Psychology of Growth and Development

(Unit IV)

PROFESSOR ACADEMY
PGTRB
30th April 2021
Difference between Growth and Development

Growth Development
1) Growth is limited to changes in 1) Development implies overall
quantitative aspects like increase in development – includes quantitative
size, length, height, weight, and qualitative aspects –
expansion of vocabulary etc. (Development has wider meaning
2) Growth stops at maturity (has a than growth)
quantitative limit)
2) Development is from consumption
3) Eg.: Physical Growth and (in the womb) till death
Development, Mental Growth and
Development 3) Eg.: Social Development, Moral
Development, Emotional
Development
Growth and Development

1) Physical Growth and Development

2) Cognitive or Mental Development
3) Emotional Development
4) Social Development
5) Moral Development
1) Stages of Physical Growth and Development

1) Anatomical Growth
2) Motor Development
1) Stages of Physical Growth and Development

Wider Classification: 1) Pre-natal period 2) Post-natal period

Post-Natal Period:
1. Infancy - from birth to 2 years
2. Childhood - 3 to 12 years
i. Pre-Childhood - 3 to 6 years
ii. Later Childhood - 7 to 12 years (upto the onset of puberty)
3. Adolescence - 13 to 19 years (from the onset of puberty till
maturity)
4. Adulthood - 20 to 60 years (from attaining maturity till
one’s ability to reproduce stops)
5. Old age - from 61 years till death (from the end of
reproduction till death)
2) Cognitive or Mental Development

i. Sensation and Perception

Sensation – impressions gathered by sense organs
Perception – when these impressions are converted into definite meanings of
the child
i. Concept Formation
Eg.: ‘Book’, ‘Man’, ‘Animal’
i. Development of Language
Speech, vocabulary, length of response
i. Development of Memory
starts with rote learning – then logic
i. Development of Problem-Solving ability
Considered highest mental ability
Concept Learning

Concept: Generalized image or idea for a group of objects that have some common
characteristics – ability to respond to common features of objects/events etc.
Types of Concept:
Simple Concept: The presence of a single quality or attribute. Eg.: green, rectangle
Complex Concept: More than one quality or attribute. Eg.: Democracy

Concept of Objects: Eg.: Book, House

Concept of Aspects:
i. Concept of Quality: Eg.: Honesty, Simplicity
ii. Relational Concepts: Eg.: Faster than, Close by
Development of Concepts

i. Experience
ii. Abstraction
iii. Generalization
iv. Analysis
Theories of Concept Learning

Bruner’s Theory of Concept Klausmeir’s Conceptual Learning

Formation Model
Three stages of concept formation: Four levels for concept formation
i. Enactive: Earliest level – i. Concrete Level: image of the object is
used
ii. Iconic: Children receive pictures,
objects, events, persons without ii. Identity Level: Generalisation –
action recognition of an object as one seen
earlier
iii. Symbolic: Development of symbols iii. Classificatory Level: Generalisation
or language and distinction
iv. Formal Level: Concepts are symbolised
through words in language
Concept Maps
Uses of Concept Maps

• To explain general principles of many related ideas

• To understand relationship among opposite ideas/concepts

How to Create Concept Maps?

• Ideas to be put forth in order of hierarchy
• Explanation with linkages and cross-linkages
Useful to summarize a topic
3) Emotional Development

“Emotion is a complex affective experience that involves diffuse physiological

changes and can be expressed overtly in characteristic behaviour patterns.”
- Charles G. Morris
Characteristics of Emotions:
• Emotional experiences are associated with instincts
• Emotions are the product of perception
• Sometimes, emotions are outcome of physiological changes
• Emotion depends on different stages of physical development
4) Social Development

“Social development is the process of learning to confirm to group standards, mores

and traditions that are becoming imbued with a sense of oneness, inter-
communication and co-operation”

“Socialization or social development is the process whereby the biological

individual is converted into a human person.”
Factors Influencing Growth and Development

Internal Factors External Factors

Factors that lie within the individual 1) In the womb of the mother
1) Heredity factors 2) Environment after birth
i. Parental and family care
2) Biological factors
ii. Economic and social status of
3) Intelligence family
4) Emotional factors iii. Surrounding environment
5) Social nature iv. Formal education
v. Peer group relationships,characters
vi. Nationality, Religion, Belief, Culture
Theories of Growth and Development

Theories of Growth and Development

1) Theory of Psycho-Sexual Development

2) Theory of Cognitive Development

3) Theory of Psycho-Social Development (Erickson)

4) Theory of Moral Development (Kohlberg)

Erickson’s Theory of Psycho-Social Development

Age Stage of Psycho-Social Development

1) Birth to 1.5 years (Infant) - Trust vs. Mistrust
2) 1.5 to 3 years (Toddler) - Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt
3) 3 to 6 years (Preschooler) - Initiative vs. Guilt
4) 6 to 12 years (School-Age Child) - Industry vs. Inferiority
5) 12 to 20 years (Adolescence) - Identity vs. Role Confusion
6) 20 to 45 years (Early Adulthood) - Intimacy vs. Isolation
7) 45 to 65 (Middle Adulthood) - Generativity vs. Stagnation
8) 65 years onwards (Later Adulthood)- Ego Integrity vs. Despair
1) Birth to 1.5 years (Infant) - Trust vs. Mistrust

