MODULE 1

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT:
MEANING, CONCEPTS and
APPROACHES
 Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this Module, you should be
able to:
•Define human development in your own
words.
•Draw some principles of human
development.
•Distinguish two approaches to human
development.
MEANING OF HUMAN
DEVELOPMENT
Human development - pattern of
movement or change that begins at
conception and continues through the
life span. Development includes growth
(positive) and decline (negative).
ATTACHMENT
► Refers to the emotional bond to another person
► Lasting psychological connectedness between
human beings ' .
► An innate human survival mechanism
► A control system that achieves these specific goals:
1. Helps the infant maintain proximity (closeness
to the caretaker)
2. Provides the young child with security as base
from which to explore the world
3. Helps the child regulate his/her emotions
THEORY
► ideas based on observations
and other Kinds of evidences
which are organized in a
systematic manner
► Used to explain and predict
the behaviors and
development of children and
adults.
HEREDITY
► The process of
transmitting biological
traits from parents to
offspring through genes,
the basic units, of
heredity
ZPD
► Zone of proximal
development wherein the
child acquires new skills
and information with the
help or assistance of an
adult or an adult peer
MATURATION
► Consists of changes that occur
relatively independent of the
environment
► Usually considered to be
genetically programmed-the
result of heredity
DEVELOPMENT
►Involves Increase In the
complexity of function and skill
progression
► The capacity and skill of a
person to adapt to the
environment
► Pertains to the behavioral
aspect of growth
GROWTH
► Pertains to the physical change and increase in size
► Can be measured quantitatively
► Indicators of growth are height weight, bone size
and dentition
► The growth rate is rapid during the
a. Prenatal
b. Neonatal
c. Infancy
d. Adolescence
► Slows during childhood
► Minimal during adulthood
 MAJOR PRINCIPLES OF
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

1. Development is relatively orderly.

PROXIMODISTAL PATTERN - muscular

control of the trunk and the arms comes earlier
as compared to hands and fingers.
 CEPHALOCAUDAL PATTERN- During infancy, the
greatest growth always occurs at the top - the
head with physical growth in size, weight and
future differentiation gradually working in its
way down from top to bottom (ex. Neck,
shoulders, middle trunk and so on)

A. B.
CEPHALOCAUD PROXIMODIST
AL AL
DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENT
Cephalocaudal and
proximodistal patterns
The Cephalocaudal trend
– is the postnatal growth from conception to 5 months
when the head grows more than the body. This
cephalocaudal trend of growth that applies to the
development of the fetus also applies in the first
months after birth.

The proximodistal trend

–is the pre-natal growth from 5 months to birth when
the fetus grows from the inside of the body outwards.
► Growth and development occur in
cephalocaudal and proximo-distal
direction.
► Cephalocaudal direction starts from
the head and moving to the trunk,
the legs, and the feet.
► Proximo-distal direction is from the
center of the body outward.
2. While the pattern of development is
likely to be similar, the outcomes of
developmental processes and the rate of
development are likely to vary among
individuals.
If children come from good home with loving
and caring parents, they may develop into
warm and responsible children, adolescents
and adults. If they come from deprived
environment, they may develop into carefree
and irresponsible adolescents and adults.
3. Development takes place gradually.

While some changes occur in a flash of

insight, more often it takes weeks , months, or
years for a person to undergo changes that
result in the display of developmental
characteristics.
4. Development as a process is complex because
it is the product of biological, cognitive and
socio emotional processes.

BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES involve changes

in the individual’s physical nature.

Children will experience hormonal changes

when they reach the period of puberty, and
cardiovascular decline as they approach late
adulthood.
COGNITIVE PROCESSES

Involve changes in the individual’s thought,

intelligence, and language.

. Ex. Children develop from mere sounds to a

word becoming two words, the two words
becoming a sentence.

They would move on to memorizing their first

prayer, singing Bayang Magiliw, solving chess
and solving math problem.
SOCIO EMOTIONAL
PROCESSES
Changes in the individual’s relationships with
other people.

From aggressive children, they may develop into a

fine lady and a gentleman or otherwise, depending
on a myriad of factors. They may fall in love and get
inspired for life or may end up betrayed, deserted
and desperate afterwards.
These biological , cognitive, and socio emotional
processes are inextricably intertwined. While
these processes are studied separately, the effect
of one process or factor on a person’s
development is not isolated from the other
processes.
TWO APPROACHES TO HUMAN
DEVELOPMENT

1. TRADITIONAL - Extensive
change from birth to adolescence,
little or no change in adulthood and
decline in late old age.
 Life-span development characteristics: (Santrock,2002)

1. Development is lifelong. It does not end in adulthood.

2. Development is multidimensional . Development consists
of biological, cognitive, and socio-emotional dimensions.
3. Development is plastic. Development is possible throughout
the lifespan.
4. Development is contextual. Individuals are changing beings
in a changing world.
5. Development involves growth, maintenance and regulation.
The goals of individuals vary among developmental stages.
Principles of child development and learning that inform
practice.
Below are the principles of child development and learning
which are the bases of developmentally appropriate practice
(DAP) in early childhood program for children from birth
through age 8, which are stated in the position paper of the
National Association for 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 at 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.
 IMPLICATION
❖ S
It helps us to know what to expect and
when to expect it.
❖ It gives the adult information as to when to
stimulate and not to stimulate the child.
❖It makes possible for parents, teachers and
others who work with children to prepare
the child ahead of time for the changes that
will take place in his body, his interests, or
his behavior.