MODULE 1

Midterm Coverage CHILDHOOD &

JOURNEYS IN
ADOLESCENCE:
DEVELOPMENT

Human Development:

Unit
Meaning, Concepts and

2 Approaches

As you read this unit

and do the activities herein, you are undergoing the process of
development, what principle
s govern this development, and what experts have to say
about development.

Learning
Outcomes
At the end of this unit, you
shouldbe able to:

● define human development in one’s own words;

● distinguish the principles of life-span development approach; and ●
differentiate life-span and traditional development approaches.

Pretest

Here are pictures of Ana and Ken. Each one is a bundle of possibilities. Describe what
they were before birth, their point of origin, and who they will possibly be after birth unto
adulthood. What will they possibly become? Expound your answers (Corpuz, et
al.,2018).

13
MODULE 1
Midterm Coverage CHILDHOOD &
JOURNEYS IN
ADOLESCENCE:
DEVELOPMENT

Please write your responses here.

Figure 1. Pictures of children having different

origins. (inherit.com)

________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_______________.

Thank you for answering the

pretest. Your responses will be of great
help as you continue learning this unit.
Good luck!

The next section is the content of this unit. It contains vital information of the
topics based on the learning outcomes. Please read the content.

Content

14
MODULE 1
Midterm Coverage CHILDHOOD &
JOURNEYS IN
ADOLESCENCE:
DEVELOPMENT

Meaning of Human Development

Human development is the pattern of movement or change that begins at conception

and continues through life span. Development includes growth and decline. This means
that development can be positive or negative (Santrock, 2002).

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)

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 socioemotional processes (Santrock, 2002).

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.

15
MODULE 1
Midterm Coverage CHILDHOOD &
JOURNEYS IN
ADOLESCENCE:
DEVELOPMENT

Socioemotional processes refer to 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 socioemotional 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.

You’re halfway there!

Don’t falter, just go on!
Laban lang!

Two Approaches to Human Development

A. Traditional Approach

The traditional approach to the study of development emphasizes extensive change

from birth to adolescence, especially during infancy, little or no change in adulthood, and
decline in old age (Corpuz, et al., 2018).
For instance, Suzanne has a son. She has watched him grow from infancy through
childhood and now in adulthood. She has often said that he developed mostly in
childhood as she hasn’t seen much change in him after that. Her beliefs are most
consistent with traditional approach.
It was commonly believed that people mainly develop in childhood, stay pretty much the
same during adulthood, and then begin to “decline” in old age. This also describes
traditional approach.

B. Life-span Approach

This approach emphasizes developmental change throughout adulthood as well as

childhood. It believes that development occurs throughout life is central to the lifespan
perspective. The life-span perspective should be thought of as lifelong, multidimensional,
multidirectional, plastic, multidisciplinary, and contextual, and involves growth,
maintenance, and regulation (Santrock, 2002).
German psychologist Paul Baltes, a leading expert on lifespan development and aging,
developed one of the approaches to studying development called the lifespan
perspective. This approach is based on several key principles:
1. Development occurs across one’s entire life, or is lifelong.
2. Development is multidimensional, meaning it involves the dynamic
interaction of factors like physical, emotional, and psychosocial development.

16
MODULE 1
Midterm Coverage CHILDHOOD &
JOURNEYS IN
ADOLESCENCE:
DEVELOPMENT

3. Development is multidirectional and results in gains and losses throughout

life.
4. Development is plastic, meaning that characteristics are malleable or
changeable.
5. Development is influenced by contextual and socio-cultural influences.
6. Development is multidisciplinary.
7. Development is involves growth, maintenance, and regulation of loss

Development is Lifelong

Lifelong development means that development is not completed in infancy or childhood

or at any specific age; it encompasses the entire lifespan, from conception to death.
For example, the developmental timing of events can affect individuals in different ways
because of their current level of maturity and understanding. As individuals move
through life, they are faced with many challenges, opportunities, and situations that
impact their development. Remembering that development is a lifelong process helps us
gain a wider perspective on the meaning and impact of each event.

