DEFINITION

Developmental psychology is the scientific study of changes that occur

in human beings over the course of their life. Originally concerned
with infants and children, the field has expanded to include adolescence, adult
development, aging, and the entire lifespan. This field examines change across a broad
range of topics including motor skills and other psycho-physiological processes;
cognitive development involving areas such as problem solving, moral understanding,
and conceptual understanding; language acquisition; social, personality, and emotional
development; and self-concept and identity formation.
Developmental psychology examines issues such as the extent of development through
gradual accumulation of knowledge versus stage-like developmentand the extent to
which children are born with innate mental structures, versus learning
through experience. Many researchers are interested in the interaction between
personal characteristics, the individual's behavior, and environmental factors
including social context, and their impact on development; others take a more narrowlyfocused approach.
Developmental psychology informs several applied fields, including: educational
psychology, child psychopathology, and forensic developmental psychology.
Developmental psychology complements several other basic research fields
in psychology including social psychology, cognitive psychology, ecological psychology,
and comparative psychology.

PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

Growth : Refers to an increase in some quantity over time. The quantity can be ;
Physical (e.g., growth in height )
Development: Development is systematic and orderly change, organisms
experience as they live and either gain or lose abilities.
1.Continuity

Growth and Development is a continues process from conception to death.

In the early years of life, development consists of changes that lead the child
to maturity not only of body size and functioning, but also of behaviour.
Even after maturity has been attained, development does not end. Changes
continue which lead to the period of life known as senescence or old age.
These changes continue until death ends the life cycle.

2. Sequentiality

Every species, whether animal or human, follows a pattern of development

peculiar to it. This pattern in general is the same for all individuals.
Social and behavioural scientists increasingly have come to see development
as a relationship between organism and environment in a transaction or
collaboration.
Individuals work with and affect their environment, and in turn the
environment works with and affects them

*All children follow a development pattern with one stage leading to the next.
Ex - Infants stand before they walk; draw circles before they make squares

3. Generality to Specificity

Development proceeds from general to specific. In all areas of development,

general activities always precedes specific activity

For example: The fetus moves its whole body but incapable of making specific
responses -Infants wave their arms randomly. They can make such specific
responses as reaching out for an object near them.
4. Differentiality

The tempo of development is not even. Individuals differ in the rate of growth
and development.
Boys and girls have different development rates. Each part of the body has its
own particular rate of growth. Development does not occur at an even pace.
There are periods of great intensity and equilibrium and there are periods of
imbalance.
Development achieves a plateau and this may occur at any level or between
levels.

5. Development proceeds from the head downward

This principle describes the direction of growth and development.

The head region starts growth at first, following by which other organs starts
developing.
The child gains control of the head first, then the arms and then the legs.
Infants develop control of the head and face movements at first two months.
In next few months they are able to lift themselves up by using their arms.
Next gain control over leg and able to crawl, stand, walk, run, jump, climb,
day by day.

6. Development proceeds from the centre of the body outward

The directional sequence of development during both prenatal and postnatal

stages may either be (i) from head to foot, or (ii) from the central axis to the
extremities of the body.
The spinal cord develops before outer parts of the body.
The childs arms develops before the hands, the hands and feet develops
before the fingers and toes.
Fingers and toe muscles are the last to develop in physical development.

7. Development depends on maturation and learning

Maturation refers to the sequential characteristic of biological growth and

development.
The biological changes occur in sequential order and give children new
abilities.
Changes in the brain and nervous system account largely for maturation. And
help children to improve in thinking and motor skills.
Children must mature to a, certain point before they can progress to new
skills.

8. Development proceeds from the simple to more complex

Children use their cognitive and language skills to reason and solve problems.
Children at first are able hold the big things by using both arms, In the next
part able to hold things in a single hand, then only able to pick small objects
like peas, cereals etc.
Children when able to hold pencil, first starts draw circles then squares then
only letters after that the words.

9. Growth is a personal matter

Each child grows in his own personal manner. He/she should be permitted to
grow at his/her own rate.
If we expects too much, he/she may does even less than he/she is able to do.

10. Growth comes from within

One or surrounding environment can encourage or can hinder the energy of a

child, but the drive force that pushes a child to grow is carried inside him
Parent or teacher job is to clear the track, guide the child with loving
acceptance and then relax and enjoy.

11. Growth has certain characteristics common at particular stages

12. Growth is gradual and orderly but uneven

PRINCIPLES OF HEREDITY
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Segregation and dominance

Independent assortment
Linkage and crossing over
Sex determination
Sex linkage
Interaction of genes

STAGES OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

1. Infancy
from birth to 18th months
Physical changes- Bones are still soft and flexible
Learns to sit, to crawl, to stand and to sit.
Mental changes- Gets what it need by crying, can recognize parents and
siblings
2. Early childhood
18th month to 3 years
Physical changes- Learns to walk and to talk, arms and legs get longer
Mental changes- Learns to use the toilet
Social changes- Not ready to share or to play interactively with others
3. Childhood
3 to 6 years
Physical changes- Begins to lose milk teeth
Mental changes- Learns to behave while in a group
Social changes- Learns to play interactively and to make friends
Emotional changes- Physical contact becomes less frequent
4. Late childhood
Physical changes- Appetite increases, Process of sexual maturity begins
Mental changes- Acquires high-level thinking skills
Emotional changes- Self-centeredness lessens, Choose friends of the same
sex
5. Adolescence- The period of gradual change from childhood to adulthood the
time of life between childhood and adulthood.
Physical changes- Rapid physical growth, Body starts to look more like an
adult
Mental changes- Begins to question oneself, Starts to enjoy participating in
adult conversation
Emotional changes- Feeling very quickly from being happy to being lonely,
Sees people as having needs like his.
Social changes- Friends views become more important
6. Adulthood- Period from the twenties onward
Physical changes

 A slow weakening of the five senses

a slow loss of calcium in the bones
Bones become brittle
Stiffening of the joints and weakening of the muscles

PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES
Cognitive Theories
Cognitive theories of psychology are focused on internal states, such as motivation,
problem solving, decision-making, thinking, and attention.
Developmental Theories
Theories of development provide a framework for thinking about human growth,
development, and learning. If you have ever wondered about what motivates
human thought and behavior, understanding these theories can provide useful
insight into individuals and society.
Humanist Theories
Humanistic psychology theories began to grow in popularity during the 1950s. While
earlier theories often focused on abnormal behavior and psychological problems,
humanist theories instead emphasized the basic goodness of human beings. Some
of the major humanist theorists include Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow.
Personality Theories
Almost everyday we describe and assess the personalities of the people around us.
Whether we realize it or not, these daily musings on how and why people behave as
they do are similar to what personality psychologists do. Personality psychology
looks at the patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behavior that make a person unique.
Some of the best known theories in psychology are devoted to the subject of
personality.
Social Psychology Theories
Social psychology is focused on helping us understand and explain social behavior.
Social theories are generally centered on specific social phenomena, including
group behavior, prosocial behavior, social influence, love and much more.
Learning Theories

Learning theories focus on how people learning and acquire new knowledge. This is
an interdisciplinary topic of interest that often draws upon information from
psychology, education, instructional design, and other areas.

PSYCHOLOGICAL
DEVELOPMENT

SUBMITTED BY:
ARIANNE P. CALDONA

BEED SPED III