Definition and features of development.

by - October 06, 2023

Definition and features of development. 

What does development mean? Discuss the important features of development.

Discuss the definition and characteristics of development.




Definition of development :- 


Development is the expression and expansion of a person's innate physical-mental abilities or capabilities, which help the person to perform more and more complex tasks. Development is achieved through growth. Therefore, development is the continuous process of holistic, qualitative change of the child from birth onwards. 

According to Arnold' Jones, development is the process of change in organisms which is not limited to physical changes. Necessary conditions for functional change, such as increased ability to do something, ability to perform tasks accurately, etc. 

Development is certainly possible through growth, but growth alone is not development. An example can be given. A disabled child whose leg defect cannot walk - his legs will increase in length with age, but the function of his legs will not change, that is, he will not be able to walk properly. In this case, it can be said that the child's legs have grown, but not developed. Functional change is not emphasized in growth, but positive functional change is necessary in development.



Features of development :-


Development is a process which initiates or enhances the capabilities of the individual and which helps the individual to perform with excellence. However, it is important to remember that development comes as a result of growth. More precisely, growth takes the form of development - when that growth leads to excellence in the individual's performance. To make the development more meaningful some of its features need to be mentioned. 

1. Development through learning:- 
According to Bayer, development occurs as a result of behavior change or learning. Changing this behavior requires planning. Here planning refers to the arrangement of learning in an individual's life. Development is the combination of learning experiences that the child acquires as a result of interactions with the environment. 

2. Development is Synthesis :- 
Some psychologists refuse to consider development as the result of learning. According to them, both these interpretations view development as a passive process. Piaget said in this context, development is actually a process. Every small or single learning effectuates the overall development. But the idea that a combination of small units of learning is development is also not correct. According to Piaget, there are 4 processes of development. These are – (1) Inference, (2) Experience, (3) Emotional Communication and (4) Balancing. 

3. Development is a continuous process :- 
Development is a process which develops from the mother's womb until death. But the rate of development is not always constant. For example, the rate of development is very high during childhood and adolescence. 

4. The various developments of the individual are interrelated:- 
A person's physical development, mental development, social development, emotional development do not happen separately. They are interrelated and interdependent. 



5. Development is a personal process :- 
Inequality is observed in the development of individuals. Individual differences in physical, mental, social, etc. development occur not only from person to person but also at different rates at different ages of the same person. 

6. Development takes place from the general to the particular:- 
Every development takes place from the general to the particular. When a child tries to grasp something, he uses all hands. Later he uses all the fingers of the hand and finally with two or three fingers he can grasp the required object. 

7. Gender differences are observed in development. 
Developmental differences between males and females are present. Girls mature earlier than boys. Girls hit puberty earlier than boys. 

8. Influence of heredity and environment:- 
The process of development in human life is the result of interaction between heredity and environment. A person's development is influenced by both his heredity and his environment. 

9. Development is a complex process :- 
Development in an individual's life is a complex process. Psychologists say that development is complex, but because the development process is complex, people help to select from complexity when necessary. 

10. Development is variable :- 
Each level in the development process is dependent on the previous level. Consequently, a person's current behavior is determined by his previous behavior or development. Psychologist Harlock said - Development is cumulative.



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