• Baby completely dependent upon its mother/family

• It develops either trust or mistrust based on the way it is is nourished, handled,
protected and kept safe
• Trust or mistrust leads to security or insecurity respectively – its effect is reflected
upon the development of other stages
2) 1.5 to 3 years (Toddler) - Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt
• At this stage, the child would have developed motor or physical skills – would
experiment strengths and limitations for autonomy
• Would involve in activities like walking, running, language learning etc. –
freedom gives autonomy – over-protection, over-restriction leads to self-doubt
3) 3 to 6 years (Preschooler) - Initiative vs. Guilt

• The stage of interaction with the environment – both physical and intellectual –
explores environment – initiates planning and activities – physical and mental
exploration – encouragement or discouragement leads to initiative or guilt
respectively
• Punishment (for failure), negative criticism, rebuke result in guilt, indecision, lack
of planning and initiative
4) 6 to 12 years (School-Age Child) - Industry vs. Inferiority
• Properly introduced to (and busy with) school environment – introduced to
children of the same age group – new external world - environment to work hard –
expectations and pressures – competition –
• If a child performs well in school and home, he develops sense of industry
• If the performance is inferior to his peers, the child develops inferiority
5) 12 to 20 years (Adolescence) - Identity vs. Role Confusion

• Child begin to search for personal identity –

• Who am I ? – because of physical growth, sexual growth – rapid changes
• New rules by the society – confusion in role play/behaviour
• Redefining Psycho-social identity
• Anxiety and pressure related to role and identity
• If an individual resolves crisis/confusion (not only of this age, but of all the
previous ages), he/she can identify oneself
• Failure to do so would result in role confusion
6) 20 to 45 years (Early Adulthood) - Intimacy vs. Isolation

• The age in which one’s social relation would be at its maximum

• Intimacy or commitment to a close relationship with another person
• With self-identity, one tries to move close with other individual
• Finding correct people (friends, life partner, job, work atmosphere) would lead to
intimacy
• Failure would result in isolation
7) 45 to 65 (Middle Adulthood) - Generativity vs. Stagnation

• Age to establish one’s professional life and personal life

• Need for generativity
• Guiding children/young people etc.
• Involvement in fruitful activity for society – thinking about future
generation/mankind
• Opposed sense would result in egoistic and selfish behaviour
8) 65 years onwards (Later Adulthood)- Ego Integrity vs. Despair
• Integrity – culmination of one’s sense of success in life
• Despair – dissatisfaction with the way one lived (or) dissatisfaction about
achievement
Kohlberg’s Six Stages of Moral Development

Level I - Premoral (4 to 10 years)

Stage 1: The stage of obedience for avoiding punishment
Stage 2: The stage of conforming to obtain rewards and favours in return
Level II - Conventional Morality (Age 10 to 13 years)
Stage 3: Stage of maintaining mutual relations and approval of others
Stage 4: Stage of obedience for avoiding censure by higher authority or
social systems
Level III - Self accepted moral principles (Age 13 till late adulthood)
Stage 5: Stage of confirming to the democratically accepted law and mores
of community welfare
Stage 6: Stage of conforming to the universal ethical principles and the call of one’s
conscience
Question 1

The most effective method to teach the concept of germination of seeds is

(a) to draw pictures on the black-board and give descriptions
(b) to show pictures of seed growth
(c) to give detailed explanations
(d) to make the students plant seeds and observe stages of germination
Answer

(d) to make the students plant seeds and observe stages of germination
Question 2

The two factor theory of intelligence was proposed by

(a) Spearman (b) Piaget (c) Binet (d) Erickson
Answer

(a) Spearman
Question 3

Child development is defined as a field of study that

(a) Examines change in human abilities
(b) Seeks to explain behaviour across the life span
(c) Compares children to adults to senior citizens
(d) Accounts for the gradual evolution of the child’s cognitive, social and other
capacities
Answer

(d) Accounts for the gradual evolution of the child’s cognitive, social and other
capacities
Question 4

According to Piaget’s stages of Cognitive Development, the sensori-motor stage is

associated with
(a) ability to solve problems in logical fashion
(b) ability to interpret and analyse options
(c) concerns about social issues
(d) imitation, memory and mental representation
Answer

(d) imitation, memory and mental representation

Question 5

According to Kohlberg, a teacher can instill moral values in children by

(a) laying clear rules of behavior
(b) involving them in discussions on moral issues
(c) giving strict instructions on 'how to behave'
(d) giving importance to religious teachings
Answer

(b) involving them in discussions on moral issues

Question 6

Which of the following is a principle of development?

(a) Development is always linear
(b) It is a discontinuous process
(c) All processes of development are not inter-connected
(d) It does not proceed at the same pace for all
Answer

(d) It does not proceed at the same pace for all

Question 7

Development of concepts is primarily a part of

(a) emotional development
(b) intellectual development
(c) physical development
(d) social development
Answer

(b) intellectual development

Question 8

Understanding the principles of development of a child helps a teacher in

(a) identifying the social status of the learner
(b) identifying the economic background of the learner
(c) rationalizing why the learner ought to be taught
(d) effectively catering to the different learning styles of learners
Answer

(d) effectively catering to the different learning styles of learners