what is your concept of development change essay

Change vs. Development Essay example

Change Vs. Development The concepts of change and development come up frequently in the fields of business, technology, education, sociology, psychology, and many other fields. These concepts may appear to be the same, or similar, but they are very different concepts. According to Webster’s Universal College Dictionary, the definition of change is as follows: “To make different in form; to transform; to exchange for another or others; to give and take reciprocally; to transfer from one to another; to give or get smaller money; to give or get foreign money in exchange for; to remove and replace the coverings or garments of; to become different; to become altered or modified; to become transformed; to transfer between conveyances; …show more content…

To change is to make a material or radical difference or to substitute one thing for another of the same kind.” Development , according to Webster’s Universal College Dictionary is defined as follows: “The act or process of developing; a significant consequence or event; a developed state or form (maturity); a large group of dwellings; the raising of funds, expansion of activities or opportunities, etc. for an organization or foundation.” The synonyms listed for the word development in Roget’s Desk Thesaurus are: “progress, growth, evolution, history; event, advance; event, result.” The definitions for the words change and development are not the same. The word change is not a synonym for the word development and the word development is not a synonym for the word change. Because of the definitions and synonyms, they are related to one another, but different. The concept of development deals with the process or result of change. This concept deals with the transformation of something that is already in place, into a mature or improved state or form. For example, you would use personal development skills in order to effect a change in attitude. If you want to have a better attitude, then you would work on your personal skills to reach your goal. The personal skills, though they may be rough around the edges, are already in place. You just have to develop them. In management, specifically the human resource area, development is usually used in reference to training for

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Change (noun): A situation in which something becomes different than it originally was. Change can occur anywhere or in anything, in stories, in people, etc. For instance, various examples of change can be found in Gary Schmidt’s novel, The Wednesday Wars, involving the main character, Holling Hoodhood. One of these changes is his relationship with his teacher, Mrs. Baker, who once did not seem to like him; however, as the story progresses, the two characters’ bond strengthens. Similarly, Holling’s relationship with his sister also fortifies further into the story, as they assist each other in high-pressure circumstances as well as bond over different events. Lastly, in the end of the story, Holling learns to act independently, and stand for

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Webster’s Dictionary defines the word change using the following: “to make different in some particular: ALTER b: to make radically different: TRANSFORM

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Change is a process that affects individuals and their environments. Some people choose to embrace change, while others resist it. “Macbeth”; the song “The Times They Are A-Changin’” and the episode of the Twilight Zone, “A Stop at Willoughby” all successfully convey the notion of change and demonstrate how individuals and societies can embrace or resist change.

Change In Lord Of The Flies

Change is an act that results in a fresh start of some way or another. Whether it is good or bad change, change is change. Humans, animals, everything changes but it is how and what you do to change that affects the world. In the novel, Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, he shows that all human beings are capable of change in behavior whatever it might me.

How Does Ordinary People Change

What comes to mind when you hear the word change? Not the money change, but change as in a transformation. Change can mean for the better or worse, but overall change can lead to many great achievements as seen in Death of a Salesman and Ordinary People. Two characters in both the play and the book, went through changes and they both did not receive consequences that the other characters did receive. The authors of Ordinary People and Death of a Salesman address that the characters that do not change receive consequences, while the characters who do change do not receive any consequences.

Management and Hr Profession Map Essay

Organisation Development is about ensuring the organisation has a committed ‘ft for the future’ workforce required to deliver strategic ambitions. It plays a vital role to ensure that the organisation culture, values and environment support and enhance organisation performance and adaptability. It also provides insight and leadership on development and execution of any capability; cultural and change activities.

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What does change mean? For most it means going beyond the norm and for some it can be

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Change should be seen as a challenge and embraced with enthusiasm (Marquis & Huston, 2012). In my professional and personal life, I view and respond to change as a way to make improvements to existing regulations and circumstances. I embark upon the quest with determination to succeed at whatever task is presented to me. Life without change can become unchallenging and stagnant (Marquis & Huston, 2012). As society and technology advance, you must incorporate the necessary transformations that arise with it.

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The change models discussed in class provide a pattern for change and presents a picture of what will occur

Change Management: Critical Review

Change is a common thing that happens all around us on a daily basis sometimes even without us noticing. It can range from family level to international levels, likewise in time frame it can happen on a daily basis, a monthly, yearly or even a decade. In the words of Senior & Fleming (6) Change can be simply defined as process of moving from one state to another. It is this transition that creates distress to the people due to fear of the unknown. We can not stop change but rather we can only manage it. So then what is change management?

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Development is a term that can be used in many different contexts whether it is social, economical, political etc. However generally development refers to an improvement in certain areas:

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Defining Change Change can be defined as an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another, the result of alteration or modification, to lay aside, abandon, or leave for another, become different in essence; to lose one's or its original nature, to make different; cause a transformation, or to make or become different in some particular way, without permanently losing one's or its former characteristics or essence. There are many different views as to the complexity of change. Some may believe change is an illusion and nothing ever really changes. However, the majority, such as the post structuralism theorists, believe that change is inevitable. Change can be viewed

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• 2 Works Cited

Change is when a person does not follow their everyday routine. They may want to try something different, or be forced to. Change can be for the good and the bad. Places can deal with change ranging from the weather, to the animals present, or the seasons changing. Also, objects can deal with change too. Objects like an iceberg can start to melt, or a forest fire can kill many trees in an area. As a human, we are the ones deciding on change. We are in a position to make big decisions and possibly even become a leader in order for change to happen. If one person starts to change, others will follow and hopefully, the change benefits all.

How Can Hr Management Systems and Practices in Singapore, Be Re-Designed Using Km and Ol Principles to Increase Innovation and Competitive Advantage over the Next Five Years.

Training and development is defined as the heart of a continuous effort deigned to improve employee competency and organisational performance (Mondy, Robert and Shane 2002). Training provides trainees with information and skills needed for their current job, while development arms them with the knowledge needed for the future role.

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Home — Essay Samples — Psychology — Childhood Development — Human Growth and Development

Human Growth and Development

• Categories: Childhood Development

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Words: 481 |

Published: Jan 31, 2024

Words: 481 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Table of contents

Theoretical foundations of human growth and development, physical development, cognitive development, social and emotional development, environmental and genetic influences on human growth and development, lifespan development.

• Freud, S. (1905). Three essays on the theory of sexuality. Standard Edition, 7, 123-255.
• Erikson, E. (1950). Childhood and society. New York: Norton.
• Piaget, J. (1952). The origins of intelligence in children. New York: International Universities Press.

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Essay on Human Development

Students are often asked to write an essay on Human Development in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Human Development

The concept of human development.

Human development is a process of enlarging people’s freedoms and improving their well-being. It involves increasing the choices and opportunities for all people.

Dimensions of Human Development

There are three main dimensions: health, education, and living standards. Health is measured by life expectancy, education by years of schooling, and living standards by income.

The Importance of Human Development

Human development is crucial. It helps societies to progress, reduces poverty, and promotes equality. It’s a way to help everyone live a productive and fulfilling life.

Challenges in Human Development

Despite its importance, many challenges exist, like inequality, environmental degradation, and political instability. Overcoming these challenges is vital for sustainable human development.

250 Words Essay on Human Development

Introduction, theoretical framework.

The Human Development Index (HDI), introduced by the United Nations Development Programme, quantifies human development. It emphasizes three fundamental dimensions: knowledge, longevity, and decent standard of living. However, human development is not merely a function of these quantifiable elements; it also involves intangible aspects such as freedom, dignity, and autonomy.

Role of Education

Education plays a central role in human development. It equips individuals with knowledge and skills, empowering them to contribute to societal progress. Education fosters creativity and innovation, driving technological advancements and economic growth.

Health and Living Standards

Health is another crucial component. A healthy population is more productive, contributing to economic growth and societal development. Additionally, a decent standard of living, characterized by access to basic needs and services, is vital for human development.

Societal Participation

Active societal participation promotes inclusivity and equality, essential elements of human development. It enables individuals to contribute to and benefit from societal progress, fostering a sense of belonging and mutual respect.

In conclusion, human development is a comprehensive and nuanced concept. It encompasses not only economic growth but also aspects such as education, health, living standards, and societal participation. It is about creating an environment where individuals can develop their full potential and lead productive, creative lives in accord with their needs and interests.

500 Words Essay on Human Development

The biological perspective.

From the biological standpoint, human development begins with genetics. Our genetic makeup, coupled with environmental influences, guides our physical growth and maturation. This includes the development of the brain, motor skills, and health. Understanding the biological aspects of human development allows us to grasp why we are the way we are, and how our physical attributes and health conditions may influence our life experiences.

The Psychological Perspective

The psychological perspective focuses on the development of mental processes, behaviors, and emotions. Cognitive development theory, proposed by Jean Piaget, suggests that individuals pass through different stages of cognitive growth as they mature. This theory underscores the importance of experiences and interactions in shaping our cognitive abilities, personality, and emotional well-being.

The Sociocultural Perspective

Interplay of factors.

It is important to recognize that these perspectives do not exist in isolation. They interact in complex ways to shape human development. For instance, our biological makeup may influence our cognitive abilities, which in turn can be shaped by our sociocultural environment. Similarly, our sociocultural context may impact our physical health through factors such as diet, lifestyle, and access to healthcare.

Human Development Index

To measure human development, the United Nations uses the Human Development Index (HDI). The HDI is a summary measure of average achievement in key dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable, and having a decent standard of living. It is a standard means of measuring well-being, especially child welfare.

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1 Chapter 1: Introduction to Child Development

Chapter objectives.

After this chapter, you should be able to:

• Describe the principles that underlie development.
• Differentiate periods of human development.
• Evaluate issues in development.
• Distinguish the different methods of research.
• Explain what a theory is.
• Compare and contrast different theories of child development.

Introduction

Welcome to Child Growth and Development. This text is a presentation of how and why children grow, develop, and learn.

We will look at how we change physically over time from conception through adolescence. We examine cognitive change, or how our ability to think and remember changes over the first 20 years or so of life. And we will look at how our emotions, psychological state, and social relationships change throughout childhood and adolescence. 1

Principles of Development

There are several underlying principles of development to keep in mind:

• Development is lifelong and change is apparent across the lifespan (although this text ends with adolescence). And early experiences affect later development.
• Development is multidirectional. We show gains in some areas of development, while showing loss in other areas.
• Development is multidimensional. We change across three general domains/dimensions; physical, cognitive, and social and emotional.
• The physical domain includes changes in height and weight, changes in gross and fine motor skills, sensory capabilities, the nervous system, as well as the propensity for disease and illness.
• The cognitive domain encompasses the changes in intelligence, wisdom, perception, problem-solving, memory, and language.
• The social and emotional domain (also referred to as psychosocial) focuses on changes in emotion, self-perception, and interpersonal relationships with families, peers, and friends.

All three domains influence each other. It is also important to note that a change in one domain may cascade and prompt changes in the other domains.

• Development is characterized by plasticity, which is our ability to change and that many of our characteristics are malleable. Early experiences are important, but children are remarkably resilient (able to overcome adversity).
• Development is multicontextual. 2 We are influenced by both nature (genetics) and nurture (the environment) – when and where we live and our actions, beliefs, and values are a response to circumstances surrounding us.  The key here is to understand that behaviors, motivations, emotions, and choices are all part of a bigger picture. 3

Now let’s look at a framework for examining development.

Periods of Development

Think about what periods of development that you think a course on Child Development would address. How many stages are on your list? Perhaps you have three: infancy, childhood, and teenagers. Developmentalists (those that study development) break this part of the life span into these five stages as follows:

• Prenatal Development (conception through birth)
• Infancy and Toddlerhood (birth through two years)
• Early Childhood (3 to 5 years)
• Middle Childhood (6 to 11 years)
• Adolescence (12 years to adulthood)

This list reflects unique aspects of the various stages of childhood and adolescence that will be explored in this book. So while both an 8 month old and an 8 year old are considered children, they have very different motor abilities, social relationships, and cognitive skills. Their nutritional needs are different and their primary psychological concerns are also distinctive.

Prenatal Development

Conception occurs and development begins. All of the major structures of the body are forming and the health of the mother is of primary concern. Understanding nutrition, teratogens (or environmental factors that can lead to birth defects), and labor and delivery are primary concerns.

Figure 1.1 – A tiny embryo depicting some development of arms and legs, as well as facial features that are starting to show. 4

Infancy and Toddlerhood

The two years of life are ones of dramatic growth and change. A newborn, with a keen sense of hearing but very poor vision is transformed into a walking, talking toddler within a relatively short period of time. Caregivers are also transformed from someone who manages feeding and sleep schedules to a constantly moving guide and safety inspector for a mobile, energetic child.

