Category: Human Development

Human Growth and Development Essay

Humans go through the different steps throughout their life; they will change and develop. These development changes can be organized into 4 sections: physical, intellectual, emotional and social. Throughout my work I will be showing the differences between each life stage.

Infant

0-2 Months

They wouldn’t be able to lift their own head. They can respond to sounds by moving their head to the direction of the sound. They cannot see clearly yet. As well as that their only way of communicating is by crying, when they do this, it usually means they want something. As well as that they can only see black and white. They will be very emotional at this point, which is why they usually smile so much and cry so much. They wouldn’t be very smart which is the reason why parents are so important. For example, you need to make sure that they don’t have any sharp objects nearby. They will not be very clever; this is due to their brain not being fully developed and they haven’t really learned anything. This is why for parents looking after their children they can have maternity leave because it is very stressful.

6-7 Months

At this point they can rollover, sit up, reach for objects, see color and respond to their own name. At this stage they are a lot more active and can move more freely for example they are able might be able to crawl. They are more independent. They will still cry when they want something they might be happy when engaging in social interaction. They will be a bit smarter for example understand games like peek-a-boo. They will also be happy to communicate with people more, for example, if you are playing a game, they will smile a lot. They will want more attention as well. At this stage you will noticeably see the excitement in which they get from seeing parents.

8-12 Months

Throughout this age range the child can usually crawl, pull himself up to stand, walk holding onto furniture and maybe say ‘dadda’ and ‘momma’, also they will start teething. They will become a lot more independent and will become taller and have growth spurts regularly. They will become less emotional as they are not as dependent on parents, this is due to being more mobile. However, they will mumble a lot to try to figure out how to talk.

They will be fast learning for example learning how to open a drink due to mimicking parents. They will however not be very safe as they are not very aware of danger yet. This shows that in some areas you could class them as being quite clever however in other areas they are not clever. They will constantly babble and crawl to parents so they wont to be social. They will cry if not picked up because they want to be close to parents.

1-2 Years

While at this stage the infant can walk independently, jump, carry toys while walking. They can also run, kick a ball, climb on/off furniture, walk up/down stairs using support. Furthermore, they can scribble, form basic sentences, recognize shapes and colors also they are usually more dependent. They will be quite challenging as they are becoming more defiant. They will also smart to smile at familiar faces. When strangers make contact with them, they will usually be quite shy. Start forming basic sentences. They will be able to develop fine motor skills and problem solving to a higher degree.

Early Childhood

Years 3-4

To start with at this stage, they are a lot more independent. The reason being that they can go to the toilet/ potty by their self. As well as that they are at school, this means that they are not with the parents. You can see the difference at this point with their height as they will be a lot taller. They will have better coordination at this age for example riding a bike with stabilizers. They will start to form friendships. Also, they will be able to control emotions more. They will be more open with their wants. As they’re at school they can start to solve problems easier and will start to learn to write and use a pencil. As well as that they will start drawing more. They will form friendships at school due to playing with them. Could start to form relationships with activities outside of school as well.

Years 5-6

At this age they will be quite confident in active movements. They should be able to write and draw in a controlled manner. Also, they should be learning to color in within the lines and catch a medium sized balls. The child will have a much better control over displaying emotions. You will see less outburst of anger, there is an increase in patience. Being more involved with the world might lead to more fears. A vast improvement in hand and eye coordination and they will start with things like puzzles. They will also be more imaginative with play. They would be better at the subjects they are learning at school. A wider circle of friends would be clear to see they may start to go to things like youth clubs.

Years 7-10

At this point they will be a lot more independent as they will start to have found an interest for example football. They will be doing a lot more work at school as well. As well as that they will be significantly taller as the months go by. They will also be more emotionally attached with friends. More emotional over school work preparing for SATS. As well as that will start to form better motor skills for example better handwriting. Also they will have a lot of skills in which they will work on and develop. Also, they will start to apply logic and reasoning to events. They will also have many friends and will not be as shy meeting someone new.

