Human growth and development is a type of process which includes the development of the human both physically and emotionally. This is essential for the reason that when effective growth is present then automatically it will include the development of the person. Human growth and development can also be stated as the examination of the human and their development over the lifespan of the person. This includes evaluation of the different elements like the cognitive, emotional and social development of the person (Cascio, Moore and McGlone, 2019). For the successful working of humans and effective management of their lives, the use of different development stages needs to be evaluated. This is about the fact that when the effective stages are analysed then it will improve the overall efficiency of the working. The reason underlying the fact is that when the overall working will be improved then it will be increasing the efficiency of the person and their growth will be improved well.
The current study will outline the different life stages of the human development. In addition to this, the different social, emotional and physical development of the person will be evaluated for effective development. Moreover, the different types of theories relating to human growth and development will be highlighted. Furthermore, the different life events which can occur during every stage of human development will be taking place. In the end, the impact of different life events will be analysed over the individuals and their work.
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LO 1
1.1 Life stages of human development
The life stages are defined as the different stages through which human has to go through while living their life. This is very necessary for the reason that when the life stages will not be followed then this will be affecting the working of the human. This is about the fact that when the working of the person will be by the requirement of stages then they will be in a position to live a better life. Thus, the different stages of the human development are as follows-
Infancy
This is the first stage wherein the individual is born and this stage is continued till 18 months old. Within this stage, the relation of the infant is generally connected with the caregiver only. This is about the fact that they spend major time with their caregiver only (Park and et.al, 2020). This is the stage within which the infant tries to learn to trust or mistrust. This is particularly because of the reason that when the infant cries out for food and the parents try to give them food and make them comfortable then the infant is in a position to trust the parent. Thus, when the need of the infant is satisfied then they try to learn that relying on others is much safer and their need will be met easily and efficiently. On the other hand, when the needs of the infant will be unmet then it will impact the infant and they will be less trusting towards others.
Toddlerhood
This is the early childhood stage within this duration is from 18 months till the age of 3. Within this stage, the toddler is in a position to learn independently and learn new things. Within this stage, it is the responsibility of the caregivers or the parents that they ask them to become independent (Mohamed, 2020). This is necessary for reason that when the caregivers support the toddlers in exploring the world on their own then this will build their confidence and as a result, the toddlers will grow with a sense of self-efficacy. On the other hand, in case the toddler is not provided with a better learning environment then the toddler will not be in a position to be independent. In addition to this when toddlers are more scolded they might develop feelings of shame or self-doubt within the toddler and it will impact their work and development as well.
Preschool years
This category of the human life stage includes children belonging to the age group of 3 to 5. Within this stage, the major development is related to learning to assert themselves and try to speak when they are required anything. If during the current stage, the caregivers or parents try to encourage them to conduct all work on their own then they will grow as better individuals and have a better purpose in their lives.
Early school years
This stage includes the individual who belongs to the age category of 5 to 12. Within this stage, the child starts going to school and here they start comparing themselves with others as well. This is the stage within which the person becomes self-aware and the social and emotional development starts taking place. In case the child is not managed in this stage effectively then it will impact the child and as a result, the feeling of inferiority and failure will be increased (Robertson and et.al, 2019).
This is a stage which is generally turbulent and is between the ages of 12 to 18. This is the stage where the person is experiencing the crisis of Identity. This is particularly because of the reason that the teenager is outlining different ways for pursuing their future. Thus, this age requires investment within social connections so that work can be managed easily and new things can be learnt. This is the stage wherein the identity crisis is originated and a sense of self is developed along with setting up stronger goals and increasing self-knowledge. Here the adolescents are deeply dependent on their parents for social interaction and also for some guidance.
Young adulthood
Young adulthood is a stage where in the human belongs to the age of 18 to 40 years. Within this age group, people are typically involved in developing social professional and financial security for themselves and their whole life (What Is Human Development and Why Is It Important? 2023). This is the stage where the person has to decide between intimacy and isolation. The isolation includes people not involving in any personal relationship with any other person. On the other hand, intimacy includes committing relationships or marriages and other relations like friendship and relatives. People try to connect emotionally and maintain good relationships so that they do not feel isolated.
Middle adulthood
The middle adulthood is a stage where it starts at 40 and ends at 65. The major conflict within this stage is the war between stagnation and generativity. Within this stage, there are different struggles which the person faces which might relate to raising the child or pursuing any career or job (Prasetyo, 2020). In case the adult is unhappy within this stage then they will be more resentful and will be contented from their life and Society. On the other hand in case they will be happy and satisfied then they will be productive and positive relating to the community.