Figure 1.2 – A swaddled newborn. 5

Early Childhood

Early childhood is also referred to as the preschool years and consists of the years which follow toddlerhood and precede formal schooling. As a three to five-year-old, the child is busy learning language, is gaining a sense of self and greater independence, and is beginning to learn the workings of the physical world. This knowledge does not come quickly, however, and preschoolers may initially have interesting conceptions of size, time, space and distance such as fearing that they may go down the drain if they sit at the front of the bathtub or by demonstrating how long something will take by holding out their two index fingers several inches apart. A toddler’s fierce determination to do something may give way to a four-year-old’s sense of guilt for action that brings the disapproval of others.

Figure 1.3 – Two young children playing in the Singapore Botanic Gardens 6

Middle Childhood

The ages of six through eleven comprise middle childhood and much of what children experience at this age is connected to their involvement in the early grades of school. Now the world becomes one of learning and testing new academic skills and by assessing one’s abilities and accomplishments by making comparisons between self and others. Schools compare students and make these comparisons public through team sports, test scores, and other forms of recognition. Growth rates slow down and children are able to refine their motor skills at this point in life. And children begin to learn about social relationships beyond the family through interaction with friends and fellow students.

Figure 1.4 – Two children running down the street in Carenage, Trinidad and Tobago 7

Adolescence

Adolescence is a period of dramatic physical change marked by an overall physical growth spurt and sexual maturation, known as puberty. It is also a time of cognitive change as the adolescent begins to think of new possibilities and to consider abstract concepts such as love, fear, and freedom. Ironically, adolescents have a sense of invincibility that puts them at greater risk of dying from accidents or contracting sexually transmitted infections that can have lifelong consequences. 8

Figure 1.5 – Two smiling teenage women. 9

There are some aspects of development that have been hotly debated. Let’s explore these.

Issues in Development

Nature and nurture.

Why are people the way they are? Are features such as height, weight, personality, being diabetic, etc. the result of heredity or environmental factors-or both? For decades, scholars have carried on the “nature/nurture” debate. For any particular feature, those on the side of Nature would argue that heredity plays the most important role in bringing about that feature. Those on the side of Nurture would argue that one’s environment is most significant in shaping the way we are. This debate continues in all aspects of human development, and most scholars agree that there is a constant interplay between the two forces. It is difficult to isolate the root of any single behavior as a result solely of nature or nurture.

Continuity versus Discontinuity

Is human development best characterized as a slow, gradual process, or is it best viewed as one of more abrupt change? The answer to that question often depends on which developmental theorist you ask and what topic is being studied. The theories of Freud, Erikson, Piaget, and Kohlberg are called stage theories. Stage theories or discontinuous development assume that developmental change often occurs in distinct stages that are qualitatively different from each other, and in a set, universal sequence. At each stage of development, children and adults have different qualities and characteristics. Thus, stage theorists assume development is more discontinuous. Others, such as the behaviorists, Vygotsky, and information processing theorists, assume development is a more slow and gradual process known as continuous development. For instance, they would see the adult as not possessing new skills, but more advanced skills that were already present in some form in the child. Brain development and environmental experiences contribute to the acquisition of more developed skills.

Figure 1.6 – The graph to the left shows three stages in the continuous growth of a tree. The graph to the right shows four distinct stages of development in the life cycle of a ladybug. 10

Active versus Passive

How much do you play a role in your own developmental path? Are you at the whim of your genetic inheritance or the environment that surrounds you? Some theorists see humans as playing a much more active role in their own development. Piaget, for instance believed that children actively explore their world and construct new ways of thinking to explain the things they experience. In contrast, many behaviorists view humans as being more passive in the developmental process. 11

How do we know so much about how we grow, develop, and learn? Let’s look at how that data is gathered through research

Research Methods

An important part of learning any science is having a basic knowledge of the techniques used in gathering information. The hallmark of scientific investigation is that of following a set of procedures designed to keep questioning or skepticism alive while describing, explaining, or testing any phenomenon. Some people are hesitant to trust academicians or researchers because they always seem to change their story. That, however, is exactly what science is all about; it involves continuously renewing our understanding of the subjects in question and an ongoing investigation of how and why events occur. Science is a vehicle for going on a never-ending journey. In the area of development, we have seen changes in recommendations for nutrition, in explanations of psychological states as people age, and in parenting advice. So think of learning about human development as a lifelong endeavor.

Take a moment to write down two things that you know about childhood. Now, how do you know? Chances are you know these things based on your own history (experiential reality) or based on what others have told you or cultural ideas (agreement reality) (Seccombe and Warner, 2004). There are several problems with personal inquiry. Read the following sentence aloud:

Paris in the

Are you sure that is what it said? Read it again:

If you read it differently the second time (adding the second “the”) you just experienced one of the problems with personal inquiry; that is, the tendency to see what we believe. Our assumptions very often guide our perceptions, consequently, when we believe something, we tend to see it even if it is not there. This problem may just be a result of cognitive ‘blinders’ or it may be part of a more conscious attempt to support our own views. Confirmation bias is the tendency to look for evidence that we are right and in so doing, we ignore contradictory evidence. Popper suggests that the distinction between that which is scientific and that which is unscientific is that science is falsifiable; scientific inquiry involves attempts to reject or refute a theory or set of assumptions (Thornton, 2005). Theory that cannot be falsified is not scientific. And much of what we do in personal inquiry involves drawing conclusions based on what we have personally experienced or validating our own experience by discussing what we think is true with others who share the same views.

Science offers a more systematic way to make comparisons guard against bias.

Scientific Methods

One method of scientific investigation involves the following steps:

• Determining a research question
• Reviewing previous studies addressing the topic in question (known as a literature review)
• Determining a method of gathering information
• Conducting the study
• Interpreting results
• Drawing conclusions; stating limitations of the study and suggestions for future research
• Making your findings available to others (both to share information and to have your work scrutinized by others)

Your findings can then be used by others as they explore the area of interest and through this process a literature or knowledge base is established. This model of scientific investigation presents research as a linear process guided by a specific research question. And it typically involves quantifying or using statistics to understand and report what has been studied. Many academic journals publish reports on studies conducted in this manner.

Another model of research referred to as qualitative research may involve steps such as these:

• Begin with a broad area of interest
• Gain entrance into a group to be researched
• Gather field notes about the setting, the people, the structure, the activities or other areas of interest
• Ask open ended, broad “grand tour” types of questions when interviewing subjects
• Modify research questions as study continues
• Note patterns or consistencies
• Explore new areas deemed important by the people being observed
• Report findings

In this type of research, theoretical ideas are “grounded” in the experiences of the participants. The researcher is the student and the people in the setting are the teachers as they inform the researcher of their world (Glazer & Strauss, 1967). Researchers are to be aware of their own biases and assumptions, acknowledge them and bracket them in efforts to keep them from limiting accuracy in reporting. Sometimes qualitative studies are used initially to explore a topic and more quantitative studies are used to test or explain what was first described.

Let’s look more closely at some techniques, or research methods, used to describe, explain, or evaluate. Each of these designs has strengths and weaknesses and is sometimes used in combination with other designs within a single study.

Observational Studies

Observational studies involve watching and recording the actions of participants. This may take place in the natural setting, such as observing children at play at a park, or behind a one-way glass while children are at play in a laboratory playroom. The researcher may follow a checklist and record the frequency and duration of events (perhaps how many conflicts occur among 2-year-olds) or may observe and record as much as possible about an event (such as observing children in a classroom and capturing the details about the room design and what the children and teachers are doing and saying). In general, observational studies have the strength of allowing the researcher to see how people behave rather than relying on self-report. What people do and what they say they do are often very different. A major weakness of observational studies is that they do not allow the researcher to explain causal relationships. Yet, observational studies are useful and widely used when studying children. Children tend to change their behavior when they know they are being watched (known as the Hawthorne effect) and may not survey well.

Experiments

Experiments are designed to test hypotheses (or specific statements about the relationship between variables) in a controlled setting in efforts to explain how certain factors or events produce outcomes. A variable is anything that changes in value. Concepts are operationalized or transformed into variables in research, which means that the researcher must specify exactly what is going to be measured in the study.

Three conditions must be met in order to establish cause and effect. Experimental designs are useful in meeting these conditions.

The independent and dependent variables must be related. In other words, when one is altered, the other changes in response. (The independent variable is something altered or introduced by the researcher. The dependent variable is the outcome or the factor affected by the introduction of the independent variable. For example, if we are looking at the impact of exercise on stress levels, the independent variable would be exercise; the dependent variable would be stress.)

The cause must come before the effect. Experiments involve measuring subjects on the dependent variable before exposing them to the independent variable (establishing a baseline). So we would measure the subjects’ level of stress before introducing exercise and then again after the exercise to see if there has been a change in stress levels. (Observational and survey research does not always allow us to look at the timing of these events, which makes understanding causality problematic with these designs.)

The cause must be isolated. The researcher must ensure that no outside, perhaps unknown variables are actually causing the effect we see. The experimental design helps make this possible. In an experiment, we would make sure that our subjects’ diets were held constant throughout the exercise program. Otherwise, diet might really be creating the change in stress level rather than exercise.

A basic experimental design involves beginning with a sample (or subset of a population) and randomly assigning subjects to one of two groups: the experimental group or the control group. The experimental group is the group that is going to be exposed to an independent variable or condition the researcher is introducing as a potential cause of an event. The control group is going to be used for comparison and is going to have the same experience as the experimental group but will not be exposed to the independent variable. After exposing the experimental group to the independent variable, the two groups are measured again to see if a change has occurred. If so, we are in a better position to suggest that the independent variable caused the change in the dependent variable.

The major advantage of the experimental design is that of helping to establish cause and effect relationships. A disadvantage of this design is the difficulty of translating much of what happens in a laboratory setting into real life.

Case Studies

Case studies involve exploring a single case or situation in great detail. Information may be gathered with the use of observation, interviews, testing, or other methods to uncover as much as possible about a person or situation. Case studies are helpful when investigating unusual situations such as brain trauma or children reared in isolation. And they are often used by clinicians who conduct case studies as part of their normal practice when gathering information about a client or patient coming in for treatment. Case studies can be used to explore areas about which little is known and can provide rich detail about situations or conditions. However, the findings from case studies cannot be generalized or applied to larger populations; this is because cases are not randomly selected and no control group is used for comparison.

Figure 1.7 – Illustrated poster from a classroom describing a case study. 12

Surveys are familiar to most people because they are so widely used. Surveys enhance accessibility to subjects because they can be conducted in person, over the phone, through the mail, or online. A survey involves asking a standard set of questions to a group of subjects. In a highly structured survey, subjects are forced to choose from a response set such as “strongly disagree, disagree, undecided, agree, strongly agree”; or “0, 1-5, 6-10, etc.” This is known as Likert Scale . Surveys are commonly used by sociologists, marketing researchers, political scientists, therapists, and others to gather information on many independent and dependent variables in a relatively short period of time. Surveys typically yield surface information on a wide variety of factors, but may not allow for in-depth understanding of human behavior.

Of course, surveys can be designed in a number of ways. They may include forced choice questions and semi-structured questions in which the researcher allows the respondent to describe or give details about certain events. One of the most difficult aspects of designing a good survey is wording questions in an unbiased way and asking the right questions so that respondents can give a clear response rather than choosing “undecided” each time. Knowing that 30% of respondents are undecided is of little use! So a lot of time and effort should be placed on the construction of survey items. One of the benefits of having forced choice items is that each response is coded so that the results can be quickly entered and analyzed using statistical software. Analysis takes much longer when respondents give lengthy responses that must be analyzed in a different way. Surveys are useful in examining stated values, attitudes, opinions, and reporting on practices. However, they are based on self-report or what people say they do rather than on observation and this can limit accuracy.

Developmental Designs

Developmental designs are techniques used in developmental research (and other areas as well). These techniques try to examine how age, cohort, gender, and social class impact development.

Longitudinal Research

Longitudinal research involves beginning with a group of people who may be of the same age and background, and measuring them repeatedly over a long period of time. One of the benefits of this type of research is that people can be followed through time and be compared with them when they were younger.

Figure 1.8 – A longitudinal research design. 13

A problem with this type of research is that it is very expensive and subjects may drop out over time. The Perry Preschool Project which began in 1962 is an example of a longitudinal study that continues to provide data on children’s development.

Cross-sectional Research

Cross-sectional research involves beginning with a sample that represents a cross-section of the population. Respondents who vary in age, gender, ethnicity, and social class might be asked to complete a survey about television program preferences or attitudes toward the use of the Internet. The attitudes of males and females could then be compared, as could attitudes based on age. In cross-sectional research, respondents are measured only once.

