Human Development: Meaning, Concepts, Ex.

Children develop from mere sounds to a word

becoming two words, the two words becoming a
and Approaches
sentence.
Meaning of Human Development They would move on to memorizing their first prayer,
Human Development – pattern of movement or change singing Lupang Hinirang, playing chess, and solving
that begins at conception and continues through the math problems.
life span. Development includes growth (positive) and SOCIOEMOTIONAL PROCESSES
decline (negative).
Changes in the individual’s relationships with other
Major Principles of Human Development people.
1. Development is Relatively Orderly From aggressive children, they may develop into a fine
lady and a gentleman or otherwise, depending on a
PROXIMODISTAL PATTERN – muscular control of
myriad of factors. They may fall in love and get
the trunk and the arms comes earlier as compared to
inspired for life or may end up betrayed, deserted, and
hands and fingers.
desperate afterwards.
CEPHALOCAUDAL PATTERN – during infancy, the
These biological, cognitive, and socioemotional
greatest growth always occurs at the top—the head—
processes are inextricably intertwined. While these
with physical growth in size, weight, and future
processes are studied separately, the effect of one
differentiation gradually working in its way down from
process or factor on a person’s development is not
top to bottom (ex. Neck, shoulders, middle trunk and
isolated from the other processes.
so on).
2. While the pattern of development is likely to be Two Approaches to Human Development
similar, the outcomes of developmental Traditional – extensive change from birth to
processes and the rate of development are adolescence, little or no change in adulthood and
likely to vary among individuals. decline in late old age.
If children come from a good home with loving and
caring parents, they may develop into warm and
Life-Span Development Characteristics
responsible children, adolescents and adults. If they (Santrock, 2002)
come from deprived environments, they may develop 1. Development is lifelong. It does not end in
into carefree and irresponsible adolescents and adults. adulthood.
3. Development Takes Place Gradually 2. Development is multidimensional.
Development consists of biological, cognitive,
While some changes occur in a flash of insight, more and socio-emotional dimensions.
often it takes weeks, months, or years for a person to 3. Development is plastic. Development is
undergo changes that result in the display of possible throughout the lifespan.
developmental characteristics. 4. Development is contextual. Individuals are
Development as a process is complex because it is the changing beings in a changing world.
product of biological, cognitive, and socioemotional 5. Development involves growth, maintenance
processes. and regulation. The goals of individuals vary
among developmental stages.
BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES involve changes in the
individual’s physical nature. Principles of Child Development and
Children will experience hormonal changes when they Learning That Inform Practice
reach the period of puberty, and cardiovascular decline Below are the principles of child development and
as they approach late adulthood. learning which are the bases of developmentally-
COGNITIVE PROCESSES appropriate practice (DAP) in early childhood program
for children from birth through age 8, which are stated
Involve changes in the individual’s thought, in the position paper of the National Association for
intelligence, and language. the Education of Young Children (2009)
1. All the domains of development and learning—
physical, social and emotional, and cognitive—
are important and they are closely interrelated.
2. Many aspects of children’s learning and
development follow well-documented
sequences, with later abilities, skills, and
knowledge-building on those already acquired.
3. Development and learning proceed at varying
rates from child to child, as well as uneven
rates across different areas of child’s individual
functioning.
4. Development and learning result from a
dynamic and continuous interaction of
biological maturation and experience.
5. Early experiences have profound effects, both
cumulative and delayed, on a child’s
development and learning; and optimal periods
exist for certain types of development and
learning to occur.
6. Development proceeds toward greater
complexity, self-regulation, and symbolic or
representational capacities.
7. Children develop best when they have secure,
consistent relationships with responsive adults
and opportunities for positive relationships
with peers.
8. Development and learning occur in and are
influenced by multiple social and cultural
contexts.
9. Always mentally active in seeking to
understand the world around them, children
learn in a variety of ways;
10. Play is an important vehicle for developing
self-regulation as well as for promoting
language, cognition, and social competence.
11. Development and learning advance when
children are challenged to achieve at a level
just beyond their current mastery, and also
when they have many opportunities to practice
newly-acquired skills.
12. Children’s experiences shape their motivation
and approaches to learning, such as persistence,
initiative, and flexibility.