Adolescence

Years 12-15

At this point they will be in full time school. While at school they will usually try to push the boundaries and rules. They will be strongly influenced by friends and will probably be going through puberty. Their height will rocket up. Throughout this stage you may see a lot of emotions displayed by the adolescent, they will have mood swings, they may also be quite depressed. They will be going through a lot of changes in their body, for example the start of periods and the growth of pubic hair. Their work will be a lot more difficult so they will develop skills more. This will usually be the time in which they mature as they don’t have as much time to play around. At this point they have a set friend group. They may start to develop a sexual orientation. They may have relationships as well.

Years 16-17

Most of the physical changes have taken place so now they will have a fixed height for a while. There will be a lot of stress due to work and start of adulthood. Have a good grip on their emotions and when to display them. May become more emotional due to pressure from parents. A big development on previous skills will be made. They may know the course of their life in more depth. Social groups may decline in numbers as people advance in different pathways. They may go out more as there is more social opportunities.

Adulthood

Early Adulthood (Years 18-29)

Their physical body is fully developed, however new things like grey hairs will start to develop. There is usually a gain/loss of weight. There facial hair may also start thickening. Emotions will fluctuate for example starting first job would be a happy event, on the other hand, breaking up with long term relationships would be a depressing time. If having a baby, the emotions would most likely change rapidly. They may learn new things through their life but not as rapidly as school. They will gain new colleagues due to job, however may lose connections will older friends.

Middle Adulthood (Years 30-60)

Through this life stage wrinkles will be more prominent and skin will start to lose elasticity. They may start to lose hair and remaining hair turning grey. Women may go through the menopause and men will start to feel less sexually aroused due to hormones changing. They are more emotionally stable due to permanent income of job. Women may have mood swings due to the menopause. No significant learning would take place at this age (usually). However, some people at this age may still read so may learn little things. Also, they usually have established friends. May have more of a social life due to no longer looking after children. They may have more friends due to this.

Later Adulthood (Years 60+)

They may have lost all or mostly all hair. They will start to have growth of hair in nostrils and ears. Many people will have physical disabilities, also the skeleton may start to shrink in size. There is a roller coaster of emotions. For example, loss of partner causing depression and sadness, on the other hand relaxation due to retirement. Also, they may become grandparents. At this age things like dementia and Alzheimer’s are more prominent, which causes the loss of intellect. Social circle may decrease as times goes by due to friends passing away. But may meet new people due to going to a day centre or care home. As you will see at this age whether that be at a care home the people within this age range may be more understanding of the process of dying due to being older. You will see emotions like depression due to this, however you may also see them being happy due to using money to have fun. They will usually spend a lot of money, because of the savings over the years. Also, they will usually reflect on their life at this stage so they may try to put things right.

So, as we can see, people go through various stages of development and undergo various changes throughout their lives.

Human Development from a Biological, Cognitive and Psychosocial Perspective

Actual chronological age is only a relative indicator of the developmental stage of someone’s physical, cognitive and psychosocial. However, as unique as everyone is, some typical trends in development have been identified throughout the life cycle as milestones of normal progression. It is imperative to examine the developmental phases when dealing with the teaching and learning process as individuals progress from infancy to senescence in order to fully appreciate the behavioral changes occurring in the cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains.

Our journey through life is more than biological, as much as they are affected by physical change. They are colored by culture, history, economic and political realities. Although many of these changes are normal and expected, they may still present challenges that sometimes require help to manage. Developmental psychologists often use a number of theories to focus on various aspects of human development. For example, someone evaluating a child’s intellectual development might consider the cognitive development theory of Piaget, which outlined the key stages that children are going through as they learn. The theory of psychosocial development by Erik Erikson and the theory of sociocultural development by Vygotsky are two popular theoretical frameworks that address the social influences on the process of development.

Biological Approach

How much do our genes define how we grow and learn, and how much does the environment have to do with it? It is known to many that parents contribute genes that directly influence development, and how these genes affect the child, is determined by his environment. Our parents are a crucial part of this environment. We know from many studies that the child’s genetic makeup strongly influences most aspects of human growth and development. “With the advent of technology, earlier information provided through rudimentary scientific methods and intuition can now be supported by data and research findings” (Nagel, 13). For example, poor nutrition can stun height, and poverty can limit your learning abilities. Genes provide the material code for all biological structures and processes to develop and function, but the code is neither prescriptive nor unique.