Figure 1.9 – A cross-sectional research design. 14

This method is much less expensive than longitudinal research but does not allow the researcher to distinguish between the impact of age and the cohort effect. Different attitudes about the use of technology, for example, might not be altered by a person’s biological age as much as their life experiences as members of a cohort.

Sequential Research

Sequential research involves combining aspects of the previous two techniques; beginning with a cross-sectional sample and measuring them through time.

Figure 1.10 – A sequential research design. 15

This is the perfect model for looking at age, gender, social class, and ethnicity. But the drawbacks of high costs and attrition are here as well. 16

Table 1 .1 – Advantages and Disadvantages of Different Research Designs 17

Consent and Ethics in Research

Research should, as much as possible, be based on participants’ freely volunteered informed consent. For minors, this also requires consent from their legal guardians. This implies a responsibility to explain fully and meaningfully to both the child and their guardians what the research is about and how it will be disseminated. Participants and their legal guardians should be aware of the research purpose and procedures, their right to refuse to participate; the extent to which confidentiality will be maintained; the potential uses to which the data might be put; the foreseeable risks and expected benefits; and that participants have the right to discontinue at any time.

But consent alone does not absolve the responsibility of researchers to anticipate and guard against potential harmful consequences for participants. 18 It is critical that researchers protect all rights of the participants including confidentiality.

Child development is a fascinating field of study – but care must be taken to ensure that researchers use appropriate methods to examine infant and child behavior, use the correct experimental design to answer their questions, and be aware of the special challenges that are part-and-parcel of developmental research. Hopefully, this information helped you develop an understanding of these various issues and to be ready to think more critically about research questions that interest you. There are so many interesting questions that remain to be examined by future generations of developmental scientists – maybe you will make one of the next big discoveries! 19

Another really important framework to use when trying to understand children’s development are theories of development. Let’s explore what theories are and introduce you to some major theories in child development.

Developmental Theories

What is a theory.

Students sometimes feel intimidated by theory; even the phrase, “Now we are going to look at some theories…” is met with blank stares and other indications that the audience is now lost. But theories are valuable tools for understanding human behavior; in fact they are proposed explanations for the “how” and “whys” of development. Have you ever wondered, “Why is my 3 year old so inquisitive?” or “Why are some fifth graders rejected by their classmates?” Theories can help explain these and other occurrences. Developmental theories offer explanations about how we develop, why we change over time and the kinds of influences that impact development.

A theory guides and helps us interpret research findings as well. It provides the researcher with a blueprint or model to be used to help piece together various studies. Think of theories as guidelines much like directions that come with an appliance or other object that requires assembly. The instructions can help one piece together smaller parts more easily than if trial and error are used.

Theories can be developed using induction in which a number of single cases are observed and after patterns or similarities are noted, the theorist develops ideas based on these examples. Established theories are then tested through research; however, not all theories are equally suited to scientific investigation.  Some theories are difficult to test but are still useful in stimulating debate or providing concepts that have practical application. Keep in mind that theories are not facts; they are guidelines for investigation and practice, and they gain credibility through research that fails to disprove them. 20

Let’s take a look at some key theories in Child Development.

Sigmund Freud’s Psychosexual Theory

We begin with the often controversial figure, Sigmund Freud (1856-1939). Freud has been a very influential figure in the area of development; his view of development and psychopathology dominated the field of psychiatry until the growth of behaviorism in the 1950s. His assumptions that personality forms during the first few years of life and that the ways in which parents or other caregivers interact with children have a long-lasting impact on children’s emotional states have guided parents, educators, clinicians, and policy-makers for many years. We have only recently begun to recognize that early childhood experiences do not always result in certain personality traits or emotional states. There is a growing body of literature addressing resilience in children who come from harsh backgrounds and yet develop without damaging emotional scars (O’Grady and Metz, 1987). Freud has stimulated an enormous amount of research and generated many ideas. Agreeing with Freud’s theory in its entirety is hardly necessary for appreciating the contribution he has made to the field of development.

Figure 1.11 – Sigmund Freud. 21

Freud’s theory of self suggests that there are three parts of the self.

The id is the part of the self that is inborn. It responds to biological urges without pause and is guided by the principle of pleasure: if it feels good, it is the thing to do. A newborn is all id. The newborn cries when hungry, defecates when the urge strikes.

The ego develops through interaction with others and is guided by logic or the reality principle. It has the ability to delay gratification. It knows that urges have to be managed. It mediates between the id and superego using logic and reality to calm the other parts of the self.

The superego represents society’s demands for its members. It is guided by a sense of guilt. Values, morals, and the conscience are all part of the superego.

The personality is thought to develop in response to the child’s ability to learn to manage biological urges. Parenting is important here. If the parent is either overly punitive or lax, the child may not progress to the next stage. Here is a brief introduction to Freud’s stages.

Table 1. 2 – Sigmund Freud’s Psychosexual Theory

Strengths and Weaknesses of Freud’s Theory

Freud’s theory has been heavily criticized for several reasons. One is that it is very difficult to test scientifically. How can parenting in infancy be traced to personality in adulthood? Are there other variables that might better explain development? The theory is also considered to be sexist in suggesting that women who do not accept an inferior position in society are somehow psychologically flawed. Freud focuses on the darker side of human nature and suggests that much of what determines our actions is unknown to us. So why do we study Freud? As mentioned above, despite the criticisms, Freud’s assumptions about the importance of early childhood experiences in shaping our psychological selves have found their way into child development, education, and parenting practices. Freud’s theory has heuristic value in providing a framework from which to elaborate and modify subsequent theories of development. Many later theories, particularly behaviorism and humanism, were challenges to Freud’s views. 22

Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory

Now, let’s turn to a less controversial theorist, Erik Erikson. Erikson (1902-1994) suggested that our relationships and society’s expectations motivate much of our behavior in his theory of psychosocial development. Erikson was a student of Freud’s but emphasized the importance of the ego, or conscious thought, in determining our actions. In other words, he believed that we are not driven by unconscious urges. We know what motivates us and we consciously think about how to achieve our goals. He is considered the father of developmental psychology because his model gives us a guideline for the entire life span and suggests certain primary psychological and social concerns throughout life.

Figure 1.12 – Erik Erikson. 23

Erikson expanded on his Freud’s by emphasizing the importance of culture in parenting practices and motivations and adding three stages of adult development (Erikson, 1950; 1968). He believed that we are aware of what motivates us throughout life and the ego has greater importance in guiding our actions than does the id. We make conscious choices in life and these choices focus on meeting certain social and cultural needs rather than purely biological ones. Humans are motivated, for instance, by the need to feel that the world is a trustworthy place, that we are capable individuals, that we can make a contribution to society, and that we have lived a meaningful life. These are all psychosocial problems.

Erikson divided the lifespan into eight stages. In each stage, we have a major psychosocial task to accomplish or crisis to overcome.  Erikson believed that our personality continues to take shape throughout our lifespan as we face these challenges in living. Here is a brief overview of the eight stages:

Table 1. 3 – Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory

These eight stages form a foundation for discussions on emotional and social development during the life span. Keep in mind, however, that these stages or crises can occur more than once. For instance, a person may struggle with a lack of trust beyond infancy under certain circumstances. Erikson’s theory has been criticized for focusing so heavily on stages and assuming that the completion of one stage is prerequisite for the next crisis of development. His theory also focuses on the social expectations that are found in certain cultures, but not in all. For instance, the idea that adolescence is a time of searching for identity might translate well in the middle-class culture of the United States, but not as well in cultures where the transition into adulthood coincides with puberty through rites of passage and where adult roles offer fewer choices. 24

Behaviorism

While Freud and Erikson looked at what was going on in the mind, behaviorism rejected any reference to mind and viewed overt and observable behavior as the proper subject matter of psychology. Through the scientific study of behavior, it was hoped that laws of learning could be derived that would promote the prediction and control of behavior. 25

Ivan Pavlov

Ivan Pavlov (1880-1937) was a Russian physiologist interested in studying digestion. As he recorded the amount of salivation his laboratory dogs produced as they ate, he noticed that they actually began to salivate before the food arrived as the researcher walked down the hall and toward the cage. “This,” he thought, “is not natural!” One would expect a dog to automatically salivate when food hit their palate, but BEFORE the food comes? Of course, what had happened was . . . you tell me. That’s right! The dogs knew that the food was coming because they had learned to associate the footsteps with the food. The key word here is “learned”. A learned response is called a “conditioned” response.

Figure 1.13 – Ivan Pavlov. 26

Pavlov began to experiment with this concept of classical conditioning . He began to ring a bell, for instance, prior to introducing the food. Sure enough, after making this connection several times, the dogs could be made to salivate to the sound of a bell. Once the bell had become an event to which the dogs had learned to salivate, it was called a conditioned stimulus . The act of salivating to a bell was a response that had also been learned, now termed in Pavlov’s jargon, a conditioned response. Notice that the response, salivation, is the same whether it is conditioned or unconditioned (unlearned or natural). What changed is the stimulus to which the dog salivates. One is natural (unconditioned) and one is learned (conditioned).

Let’s think about how classical conditioning is used on us. One of the most widespread applications of classical conditioning principles was brought to us by the psychologist, John B. Watson.

John B. Watson

John B. Watson (1878-1958) believed that most of our fears and other emotional responses are classically conditioned. He had gained a good deal of popularity in the 1920s with his expert advice on parenting offered to the public.

Figure 1.14 – John B. Watson. 27

He tried to demonstrate the power of classical conditioning with his famous experiment with an 18 month old boy named “Little Albert”. Watson sat Albert down and introduced a variety of seemingly scary objects to him: a burning piece of newspaper, a white rat, etc. But Albert remained curious and reached for all of these things. Watson knew that one of our only inborn fears is the fear of loud noises so he proceeded to make a loud noise each time he introduced one of Albert’s favorites, a white rat. After hearing the loud noise several times paired with the rat, Albert soon came to fear the rat and began to cry when it was introduced. Watson filmed this experiment for posterity and used it to demonstrate that he could help parents achieve any outcomes they desired, if they would only follow his advice. Watson wrote columns in newspapers and in magazines and gained a lot of popularity among parents eager to apply science to household order.

Operant conditioning, on the other hand, looks at the way the consequences of a behavior increase or decrease the likelihood of a behavior occurring again. So let’s look at this a bit more.

B.F. Skinner and Operant Conditioning

B. F. Skinner (1904-1990), who brought us the principles of operant conditioning, suggested that reinforcement is a more effective means of encouraging a behavior than is criticism or punishment. By focusing on strengthening desirable behavior, we have a greater impact than if we emphasize what is undesirable. Reinforcement is anything that an organism desires and is motivated to obtain.

Figure 1.15 – B. F. Skinner. 28

A reinforcer is something that encourages or promotes a behavior. Some things are natural rewards. They are considered intrinsic or primary because their value is easily understood. Think of what kinds of things babies or animals such as puppies find rewarding.

Extrinsic or secondary reinforcers are things that have a value not immediately understood. Their value is indirect. They can be traded in for what is ultimately desired.

The use of positive reinforcement involves adding something to a situation in order to encourage a behavior. For example, if I give a child a cookie for cleaning a room, the addition of the cookie makes cleaning more likely in the future. Think of ways in which you positively reinforce others.

Negative reinforcement occurs when taking something unpleasant away from a situation encourages behavior. For example, I have an alarm clock that makes a very unpleasant, loud sound when it goes off in the morning. As a result, I get up and turn it off. By removing the noise, I am reinforced for getting up. How do you negatively reinforce others?

Punishment is an effort to stop a behavior. It means to follow an action with something unpleasant or painful. Punishment is often less effective than reinforcement for several reasons. It doesn’t indicate the desired behavior, it may result in suppressing rather than stopping a behavior, (in other words, the person may not do what is being punished when you’re around, but may do it often when you leave), and a focus on punishment can result in not noticing when the person does well.

Not all behaviors are learned through association or reinforcement. Many of the things we do are learned by watching others. This is addressed in social learning theory.

Social Learning Theory

Albert Bandura (1925-) is a leading contributor to social learning theory. He calls our attention to the ways in which many of our actions are not learned through conditioning; rather, they are learned by watching others (1977). Young children frequently learn behaviors through imitation

Figure 1.16 – Albert Bandura. 29

Sometimes, particularly when we do not know what else to do, we learn by modeling or copying the behavior of others. A kindergartner on his or her first day of school might eagerly look at how others are acting and try to act the same way to fit in more quickly. Adolescents struggling with their identity rely heavily on their peers to act as role-models. Sometimes we do things because we’ve seen it pay off for someone else. They were operantly conditioned, but we engage in the behavior because we hope it will pay off for us as well. This is referred to as vicarious reinforcement (Bandura, Ross and Ross, 1963).