Development is Multidimensional

By multidimensionality, Baltes is referring to the fact that a complex interplay of factors

influence development across the lifespan, including biological, cognitive, and
socioemotional changes. Baltes argues that a dynamic interaction of these factors is
what influences an individual’s development.
For example, in adolescence, puberty consists of physiological and physical changes
with changes in hormone levels, the development of primary and secondary sex
characteristics, alterations in height and weight, and several other bodily changes. But
these are not the only types of changes taking place; there are also cognitive changes,
including the development of advanced cognitive faculties such as the ability to think
abstractly. There are also emotional and social changes involving regulating emotions,
interacting with peers, and possibly dating.

Development is Multidirectional

Baltes states that the development of a particular domain does not occur in a strictly
linear fashion but that development of certain traits can be characterized as having the
capacity for both an increase and decrease in efficacy over the course of an individual’s
life.
If we use the example of puberty again, we can see that certain domains may improve
or decline in effectiveness during this time. For example, self-regulation is one domain of
puberty which undergoes profound multidirectional changes during the adolescent
period. During childhood, individuals have difficulty effectively regulating their actions
and impulsive behaviors. Scholars have noted that this lack of effective regulation often
results in children engaging in behaviors without fully considering the consequences of

17
MODULE 1
Midterm Coverage CHILDHOOD &
JOURNEYS IN
ADOLESCENCE:
DEVELOPMENT

their actions. Over the course of puberty, neuronal changes modify this unregulated
behavior by increasing the ability to regulate emotions and impulses.
Inversely, the ability for adolescents to engage in spontaneous activity and creativity,
both domains commonly associated with impulse behavior, decrease over the
adolescent period in response to changes in cognition. Neuronal changes to the limbic
system and prefrontal cortex of the brain, which begin in puberty lead to the
development of self-regulation, and the ability to consider the consequences of one’s
actions (though recent brain research reveals that this connection will continue to
develop into early adulthood).

Development is Plastic

Plasticity denotes intrapersonal variability and focuses heavily on the potentials and
limits of the nature of human development. The notion of plasticity emphasizes that there
are many possible developmental outcomes and that the nature of human development
is much more open and pluralistic than originally implied by traditional views; there is no
single pathway that must be taken in an individual’s development across the lifespan.
Plasticity is imperative to current research because the potential for intervention is
derived from the notion of plasticity in development. Undesired development or
behaviors could potentially be prevented or changed.

Development is Contextual

In Baltes’ theory, the paradigm of contextualism refers to the idea that three systems of
biological and environmental influences work together to influence development.
Development occurs in context and varies from person to person, depending on factors
such as a person’s biology, family, school, church, profession, nationality, and ethnicity.
Baltes identified three types of influences that operate throughout the life course:
normative age-graded influences, normative historygraded influences, and
nonnormative influences. Baltes wrote that these three influences operate throughout
the life course, their effects accumulate with time, and, as a dynamic package, they are
responsible for how lives develop.

Normative age-graded influences are those biological and environmental factors that
have a strong correlation with chronological age, such as puberty or menopause, or age-
based social practices such as beginning school or entering retirement.

Normative history-graded influences are associated with a specific time period that
defines the broader environmental and cultural context in which an individual develops.
For example, development and identity are influenced by historical events of the people
who experience them, such as the Great Depression, WWII, Vietnam, the Cold War, the
War on Terror, or advances in technology.

Nonnormative influences are unpredictable and not tied to a certain

18
MODULE 1
Midterm Coverage CHILDHOOD &
JOURNEYS IN
ADOLESCENCE:
DEVELOPMENT

developmental time in a person’s development or to a historical period. They are the

unique experiences of an individual, whether biological or environmental, that shape the
development process. These could include milestones like earning a master’s degree or
getting a certain job offer or other events like going through a divorce or coping with the
death of a child.

Development is Multidisciplinary

Any single discipline’s account of development across the lifespan would not be able to
express all aspects of this theoretical framework. That is why it is suggested explicitly by
lifespan researchers that a combination of disciplines is necessary to understand
development.
Psychologists, sociologists, neuroscientists, anthropologists, educators, economists,
historians, medical researchers, and others may all be interested and involved in
research related to the normative age-graded, normative history-graded, and
nonnormative influences that help shape development. Many disciplines are able to
contribute important concepts that integrate knowledge, which may ultimately result in
the formation of a new and enriched understanding of development across the lifespan.

Development Involves Growth, Maintenance, and Regulation of Loss

Baltes and his colleagues (2006) assert that the mastery of life often involves conflicts
and competition among three goals of human development: growth, maintenance, and
regulation of loss. As individuals age into middle and late adulthood, the maintenance
and regulation of loss in their capacities takes center stage away from growth. Thus, a
75-year-old man might aim not to improve his memory or his golf swing but to maintain
his independence and his ability to play golf at all.