Many factors come into play that can produce significant differences such as family size, socioeconomic status, culture, religion and educational level. Building the foundation is important for the childhood years because they will set the stage for the individual to prolong the development of important life skills. A time of rapid and dramatic change is the embryonic period. The embryo acquires the cell lines needed to generate all of the body’s organ systems within a matter of a few weeks; it undergoes rapid growth and develops its characteristic form. Interactive processes are essential even during this very early period to guide the organism’s developmental course. My mother ran track, cross country, and was a cheerleader. She took very good care of her body and because of this, as well as monitoring her nutrition, I was born healthy. Usually, those who learn better are those with a secure family system and a highly encouraging environment. An environment in which they can make mistakes and learn without judgement from them. Biological factors, such as genes, hormones and the brain all have a major impact on human behavior, such as age and gender. The biological approach believes that most behaviors are inherited and have a function that is adaptive (or evolutionary).

The brain develops through a dynamic interaction of the underlying biological processes and environmental exposures of experiences. At conception, this process begins and continues throughout life. The brain develops rapidly and fundamentally during the early years of a child, and neuronal connections are strengthened. Because of this, early childhood is a window of both high risk of disruption vulnerability and high potential for positive developmental influences impact.

Cognitive Approach

Jean Piaget looked form a biological angle at the concept of cognitive development. To him, the key principles of the human intellect and growth are adaptation and organization. He argued that people are always striving to have a balance in their minds. Adaptation occurs when the child experiences cognitive impairment, that is, what the child sees the world as expected and what he or she is going through. From a newborn baby to an eleven-year-old child, both inherited genes (nature) and experiences that occur throughout our lives (nurture) affect cognitive development. Human brain development plays a key role in life long living, learning, and other skills needed. What makes us all individuals is the cognitive understanding and interpretation of information from our brain. Children with insomniac mothers don’t sleep as long or as deeply, but paternal insomnia doesn’t seem to have the same effect. “As the child assimilates an event in the environment, structure is given to that environment. Accommodation occurs as change is made in structure based on what is actually known from the experience. Without accommodating, the child’s view of the world would never evolve” (Ginsberg & Opper, 1979).

Young kids learn language at an amazing pace. Children are biased in listening to speech from birth. Comprehending how infants master language so quickly is a challenge. Despite the fact that language learning depends on social interactions. My mother sang to me in English and in Spanish while I was in her womb. By the age of four years old, I was bilingual! The causes of good, normal development as well as illness, disabilities and developmental issues are best viewed in many or even most cases as an interplay between genes and environment. While the genetic makeup of a child has an impact on how strongly some environmental influences can shape whether genes are turned on or off.

Young adult thinking, especially in the early twenties of a person, is similar in many ways to adolescent thinking. Many young people see life from an idealistic point of view, in which marriage is a fairy tale in which lovers live happily, political leaders never lie or distort the truth, and salespeople always have in mind the best interests of consumers. People in their twenties have not always had the benefit of multiple life experiences, so from a naively trusting and black-or-white perspective they can still see the world. As with most, if not all humans, my heart was broken at the tender age of 26. My first true love.

Psychosocial Approach

According to Erikson, the stage of trust versus mistrust is the most important period in a person’s life because it forms both our view of the world and our personalities. When a child develops these early relationships, weeping plays an important role in establishing the bond between the caregiver and the child. An infant who can trust the mother or father or meet their needs will take a basic sense of confidence in the world (to meet their needs) in this stage. A sense of confidence aids in understanding boundaries and limits. The failure to complete this stage can lead to a lack of trust and therefore a sense of fear about the inconsistent world. AN example of trust versus mistrust is when a child’s mother leaves the room for a short amount of time and the child does not cry. The need for love, affection, warmth and food for the child is met. To build sense of trust, parental continuity and responsiveness are important.

For instance, biological psychologists believe that dopamine (a neurotransmitter) levels affect schizophrenia. As a child, when my parents would leave me with a babysitter, I would immediately tear up. This is an example of Erikson’s first stage of trust versus mistrust. I was very attached to my parents, and felt very secure with them because of the consistent love I received at home. With the babysitter, I was anxious because I wasn’t familiar with them. Now gender is a little more complicated. Gender refers to the anatomical sex or sexual assignment of an individual, as well as the cultural and social aspects of being male or female. The personal sense of maleness or femininity of an individual is his or her gender identity. According to cultural and social expectations, the outward expression of gender identity is a gender role. “Culturally shared values about emotion are transmitted in the form of display rules, which are culturally shared norms that dictate how, when, and where we should interpret, experience, and communicate our emotional experiences”.