Bandura (1986) suggests that there is interplay between the environment and the individual. We are not just the product of our surroundings, rather we influence our surroundings. Parents not only influence their child’s environment, perhaps intentionally through the use of reinforcement, etc., but children influence parents as well. Parents may respond differently with their first child than with their fourth. Perhaps they try to be the perfect parents with their firstborn, but by the time their last child comes along they have very different expectations both of themselves and their child. Our environment creates us and we create our environment. 30

Theories also explore cognitive development and how mental processes change over time.

Jean Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development

Jean Piaget (1896-1980) is one of the most influential cognitive theorists. Piaget was inspired to explore children’s ability to think and reason by watching his own children’s development. He was one of the first to recognize and map out the ways in which children’s thought differs from that of adults. His interest in this area began when he was asked to test the IQ of children and began to notice that there was a pattern in their wrong answers. He believed that children’s intellectual skills change over time through maturation. Children of differing ages interpret the world differently.

Figure 1.17 – Jean Piaget. 32

Piaget believed our desire to understand the world comes from a need for cognitive equilibrium . This is an agreement or balance between what we sense in the outside world and what we know in our minds. If we experience something that we cannot understand, we try to restore the balance by either changing our thoughts or by altering the experience to fit into what we do understand. Perhaps you meet someone who is very different from anyone you know. How do you make sense of this person? You might use them to establish a new category of people in your mind or you might think about how they are similar to someone else.

A schema or schemes are categories of knowledge. They are like mental boxes of concepts. A child has to learn many concepts. They may have a scheme for “under” and “soft” or “running” and “sour”. All of these are schema. Our efforts to understand the world around us lead us to develop new schema and to modify old ones.

One way to make sense of new experiences is to focus on how they are similar to what we already know. This is assimilation . So the person we meet who is very different may be understood as being “sort of like my brother” or “his voice sounds a lot like yours.” Or a new food may be assimilated when we determine that it tastes like chicken!

Another way to make sense of the world is to change our mind. We can make a cognitive accommodation to this new experience by adding new schema. This food is unlike anything I’ve tasted before. I now have a new category of foods that are bitter-sweet in flavor, for instance. This is  accommodation . Do you accommodate or assimilate more frequently? Children accommodate more frequently as they build new schema. Adults tend to look for similarity in their experience and assimilate. They may be less inclined to think “outside the box.”

Piaget suggested different ways of understanding that are associated with maturation. He divided this into four stages:

Table 1.4 – Jean Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development

Criticisms of Piaget’s Theory

Piaget has been criticized for overemphasizing the role that physical maturation plays in cognitive development and in underestimating the role that culture and interaction (or experience) plays in cognitive development. Looking across cultures reveals considerable variation in what children are able to do at various ages. Piaget may have underestimated what children are capable of given the right circumstances. 33

Lev Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory

Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934) was a Russian psychologist who wrote in the early 1900s but whose work was discovered in the United States in the 1960s but became more widely known in the 1980s. Vygotsky differed with Piaget in that he believed that a person not only has a set of abilities, but also a set of potential abilities that can be realized if given the proper guidance from others. His sociocultural theory emphasizes the importance of culture and interaction in the development of cognitive abilities. He believed that through guided participation known as scaffolding, with a teacher or capable peer, a child can learn cognitive skills within a certain range known as the zone of proximal development . 34 His belief was that development occurred first through children’s immediate social interactions, and then moved to the individual level as they began to internalize their learning. 35

Figure 1.18- Lev Vygotsky. 36

Have you ever taught a child to perform a task? Maybe it was brushing their teeth or preparing food. Chances are you spoke to them and described what you were doing while you demonstrated the skill and let them work along with you all through the process. You gave them assistance when they seemed to need it, but once they knew what to do-you stood back and let them go. This is scaffolding and can be seen demonstrated throughout the world. This approach to teaching has also been adopted by educators. Rather than assessing students on what they are doing, they should be understood in terms of what they are capable of doing with the proper guidance. You can see how Vygotsky would be very popular with modern day educators. 37

Comparing Piaget and Vygotsky

Vygotsky concentrated more on the child’s immediate social and cultural environment and his or her interactions with adults and peers. While Piaget saw the child as actively discovering the world through individual interactions with it, Vygotsky saw the child as more of an apprentice, learning through a social environment of others who had more experience and were sensitive to the child’s needs and abilities. 38

Like Vygotsky’s, Bronfenbrenner looked at the social influences on learning and development.

Urie Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Model

Urie Bronfenbrenner (1917-2005) offers us one of the most comprehensive theories of human development. Bronfenbrenner studied Freud, Erikson, Piaget, and learning theorists and believed that all of those theories could be enhanced by adding the dimension of context. What is being taught and how society interprets situations depends on who is involved in the life of a child and on when and where a child lives.

Figure 1.19 – Urie Bronfenbrenner. 39

Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems model explains the direct and indirect influences on an individual’s development.

Table 1.5 – Urie Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Model

For example, in order to understand a student in math, we can’t simply look at that individual and what challenges they face directly with the subject. We have to look at the interactions that occur between teacher and child. Perhaps the teacher needs to make modifications as well. The teacher may be responding to regulations made by the school, such as new expectations for students in math or constraints on time that interfere with the teacher’s ability to instruct. These new demands may be a response to national efforts to promote math and science deemed important by political leaders in response to relations with other countries at a particular time in history.

Figure 1.20 – Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory. 40

Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems model challenges us to go beyond the individual if we want to understand human development and promote improvements. 41

In this chapter we looked at:

underlying principles of development

the five periods of development

three issues in development

Various methods of research

important theories that help us understand development

Next, we are going to be examining where we all started with conception, heredity, and prenatal development.

Child Growth and Development Copyright © by Jean Zaar is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Human Development Essay: Topics, Examples, & How-to Guide

A human development essay is a piece of writing that explores how a person or group of people can grow and thrive. Several disciplines study these processes and might require you to get ready with this kind of assignment:

• Biology analyzes human body development issues throughout our lifespan;
• Psychology views human development as gaining or abandoning certain behavioral trends;
• Sociology explains the cause-and-effect relationships between an individual and a group;
• Economics studies the growth of human freedoms through the improvement of their well-being.

This article systematizes the available bulk of knowledge on the importance of human development. We have collected the essential concepts and approaches you can explore through our human development essay topics and samples.

💵 Human Development in Economics

🤯 human development in psychology.

• 🧒 Human Growth Essay Topics
• 📑 Outlining Your Essay
• 1️⃣ HD Theories: Essay Example
• 2️⃣ HD & Economic Growth: Essay Example

The first Human Development Report introduced this notion back in 1990 . But the discussion of the relationship between economic growth and human development started in the middle of the 20 th century.

Now we believe that GDP is not the only indicator of our well-being . Human life is more than just selling, buying, and consuming.

Human development in economics focuses on the creation of equal rights and opportunities for everyone . This approach states that the entire society would prosper from the happiness of each of its members.

In these terms, human development has two dimensions:

• enhancement of human abilities;
• provision of prerequisites for our growth.

The former explores how we could ensure that everyone has access to education, healthcare, and decent living conditions. The latter involves achieving environmental sustainability and equality of rights and opportunities for people of all genders, ages, and ethnic backgrounds.

Human Development Index

The Human Development Index (HDI) emphasizes that people and their well-being are the criteria for a country’s prosperity, not only its economic growth.

Today, we use HDI to question the efficiency of national policy. It also allows us to compare different countries with the same GDP but different human development levels. Analyzing this data, governments can refocus their priorities and correct past mistakes.

HDI is calculated as the geometric mean of the following normalized indices:

• Life expectancy at birth is used to calculate the life expectancy index, where 85 years is the maximum.
• The education index is the sum of the expected and mean years of schooling divided by 2.
• This index is determined as GNI per capita.

Meanwhile, HDI is not as comprehensive as one might expect. HDRO (the Human Development Report Office) claims that it does not consider human inequalities, the empowerment of minorities, poverty levels, and gender disparity.

Psychology views human development from an individual’s perspective. This discipline distinguishes between three directions of human development.

• Physical changes occur in our bodies. How do we grow from a baby into an adult and from an adult into an older person? How do we acquire new motor skills, and what is the biology of our senses? What do our brains consist of, and how do they change with age? Correct answers to these questions help us explain the next direction.
• Cognitive changes cause the development of human behavior. What goes on in our brain that defines what kind of people we are? This domain focuses on logical thinking, learning, understanding, moral reasoning, and practical intelligence. It searches for the ways we could learn faster and become better versions of ourselves.
• Psychosocial changes track the growth of our social skills and preferences. It all starts with the principal caregiver. Gradually, we begin to interact with more people, such as friends, distant relatives, educators, and colleagues. It is all about our self-image, self-esteem, emotions, and relationships. The psychosocial domain also studies our ways to cope with losses or death.

Human Development Theories

The history of psychology knows many human development theories, many of which are still trusted. We will focus on the two fundamental approaches. They divide childhood into several critical stages that define our character, habits, likes, relationships, and even success in life.

Piaget’s 4 Stages of Cognitive Development

Piaget’s theory is the most widely accepted approach to child development. He believed that children construct knowledge while they manipulate and explore the objects around them. Jean Piaget marked four stages of cognitive development.

• Sensorimotor stage (0-2 years). A child learns that objects do not disappear. Their activity is all about experimenting with things to see what happens. This stage should culminate with developing the deferred imitation skill. It involves the ability to reproduce an action or sound made by another person later.
• Preoperational stage (2-6 years). Children use symbols to represent words and ideas. They develop the language and make-believe play but still lack logical reasoning. They are egocentric and cannot imagine that other people may feel or think differently.
• Concrete operational stage (6-12 years). Thinking becomes logical and focused. Children develop inductive reasoning: they observe to make generalizations about the world around them. But they still struggle with deductive thinking.
• Formal operational stage (12 years – adulthood). Abstract thinking emerges. They learn to develop theoretical ideas to explain the world.

Freud’s 5 Stages of Psychosexual Development

The Father of Psychoanalysis believed that human personality consisted of ego, superego, and id. They become unified and inseparable once the child passes the five stages of psychosexual development.

• Oral stage (0-1 year). The mouth is the pleasure center for the infant. That is why everyone is born with a sucking reflex. If the oral needs are not met during the first year of life, the child can start biting their nails or suck a thumb.
• Anal stage (1-3 years). Children gain control over their bodily functions. They experiment with feces. But early toilet training can make a child too obsessed with order.
• Phallic stage (3-6 years). Children find out the pleasure they can get from their genitals. According to Freud, this is when the sexual desire to the parent of the opposite sex emerges. Boys go through the Oedipus complex. They want to replace their father and see him as a rival in the mother’s love. Later, Carl Jung spoke of the Electra Complex, a similar mechanism in girls.
• Latency stage (6-12 years). Sexual instincts give way to the superego. During this period, children adopt the moral principles and values of their parents.
• Genital stage (12+ years). Sexual instincts reemerge. If all the above steps passed successfully, adolescents would show appropriate sexual behavior.

But this theory is too controversial to be taken for granted. Do parents define their child’s sexual and aggressive drives? Nobody knows for sure.

💡 232 Human Development Essay Topics

Since human development is a debatable and scarcely studied area of knowledge, it offers a whole lot of topics to discuss. For your convenience, we have divided them into two categories:

• The first can be used for essays on human development psychology.
• The second includes human growth and development essay topics in economics and sociology.

155 Human Development Topics (Psychology)

Psychology focuses on the emotional, intellectual, and social development of an individual. Scientists traditionally divide this growth into stages, according to the respective age. That is why the topics here can be about early childhood, parent-child relationships, school years, adolescence, marriage, and divorce.

