Huamn Development
Huamn Development
Development refers to changes in the physical structures and cognitive, social and
psychological processes that take place within an individual, and which lead the individual
from one stage to another
Developmental stage
When I became an adolescent there was a developmental stage
When development takes place as a stage
Development is Multidimensional
1. Physical development - body parts, motor, sensory and body systems, health.
3. Emotional development - trust, love, security, affection, the concept of self, feelings of
autonomy.
Nature theory
People behave as they do according to genetic predisposition
Nurture theory
People thing and behave in certain way because they are taught to do so due to
environment.
What is DNA?
(deoxyribonucleic) is a bimolecular that holds the blueprint for how living organisms are
built.
DND is an organism which lives in us
What is Genetics
Refers to all that I have got from my parents
Psychological Theories
Developmental Theories: guiding principles and concepts that describe and explain
human development, focus on the formation of a specific quality
Questions:
It helps to understand our personality traits. To be able to know that what we get from our
parents contribute to who we are.
It helps us also to appreciate who we are.
Type of Theories
a. Grand/major: are those comprehensive ideas propose by major thinkers such as Sigmund
Freud, Eric Erickson, Joa Pijet,
b. Mini Theories: these are small by very specific theories about a particular issue of human
development: they explain narrow behaviours e.g. self-esteem, socialization
Developmental Theories
Which provide a frame work for thinking about human growth, development and learning.
They provide a set of guiding principles and concepts that describe and explain human
development.
Defense Mechanism
The ego pushes us to have defense mechanism especially our wrong doing or to reduce our
anxiety.
Without defense mechanism, Freud believed that the person with conflicting personality
components would be under so much stress that they develop mental illness or kill the
themselves.
Oral - 0-18 months - Erroneous Zone- mouth - Consequences of fixation - oral fixation -
passive dependence/excessive smoking or drinking
Anal - 18-36 - months - Erroneous Zone - bowl and blander elimination - Consequences -
reckless, careless, defiant, disorganized
Phallic - 3-6 - Erroneous Zone - genitals - Consequences - Oedipus complex - for boys
Electra complex - for the girls
Genital puberty & beyond - Erroneous Zone - Sexual interests mature - Consequences -
impotence, unsatisfactory relationships, Frigidity for women/ feeling sexual pain
According to Erikson every person must pass through a series of eight interrelated stages:
2. 2yrs - Autonomy/Doubt
4. 6 - puberty - Industry/inferiority
5. Adolescence - Identity/Confusion
Jean
Swiss psychologist - for him when we are born we are born with cognitive structures.
He observed his children
Children looks, observes and see what is around and interacting with the world.
Functional Invariants
Cognitive Structures: Basic tools of cognitive development
Psychological Mechanisms of adaptation and organization
Adaptation consists of assimilation and accommodation
Assimilation - assimilate something/in corporate/take it in i.e. cooperate objects, concepts
into mental structure
Change as a result of assimilation i.e. accommodation
We change what we take in and we change by it
Four stages
9. Sensorimotor stage: from birth to 2 yrs- using their senses to manipulate an object
acquiring sensory knowledge.
They use their 5 senses: touching, smell, taste, hearing
10. Preoperational stage: 2-7 yrs - kids play hide and seek game - helping the child to create
or build simple concepts.
11. Concrete operation stage: 7-11 yrs - in this stage, the child has developed abstract
concepts, and thinking logically.
Developmental Stages:
African Perspective
Infancy Period:
2. Initiation period:
It may be up to 2 yrs before the child is weaned and generally there are no rituals
Period of physical, emotional and psychological changes
Movement from childhood to adolescence
Initiation ceremonies; circumcision for boys and clitoridectomy (viewed as abusive of
human rights)
Painful operation and one is considered as a child without it no matter old
Meaning of initiation
A bond is created by shedding blood - bond between the person the land, departed persons
and society