Human Growth and Development

Theorists differ on whether development is continuous or discontinuous . Some believe that development is continuous - a gradual, ongoing process where quantitative changes occur incrementally over time. Example: A child’s vocabulary growth is continuous, with words being added steadily over time. Others believe development happens in stages . These stages are distinct with its own characteristics, tasks, and milestones. Changes are abrupt and transformational rather than gradual hence called discontinuous development. Example: Piaget’s stages of cognitive development, such as moving from the preoperational to the concrete operational stage. Still others view development as happening in overlapping stages. Development isn’t always clear-cut. For example, a child might use both simple and complex thinking depending on the situation. C. Domains of Development Developmental psychology studies three main areas: physical and social growth ( biosocial ), thinking and learning ( cognitive ), and emotions and relationships ( psychosocial ). Biosocial Domain Biosocial domain focuses on the interplay between biological and social factors in development: ●​ Biological Development includes physical growth and maturation of the brain, body, and nervous system. ●​ Social Influences encompasses the impact of family, culture, socioeconomic status, and other social factors on development. Example: A researcher might study how a child's nutrition (biological) is influenced by family income and access to healthy foods (social factors). This can impact the child's physical growth (biological) and cognitive development (e.g., learning ability). Key Concepts in the Biosocial Domain: ●​ Potential Development: The maximum growth a child could achieve under ideal conditions. ●​ Actual Development: The child's current level of growth, influenced by various factors. Cognitive Domain Focuses on mental processes such as thinking , learning , problem-solving , perception , and language development. Researchers in this domain ask questions like: ●​ How do children acquire language? ●​ How does perception change throughout development Psychosocial Domain Explores the interaction between psychological processes ( personality, emotions ) and social factors ( relationships, societal influences ) throughout a person's life. Researchers in this domain might ask: ●​ How do individuals develop emotions and express them throughout life? ●​ How do people interact with their social environment?

© 2025 ACHIEVE ULTIMATE CREDIT-BY-EXAM GUIDE | HUMAN GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT