Given below are two statements: Statement I: In addition to the fact that growth is continuous, it can be relatively rapid in certain stages of development Statement II: The process of development follows a pattern in terms of physical development - Cephalo - Caudal sequence while in the case of mental development it shows an increase in the capacity of concrete level thinking to abstract thinking In the light of the above Statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

Given below are two statements: Statement I: In addition to the fact that growth is continuous, it can be relatively rapid in certain stages of development Statement II: The process of development follows a pattern in terms of physical development - Cephalo - Caudal sequence while in the case of mental development it shows an increase in the capacity of concrete level thinking to abstract thinking In the light of the above Statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below: Correct Answer Both Statement I and Statement II are true

‘Growth’ and ‘Development’ are often used as synonymous terms. But, in fact, growth is different from development. Growth means an increase in size, height, weight, length, etc. which can be measured. Development, on the other hand, implies a change in shape, form, or structure resulting in improved working or in functioning.

Growth

  • Growth is defined as an irreversible constant increase in the size of an organ or even an individual cell. 
  • Growth refers to the increase in mass and size of a body. 
  • Growth takes place all through the lifetime, but variably. The rate of growth is faster until an entity matures. After attaining maturity, growth is gradual and slows down before it ceases. 
  • Growth does not continue throughout life. It stops when maturity has been attained.
  • Growth refers to structural and physiological changes.
  • Hurlock has defined Growth as “change in size, in proportion, the disappearance of old features and acquisition of new ones”.
  • Changes in the quantitative aspects come into the domain of growth.
  • children grow most rapidly during the first three years of life. In their middle childhood, i.e., from 6 - 12 years, their rate of growth is comparatively slow whereas it is accelerated again when they approach adolescence.

Development 

  • Development implies overall changes in shape, form, or structure resulting in improved working or functioning. It indicates the changes in the quality or character rather than in quantitative aspects.
  •  Development is a wider and comprehensive term. It refers to overall changes in the individual.
  •  Development describes the changes in the organism as a whole and does not list the changes in parts.
  • Development is a continuous process. It goes from womb to tomb. It does not end with the attainment of maturity, the changes however small they may be, continue throughout the life span of an individual.
  • Development implies improvement in functioning and behavior and hence brings qualitative changes that are difficult to be measured directly.
  • The concrete operational stage is the third stage in Piaget's theory of cognitive development. This period spans the time of middle childhood—it begins around age 7 and continues until approximately age 11
  • Developmental psychologist Jean Piaget argued that children develop abstract reasoning skills as part of their last stage of development, known as the formal operational stage. This stage occurs between the ages of 11 and 16. 

Important Points

Principles of development:

  • Development is a continuous process:  Development does not stop at any time. It continues from the moment of conception until the individual reaches maturity. It takes place at a slow or a rapid rate but at a regular pace rather than by leaps and bounds.
  • The development follows a pattern:  Firstly development proceeds from the upper portions of the body toward the lower portions. This is referred to as the “head to toe” sequence. Secondly, development proceeds from the centerline of the body outward towards the distance or peripheral parts referred to as the “near to far” sequence. It is called Cephalo-Caudal development.
  • Development proceeds from general to specific: The early responses of the baby are very general in nature which is gradually replaced with specific ones. The earliest emotional responses of the newborn have generally diffused excitement and this slowly gives way to specific emotional patterns of anger, joy, fear, etc.
  • Development involves change: Development involves a progressive series of changes. The human being is never static. From the moment of conception to the time of death, the person is undergoing changes.

Conclusion:

Growth and Development are the important characteristics of a living organism. Development involves a series of progressive, orderly, and meaningful changes leading to the goals of maturity. Normally Growth contributes to Development. In reality though ‘Growth and Development’ are different, but they are inseparable. Generally, the process of Growth and Development goes on simultaneously. From the above discussion, it is clear that both statements are right. Hence, option (1) is correct.

Related Questions

Read the following passage carefully and choose the most appropriate answer to the question out of the four alternatives.
The human eye is a complex part of the body that is used for seeing. Eyes enable people to perform daily tasks and to learn about the world that surrounds them. Sight, or vision, is a rapidly occurring process that involves continuous interaction between the eye, the nervous system, and the brain. When someone looks at an object, what he really sees is the light reflected from the object. This reflected light passes through the lens and falls on the retina of the eye. Here the light induces nerve impulses that travel through the optic nerve to the brain and then over other nerves to muscles and glands.
The eye is similar to a television camera. Both the eye and the television camera convert light energy to electrical energy. The eye converts light to nerve impulses that are interpreted by the brain as the sense perception called sight. A television camera converts light to electronic signals that are broadcast and transformed into light images in a television receiver. It is wonderful that human eyes blink an average of once every six seconds. This washes the eye with the salty secretion from the tear or lachrymal glands. Each tear gland is about the size and shape of an almond. These glands are situated behind the upper eyelid at the outer corner of the eye. After passing over the eye, the liquid from the gland is drained into the nose through the tear duct at the inner corner of the eye. The sense perception that the brain releases after the eye converts light to nerve impulses is known as