Late adulthood
The last stage of Human Development includes late adulthood. This is the category where the person reaches the end of their life as an adult. This stage includes people who are older than the age of 65 and tell the time they die. This is a time when the person reflects and introspects themselves. This is the stage where the person takes time and remembers all the things which they have done during their whole life. Many times they feel proud due to some of the life events which are great for them and helpful in their development. On the other hand, it can also result in some regret and failures because many experiences have made them feel bad.
Hence for the effective working of life, the person must go through all these stages in than effective manual. This is particularly necessary because in any of the stages the person is not well then it can impact their life and the working.
1.2 Social, emotional, cognitive and physical development in each life stage
For the person to develop effectively they must undergo every life stage effectively and enjoy their life. This is particularly necessary because of the reason that within any stage anything can happen and it is crucial for the person to effectively live their life. For every stage, there is a different kind of developments which takes place. Thus, it is very necessary for the person to effectively develop themselves so that they can learn all the new things.
Social development
The social development is referred to as the changes within life which assist the individual to interact with others. It is very necessary for the person that they be socially active as it will help them to work efficiently and live life better. This is very necessary for the reason that when the person lives then they automatically have to interact with others to live a better life. This is crucial because without social interaction no person can live their life better. Thus, within the stage of infants, the social interaction starts. Here the child tends to develop social interaction skills (Jones, McGarrah and Kahn, 2019). When they are hungry they communicate it with the caregivers and they tend to fulfil their needs and become satisfied. Similarly, in every stage of human development, there is a requirement for social development. This is necessary because without social development the person cannot live a better life. Social development tends to increase as the person progresses in the life stages from toddlerhood to adulthood. This includes different types of skills like empathy, moral reasoning, cooperation, building long-term friendships, effective communication and many other different types of skills which are required to maintain good and effective social relations.
Emotionaldevelopment
It is referred to as the ability of the person which help in expressing and recognising the feelings of the person at different types of stages. During the whole process of human development, the emotional development of the person must take place effectively. This emotional development includes different types of skills which include social-awareness, emotional regulations, self-awareness and many other different types of skills (Immordino-Yang, Darling-Hammond and Krone, 2019). During this stage of toddlerhood, the emotional development is very high. This is because of the reason that at this stage they try to connect with the caregivers and try to connect with them effectively. Further, with every stage of human development the emotional working also increases. This is necessary for the reason that it is necessary for the person to emotionally connect with others so that working can be managed properly and effectively.
Cognitive development is defined as the process which includes the perception and Thoughts of the person. During the stage of adolescence, the cognitive development of the person starts. The cognitive development of the person must be effective so that the brain of the person works effectively (Rapee and et.al, 2019). The structural and functional changes within the brain also affect the working of the person and their memory. Within this stage of adolescence, the development and neuroimaging also started and it helps the human brain to understand the changes more effectively.
Physical development
Physical development includes the physical development of the body. This generally includes increasing height weight and other physical development. Since the start of intensity physical development starts taking place (Bamicha and Drigas, 2022). During every stage, there are some other physical developments which take place within the body of the person. The effective physical development of the person must take place so that they can effectively live their life and enjoy it.
LO 2
2.1 Theories of human growth and development
Human growth and development is very necessary for this successful working of human life stuff this is particularly necessary because human needs to develop easily and effectively so that they can live a good life and for effective human growth and development there are different theories which can be used to guide the development of the human. These theories help the person to grow effectively and develop themselves as a good individual.
Cognitive theory
The cognitive theory is the theory proposed by Jean Piaget psychologist. This theory suggests that the intelligence level of the child undergoes different changes as they grow. This theory suggested different assumptions relating to the intelligence of the children. The first assumption was based that children think differently and see the world differently as compared to adults. This is particularly necessary because the way of thinking is different for everyone and the adult thinks maturely whereas the child is not mature (Newman and Newman, 2022). In addition to this another was that the children are not passive learners. The activity tries to build their knowledge and this improves their working efficiency. Along with this another assumption based on this theory was that the major way of analysing the perspective of the child is to think according to the views of the children. The cognitive theory must be applied so that people can understand the children and their perceptions easily. This is very necessary because when the perception of the child will not be understood effectively then it will be impacting the working of the child to a great extent.
Psychosocial theory
The psychosocial theory is a Theory relating to human development. This theory proposes that development is a result of the interaction between the social environment and the individuals. This is particularly necessary because there must be interaction between the individuals and the social environment (Beckett and Taylor, 2019). This is particularly necessary because when the interaction will take place between the individual and the society then effective working will take place. Within every stage of human development, there is a requirement for social interaction. This is particularly necessary because it helps to motivate the person and improve the working efficiency.