• Child psychology: Theories of development by J. Piaget.
• How can parents facilitate their child’s relationships with peers?
• Divorce: Psychological effects on children.
• Which purposes does attachment play in infants?
• Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory of development.
• Which ideas of Freud’s psychosexual development theory do you think are valid?
• Find the common features between Freud’s psychosexual theory and Erikson’s psychosocial theory.
• Child development and education.
• Explore the causes of inferiority complex in adolescents.
• Children’s play: An ingredient needed in children’s learning.
• How does one’s sense of self influence their future relationships?
• Corporal punishment and its effects on children.
• Why do we need to reward the feeling of gratitude in adolescents?
• What is the role of the family in shaping our social well-being?
• Developmental psychology in adolescence.
• Describe the principles of caregiving you consider as healthy and beneficial.
• Personal development plan.
• What is social knowledge, and where do we gain it?
• Write a human development theories essay.
• Emotional development in children and adults.
• What do the preferred leisure activities of adolescents tell us about their development?
• Early childhood classroom environment plan.
• Does the gender of the main caregiver matter?
• Study the effect of orphanage education on a child’s psychology.
• The introduction to early childhood education.
• Is a child’s family or school more defining for their development?
• Second life : Professional development and communication.
• How does patriarchal prejudice undermine the intellectual growth in girls?
• Does the lack of college-level education make a person less smart?
• Sigmund Freud’s personality and psychoanalysis.
• How did dr. Maria Montessori use human tendencies for child development?
• Adult learning theories.
• How does a father’s toxic masculinity impact a boy’s emotional well-being?
• Early childhood cognitive-based philosophy.
• Make a research summary of the role of IQ in human development.
• Explore the causes of the “terrible threes.”
• Lifespan human development: perspective and theories.
• Write a reflection about risk-taking behaviors in teenagers.
• Linking human development to the human condition.
• Is poverty the worst factor for a child’s development?
• Early childhood education activities and trends.
• Analyze the consequences of substance abuse in adolescence.
• Cognitive behavioural therapy for depression in adults.
• Do children adopt their same-sex parent’s gender roles in adulthood?
• Child abuse and neglect effects on adult survivors.
• What is the role of creativity in a preschooler’s development?
• Tools of the mind in the early childhood development.
• Do you agree that all psychological disorders of children under 12 are caused by an unhealthy family atmosphere?
• The theories of child development.
• How do we learn to control our emotions?
• How autistic children develop and learn?
• Analyze the major results of gender-neutral education.
• Early childhood education and skills development.
• When is the due time to start sex education of children and why?
• Erik Erikson’s theory of development.
• What is the tole of symbolic function and make-believe play in a child’s development?
• Family structure and its effects on children.
• Why is egocentrism in children normal?
• Infant development.
• Establish the relationship between language development and intellectual growth.
• Biological, cognitive, and socioemotional development.
• Sexism in human development theories.
• How an operant conditioning influences child development.
• Awareness of age-related change helps to live a healthy life.
• Middle childhood and adolescence development.
• The adverse effect of malnutrition in a child’s development.
• Assessment in early childhood: Special education.
• When is stress positive and negative for the psychological development of an individual?
• How video games affect children.
• Analyze human development in multigenerational families.
• Erickson’s psychosocial development and its stages.
• Compare and contrast the American and Japanese approaches to education and their results.
• Theoretical perspectives on human development: Freud, Piaget, and Skinner.
• The role of controlled independence in childhood.
• Technology impacts on the new generation of children.
• Why is periodical boredom necessary for a child to develop?
• Learning and student development theories and factors.
• Why is human development the basic need of any society?
• The development of secure and insecure attachments in children.
• Why is intellectual growth so pleasurable for us?
• Moral and personality development.
• If the human development mechanism is equal for all, why are we so different?
• 21 st century skills development.
• Why do modern sociologists think we should work less?
• Peer pressure on children in high school.
• What could we learn from the indigenous African tribes in terms of the psychological development of children?
• Interaction for child’s development and learning.
• Schools: an unknown war where we miss our childhood?
• Effects of media on children.
• To which degree do genes determine our development?
• Jean Piaget – cognitive theorist.
• Why are foster children less prepared for adult life than their adopted peers?
• When should children start school?
• When do children stop learning through play?
• Managing stress better: Personal development.
• Which socio-emotional factors make aging less depressing?
• Preschool play role in the cognitive development.
• The benefits and drawbacks of grandparents’ raising children.
• Autism as the most prevalent developmental mental disorder.
• How does lifelong learning benefit human brain?
• Teaching and supporting adult learners.
• How does lifestyle influence our cognition?
• Parent-child relationships and parental authority.
• Should adults develop an awareness of their aging?
• Early intervention for young children with autism.
• Why do scientists no longer view aging as a negative process?
• Development and improvement of communication skills.
• Which factors define our ability for emotional regulation?
• Child’s play observation and parent interview.
• Compare the Christian and Muslim cultural differences in human development.
• The early abuse’ impacts on teenagers emotional development.
• Are private nurseries and schools better for children’s development?
• Behavior change in learning processes.
• Why is generation alpha more emotionally intelligent than any earlier-born children?
• Videogame addiction and its impact on children.
• Shout less and explain more: the effect of the modern approach to caregiving.
• Adult education, its objectives and approaches.
• Why should we tell our daughters they are smart rather than beautiful?
• Personal development: Career management.
• How does social change impact the life of an individual? Give examples.
• Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s child development theories.
• Suggest mentoring interventions for at-risk adolescents.
• Adult learning and effective instruction.
• To which extent should we normalize children with developmental disorders?
• Negative impacts of adult cartoon television programs on children.
• Do developmental differences make us more human?
• Social psychology in people’s life.
• Do all families need psychotherapy, like they need a family doctor?
• Childhood sexual abuse and adolescents’ self-esteem.
• Which barriers do LGBT adolescents meet in their development?
• Life-span development and personal life experiences.
• Outline a positive youth development program.
• Understanding learning: theories’ impacts.
• Explain eating disorders as the result of incorrect upbringing.
• The influence of online games on children and adults.
• Describe the changes our brain suffers under continuous stress.
• The psychological effect of 9-11 on young adults.
• Typical vs. Atypical development in children.
• Social psychology: group influence on the self.
• Why is mindfulness important for human development?
• Importance of a teacher in child development.
• We learn behavioral health from our parents.
• Divorce influence on childrens’ mental health.
• How do behavioral phenotypes emerge during early development?
• Child development theories: Comparative analysis.
• Why do many children function differently in home, school, or community settings?
• Communication role in the children’ development.
• Suggest ways to identify co-occurring conditions in developmental disorders.
• Psychological child development theories.
• Describe the existing approaches to establishing healthy schools.
• Piaget’s stages of cognitive development.
• Parental autonomy vs. Monitoring: which is better for an adolescent?
• Postpartum depression effect on children’s development.
• How do parents’ beliefs and values determine their parenting strategies?
• Childhood and optimal development analysis.

77 Human Development Topics (Economics)

• How entrepreneurship in the energy sector can pave the way for sustainable development in Africa.
• What are the parties involved in human development, and why don’t they share the same interests?
• Should we care about income inequality?
• Why does totalitarianism entail stagnation?
• Democratic and Economic Development in Asian Countries.
• Do migrant incomes spur economic development in their native countries?
• International human resource development.
• How does the growth of female entrepreneurship favor economics?
• A development of American society.
• How can equal rights and possibilities of all people make governments more efficient?
• Resolving the problems of poverty and income inequality.
• How does the availability of loans benefit human development?
• Development Theory and Human Rights.
• Should towns transform into cities to become more prosperous?
• Resource availability for low to moderate income families in New York City.
• Is feminism a sign of human evolution?
• Rapid urbanization in the developing world is increasing.
• What is the impact of literacy campaigns in socially disadvantaged rural areas?
• Poverty reduction in developing countries.
• Find the relationship between water resources and the level of farming development in a given region.
• Human Rights for Development.
• Explore the growing urban-rural interactions in large cities.
• Employment opportunity for people with learning disabilities in the UK.
• Give examples of win-win scenarios in human evolution.
• Analysing a community development: Case study.
• Why do societies often ignore or resist the advantages of human development?
• How innovation and growth strategy will develop Abu Dhabi economy through Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030.
• Study the role of recreational possibilities for the local population.
• Values of innovation and entrepreneurship in economic development.
• The effect of food availability on human development.
• Millennium Development and Well-Being of Families.
• Do you support transnational social movements, and why?
• Compensation and benefits in an area of human resources development.
• Do religions favor economic development?
• Influence of religion on the development of colonial American society.
• Analyze the impact of socioeconomic context on human development.
• Is nationalism beneficial for a country’s well-being?
• The development of the industrial work environment.
• Which factors impede poor people from growing their capital?
• Crime prevention through social development.
• Is leisure more critical for economic growth than production?
• Alternative Fuels and the US Nation Development.
• Should the government regulate human development, or is it unpredictable?
• Development traps and failure: The negative consequences of disasters on the economy.
• What are the external factors of human development in emerging countries?
• Fiscal decentralisation and local economic development in Ghana.
• Human Development Index (HDI) Vs. Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
• National human resource development in Asian states.
• Which aspects would you include in the HDI formula?
• Is late retirement beneficial for a country’s economic development?
• Environment: Sustainable Development in Abu Dhabi.
• Which material conditions affect human evolution?
• The critical points of equal employment opportunity.
• The role of sustainable development in a country’s well-being.
• Globalization drives inequality: Liberalist and structuralist perspectives.
• What is the primary goal of human development for economics?
• The income gap in the US economy.
• Are elevated birth rates a positive or negative factor for economic growth?
• Human resources development in the UK and Australia.
• What is the relationship between foreign capital penetration and human life expectancy in third-world countries?
• Economic and Social Development of the UAE.
• How does ethnic homogeneity influence human development in a given area?
• Gender wage gap and inequality.
• Why is the majority of wealthy countries democratic?
• Human resource development practices to achieve economic growth: The case of Singapore.
• Analyze the role of free medicine in social well-being.
• How can the employment of the disabled favor a country’s economy?
• Assessing why Nigeria LNG has been restricted in development.
• How is the work/family balance of employees important for a company’s prosperity?
• Workforce development and modern trends.
• Explore the effect of an individual’s well-being on a country’s development.
• Small business and development in South Africa.
• How does democratization improve a country’s productivity?
• Regional inequality of Yogyakarta.
• How does English training in third-world countries influence their development?
• Post-disaster development of Haiti.
• New conceptions of adulthood among the youth in the developing countries.

🧒 Human Growth and Development Essay Topics

• The impact of aging on human development.
• How do role models promote moral and behavioral development in the 21st century?
• Socioeconomic factors and their value in growth and development.
• The development of moral predispositions at an early age.
• The value of professional development of a person.
• Genetic regulation of growth in height and weight in teenagers.
• The role of initiative and guilt in the preschool age group.
• What are the main red flags in growth and development?
• Child health and human development over the lifespan.
• Emotional development of a person from birth to old age.
• Regulation of early human growth: the main peculiarities.
• COVID-19 and its role in children’s social development.
• How does environmental pollution affect human growth and development?
• The language development in humans and its key stages.
• How does maternal physical activity influence fetal growth?

Haven’t found the perfect topic in the lists above? Use our essay topic generator !

📑 Human Development Essay Outline

1. Introduction. By the end of your essay, your readers will surely forget what you wrote here. But do not underestimate the effect of a well-composed introduction on your audience’s expectations! Do your best to sound inspiring and upbeat in your human development essay introduction. Tell yourself, why did you select this topic? If it is an exciting issue for you, the readers will also get interested. So, the introduction speaks about the topicality and urgency of a problem. The thesis statement culminates your introduction. You should explain your position in a single sentence. Here are some good and bad examples:

Need to formulate a thesis statement? Use our thesis-making tool !

2. Main body. The primary rule here is structure. It is hard to read one long paragraph with many ideas. Introduce each argument from the new line. Give a topic sentence at the beginning of each section and then elaborate on it with examples and reflections.

3. Conclusion. In the field of human development, the conclusion of an essay should provide the prospects of the tendency you analyzed. Imagine yourself an analyst consulting an international company. What will happen if they continue doing the same? How can they reach different results? Once again, try to sound inspiring.

1️⃣ Human Development Essay Example #1 (Psychology)

Below you will find a sample of human development essays for a psychology-related discipline. It illustrates the outline we have mentioned above based on the topic Why Is Freud’s Developmental Theory considered outdated?

Human Development Theories Essay

1. Introduction. In the XXI century, we are all obsessed with development. We would like to become a better version of ourselves, develop our country, and humanity as a whole. Unfortunately, there is no axiom confirming the mechanism of human development.

Thesis statement. This essay explores the pitfalls of Freud’s developmental theory and questions its applicability.

2. Main Body.

Argument 1. Freud drew his theory from memories of his patients. But certain experiences people believe are true often turn out to be inaccurate. Sometimes, we fabricate our memories due to how we felt back then or would like to feel now. Thus, Freud used unreliable sources of information about child development.

Argument 2. Freud’s theory revolves around sexuality. But as Jung and Adler noticed, human life is more complicated than that. Oversimplification reduces us to instincts, which is not true. People have their subconscious fears and desires, but sexual energy is only one of their aspects.

Argument 3. Sigmund Freud only worked with adults. All adults are former children, but the researcher never studied children in their games, education, or frustrations. Freud had six kids, but his career never allowed him to spend much time with family. It is questionable how someone could draw conclusions about a child’s mental processes without actually speaking to a child.