Gender identity seems to be forming very early in life and is most likely to be irreversible by age four. While the exact cause of gender identity remains unknown, the process is clearly influenced by biological, psychological, and social variables. Genetics, prenatal and postnatal hormones, brain and reproductive differences, and socialization all interact to shape the gender identity of a child. Ultimately, the differences brought about by physiological processes interact with influences of social learning to establish a clear identity of gender. Starting at birth, most parents treat their children as their genitals appear. Parents are even less aggressive about their baby girls than their baby boys. Children quickly develop a clear understanding that they are either female or male, as well as a strong desire to adopt manners and behaviors that are appropriate for gender. According to many authorities, this understanding normally takes place within 2 years of age. My mother taught me to sew, cook, clean the house, all roles typically given to a female.

Confusing gender identity and sexual identity often leads people to make inaccurate assumptions about others that may affect how well we understand and communicate with others. For example, if the gender expression of myself is different from what people expect, it is often assumed that someone is gay or lesbian. Like men working as hairdressers or women working as mechanics.

Conclusion

There are over seven billion people living on earth, all with different characteristics. Name, age, nationality, socioeconomic status and more. But it is the combination of these identities that makes all human beings unique and complex. Human development is a complex process of lifelong development that begins when a person is in their mother’s womb and extends to death. Each person moves from infancy, childhood, and adulthood through similar stages of life as they age and move. However, each person in this world has their own personal development with individuality, process of thinking and life as they are exposed to different environmental and biological experiences. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, a now, 32-year-old Hispanic and African American woman. I was a the oldest of two who grew up in a home where both my father and mother were my providers. My mother had two separate jobs to provide the family’s basic needs, as well as my father, and my aunts and grandmother became our primary caretakers. While my parents had been working for long hours, they showed interest, care, and concern for the well-being of us both. They took the time to check in when we were at home, and when they were at work, they communicated daily by telephone. This connection helped us all to feel more connected.

The Importance of Human Development

People experience plenty of changes over the period of their lives. So, what is the meaning of human development? The definition of human development is the process of expansion of human’s potential, an increase of choices and opportunities and fulfillment of human rights. Human development also describes as the growth of humans throughout their lifespan, from conception to death. Changes are ordinary and expected, and yet people still able to pose challenges that need sometimes and extra assistance to manage it. So, what is the reason for humans develop? Nature has built a considerable amount of flexibility, or plasticity, into the developmental process. This gave humans an exceptional ability to adapt to new environmental influences. The adaptive relevance of developmental in mind as humans consider how efficient they solve the problems associated with developing physically, intellectually and socially. Another reason is that human development is the process of growing maturity. Further improvement and development continue after birth and includes physical and mental development, which impacted by the genetic, hormone, environmental and other variables. Physical changes are the procedure of growth and able to determine the ultimate outcome. The majority of the physical changes are exceptionally reliable and predictable. Human lift our heads before the crawl. When all said in done, the timing of development is a result of evolutionary history and somewhat reflects the survival matters that human species have been required to solve. I was told by my mother my weight during infancy was 10 pounds. I am in the stage of growth during infancy at that time. In general, newborn baby’s weight is about 7 pounds and 20 inches in length. Following 2 years, a newborn baby will start to develop from infant to toddlerhood. Toddlerhood will reach about half of their parental figure height. Along with the rest of the body, toddlerhood’s brain continues the impressive outburst during this stage. Toddlerhood’s brain would expand to 75% from 25% of their final weight during infancy. The increased size of the brain is not due primarily to form new neurons but makes up the cerebral cortex in place well before birth. I remember that when I was 6, I growth in height and my weight was increased. I like drawing and spend all my time drawing everything. During the early childhood stage, children’s growth is predictable. Another study of students and researchers discovered that although children in this age have been weaned, they still remain dependent on adult support. Early childhood is the time for children to develop basic movement skills and testing oneself physically in a different environment. When I was 12 years old, I noticed that my body change slightly. My voice became deeper and the reproductive system has a brief growth spurt compared to when I was at the age of 10. I do not dare to tell my parents about this because I do not have the knowledge about maturing sexually. I am in the toddlerhood to adolescence stage during that time. From the outset of toddlerhood through adolescence, the growth rate continues but at a less rapid step. There are more noticeable changes that occur in hand-to-eye coordination as children mature. Three-years-old lack the grace and coordination that so obvious in 6 years old. The brain continues to mature but at a slower pace compared to prenatal development. The end of early childhood and the start of adolescence is an important process in the physical and psychological transition period. During this stage, adolescence growth will spurt and the onset of puberty. Puberty is a period that a person reaches sexual maturity and its potentially capable of reproduction. Puberty stands an important role in development in nature and nurture. Hormones release by the endocrine system rock adolescence out of childhood by provoking a rapid increase in height and weight accompanied by the enlargement and maturation of internal and external sexual organs. Puberty stands an important role in development in nature and nurture.

