The Principles of Development

1. The Principles of Development

2. Purpose of studying child development: • To discover the normal child and, when deviations occur in this pattern, to determine what has been responsible for them.

3. Development = Change in quality.

4. Growth = Change in quantity.

5. The terms “growth” and “development” do not mean the same thing and can NOT be used interchangeably.

6. Types of change that occur with growth and development: • Change in size.

7. Change in proportion.

8. Disappearance of features.

9. Appearance of new features.

10. Rates of development and growth are predictable: • The most rapid period of growth and development is during the 9 months before birth. • Growth and development continue at a rapid rate throughout babyhood to age 3 years. • From ages 3-6, growth and development continue at a rapid rate, but not as rapid. • From ages 6 to adolescence, growth and development are still rapid, but the rate slows down considerably. • During early adolescence, there is a rapid spurt of growth and development that lasts for 2-3 years.

11. Growth and development are the product of: • heredity and • environment.

12. Maturing = • the slow unfolding of ones hereditary potential.

13. Learning = • development that results from effort and exercise found in ones environment.

14. Because heredity AND environment work together to determine what we are: • it is easier to understand the variations in the patterns of development of different children. (NO TWO CHILDREN ARE THE SAME.)

15. Because heredity AND environment work together to determine what we are: • it is easy to understand that maturing sets limits beyond which development cannot go, even when learning is encouraged.

16. Because heredity AND environment work together to determine what we are: • we know that few people, if any, ever reach their hereditary or maturational limits.

17. Because heredity AND environment work together to determine what we are: • we know that for full development, inborn hereditary capacities must be stimulated by environment.

18. Because heredity AND environment work together to determine what we are: • we understand that the effectiveness of learning depends on proper timing.

19. Principles (laws, rules, patterns) of development: • Development spreads over the body from head to foot.

20. Development proceeds from near to far—outward from the central axis of the body toward the extremities.

21. 3. All children follow a similar developmental pattern, with one stage leading to the next.

22. 4. General activity always preceeds (comes before) specific activity.

23. 5. Development is continuous from conception to death, but it occurs at different rates.

24. 6. While the development of different physical and mental traits is continuous, it is never uniform for the entire organism. Amount of Growth from Birth to Adulthood Changes in the size and shape of the body are caused by different segments growing at different times.

25. 7. There is correlation (a relationship) among the various areas of development (i.e. mental, social, emotional, physical).

26. Individual Differences Rule Although the pattern of development is similar for all children, each child follows the predictable pattern in his own way and at his own rate.

27. 9. Early development is more important than later development.

28. Due to the “individual differences rule”, we must remember that • all children of the same age are not expected to behave in the same way, • individual differences are responsible for individuality, and • the same child rearing methods are not appropriate for all children.