Humanist theory
With the evaluation, it was analysed that another theory is helpful for effective Human Development including humanist theory. This humanist theory was proposed by Maslow which is a major contribution relating to the development of the whole person. This includes taking into consideration all the different kinds of aspects of human existence and the uniqueness which individuals possess. Maslow states that the person has some different levels of need which need to be followed effectively to live a happy and healthy life. Hence for effective human development, the person must go with this hierarchical chain (Faggian, Modrego and McCann, 2019). This is particularly necessary because when the hierarchy is followed then automatically it results in improving the development of the human. This hierarchy states that development of the humans takes place according to the needs and requirements of the person. Firstly at the earlier stage of development, the psychological needs are assessed of the person. Thereafter the safety need is evaluated along with the development of the belongingness need. After that comes the esteem needs and then the self-actualization needs which come last. In later adulthood, the need for self-actualization is satisfied and as a result of this it employees that person is fully satisfied with their life. Thus, for the effective development of the person it is very necessary that the overall development of the person takes and each need of the person is satisfied effectively.
Social learning theory
The social learning theory is another type of helpful for effective human growth and development. This is particularly because of the reason that this theory suggests that people learn from one another at every stage of human development. This learning can be done with the help of modelling, observation, imitation or many other different kinds of activity. Hence it is very necessary for the person they have a good social environment (Kuzminov, Sorokin and Froumin, 2019). This is particularly because of the reason that when the social relations and belonging of the person will not be good then they will not be effectively developing at the stage of development. For instance, if the person at the stage of adolescence is under bad influence then it will result in bad development of the person. In case the person is hanging out with people who have bad habits like smoking or drinking then automatically the person will also start developing similar kinds of activities.
Hence, the environment and the people with whom a person is staying must be good and effective. The reason behind this fact is that when people are not good and effective then their development of the person will also take place in a negative manner which is not at all good for the person. According to the social learning theory, it is categorised that all the people living within the society must be in good activity and must not involve themselves in any other bad habit or activity (7 Main Developmental Theories, 2023). It is crucial for the overall development of the human living within the society. This is particularly because of the reason that when the people living within the society will be good then automatically the environment of the whole society will be improved. In this case, the effective behaviour is not maintained then it will negatively impact human development and people will not be able to live happy and healthy lives.
In the end, it can be stated that for effective human growth and development, appropriate theories must be used. These theories provide a proper base for the learner to make the development effective. Along with this theories provide effective guidance to the person for developing themselves and trying to improve and live a better life.
LO 3
3.1 Explaining the life events which occur during every stage of human development
Human Development is very necessary for the effective living of the person's life. This is particularly because of the reason that in case human do not grow and develop effectively then they will not be in a position to live their life happily. For this, there are significant life events which take place for the effective development of humans. The person has to undergo these life events so that they can effectively develop as a human. The different types of significant life events which occur during the different stages of Human Development are as follows-
Prenatal stage
The prenatal stage is the beginning of the conception till the end of the birth. During this stage, the different life events which take place include conception where the sperm fertilizes the egg. Thereafter the life event occurs which is embryonic development within which the embryo develops into different organs and systems (Farrington, 2020). Thereafter comes the life event of fetal development within which the foetus grows and matures within the child. All these life events are very significant for the person to effectively grow and develop themselves. This is particularly because here the child is developed and if case it is properly developed then only the birth will take place.
Infancy and toddlerhood
Further infancy and tod toddlerhood is a stage within which the birth takes place and it lasts for 2 years. There are different significant life events which occur during this stage as well. The first and foremost life event includes the taking of birth within which the child gets out of the womb (Hickel, 2020). Thereafter the different life events include the speaking of the child, and attachment formation which is getting the emotional bond from the caregivers to the child. This is a particular life event which is necessary because it helps the child to connect with the caregivers and the parents and they tend to develop a social connection with them.
Childhood
Childhood is a stage which starts from approximately 2 years till the age of 12 years. There are different kinds of life events which take place within this stage. The major life event includes starting school. This is the event within which the child is introduced to a structured learning pattern and institutions (Vondracek, Lerner and Schulenberg, 2019). Here the child is provided the opportunity to read and write and to develop the self concept which in turn helps in understanding and developing the cognitive and analytical skills. This life event assists the child in developing and understanding who they are and what they need to do.
Adolescence
Adolescence is a stage which starts from 12 and lasts till 18 years of age. There are also different types of life events which take place during this stage of human development. The first and foremost significant life event during the stage includes puberty and identity exploration takes place (Hochberg and Konner, 2020). Along with this graduation from high school also takes place during this stage of human development. Significant life events are necessary for the development of the person physically and mentally.
Adulthood
Adulthood is the stage which starts from 18 years till the person lives their life. There is much different kind of significant life events which takes place during this whole phase of life. This adulthood can also be divided into different stages like young adulthood, middle adulthood and late adulthood. Combining all these adulthood stages includes different significant life events which the person undergoes while Human Development includes starting a career where the person decides the professional identity (Karcher, and Barch, 2021). In addition to this another significant life event includes doing marriage and entering into parenthood. In addition to this, the late adult also includes the life event of retirement and agent. Last the significant life event includes the death of the person where the person dies. All these significant life events are very necessary for the effective growth of humans and that development other than this which the person continuously faces every day till they die.
