CONCEPT AND PRINCIPLES OF GROWTH
AND DEVELOPMENT
Growth
and Development – its Meaning, Nature and Characteristics. Growth refers
only to increase in size of part and the
consequent changes in size and shape of the body as a whole. Development
indicates changes in character and connection of cells.
Principles and General Nature of
Growth
1. Every organism begins as a single cell and by taking
and transforming nourishment it grows into an individual of its own species.
2. All increase after birth is the result of
enlargement of cells, thus formed.
3. The body of a child is composed of about as many
cells as that of an adult. Hence, growth
is by enlargement of individual cells.
4. An organism does not grow forever, not the rate of
growth is uniform. It grows at a varying
rate till the size of its species is attained.
Then it stops.
5. It is not possible to change the rate, amount and
direction of growth except within narrow limits by changes of food and
surroundings.
6. Each species is so organized that its size of growth
during a certain time and its life are determined largely by the number of
elements in the germ cell. If the embryo
of a frog is divided into two or four parts, each part will develop into a
whole frog but of a correspondingly fractional size and length of life
7. Growth is the product of the integration of the
organism and its environment. Mc Graw defines growth as “ a process resultant
from a constant flux or interchange of energies within an organism and energies
within its environment.” Thus, Heredity and Environment are two great
factors in the growth and development of the child.
8. Growth is
continuous and gradual rather than salutatory process. It means that sudden transformation in the
development and growth of the child never appears. Yet, it does not mean that growth is uniform
all through life, growth is rapid at some period and slow at others. Different physical and mental traits grow at
different rates and reach the limit of development at different times. This fact has made chronological age quite
unreliable basis of estimating maturity.
9. Growth proceeds most rapidly in the early years of
life. The infant at birth is five
million tomes as large as the original germ cell. It is agreed that in infancy the rate of general
physical growth is more rapid than at any subsequent time.
10.
Acceleration in
growth begins earlier in girls but lasts longer in boys. In both, the stage of rapid growth at puberty
is proceeded and followed by a period of slow growth, and, again both, rapid
growth in height precedes rapid growth in weight.
11.
Growth is
complete before twenty, at least as regards height.
12.
Growth is
process of integration as well as differentiation. Older integration. Structuralisms and Behaviorists wee marked
for this. The first behavior-pattern is
most general, less localized and less particularized. But, Coghill recognizes a “ process of
individuation or analysis within a large pattern.” Irwin holds that the first growth in the behavior
is “ mass-activity.” The first cry of
the child is an example of it. Then, the
process of differentiation begins.
Language development follows this order.
First response “ m-a” is general
and used for all. But soon
differentiation begins. Thus, growth
proceeds from general to specific, Skinner holds that growth is a “ process in
which both integration and differentiation play a parallel role, though not
always.”
13.
Measurement of
individual children show that in general, a period of rapid growth in height or
in the length of a limb is a period of slow growth in diameter and vice-versa.
14.
The co-efficient
of growth is calculated by dividing the weight by height ( w/h). Coefficient for tall children is greater that
that of shot children.
15.
As regards
lung’s capacity a definite relation exists between breathing and height at each
stage which is measured by dividing the cubic inches of breathing capacity by
the inches in height. This is known as
the co-efficient of lung’s capacity.
16.
Greater
co-efficient means greater maturity.
Pubescent at an early age means high co-efficient and late in maturing
means low co-efficient.
17.
Mental maturity
corresponds more closely with physiological age than it does with chronological
age. Therefore, greater co-efficient
also means more mature mentally e.g., according to De Busk the co-efficient of
breathing capacity to weights correlates closely with the results. Of
Binet-tests as to mental age.
18.
Shape of the
organism also changes with age.
19.
The weight of
the brain at birth is 12.29% of that of the mature body, at 25 it is
2.16%. The weight of the heart is 76% at
birth and 46% at the age of 25 of that of the body.
20.
Normal growth is
the sign of good health. Very rapid or
very slow growth may indicate a poor health.
Rapid growth at the beginning of puberty is the most critical period
both physically and mentally.
PRICIPLES
AND NATURE OF DVELOPMENT
· There is development from generalized to more
specific forms of response.
· The development makes it possible for the child to
differentiate his movement.
· Development proceeds from head downwards.
· Development proceeds from trunk out word towards the
more distant parts
· Development of behavior is the result of growth and
learning.
· Acquisition of different skills depends upon
opportunities for learning and practice.
· The effect of
training on performance are limited by the stage of growth. Early practice given to accelerate
development is not of much use.
· Development takes time.
· Development follows a sequence in motor, adaptive
and social behavior.
· There is inter-relation between different aspects of
development motor, social, emotional and mental.
· Each child shows his own individual growth pattern
and unique characteristics of growth. e.,
development is not uniform in all individuals.
· Development is more rapid at certain stages than
others.
DRISYA K.G.
SOCIAL SCIENCE
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