles like proceeding from general to specific responses and being influenced by both heredity and environment. - Development involves changes in physical, intellectual, emotional and social abilities and continues throughout the lifespan, while growth mainly occurs during childhood. - Major stages of development discussed are infancy, early childhood, later childhood, adolescence and early adulthood. - Factors like heredity, environment, home life, culture, socioeconomics, education, gender impact human

1. Hina jalal (Phd education)
HUMAN
GROWTH &
DEVELOPMEN
T
HINA JALAL (PHD EDUCATION)

2. Hina jalal (Phd education)
General-Nature of Growth and Development:
Human beings keep changing. During their lives, they change in size, appearance and psychological makeup. The
way they change differs from individual to individual. But the fundamental underlying patterns of growth and
development remain more or less the same and take place in an orderly way. Each individual, with his unique
heredity and the way he is nurtured, determines the way he traverses the broad highway of his life at his rate of
progress. He will attain the size shape, capacities and developmental status in a way which is peculiar to him at each
stage of life. We often use ‘growth’ and ‘development’ interchangeably, as synonymous terms. In the strictest sense
of the word, ‘growth’ is different from ‘development’.

3. Hina jalal (Phd education)
GROWTH
In this strict sense ‘growth’ means an increase in size. When we say that a body or any of its parts has “grown”, it
means that it has become larger and heavier. Thus, increase in size height, length and weight which can be
measured, contributes ‘growth’. Hurlock has defined Growth as “change in size, in proportion, disappearance of
old features and acquisition of new ones”.
•A biological processes that naturally occur over a period of time is called Growth
•The increase in the bodily aspects that can be measured, for example, height, weight, size, muscles and length
(Woolfolk, 2014)
•The natural, spontaneous, specific, genetically programmed and measurable quantitative gains in a human body

4. Hina jalal (Phd education)
Development
Development refers to the qualitative changes in the organism as whole. Development is a continuous process through which physical,
emotional and intellectual changes occur. It is a more wide and comprehensive term than growth. It is also possible without growth. In
the strict sense of the word, implies change in shape, form or structure resulting in improved working or functioning. Improved
functioning implies certain qualitative changes leading to maturity. For example, ‘arms’ do not grow larger, but they also develop
because they improve in their functions. Increase in size and structure of arms enables the human individual to use them for more
complex functions which were not possible earlier.
•It is process of function and physical maturation of an individual it is progressive increase in skill and capacity or function
•Most of these changes are qualitative in nature and influenced by context, for example, changes in behavioural, social, moral and
intellectual aspects of an individual. Overall, these changes result in better, adaptive, organized and complex human behaviours

5. Hina jalal (Phd education)
According to Crow and Crow (1965) development is concerned with growth as well as
those changes in behaviour which results from environmental situation.”

6. Hina jalal (Phd education)
Growth Development
Growth refers to physiological changes. Development refers to overall changes in the individual. It
involves changes in an orderly and coherent type towards
the goal of maturity.
Changes in the quantitative respect is termed as growth Development changes in the quality along with
quantitative aspect.
Growth does not continue throughout life. Development continues throughout life.
Growth stops after maturation Development is progressive.
Growth occurs due to the multiplication of cells. Development occurs due to both maturation and interaction
with the environment.
Growth is cellular Development is organizational.
Growth is one of the parts of the developmental
process.
Development is a wider and comprehensive term.
Growth may be referred to describe the changes in
particular aspects of the body and behaviour of the
organism
Development describes the changes in the organism as a
whole.
The changes produced by growth are subjects of
measurements. They may be quantified and observable
in nature.
Development brings qualitative changes which are difficult
to measure directly. They are assessed through keen
observation of behaviour in different situations.
Growth may or may not bring development. Development is possible without growth.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

7. Hina jalal (Phd education)
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT
1. Infancy: (from birth to 2 years)
The child at infancy stage reacts to external stimuli like light, sound and temperature. Perceptual skills develop during
the first year. In this age the child can imitate, discriminate and recognize to some extent. The child is mostly engaged in
manipulation of objects. A Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget called this stage as sensory-motor period which covers first
18 months of life.
2. Early Childhood Stage: (from 3 to 6 years)
Early childhood stage covers from 2/3 years to 6/7 years. Rate of growth during this stage becomes slow in comparison
to infancy stage. At the age of six years a child becomes 43 to 45 inches tall. There is an average increase to 3 to 5
pounds of weight annually
3. Later Childhood Stage: (from 7 to 11 years)
During later childhood period (6 years to 12 years of age) physical growth is initially slow. Arms and legs grow faster
than the trunk, and the child appears tall and thin. He loses his milk teeth and permanent teeth begin to appear. The
sense organ, muscles and brain are more or less mature. The overall appearance of the child changes during this stage.

8. Hina jalal (Phd education)
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT
4. Early Adulthood stage: (from 20 to 29 years)
Adolescence is a Latin word, which derived from the word “adolescere” meaning to grow up or grow to
maturity. This period is from 10 to 15 years of age, it is a period of life between the age of child hood and
adulthood. The adolescent stage is another period of accelerated growth. Individual can grow up to four inches
and increase in weight up to ten pounds per year. At the end of this stage, individuals may gain seven to
nine inches in height and forty to forty-five pounds in weight.
5. Adolescence Stage:
The period of transition from childhood to adulthood is called adolescence. Adolescence is very crucial stage of
development. In Indian conditions the period of adolescence may vary from 12-13 years to 18-21 years.

9. Hina jalal (Phd education)
The studies and researches have highlighted certain significant facts or principles underlying this process.
(1) Development follows a pattern:
(2) Development proceeds from general to specific responses:
(3) Development is a continuous process:
(4) Different aspects of growth develop at different rates:
(5) Most traits are correlated in development:
(6) Growth is complex. All of its aspects are closely inter-related:
(7) Growth is a product of the interaction both heredity and environment:
(8) Principle of spiral versus linear arrangement:
(9) Cephalocaudal principle:
(10) Principle of proximodistal:
(11) Development depends on maturation and learning:
PRINCIPLES OF GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

10. Hina jalal (Phd education)
NATURE VERSUS NURTURE
Meaning of Heredity (Nature)
Heredity is the process by which characteristics of an individual are basically determined by genes received from the
parents. Dougal and Holland define, “One's heredity consists of all the structures, physical characteristics, functions
or capacities derived from parents, other ancestry of species.” Woodworth defines, “Heredity covers all the factors
that are present in the individual when he begins life not at birth, but at the time of conception about nine months
before birth.”
Meaning of environment (Nurture)
Environment is the process by which characteristics of an individual are determined by his/her surroundings and
circumstances. The forces of environment begin to play their part and influence the growth and development of the
individual, right from the time of fertilization of the ovum by sperm. Therefore, from the environmental point view,
not only what happens after birth is important but also what goes on inside the womb of the mother after conception
has equal significance. Boring, Langfield and Weld define,” “the environment is everything that affects the individual
except his genes.”

11. Hina jalal (Phd education)
FACTORS AFFECTING HUMAN
DEVELOPMENT
1) Hereditary Factors:-
2) Environmental Factors:-
3) Home Environment:-
4) Cultural Factors:-
5) Socio-Economic Status (SES):-
6) Education and Training:-
7) Gender