Human doesn’t create in confinement. Human is social creatures as well and the connections they structure with others influence how they act and view themselves. The changes in the socially would be forming bonds with others. The need for early attachments is so critical that researchers commonly argue that bonding behavior is built directly into our nature. For example, the infant lands into the world with a bias to react to the mind and especially to comfort from the caregiver. Newborns imitate the facial expressions of their caregivers. Why human built a form of a strong relationship with each other? A strong relationship can assist humans to guarantee security and survival. A relationship that forms between newborn child and caregiver can be very enormously. Attachment behavior between adult and children are responding sensitively and provide children’s need appropriately. This behavior has appeared in universal across cultures. Human development is one of the significant processes of human life. It relates to the physical, mental, and individual changes that show up in human life. Human development likewise enables people to be able to adjust to another condition.

Explanation of Human Development Using the Theory of Evolution

The theory of evolution can explain human development when examining biological adaptations. To begin, one adaptation that supports human development with regards to evolution is sweat glands. Sweating is a cooling mechanism that ultimately keeps the body’s internal temperature stable. The human skin is naked, has no coat of fur and is sweaty which helps one’s body cool down. The absence of sweating can cause the human body to overheat and die instantly. The humans developed the sweat glands mostly during the time of hunting as it was highly beneficial because it gave humans the ability to run in speed for long distances while animals had to stop and cool off by panting. Humans were able to run for a long period of time because the sweat glands cooled their body by releasing water molecules onto the surface of the skin. Sweating allowed humans to become superior hunters because animals were unable to sweat and while running, animal’s guts would hit their diaphragm causing them to stop and rest. This provides humans an opportunity to strike at the animals first during the hunting journey.

Furthermore, another prominent adaptation that enhances human development is melanin. Melanin provides human skin with pigmentation ranging from various shades. Melanin’s main function is to protect humans from UV rays. Melanin’s adaptation has provided great advantages to human development because the pigmentation was a survival tool to protect individuals from UV rays. UV rays can cause skin damage or cancer but the strong radiation was blocked because melanin acted as a barrier to the sun’s exposure. The dark pigmentation reduced the chances of cancerous formations or skin damage, therefore, humans can live longer and healthier. People who inhabited in the North had to get rid of their melanin due to the reduction in revelation to the sun and vitamin D. The colder climates had less sun exposure causing individuals to absorb less vitamin D, which is vital because it strengthens the immune and bone system.

Lastly, an adaptation that effectively supports human development with regards to evolution is the lactose enzyme. Lactase is a digestive enzyme for lactose, a nourishing combination of milk and sugar. Individuals who had this gene had ancestors who farmed and milked cows, sheep and goats. Humans who never inherited this gene had previous ancestors who lacked access to dairy. For example, the Mongol army was lactose persistent which allowed them to get this adaption whereas, the Jin soldiers ate rich carbohydrates like rice. The Jin army did not have the enzyme, so they carried rice on the horses as their food source during the time of war, which applied a lot of weight and pressure on the horses causing the horses to walk slower. The lactose enzyme was beneficial for the body and during the time of war as the horses were a source of milk while the Europeans travelled to their war destinations. People favored this function because milk and other dairy products like cheese provides protein which gave them long-lasting energy.

In conclusion, the theory of evolution ultimately demonstrates human advancements when analyzing various physical transformations.