3. Conclusion. Sigmund Freud largely contributed to modern psychology. He was the first to question our rational thinking and intellectual sobriety. But his five stages of psychosexual development are far from reality. First, they are constructed based on inaccurate and unreliable reports of mentally disturbed people. Second, sexuality is only one of the many things that make us who we are. Third, the scientist never did live research on children. That is why his theory is outdated now.

2️⃣ Human Development Essay Example #2 (Economics)

If you need to write an essay on human development while studying economics, you may use the following sample. It illustrates how to write an essay on the relationship between human development and economic growth.

Human Development and Economic Growth

1. Introduction. What happened first, human development or economic growth? The early signs of economic growth appeared when the first people started exchanging their goods with the neighboring tribes. They had to develop a new skill and change their picture of the world to catalyze economic growth.

Thesis statement. This essay aims to confirm the two-way linkage between the development of individuals and economic growth.

Argument 1. If that first exchange of crops and cattle did not work out, we would have never got as developed as we are now. The economic growth that happened once we had mastered “business negotiations” gave us the necessary resources to develop other skills.

Argument 2. Human development is hardly predictable. The most significant improvements in technology, medicine, construction, and science happened during the most challenging times for humanity. The two world wars showed that we could develop when the economy is in decay. But the new production methods and scientific achievements give us an opportunity to grow the economy when things get better.

Argument 3. Economic growth without human development is limited. For example, when a third-world country receives an external capital inflow, its economy stabilizes or even grows. But if its population does not acquire new models of doing business, the money will end. Such a country will return to its previous poor condition.

3. Conclusion. It would be wrong to say that human development caused economic growth or vice versa. None of the two are possible without the other. Human development happened first, but further knowledge acquisition required economic growth. Improvement of the economy does not guarantee human intellectual growth. Meanwhile, it is an indispensable prerequisite for our development.

❓ Human Development Questions & Answers

What does the science of human development seek to understand.

This science tries to find the reasons why people tend to change over time or why they remain at the same level. It establishes the mechanisms through which we become more educated, moral, organized, and civilized. The science also describes the benefits and drawbacks of human development for the economy, sociology, psychology, and ecology.

What is Human Development and Family Studies?

Human Development and Family Studies focuses on the health and psychology of individuals throughout their lifespan. This area of knowledge discusses human life in the context of their family relationships and social roles. It is an interdisciplinary science that involves psychology, economy, and sociology.

How does culture affect human development?

Culture defines the way we perceive society and the world as a whole. It affects our vision of reality from early childhood. Culture influences our beliefs, values, and purposes. Moreover, it is a decisive factor for our self-image as an individual and a member of society.

What makes the study of human development a science?

The study of human development explores how we learn, mature, and adapt to changes and adverse conditions. It is largely related to psychology but also involves sociology, economics, anthropology, and biology. It is a science because it aims to describe, predict, and understand the changes in human behavior that bring us to development.

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Developmental Change

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• Annette Karmiloff-Smith 2  

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Developmental change is the process of change that occurs in human beings throughout development.

Gene expression, brain function, cognitive processes, behavior, and environmental factors all involve multiple cross-level interactions, and all are characterized by dynamic developmental change over time. The study of any neurodevelopmental disorder, be it autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) or those of known genetic origin like Down syndrome (DS), Williams syndrome (WS), fragile X syndrome (FXS), or velocardiofacial syndrome (VCFS), must focus on full developmental trajectories from infancy to adulthood, examining how domains interact differently over time.

Developmental Change at the Genetic Level

Many studies map specific genes to specific behaviors, but rare are those which take account of changing gene expression over time. Yet, if a gene is expressed widely initially and becomes increasingly confined to certain brain regions, or if a gene is expressed much more during...

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References and Readings

Johnson, M. H. (2011). Interactive specialization: A domain-general framework for human functional brain development? Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, 1 (1), 7–21.

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Karmiloff-Smith, A. (2009). Nativism versus neuroconstructivism: Rethinking the study of developmental disorders. Special issue on the interplay of biology and environment. Developmental Psychology, 45 (1), 56–63.

Karmiloff-Smith, A. (2010). Neuroimaging of the developing brain: Taking “develop ing ” seriously. Human Brain Mapping, 31 (6), 934–941.

Karmiloff-Smith, A., Thomas, M., Annaz, D., Humphreys, K., Ewing, S., Brace, N., et al. (2004). Exploring the Williams syndrome face processing debate: The importance of building developmental trajectories. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 45 (7), 1258–1274.

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Karmiloff-Smith, A. (2013). Developmental Change. In: Volkmar, F.R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1698-3_1426

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What is Developmental Psychology?

Saul McLeod, PhD

Editor-in-Chief for Simply Psychology

BSc (Hons) Psychology, MRes, PhD, University of Manchester

Saul McLeod, PhD., is a qualified psychology teacher with over 18 years of experience in further and higher education. He has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Clinical Psychology.

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On This Page:

Developmental psychology is a scientific approach that aims to explain growth, change, and consistency though the lifespan. Developmental psychology examines how thinking, feeling, and behavior change throughout a person’s life.

A significant proportion of theories within this discipline focus on development during childhood, as this is the period during an individual’s lifespan when the most change occurs.

Developmental psychologists study a wide range of theoretical areas, such as biological, social, emotion, and cognitive processes.

Empirical research in this area tends to be dominated by psychologists from Western cultures such as North American and Europe, although during the 1980s Japanese researchers began making a valid contribution to the field.

• Maturation in psychology refers to the natural developmental process driven by genetics, leading to physical, behavioral, and psychological growth independent of learning or experience.
• The idiographic approach focuses on understanding unique, individual differences in experiences or behaviors, often using qualitative methods.
• Normative development in psychology refers to the typical sequence and timing of developmental milestones that most people experience within a population.

The three goals of developmental psychology are to describe, explain, and optimize development (Baltes, Reese, & Lipsitt, 1980).

Finally, developmental psychologists hope to optimize development, and apply their theories to help people in practical situations (e.g. help parents develop secure attachments with their children).

Continuity vs. Discontinuity in Human Development 

Think about how children become adults. Is there a predictable pattern they follow regarding thought and language and social development? Do children go through gradual changes or are they abrupt changes?

Normative development is typically viewed as a continual and cumulative process. The continuity view says that development is a smooth and gradual accumulation of abilities, with one stage flowing seamlessly into the next.

Children become more skillful in thinking, talking, or acting much the same way as they get taller.

It assumes that changes are incremental, with skills and knowledge building upon what was previously learned. The analogy often used to describe this perspective is viewing development as a slope or ramp, gradually inclining upwards.

The discontinuity view sees development as a more abrupt-a succession of changes that produce different behaviors in different age-specific life periods called stages. Biological changes provide the potential for these changes.

These stages are believed to be qualitatively different, each bringing a dramatic shift in abilities or behaviors.

Theorists like Jean Piaget and Erik Erikson support this perspective. They argue that children pass through distinct stages at certain ages, and the qualities of each stage are significantly different from those of other stages. This can be visualized as steps on a staircase.

We often hear people talking about children going through “stages” in life (i.e., “sensorimotor stage.”). These are called developmental stages-periods of life initiated by distinct transitions in physical or psychological functioning.

Psychologists of the discontinuity view believe that people go through the same stages, in the same order, but not necessarily at the same rate.

Stability vs. Change in Human Development

Stability implies personality traits present during infancy endure throughout the lifespan. It emphasizes the importance of early experiences on future development, suggesting that early childhood experiences play a significant role in determining adult personality traits and behaviors.

For example, a child who is cheerful and outgoing will likely grow into an adult with similar personality traits. Stability theorists believe that change is relatively difficult once initial personality traits have been established.

In contrast, change theorists argue that family interactions, school experiences, and acculturation modify personalities.

It implies that our behaviors, thoughts, and emotions are malleable and can be influenced by experiences and environments over time. This perspective suggests that it is equally likely for an introverted child to become an extroverted adult, depending on various factors such as life experiences, education, or trauma.

This capacity for change is called plasticity. For example, Rutter (1981) discovered that somber babies living in understaffed orphanages often become cheerful and affectionate when placed in socially stimulating adoptive homes.

Nature vs. Nurture

When trying to explain development, it is important to consider the relative contribution of both nature and nurture . Developmental psychology seeks to answer two big questions about heredity and environment:

• How much weight does each contribute?
• How do nature and nurture interact?

Nature refers to the process of biological maturation, inheritance, and maturation. One of the reasons why the development of human beings is so similar is because our common specifies heredity (DNA) guides all of us through many of the same developmental changes at about the same points in our lives.

Nurture refers to the impact of the environment, which involves the process of learning through experiences.

There are two effective ways to study nature-nurture.

• Twin studies: Identical twins have the same genotype, and fraternal twins have an average of 50% of their genes in common.
• Adoption studies: Similarities with the biological family support nature, while similarities with the adoptive family support nurture.

Historical Origins

Developmental psychology as a discipline did not exist until after the industrial revolution when the need for an educated workforce led to the social construction of childhood as a distinct stage in a person’s life.

The notion of childhood originates in the Western world and this is why the early research derives from this location. Initially, developmental psychologists were interested in studying the mind of the child so that education and learning could be more effective.

Developmental changes during adulthood are an even more recent area of study. This is mainly due to advances in medical science, enabling people to live to old age.

Charles Darwin is credited with conducting the first systematic study of developmental psychology. In 1877 he published a short paper detailing the development of innate forms of communication-based on scientific observations of his infant son, Doddy.

However, the emergence of developmental psychology as a specific discipline can be traced back to 1882 when Wilhelm Preyer (a German physiologist) published a book entitled The Mind of the Child .

In the book, Preyer describes the development of his own daughter from birth to two and a half years. Importantly, Preyer used rigorous scientific procedures throughout studying the many abilities of his daughter.

In 1888 Preyer’s publication was translated into English, by which time developmental psychology as a discipline was fully established with a further 47 empirical studies from Europe, North America and Britain also published to facilitate the dissemination of knowledge in the field.

During the 1900s three key figures have dominated the field with their extensive theories of human development, namely Jean Piaget (1896-1980), Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934) and John Bowlby (1907-1990). Indeed, much of the current research continues to be influenced by these three theorists.

Baltes, P. B., Reese, H., & Lipsett, L. (1980) Lifespan developmental psychology, Annual Review of Pyschology 31 : 65 – 110.

Darwin, C. (1877). A Biographical Sketch of an Infant.   Mind , 2, 285-294.

Preyer, W.T. (1882). Die Seele des Kindes: Beobachtungen über die geistige Entwicklung des Menschen in den ersten Lebensjahren .Grieben, Leipzig,

Preyer, W.T. (1888). The soul of the child: observations on the mental development of man in the first years of life .

Rutter, M. (1981). STRESS, COPING AND DEVELOPMENT: SOME ISSUES AND SOME QUESTIONS*. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 22(4) , 323-356.

Essays About Development: Top 5 Examples and 10 Prompts

Would you like to develop your writing skills? Our essays about development plus enriching prompts can help with this goal. 

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “constant development is the law of life.” Hence, the best way to succeed in life is to conform to this law. Once we do, we embrace the vast opportunities and surprises in the never-ending development cycle. Development, whether within ourselves, in a certain field, or the greater world we live in, requires allocating various resources in the form of time, action, and even financial capital. 

5 Essay Examples

1. why intersectional feminism matters for development by aviva stein, 2. how video games are made: the game development process by nadia stefyn, 3. why industrial development matters now more than ever before by li yong, 4. bangladesh really is a climate success story by joyashree roy, 5. what role does culture play in development by augusto lopez-claros, 1. my personal development goals, 2. importance of socialization in childhood development, 3. effects of the digital age on intellectual development, 4. economic growth vs. economic development, 5. united nations’ sustainable development goals, 6. urban development, 7. keeping pace with technological development, 8. winning strategies for career development, 9. challenges and perks of a business development manager, 10. education in development.

“Using an intersectional feminist lens to dig deeper into the factors that affect and hinder efforts for equality also allows us as development professionals to design programs, interventions, and support systems that aim to dismantle systems of inequality.”

This essay looks into intersectional feminism and the importance of inclusion. “Intersectional” means recognizing how different people live different experiences. Integrating an intersectional lens in feminist development work enables experts to design and implement programs that address inequality effectively. You might also be interested in these essays about bad habits .

“Much like a production line, the game development pipeline helps organize the flow of work so that everyone knows what they need to deliver and when. The pipeline also helps manage the game development timeline and budget, reducing inefficiencies and bottlenecks.”

