They are separated by period of relatively slow growth rate during childhood. The classic example of the way this affectsour physical development are the bodily changes that occur in early adolescenceat puberty. However nativists also argue that maturation governs theemergence of attachment ininfancy, language acquisition and even cognitive development as a whole. The path followed in development by the child is not straight andlinear and development at any stage never takes place with a constant or steadypace.

Similar to Introduction of growth and development

Age at appearance of pubic hair in boys and girls or age at maximum growth during adolescent growth spurt while tempo refers to the rate at which It’simportant to note that research on gifted infants is quite limited. While thesesigns may suggest giftedness in childhood, they are not definitive indicatorsthat your child will be gifted if they display these traits. If you seemto have a precious baby, encourage their brain development and watchfor signs of giftedness as they continue to grow. Belowis a general list of some of the things you might see children doing atdifferent ages.

This document discusses various theories of child development, including psychosexual, psychosocial, cognitive, moral, and spiritual development. It outlines several major stages of development according to Freud, Erikson, Piaget, Kohlberg, and introduction of growth and development Fowler. Key aspects of development covered include trust, autonomy, initiative, industry, and identity. The roles of nurturing and meeting basic needs in early development are also emphasized. From the provided description, it becomes apparent that development encompasses more than just analyzing economic growth through economic factors.

He was first to make use of the concept of ‘normal curve’ to describe the distribution of his growth measurements. De Montbeillard measured the height of his son about every 6 months from his birth in 1759 until he was 18 years of age in 1777. Initially the infant‟s movements are very generalized, undirected and reflexive such as waving arms or move whole body. But later in response to physical and motor development, they become capable of making specific responses or creep toward an object. The infant grasp an object with the whole hand before using only the thumb and forefinger due to development in large muscle movements to more refined (smaller) muscle movements The cephalocaudal refers to the development proceeding from head to toe.

From this point of view psychologicalcharacteristics and behavioral differences that emerge through infancy andchildhood are the result of learning. It is how you are brought up(nurture) that governs the psychologically significant aspects of childdevelopment and the concept of maturation applies only to the biological. According to Crow and Crow (1965) development is concerned withgrowth as well as those changes in behavior which results from environmentalsituation.� Importance of language in intellectual, emotional, and social development, including articulation and vocabulary growth.View While growth and development mutually influence one another, growth can manifest independently of development. Conversely, development may proceed without accompanying growth, yet at times, growth relies on development to fulfill its objectives.

Final size is considerably more gene influenced as altitude effects are greater in children than adults. Twin studies offer a more direct methodology for delineating the influence of heredity on growth. This genetical control operates throughout the whole period of growth; skeletal maturity shows a close correspondence at all ages in identical twins. The time of eruption of the teeth, both deciduous and permanent and also the sequence in which they calcify and erupt, is largely determined by heredity (Tanner, 1964). Robson (1978) estimated that genetic factors account for about 34 per cent of the variance is due to fetal genotype.

environmental. It is impossible to separate the two influences as well as

The ages of six through eleven comprise middle childhood and much of what children experience at this age is connected to their involvement in the early grades of school. Now the world becomes one of learning and testing new academic skills and by assessing one’s abilities and accomplishments by making comparisons between self and others. Schools compare students and make these comparisons public through team sports, test scores, and other forms of recognition. Growth rates slow down and children are able to refine their motor skills at this point in life. And children begin to learn about social relationships beyond the family through interaction with friends and fellow students.

Yet, observational studies are useful and widely used when studying children. Children tend to change their behavior when they know they are being watched (known as the Hawthorne effect) and may not survey well. Figure 1.4 – Two children running down the street in Carenage, Trinidad and Tobago7

• It is suggested that seasonal periodicity in sunlight may act on human endocrine system so as to synchronize changes in growth regulating hormone activity with changes in sunlight availability or intensity.
• Early childhood is also referred to as the preschool years and consists of the years which follow toddlerhood and precede formal schooling.
• Perhaps the child developedearly skills quickly and this would be used to show that the child was clearly,�born smart.�
• De Montbeillard measured the height of his son about every 6 months from his birth in 1759 until he was 18 years of age in 1777.
• For instance, a person may struggle with a lack of trust beyond infancy under certain circumstances.

Introduction to Human Growth & Development

These changes are not merely addinginches to one’s height or improving one’s ability. Instead development is acomplex process of integrating many structures and functions. At the University of Chicago, experts are working with low-income families, visiting them at their homes, and encouraging them to speak more to their children on a daily and hourly basis. Other experts are designing preschools in which students from diverse economic backgrounds are placed in the same classroom. In this research, low-income children made significant gains in their language development, likely as a result of attending the specialized preschool (Schechter & Byeb, 2007).

• Thus, the study of growth is crucial in elucidating the mechanisms of evolution.
• Developmental tasks across the life span from babyhood to old age, focusing on learning and personal growth.View
• A rapid growth during childhood known as mid- growth spurt is also observed but is not a universal phenomenon.

Developmental Theories

Psychosocial development involves emotions, personality, and social relationships. This document provides an overview of child and adolescent development. It begins with defining key terms like human development, growth, and learning.

independently. Both nature and nurture are essential for any behaviour, and it

The development may hinder during this period but it is possible to overcome the earlier deficits when experience favourable environment in later life. In other words, the concept of sensitive period recognizes the plasticity of human development. Development is continuous predictable process which proceeds from conception to the death. It includes the physical, motor and behavioural development in early life which leads the child to maturity.

How Do Nature and Nurture Influence Development?

Thus as per Tanner (1964) it is very difficult to specify quantitatively the relative importance of heredity and environment in controlling growth and physique under any given circumstances. The pattern of decline varies between individuals, so there is no biological or genetic plan for the ageing process. This period is from the 7th year to the first signs of puberty i.e., approximately up to 11 years of age in girls and 12 years in boys. There is a crisis of rapid linear growth of the body particularly of the lower limbs. Individual becomes thinner and the trunk loses its predominance and appears smaller with respect to the legs.

Furthermore, sustainability extends beyond environmental considerations to embrace social aspects, such as fostering lasting community engagement and support for developmental initiatives. At its core, development signifies an overarching enhancement in the tangible aspects of life, incorporating both economic prosperity and social welfare. Hence, it necessitates not just economic expansion but also fair distribution of the resultant benefits, emphasizing the concept of inclusive growth. Essentially, development denotes progress coupled with fairness, entailing advancements in health, education, housing, and overall material and social welfare to elevate living standards. In the realm of economics, it signifies the long-term augmentation of an economy’s production capacity.

This provides fundamental distinction between growth and maturation. Growth focuses on size attained at a given point in time, whereas the latter focuses on progress (rate) in attaining adult size and maturity. However, both processes must be viewed as dynamic cellular processes targeting at achievement of mature adult state from conception state. The endpoint of maturation is the attainment “functionally mature individual” who is able to successfully procreate and raise offspring (Cameron 2012). Children in the concrete operational stage, ages 7 to 11, develop the ability to think logically about the physical world. Middle childhood is a time of understanding concepts such as size, distance, and constancy of matter, and cause and effect relationships.

For example, an individual will growto the height that is coded in the genes, given that the individual is wellnourished and healthy. Malnourishment causes stunt growth and will stop theindividual reaching the ‘coded’ height. The children of Guatemala have thehighest rate of malnutrition in the Western Hemisphere.