Process of Human Development

Have you ever brought a new puppy home and then watched it grow up? You may have noticed it transform from a cute and shy puppy, to a troublemaker, then to a lifelong companion until death. That is the beautiful cycle of life development. Just like dogs, humans go through different developmental stages in their life as well. Each of these stages involve different physical and emotional characteristics, which humans usually develop at similar rates. The four main stages of human life include infancy, childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Learning this continuous life process is essential in order to become a nurse because without it, I would not know how to treat patients specific to their age and point of development, and it would be impossible for me to teach others about how the growth process works.

The first stage of human development is infancy, the first year of life. During this first year, babies must rely on and trust others to meet their needs. Developmental psychologist Erik Erikson describes this as the trust vs. mistrust stage. In order to develop both physically and emotionally, they must feel this sense of security and bond with their parents. Like a new puppy, an infant needs a lot of love, attention and care. As you meet their needs, they are guaranteed to trust you and healthily develop. However, a lack of this will lead to mistrust and possible issues with development later in life.

Moving on to the next stage of human life, childhood occurs when children start to seek independence. Throughout this stage, children develop decision-making skills and learn that the actions they make have consequences. They also develop a sense of self and confidence, which helps them to achieve their goals. The childhood stage can be broken down into 2 secondary stages: early childhood and middle childhood. Early childhood, often ages 2 to 5, is where the toilet training and exploration begins. According to Erikson, children in this stage experience autonomy vs. shame and doubt (personal control and independence) and initiative vs. guilt (control and power over their environment). Whereas middle childhood, ages 6-11, experience industry vs. inferiority, where school begins, and they start to adjust to new social environments.

Along with beginning to develop a sense of independence, children move on to the next developmental stage of adolescence. Between the ages of 12-18 years old, children and teenagers are primarily concerned with finding a sense of identity and expressing who they are. Going back to Erikson’s psychosocial stages, identity vs. role confusion is the basic conflict during this stage of development, as they are figuring out who they are and what purpose they have in this world. Puberty also occurs most commonly during this stage, as physical attributes like body/facial hair, body odor, and changes in growth come about. Compared to all four basic stages of life, adolescence is considered to be the most confusing and stressful. While adolescents are learning to adapt to their new changing bodies, they are also trying different things like clothing choices, hairstyles and hobbies, in order to discover what they’re most comfortable with. In addition, you will notice a change in behavior from the young adolescent. The once sweet and innocent kid has now changed into a rebellious and sassy teenager, ready to make their independent mark on the world.

Finally, the last stage to complete the cycle of human life is adulthood, ages 19 to death. Throughout this stage, our physical bodies and emotional well-being continue to change, and we continue to learn and grow from experiences. Yet, there is more life challenges such as career, school and personal life, during this stage. Similar to childhood, this stage can also be broken down into three substages: early adulthood, middle adulthood and late adulthood. Deciding where you want to live, work and become romantically involved with are among the few emotional changes associated with early adulthood – ages 19 to 40. Intimacy vs. isolation is the main conflict of this stage due to the need of intimate and loving relationships for young adults. After finding love and building nurturing relationships, adults (40-65 years) then transition to middle adulthood and experience more physical changes than emotional through the generativity vs. stagnation stage. They have children and continue to work, while aging drastically through wrinkles, gray hair and slight weight gain. The ultimate stage of life – late adulthood, focuses on ego integrity vs. despair or their reflection on life. This is where you’ll find older adults feeling a sense of fulfillment and passing down their wisdom to their children and grandchildren. They usually live the rest of their days feeling grateful for the life they’ve lived until death.

In the end, learning about the stages of human life is a necessity for me as a nursing major in order to know how to treat and comfort each patient. Just like a new puppy, humans go through various developmental life stages and experience both physical and emotional changes. Though a predictable and similarly developed process among everyone, each patient develops in their own unique ways. Learning about this lifelong process helps me and other future nursing students to make generalizations about the different stages, comfortably treat patients and give information about how to react to each stage to patients, new and aging parents, older adults and more.

Life-Span Perspective of Human Development: Essay

The study of how people change and develop can be defined as human development. Many researchers explain that human development has a strong theoretical foundation and research background. In my opinion, one theory cannot fully explain the development of an adult, so we need to look at it from the life-span perspective.