With the different significant life events, it is evident that there are many different kinds of events which the person faces while undergoing human development and growth. It is very necessary for the person to effectively grow and develop themselves so that they can enjoy the different life stages of the person and their life.
3.2 Analysing the impact of significant life events on individuals
With the above evaluation, it is evident that the effect of significant life events impacts the working of the person to a great extent. This is particularly because of the reason that when the person undergoes these life events then it implements some or the other changes and impacts over the working of the person. For instance, when the person is born these significant life events take place both. This impacts the person to a great extent (Wells and Stock, 2020). The major impact created by this includes the fact that the person comes out of the war within the outer world. In addition to this in the case of infancy and toddlerhood, the person starts going to school. This impacts the overall working of the human. At this stage the person is small and it impacts the cognitive level to a great extent. Within this stage, the major impact is created over the cognitive and emotional development of the person. Furthermore, at this stage, the major impact is created over the early cognitive and physical development along with the socioemotional. They tend to have a secure attachment with the caregivers and also start building trust with them.
The next stage is childhood within which the major significant life events include going to school, starting to learn reading and writing, developing self-concept and many other different types of learning. All these significant life events are helpful for people to have effective cognitive development of the child (Cirillo and et.al, 2020). In addition to this, self-esteem and social skills also start developing with these significant life events. This is because of the reason that when the child start going to school then the social interaction takes place and as a result of this, the overall working takes place effectively.
Further, within the stage of adolescence, puberty and going to graduate school is the major significant event. All the significant events create an impact on the working of the person to a great extent within this stage the major impact is created on the physical development and the cognitive development of the person. This is particularly because of the reason that the few vertebrates impact the sexual orientation of the person and it improves the physical development as well (Jahanger and et.al, 2022). The person grows in height and weight as a result of this overall development, and the person starts taking place. In addition to this, during adolescence, the major impact is on the physical development of the person and also the self-concept. The child starts to evaluate the work and as a result of this the overall work is improved and this will assist the person in improving the overall efficiency of the person.
Furthermore within the stage of adulthood majorly young adulthood the selection of the career starts. This creates an impact on the professional development of the person and effective decisions must be taken for a better professional career. Along with this within middle adulthood, the person goes for marriage and starts parenthood. This also creates a major impact on the life of the person. The person has to communicate with another person that is the spouse. Thus, it tends to develop good emotional and understanding skills which help the person to live a better and more effective life (Dada and et.al, 2022). In addition to this when they become parents they have to interact with and handle a child. This also results in developing effective cognitive skills which will help them to handle the child effectively. For within the later adulthood, the person is almost at the retiring age. In this stage, a major impact is created on their social skills. This is particularly because of the reason that during this stage the person needs some of the other people with them. Hence, it impacts the social life of the person to a great extent.
Along with this within the stage of adulthood whether be it early, middle or later it impacts the self-esteem of the person to a great extent. This is related to the fact that when the person starts their professional career then the self-esteem need is impacted the most. This is particularly because of the reason that the person works in the social environment and in case their self-esteem is affected then it will be impacting the overall working of the person to a great extent (Hakim, Suryantoro and Rahardjo, 2021). Moreover, when the person comes near to the age of retirement then automatically the life satisfaction is impacted to a great extent. In case the person has lived the life happily then the level of satisfaction will be higher. On the other hand, when the person has faced many difficulties within their working life then the level of satisfaction would be low and they will not be happy with their life.
Conclusion
In the end, it is concluded that human growth and development are very necessary for the effective living of life. This is about the fact that when the person lives the life effectively then it improves the overall working of the person. The above study highlighted that there are different types of life stages which need to be followed by the person for effective development. These life stages include infancy, toddlerhood, childhood, adolescence and many other life stages till death. Along with this the analysis also evaluated that there are different types of development which take place relating to every stage of life. These various types of development include emotional, cognitive, physical and social development. The person must develop all these kinds of skills and attributes so that they can live a happy and good life. Moreover, the study also evaluated that there are many different kinds of theories like humanist, social learning and others which help in the effective development of the person. At last, it was inferred that there are different significant events taking place in every stage and creating a positive impact on the learning and development of the person.
References
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Online
7 Main Developmental Theories. 2023. [Online]. Available through: < https://www.verywellmind.com/child-development-theories-2795068 >
What Is Human Development and Why Is It Important? 2023. Online. Available through: < https://online.maryville.edu/online-bachelors-degrees/human-development-and-family-studies/resources/stages-of-human-development/ >