This essay walks readers through the video game development process while also introducing the different critical players of the ecosystem. Overall, the piece provides budding game developers with a comprehensive resource on the basics of the industry. 

“Economists of the 20th century noted that a thriving industrial sector was crucial to the development of a modern economy, and in 2010, Cambridge economist Ha-Joon Chang observed that development without industrialization is like Shakespeare’s Hamlet without the Prince of Denmark.”

Creating a narrative out of data, this essay underscores the need to push for industrialization to further economies’ development. It sheds light on the myriad benefits of manufacturing on social development but also confronts the environmental challenges of the sector. 

Looking for more? Check out these essays about empathy and essays about gratitude .

“In the 50 years since the Bhola cyclone, the nation has carved out a path to development thanks to natural gas. Turning away from that path precipitously would strand the nation’s fossil-fuel assets and undermine its hard-won sovereignty and development gains.”

The essay demonstrates the determination of Bangladesh to bounce back from one of the deadliest cyclones in history. Now the fastest-growing economy in South Asia, Bangladesh marks a unique development journey that runs against the popular belief of patterning development strategies after those of more developed countries in the West. You might also like these essays about your mom .

“Development is not only about reducing poverty and expanding opportunities against the background of rising incomes. It is also in a very fundamental way about adopting a set of values that are compatible with humanity’s moral development.”

Integrating culture in discussions about development has been a longstanding challenge. But this essay points out that we might have been misled to categorize some development factors as cultural and, as a result, missed out on the proper way to resolve problems at their roots.

10 Unique Writing Prompts On Essays About Development

Whether it be acquiring a second language or graduating college with flying colors, use this essay to discuss your personal development goals and proudly share your progress in putting them into action. And then, write a commitment to keep sight of your personal development goals and what you think you should do more to achieve them in the most efficient way you can.

Socialization helps kids learn how to take turns and manage conflicts that arise from their play and interactions with other kids. Look for the latest research studies that show how the development of social skills relates to a child’s overall physical, intellectual, and emotional development.

Then, list the challenges in helping kids socialize more, given how gadgets are becoming a kid’s best friend for entertainment. Finally, include solutions and consider how society can encourage kids to have positive socialization experiences.

Digital technologies have certainly enabled wide-scale access to information and data that can expand our horizons. However, they also discourage the exercise of cognitive and analytical skills because the information is served on a silver platter. 

For this writing prompt, list the pros and cons of digital technologies in improving thinking skills and take the time to assess how each affects our intellectual development, including relevant studies to support your arguments. 

In this essay, aim to find out whether economic growth and economic development are independent or inextricably linked, such that economic development is not possible without economic growth and vice versa. 

For this, you can turn to the innovative insights of economists Simon Kuznets and Joseph Schumpeter. The creation of the Human Development Index is also worth delving into as it is one of the most ambitious metrics that emerged to measure the economy beyond the national income accounting framework . 

The United Nations has 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted in September 2015 and targeted to be attained by 2030 to end global poverty while addressing issues such as inequality and climate change. 

In your essay, explain these goals, their origins, and their relevance to today’s challenges. Then find out whether it is on track through the latest SDG report . You can also pick just one SDG close to your personal and get updates on the world’s progress in realizing this goal. Dive into politics in this essay and determine if the UN is on track and adhering to its promises.

True urban development can happen only if security, sanitation, and climate resilience are part of the equation. In this essay, outline the challenges of balancing rapid urbanization with the need to provide people with a decent environment for living. 

Expound on the importance of urban development in reducing poverty. Finally, underscores the enormous role city governments have in steering urban development through a human-centric approach. 

We hear about incredible technological advancements every day, but there has been little development in the regulatory sphere. Elaborate on policy and lawmakers’ challenges in coping with nimble tech companies. 

Some primary challenges include the extraordinary complexity of technologies and the long period it takes to pass a law. In your writing, offer insights into how the government and private sector can join hands and balance strict regulations and self-regulation. 

Career development is the journey of finding your place in the professional world. Flesh out the importance of having a career development game plan and how to implement them. Then take a glimpse at the sea shift in career development amid our present VUCA world. Specifically, analyze how younger professionals are carving out their careers and how companies design professional development plans within a VUCA environment. 

With the fierce competition in today’s markets, how should business development managers think and act to drive their company’s sales growth? Strive to answer this by researching business journals and news articles to discover today’s most pressing challenges business development managers face. But also look on the bright side to flesh out the job’s pros, such as gaining new experiences and expanding your connections. 

This writing prompt highlights the critical role of schools in a child’s overall development and what teaching techniques are proven to be most effective in training a child. To expand your essay, add COVID-19’s long-term debilitating impact on human capital development and how this translates to economic losses. Then, write about the lessons teachers and parents can learn from the pandemic to arrest future global disruptions from affecting the accessibility, delivery, and quality of education.

Tip: When editing for grammar, we also recommend improving the readability score of a piece before publishing or submitting it. If you’d like more help with your essays, check out our round-up of the best essay checkers .

How to Write the QuestBridge Essay + Examples 2024

TABLE OF CONTENTS

What is the questbridge scholarship.

• Who is eligible?
• QuestBridge Essay Prompts
• How to Write the QuestBridge Essays

Student Application Example #1

Student application example #2.

• What to do if you're a Questbridge finalist

The short version: QuestBridge is awesome. As in the real sense of the word—awe-inspiring.

The slightly longer version:

QuestBridge is a non-profit organization that works to connect high-achieving students from lower-income families with some of the top colleges and universities in the country. 

They do so in part because, while somewhere around 30,000 such students each year could apply to the best institutions in the United States (as in, they are just as academically qualified as other applicants), most don’t apply to a single selective school. QuestBridge has worked to change that, by helping thousands of students be admitted to and offered financial aid by their partner schools. You can read more about QuestBridge’s mission and vision in their own words.

In this post, we’ll explore how to write the QuestBridge essays, and analyze some QuestBridge essay examples. But first ...

If you’re reading this post, you probably already know this, but just in case: The QuestBridge College Match Scholarship offers a full-ride, four-year scholarship worth over $200,000 to 50 of the top schools in the United States. It can cover basically everything, from tuition and fees to room and board to travel expenses to books and other supplies.

Like we said, awesome.

As an important side note, in addition to the hundreds of students who received the College Match Scholarship last year, thousands of students were accepted to and offered financial aid from partner schools.

To check out a list of current QuestBridge partners, check out this link . They’ve added two new schools this year: Cornell and Skidmore! It’s important to note that (with the exception of MIT), all of the schools have a binding policy if you’re ultimately matched. So what does that mean? You want to carefully research these schools to ensure you find the ones that are a great match for you.

Before we talk through the prompts and some sample essays, it’s important to note that the QuestBridge National College Match application is due September 26 . 

QuestBridge has a bunch of subsequent deadlines for submitting things like your Match Rankings Form. This flowchart offers a helpful visual of the process.

Who’s Eligible for the Questbridge Scholarship?

The National College Match is open to all U.S. citizens and permanent residents and students, regardless of citizenship , currently attending high school in the United States. If you identify as undocumented, you are eligible to apply, but you should review the Additional Citizenship Requirements to see which college partners will consider you for the Match Scholarship.

Unfortunately, international students living outside the United States are not eligible.

If you’re curious, you can check out the profile of College Match Finalists .

QuestBridge Essay Prompts and Application Components

The College Match application requires the following (and here’s a handy Quick Start Guide ):

The actual online application

Short (400 character) questions about work commitments, home/family responsibilities, and extracurricular/other activities

Short answer questions

Two letters of recommendation (preferably from 11th grade teachers):

One from a recent core-subject teacher

One from another teacher or someone who knows you well (just don’t ask anyone in your household or immediate family)

A School Report from your high school counselor

An optional but recommended School Profile

Optional video

“Students will have the option to record a video as part of their application if they would like to share additional information, elaborate on something in their application, or present a 3D version of themselves.”

Your high school transcript

Not required to apply: Any standardized test scores (50% of applicants submitted test scores last year)

Note: MIT does require either the SAT or ACT if you select them as a match school

Another note: unofficial transcripts and test score reports are accepted

Here are the Questbridge essay prompts for 2024:

Essay 1: Personal/Biographical Essay (800-word limit)  

We are interested in learning more about you and the context in which you have grown up, formed your aspirations, and accomplished your academic successes. Please describe how the most influential factors and challenges in your life have shaped you into the person you are today. 

Essay 2: Topical Essay (400-word limit) Please write on ONE of the following topics:  

Option 1: Tell us about a time you learned something new and were excited to uncover more information about that topic.

Option 2: Our behavior is often shaped by our values. Tell us about a value you hold.

Option 3: Tell us about a time when your perspective was different from someone else's.

And here are the short answer questions:

What is your favorite subject to study, and why? (35 words)

What are your favorite books and/or movies? (35 words)

What is your favorite source of inspiration? (35 words)

How do you spend a typical weekend? (35 words)

What compliment are you most proud of receiving and who gave it to you? (35 words)

After a challenging experience, how do you rejuvenate? (35 words)

What would you contribute to your future college campus community? (35 words)

And here are short answers that are part of the writing exercises:

So that we can learn more about you, please tell us: what question would you want us to ask you? (25 words)

How and why do you think this question can be a good application question for you? (75 words)

Please answer the question you proposed above. (200 words)

Additional Information 

A full picture of who you are can strengthen your application. In this section, we encourage you to include any additional information or context that will complete your story and help us get to know you better. This could include details you were not able to include elsewhere, such as your relationship with a non-custodial parent, extra medical expenses, or other special circumstances. (400 words)

How to Write the QuestBridge Essays + Examples

QuestBridge really wants to understand the context of your life—moments and experiences that have shaped you, challenges that you’ve worked through—through the longer essays and short answers.

You may be thinking, ugh, that’s a lot of writing. And you’d be right. But this is a no-joke opportunity, so look at all those essays as individual chances to shine. Take advantage of the fact that QuestBridge is probing for a range of insights into who you are, what you value, and what you feel driven to do ( here are resources QB itself offers on the writing/application process ). As you’ll see in the examples below, each prompt offers you the chance to illustrate a different facet of your story, adding up to an interesting, complex whole.

A few notes on Essays 1 and 2:

“Biographical Essay” is another way of saying “Personal Statement.” Only here, the typical 650-word limit is expanded to 800. While 800 words is a limit, not a requirement, think of those extra 150 words as more real estate to tell your story, share your values, and wow your readers with unique insights.

Narrative Structure can be a great option for any kind of personal statement (not just for QuestBridge) that focuses on a significant challenge you’ve faced and how it’s shaped you. That structure can fit this prompt particularly well. For a more detailed guide on how to brainstorm the content for and write a Narrative Structure essay, check out this expansive guide. QuestBridge also has its own handy brainstorming worksheet with a flowchart and advice you may find useful.

Don’t have a challenge you feel is worth writing about, or you do, but  don’t want it to be the central focus of your essay or to define you in a significant way? That’s okay because you have another great option: Montage Structure, a dynamic approach that allows you to explore multiple sides of yourself. 

We liken montage to a beaded bracelet, with the beads representing key aspects of your personality/experiences/values/talents + a thematic thread that ties it all together. For an in-depth discussion of Montage Structure, head here . (Note: A hybrid of both is also possible—check out the “Much Ado About Nothing” essay at the end of this post for an example that starts with a challenge—in its case a low-stakes one—but then shifts into a montage of moments, experiences, and reflections.) One important note : Make sure to brainstorm at least two great personal statement ideas. Why? Because if you aren’t chosen for the QuestBridge scholarship, you’d have to apply through the Common App, most likely to the schools that will have already seen this essay. So be sure to keep another well-developed idea in your back pocket. 

How to decide between these three topics? The good news is, there’s no wrong answer. Each offers a great opportunity to show important facets of who you are. However, you might consider a strategic approach. Look at the supplemental essay requirements for other schools on your list that are not QuestBridge partners. Do you see any topic overlap? If so, consider choosing a prompt you can easily recycle, ala the “ super essay .”

Here are some resources to help you get started. 

Option 1: Intellectual Curiosity

You’ll find variations of this prompt in the crash courses for Stanford (Prompt #6) , the UC’s (PIQ 6), and Wash U St. Louis (Prompt #1) .

Option 2: Core Value

For this prompt, try the Values Exercise , and then do the brainstorming exercises for the Community essay and the Extracurricular Activity essay , and see if those allow for ways you can illustrate one of your core values

Option 3: Challenged Perspective

You’ll find variations of this prompt in the crash courses for Princeton (Prompt #2) , USC (Prompt #1a) , and Emory (Prompt #1a) .

Note that the text boxes will not accept any formatting such as bold, italics, or underlining. Also, because indents may not show up for paragraphs, you may want to add blank lines between paragraphs.