According to Kail and Cavanaugh (2017), development can only be fully understood when viewed as a life-long process and all factors are considered holistically. Louw and Louw (2019) write that a perspective that can help us understand the importance of taking a holistic approach to development is the life-span perspective. According to the life-span perspective, development is lifelong, multidirectional, multidimensional, plastic, contextual, and multidisciplinary.

Bates et al. (2006) explain that being multidirectional means that during every developmental stage of life a person develops and improves in certain areas while declining and losing in other areas. Louw and Louw (2019) write that development being multidimensional refers to the dynamic interaction of factors such as biological, socioemotional, and cognitive. Baltes et al., (2006) explain that development being multidimensional means that development occurs in many different dimensions, including physiological, cognitive, and emotional dimensions. They explain that the dynamic and complex interaction of each of these dimensions is what influences a person’s overall development. Louw and Louw (2019) write that plasticity refers to the ability to change. They explain that many aspects, characteristics, and skills of a person are malleable or changeable, and experiences at any stage of development can lead to a change in the person’s development. Kail and Cavanaugh (2017) explain that with training and practice, many skills and abilities of an individual can be improved, and thus one’s capacity to grow and develop is not predetermined. Baltes et al. (2006) write that development is influenced by contextual factors, which means that every person develops through experiencing a certain set of circumstances. Bronfenbrenner (1979) writes that a person’s development is influenced by biological, social, and environmental factors that intertwine and interact together to influence a person’s development. He explains that historical, economic, social, and cultural factors influence the individual’s microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, and macrosystem. How these factors interact with the individual is vital for understanding development. Louw and Louw (2019) write that in order to understand the development entirely it is vital to view it as multidisciplinary. They explain that this means that human development is influenced by various factors, disciplines, and forces. Kail and Cavanaugh (2017) explain that four different forces influence and play a role in a person’s development: biological, psychological, sociocultural, and life-cycle forces. Baltes et al. (2006) explain that biological forces include all biological, physical, and physiological factors that affect development. They explain that psychological forces include all the internal cognitive, perceptual, emotional, and personality factors that affect a person’s development. Sociocultural forces include all cultural, societal, interpersonal, and ethnic factors that affect an individual’s development. Louw and Louw (2019) write that life-cycle forces reflect how a specific event or the combination of biological, psychological, and sociocultural forces affect people at different stages of their lives. They explain that it is vital to understand that all four forces of development interact and influence development. Therefore it is essential to have a holistic approach to human development, as it can only be fully understood when viewing it as being life-long, multidimensional, multidirectional, plastic, contextual, and multidisciplined.

According to the life-span perspective, as we now know, development is influenced by our experiences, issues, and forces. During high school, I was a shy and quiet student with low self-esteem. Today though, I am a confident, outgoing, and talkative individual. When looking back at experiences that could have influenced this development, my year-long trip to Israel as a gap year stands out. Kail and Cavanaugh (2017) write that learning about yourself and your abilities and skills, as well as becoming independent, can significantly improve a person’s self-esteem and confidence. This can explain my developmental change and character change throughout the year. While in Israel, I introspected and did numerous self-growth activities. I also had to look after myself and be independent as I had no one looking after me throughout the year, which caused me to become confident in using my skills and strengths to look after myself. Throughout my year in Israel and when I became a student at SACAP, I was exposed to and introduced to many new people with diverse backgrounds and different ideas. I made a significant effort to meet as many people as possible and to engage actively in lectures. The result was that I learned to overcome my shyness and low self-esteem, which Shimizu, Nakashima, and Morinaga (2018) report as having adverse effects on building friendships and relationships. By overcoming these negative attributes, I have developed into a more confident and outgoing individual. I was born into a Jewish household which significantly influenced my development as being Jewish is considered a sociocultural and psychological force. I went to a Jewish school where I only met Jewish individuals, learned Jewish laws and texts, and kept all the Jewish festivals and events. As a result, my entire development was influenced by my religion and the Jewish cultural context as the way I think and behave are according to Jewish law and rulings.

Overall, this essay has shown that development needs to be viewed holistically as it is a lifelong process that is influenced by numerous factors and forces. Therefore, no single theory can be used in isolation to explain adult development fully. However, by taking all theories into account and looking at development as life-long, multidirectional, multidimensional, plastic, contextual, and multidisciplined like the life-span perspective does, one can have a better understanding of the development process.