Chapter 4 Human Development
NCERT TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS SOLVED
Question 1. What is development? How is it different from growth and
maturation?
Answer: Development is a process by which an individual grows and changes
throughout the life cycle.
The term Development refers to the changes that have a direction and hold
definite relationship with what precedes it.
includes changes in size (physical growth), changes in proportion (child to
adult), changes in features (disappearance of baby teeth) and acquiring new
features.
Development includes growth as one of its aspects.
Growth:
Growth refers to an increase in the size of body parts or of the organism as a
whole.
It can be measured or quantified, e.g. growth in height and weight.
Maturation: refers to the changes that follow an orderly sequence and are largely
dictated by the genetic blueprint which produces commonalities in our growth and
development.
Question 2. Describe the main features of life-span perspective on development.
Answer:
The term development means a progressive series of changes that occur as a
result of maturation and experience.
Development implies qualitative changes in behaviour.
, Development does not consist merely of adding inches to one’s height or of
improving one’s ability.
It is a complex process of integrating many structures and functions.
The study of development according to the Life-span perspective (LSP) includes the
following assumptions:
Development is lifelong i.e. it takes place across all age groups starting from
conception to old age. It includes both gains and losses, which interact in
dynamic (change in one aspect goes with changes in others) ways throughout
the life-span.
The various Process of human development i.e. biological, cognitive and
socio- emotional are interwoven in the development of a person throughout
the lifespan.
Development is multi-directional. Some dimensions or components of a given
dimension of development may increase, with others show decrement, e.g. the
experiences of adults may make them wiser and guide their decisions.
However, with an increase in age, one’s performance is likely to decrease on
tasks requiring speed, such as running.
Development is highly plastic, i.e. within a person, modifiability is found in
psychological development, though plasticity varies among individuals.
Development is influenced by historical conditions, e.g. The career
orientation of school students today is very different from those students who
were in schools 50 years ago.
Development is the concern of a number of disciplines. Different disciplines
like psychology, anthropology, sociology and neuro-sciences study human
development with different perspectives.
An individual responds and acts in a particular context, e.g. the life events in
everyone’s life are not the same such as death of a parent, accident, earthquake
etc affect the course of one’s life as also the positive influences such as winning
an award or getting a good job.
NCERT TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS SOLVED
Question 1. What is development? How is it different from growth and
maturation?
Answer: Development is a process by which an individual grows and changes
throughout the life cycle.
The term Development refers to the changes that have a direction and hold
definite relationship with what precedes it.
includes changes in size (physical growth), changes in proportion (child to
adult), changes in features (disappearance of baby teeth) and acquiring new
features.
Development includes growth as one of its aspects.
Growth:
Growth refers to an increase in the size of body parts or of the organism as a
whole.
It can be measured or quantified, e.g. growth in height and weight.
Maturation: refers to the changes that follow an orderly sequence and are largely
dictated by the genetic blueprint which produces commonalities in our growth and
development.
Question 2. Describe the main features of life-span perspective on development.
Answer:
The term development means a progressive series of changes that occur as a
result of maturation and experience.
Development implies qualitative changes in behaviour.
, Development does not consist merely of adding inches to one’s height or of
improving one’s ability.
It is a complex process of integrating many structures and functions.
The study of development according to the Life-span perspective (LSP) includes the
following assumptions:
Development is lifelong i.e. it takes place across all age groups starting from
conception to old age. It includes both gains and losses, which interact in
dynamic (change in one aspect goes with changes in others) ways throughout
the life-span.
The various Process of human development i.e. biological, cognitive and
socio- emotional are interwoven in the development of a person throughout
the lifespan.
Development is multi-directional. Some dimensions or components of a given
dimension of development may increase, with others show decrement, e.g. the
experiences of adults may make them wiser and guide their decisions.
However, with an increase in age, one’s performance is likely to decrease on
tasks requiring speed, such as running.
Development is highly plastic, i.e. within a person, modifiability is found in
psychological development, though plasticity varies among individuals.
Development is influenced by historical conditions, e.g. The career
orientation of school students today is very different from those students who
were in schools 50 years ago.
Development is the concern of a number of disciplines. Different disciplines
like psychology, anthropology, sociology and neuro-sciences study human
development with different perspectives.
An individual responds and acts in a particular context, e.g. the life events in
everyone’s life are not the same such as death of a parent, accident, earthquake
etc affect the course of one’s life as also the positive influences such as winning
an award or getting a good job.
