Whatis development? How is it different from growth and maturation?
Development is the pattern of progressive, orderly and predictable changes that originate at conception and continue to take place throughout an individual’s life. It is different from growth and maturation by the following features:
| Growth | Development | ||
| 1. | Growth refers to an increase in the size of body parts or of the organism as a whole. | i. | Development on the other hand refers to a larger process, which is in terms of growth and maturation both. |
| 2. | Growth is measurable and quantified. | ii. | Development is not always measurable and quantified. |
| 3. | Any change that does not lead to the decline in age is considered as growth. | iii. | The change that leads to decline such as in old age is also considered as development. |
| Maturation | Development | ||
| 1. | Maturation refers to the changes that follow an orderly sequence. | i. | Development does not necessarily refer to orderly sequence. |
| 2. | Maturation is largely dictated by the genetic blueprint which produces commonalities in the growth. | ii. | Development need not to be identified with genetic changes and growth. |