Now that you have read and

understood the two approaches to human

development, please do the
learning activities that follow.
If you have questions regarding
the activity, you may visit
Our Google class with this code _______.
Please accomplish the activities within the week, but if you have unstable internet
connection, you are given another week to accomplish the task.

19
MODULE 1
Midterm Coverage CHILDHOOD &
JOURNEYS IN
ADOLESCENCE:
DEVELOPMENT

Learning Activities

Direction: Answer the following questions (Corpuz, et al., 2018):

1. Explain the line, “Growth is an evidence of life.”

_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

2. Define development in your own words. Translate the meaning of

development in Filipino and in your local dialect.

_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

3. State 3 major principles of human development from a life-span perspective.

Give at least one application of each principle in the teaching-learning
process. What have these principles to do with you as you teach learners?

_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

4. In the light of researches on human development, which of the two

approaches is closer to the truth, traditional or life span? Why?

_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

20
MODULE 1
Midterm Coverage CHILDHOOD &
JOURNEYS IN
ADOLESCENCE:
DEVELOPMENT

_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

GREAT! Congratulations for

completing the task on time.
If you have not completed the
task or have a difficulty accomplishing such,
please message me in our Google
classroom or give me a text or call in the
mobile number provided in this module.
You’re almost there!
Brace yourself.

Assessment

A. Direction: Below are the principles of child development and learning

that inform developmentally appropriate practice according to
the National Association for the Education of Young
Children (NAEYC), 2009, USA. They affirm the characteristics of life-
span development approach we just discussed. Find out which
one is a restatement of the principles of human development
by stating the characteristic of human development from life-
span perspective in the second column (Corpuz, et al., 2018).
Principles of Human Development Characteristic of Human
(NAEYC, 2009) Development from Life-span
Perspective
1. Domains of children’s development-
physical, social, emotional, and
cognitive--are closely related.
2. Development occurs in a relatively

21
MODULE 1
Midterm Coverage CHILDHOOD &
JOURNEYS IN
ADOLESCENCE:
DEVELOPMENT

orderly sequence, with later abilities,

skills, and knowledge building on
those already acquired.
3. Development proceeds at varying rates
from child to child as well as unevenly
within different areas of each child’s
functioning.
4. Early experiences have both cumulative
and delayed effects on individual
children’s development; optimal
periods exist for certain types of
development and learning.
5. Development proceeds in predictable
directions toward greater complexity,
organization, and internalization.
6. Development and learning occur in and
are influenced by multiple social and
cultural contexts.
7. Children are active learners, drawing on
direct physical and social experience
as well as culturally transmitted
knowledge to construct their own
understandings of the world around
them.
8. Development and learning result from
interaction of biological maturation and
the environment, which includes both
the physical and social worlds that
children live in.

9. Play is an important vehicle for

children’s social, emotional, and
cognitive development, as well as a
reflection of their development.
10. Development advances when children
have opportunities to practice newly
acquired skills as well as when they
experience a challenge just beyond
the level of their present mastery.
11. Children demonstrate different modes
of knowing and learning and different
ways of representing what they know.
12. Children develop and learn best in the
context of a community where they
are safe and valued, their physical

22
MODULE 1
Midterm Coverage CHILDHOOD &
JOURNEYS IN
ADOLESCENCE:
DEVELOPMENT

needs are met, and they feel

psychologically secure.

B. Direction: Watch a Youtube video of Helen Pearson: Lessons from the

Longest
Study on Human Development. Or, you may click this link to access the
video https://youtu.be/8Dv2Hdf5TRg. Then, fill out the matrix given below
(Corpuz, et al., 2018).

Problem Research Methodology

Findings Conclusions

Congratulations for completing Unit 2! You did great! If you have questions or
clarifications, please don’t hesitate to message me in our Google classroom, or you may
send me a text message in the contact number I provided in this module.
Please write honestly your insights and thoughts
about the completion of
this unit on the space provided for this purpose.
You are now ready to learn Unit
III. Enjoy learning.

23
MODULE 1
Midterm Coverage CHILDHOOD &
JOURNEYS IN
ADOLESCENCE:
DEVELOPMENT

24