Difference between Growth and development

1. Difference between Growth and development Prepared by Shumaila Aurangzeb MSc, B.Ed and M.Ed (In progress)

2. What is growth? • The Encyclopedia Britannica defines “growth” as an increase in the size or the amount of an entity. The word growth is used for all those structural and physiological changes that take place within individual during the process of maturation. • For example, the increase in weight, height, and different organs is called growth. It is a biological process and continues for birth to adulthood. • From the very beginning, a child needs food. When he eats food, it becomes a part of his body. During this time new cells are produced which results in physical increase. This physical increase is called growth.

3. What is development? • The Encyclopaedia Britannica defined the word ‘development’ as the progressive change in size, shape, and function during the life of an organism by which its genetic potential (genotype) are translated into functioning adult systems (phnotype). This means that development includes the increase not only in the size but also in the function of an organ.

4. What is development? • Thus ‘development’ is the name of all those psychological changes that take place in the functions and activities of different organs of an individual. For example, when the muscles of legs become strong, a child begins to creep, then stand, and then starts walking. So, this creeping, standing and walking are called development.

5. Difference between Growth and development • Most people use the word ‘growth’ and ‘development’ in the same meanings. But there is difference between these two terms. The first term, i.e ‘growth’ means the change in the physical or physiological structure. The second term, i.e ‘development’ is the change in the function and activities of different organs. This shows that ‘growth’ is a physiological change whereas development is a psychological change.

6. Difference between Growth and development • Similarly, we can say that growth is external in nature and can be directly measured because its chief concern is with physical aspect of an individual. Growth stops at a particular stage. But, development is internal in nature. It can not be measured directly. It can only be felt. It chief concern is not only with increase in the size of the brain but thinking process also.

7. Difference between Growth and development • Moreover, growth is generally taken to be quantitative in nature whereas development of ‘intelligence’ and emotions’. Development goes on into senility but growth stops at maturity. Development indicates the changes in the character or behavior more

8. Difference between Growth and development • Growth and development are interrelated and inter dependant. Both influence each other. When growth stops because of illness, or there is a premature stoppages of growth, development is equally affected.

9. There are four aspects of development • Cognitive development • Social development • Emotional development • Physical development

10. Cognitive development • Its referents to activities that involves thinking, perceiving and problem solving. Its also called intellectual development Perception through senses

11. Social development • It refers to behaviour that involves relation/interaction with others.It refers to the behaviour that how you behave in certain circumstances.

12. Emotional development • It refers to feelings and attitutdes.

13. Physical development • An organised increase in volume. Physically growth but in organized form is called physically development. Organize growth is called development.