Important note: The examples below were written for past versions of the QuestBridge prompts, so there are differences, but they nicely illustrate the approach you’ll want to go for with your writing.

QuestBridge Essay 1: Biographical Essay

We are interested in learning more about you and the context in which you have grown up, formed your aspirations, and accomplished your academic successes. Please describe the factors and challenges that have most shaped your personal life and aspirations. How have these factors helped you to grow? (797/800-word limit)

“Mama, ¡por favor! Don’t go!” I cried, gently tugging on her brown leather jacket. Raindrops pummeled my bare face, making me squint to see her silhouette in the darkness of the cold night. One by one, she began reluctantly loading her belongings onto our old grey minivan.  “I’ll see you soon, mijito,” my mother despairingly said as she wiped the tears trickling down her cheeks. She pulled me into her arms, and I tightly held her, knowing this might be the last time I ever could. Seconds later, she got into the driver’s seat, and the engine roared to life. Before I could say goodbye, the old grey minivan began driving out of sight.  My mind raced with questions. Why was my mother leaving? Why couldn’t I go with her? Flashbacks to towers of late rent bills and the rumble of my sisters’ empty stomachs made one thing clear: she had to.  Ever since I was born, LA’s high rent prices pushed our family onto the brink of homelessness. We lived our life on a coin toss—heads or tails deciding whether we’d pay our monthly rent or groceries. This life meant the roof above my head changed faster than the clothes on my body. It meant doing multiplication tables on the cold pavement while waiting for a bed at the shelter. It meant having to watch a childhood slip away as my parents’ struggles slowly materialized into my own. That rainy night, my mother finally reached her limit and moved to Utah in pursuit of a better life.  With my mother gone, my home felt scattered beyond physical confines. However, the emotional sanctuary I yearned for, I discovered in my second home: school. Here, I raced through kinematics problems and sneaked into the computer lab, my hands flying over the keyboards. This home I found in the flickering, fluorescent-lighted hallways and weary, purple-colored walls gave me a sense of belonging. However, the small source of stability I was beginning to gather became intercepted by a looming decision: Do I stay in LA with my father or leave for Utah to be reunited with my mother? I chose LA.     After months of watery eyes and harrowing headaches produced by images of my sisters’ childhoods without me, LA’s charm finally shone through. The allure was in the spontaneous dance parties sparked by the neighborhood abuelitas’ cumbias—in the rewarding taste of Tommy’s world-famous chili burgers and Ocha’s “seven seas” soup. Aside from the cultural respite I gained in Los Angeles, there was a glaringly obvious gift in my stay: LA welcomed my curiosity with open arms, preserving my interest in political science through an ACLU program, and fostering my passion for CS through LACCD courses.   However, life in LA is not always sweet. While walking home one night, an ominous car crept up beside me. My blood ran cold as I noticed the gun’s glisten. My life flashed before my eyes, and I braced myself until . . . CLICK. The gun jammed. I ran with every jot of energy left in my sore body. I ran for my life . In South L.A, it sometimes feels like I’m always running—unable to escape the candles on every street corner, reminding me of those who weren’t as lucky. Amidst this sea of chaos, I resort to my outlet: computers.  Although my only access to technology is a recreational center 30 minutes away, I do everything in my capacity to explore this new home. Writing simple “Hello World!” programs transformed into graduate-level work developing neural networks and AI algorithms. Yet my CS journey still feels like a jigsaw puzzle with a missing piece. Although thankful for the opportunities, the missing piece is a dream. It’s the dream of blending my past with my future as a computer scientist and engineering a better world. That is why I eagerly await the opportunity to attend a university to finally fulfill this dream. And one day, using all the experiences and wisdom I gained from my college professors and peers, I will return to South Los Angeles not only to inspire future generations to pursue the wonders of CS, but to empower them with the tools needed to break through every socio-economic barrier standing in their way. As I embark on my college journey, I will always remember the sight of that old grey minivan driving away. However, instead of viewing it and the many hardships I went through as moments of weakness, I see them now as defining moments of strength and inspiration.  The next time my mother sees me, I won’t be on the ground, begging her, “Mama, don’t go!” Instead, I will be walking across the graduation stage, as the first in my family’s history to do so, calmly telling her, “Mama, we did it.” — — —

Tips + Analysis

Let structure work for you. This essay makes effective use of the Narrative Structure—an essay that focuses on a Challenge + Its Effects on You, What You Did About It, and What You Learned, in roughly equal parts—to directly address the prompt (“t he context in which you have grown up, formed your aspirations, and accomplished your academic successes. Please describe the factors and challenges that have most shaped your personal life and aspirations. How have these factors helped you to grow?” ).

The hook, opening in a moment of high tension that also raises questions about what’s happening and why, pulls us in. The author then pulls back and puts that moment in context, offering the challenge the student and his family faced, and the various effects (brink of homelessness, rent or groceries, school work while waiting for a bed at the shelter, lack of sanctuary, the gun, etc.) that challenge had. But then fairly quickly, the author shifts into what he did about it: kinematics, home in the computer lab, the ACLU program, algorithms, etc.

The author also intersperses details and reflections that show what he learned from these experiences by directly or indirectly linking to and reflecting on his values (like family, curiosity, culture, and many more). The ending does a nice job of bookending (calling back to the start of the essay), but reframing it to show how he’s grown, and what the experience means to him in the greater context of his life.

Show and tell (rather than “show, don’t tell.”). It’s important to provide details and examples that illustrate your experiences, offering a way for the reader to connect and identify with you, to feel as though they understand a part of what you’ve experienced. But it’s also important and useful to directly name at least some of what these experiences mean to you, rather than assuming that the reader will think it means the same thing you do. Showing and telling strikes a nice balance between demonstrating your abilities as a writer and helping us connect emotionally, while also helping show you understand the importance of clarity.

Flex your “voice.” “Find your voice” is advice that we’re not sure is all that useful, as what exactly the phrase means is often left unsaid. So here’s a more specific way to think about it, and something this author does well: Revise and rewrite until you’re discussing your experiences and reflections in a way that’s different from how someone with the same or similar experiences would discuss them. Really specific details (like this: “The allure was in the spontaneous dance parties sparked by the neighborhood abuelitas’ cumbias—in the rewarding taste of Tommy’s world-famous chili burgers and Ocha’s “seven seas” soup.”) take things that many students reading this post may have experienced, but that still make them feel specific to this author in a way that helps us see who he is and what he values, and what he brings to a college community.

QuestBridge Essay 2 Example: Topical Essay

Option 1: Tell us about a concept, theory, or topic you have explored simply because it sparked your intellectual curiosity. Why do you find it intriguing? How do you want to explore it further? (492/500-word limit)

The seed began growing sophomore year when I pushed open the red oak doors of WLAC’s Intro to CS and strode to an empty seat at the front of the room. Excitement raced through my body. I had anticipated this moment ever since I first glanced at a computer. Although that computer was the beat-up Blackberry my father accidentally found on his way from work, its call and text features kindled countless questions about the power of technology. Alongside my excitement for unlocking the secrets behind my burning questions, however, came bundles of nervousness. I had no idea what computer science was or how programmers went from lines of code to full mobile apps. But as I sat there staring at the Python IDE, I decided to leap into the unknown--a leap that planted my CS seed. Intro to CS loaded me with head-scratching moments as I tried to understand lessons on everything from conditionals to functions. During a particular lecture on CS and society, however, I finally discovered CS’s multifaceted appeal. Though coding was fun, my interest lay in the empowering nature of CS. It can fuel space exploration, predict natural disasters, and connect distant parts of the world. After the course, I not only knew how to program but knew this was how I would leave my impact on society. This thought grew the seed into a small sapling. Because of the lack of CS opportunities at my school, I enrolled in every CS course and community program available in LA. From studying object-oriented design to developing social-impact games, a new leaf would emerge from the sapling with every touch on the keyboard.  Then, I discovered USC’s SHINE program and its mission to allow passionate high school students to conduct novel engineering research at USC Viterbi. Naturally, I applied in the blink of an eye, eager to use my CS background to finally make a real-world impact.  In seven weeks, I learned many disciplines. From deep neural network development to reinforcement learning and AI programming, I blended it all to develop a MAPF planner that could optimize MAPF environments faster than other state-of-the-art planners.  Despite my growth in SHINE, my initial eagerness remained unfulfilled. Optimizing MAPF planners wasn’t going to solve issues like homelessness or education inequity. It wasn’t going to make the day-to-day lives of my family or community any easier. My CS background has prompted a new mission: growing my CS sapling into a tree worthy of providing for my community through research. Although my research topics are not on the current covers of AI research or scientific journals, researching them will contribute equally to engineering a better world.  From long months spent combating homelessness by optimizing resource allocation policies to countless hours combating educational inequity through developing more kid-friendly e-learning platforms, I am excited to explore the limitless opportunities provided by a college campus—leaving my mark not only within the computer science department but throughout the world. — — —

Clarify the topic (quickly, if possible). This student gets right to the point, establishing in the first sentence that this essay is about Computer Science, with a nice scene-setter that helps us experience his excitement. Doing so allows him to spend the rest of his word budget on showing how he developed his interest, how it evolved, and what he learned along the way. With 500 words at your disposal, you have a bit of room to use anecdotes and color to open your essay before revealing the topic at hand. But by getting to the point fairly quickly, you’re better able to get the reader to say, “Ah, I get how this is going to answer the prompt.” 

Use metaphors to your advantage. Notice how this student compares his CS journey to the growth of a tree, starting as a seed and ending as a “tree worthy of providing for [his] community.” While not essential (seriously—don’t force it), the metaphor here serves as a nifty organizational device that adds a touch of poetry and helps to emphasize the escalating nature of the student’s involvement in CS. This technique works particularly well in montage essays like this one. 

Provide concrete examples. Ideally, you’ll have some real experience with the topic you choose. This student has clearly invested a ton of time and brainpower into CS, and it shows in the exhaustive list of experiences he shares. In fact, every paragraph contains at least one example of real, demonstrated interest. Bonus points here for the geeky-but-not-inaccessible language. 

Demonstrate values and impact. This student does a great job linking CS to his values and goals. It’s clear that he has ambitions to make a positive impact on his community, and he demonstrates how CS can be a powerful tool for combating homelessness and educational inequity, two mission-driven priorities for him. Don’t really know what your core values are? Spend 5 minutes on this Values Exercise , and make sure your essay (in fact, all your essays—so your application as a whole) conveys a broad range of core values that are meaningful to you.

Part I Example Essays

Respond to the following prompts in 200 words or less.

Tell us about one of your proudest achievements or moments and what it says about you. (198/200)

This is a straightforward, two-part question. First, describe the achievement. Second, tell us why it matters and to you, and link the experience to one or more of your essential core values. So think of it as a combination of showing and telling. 

Today is the day. Four weeks of developing our app and designing our business model canvas led up to this warm Saturday morning. We were competing with six other teams for a $4,000 investment. Our judges worked for a range of companies, from Riot Games to Dollar Shave Club. A blend of nervousness and excitement overtook me as my team went first.  Like a scene out of Shark Tank, we described every aspect of our app: NOLA. “Our Right of the Day feature teaches users fundamental liberties while Trivia Trials allows users to test their knowledge with fun quizzes,” I persuasively said as I demoed the app on the screen. It went perfectly, until: “In 2nd place . . . NOLA!” I unmuted myself, thanked the judges, and saw the winners’ faces light up.  Although we did not win, I was beyond proud. Not only because I was the architect behind an app but because I fulfilled my dream--using my programming ability for societal impact. I created NOLA because I was tired of seeing teenagers in my community being taken advantage of for not knowing their rights.  Although I lost the competition, I went home knowing I accomplished something greater.  — — —

Notice how this student opens the essay in medias res , offering the reader a fun way into the story and also establishing high stakes right off the bat. 

Notice, too, how the achievement is not first prize. You don’t have to win the blue ribbon or the gold medal to have an achievement you’re proud of. Broaden your definition of success: Maybe you’re a tutor who helped a younger student grasp a difficult concept, or maybe you finally mastered an old family recipe. As long as you’re proud of what you’ve done, and as long as you can articulate why that achievement is meaningful to you and reflective of some essential aspect of your character, you’re good to go.

If you could meet a character from a book or a historical figure, who would it be and what would you ask them? (197/200)

This is a fun prompt, so … have fun with it! While not strictly necessary, tying this answer to your intended field of study (if you know what that is) could serve you well. The choice of character/historical figure is important, but more important are the questions you’d ask them. This prompt is all about showing off your intellectual vitality and curiosity. 

Here I am in Bletchley Park. My steps are slow and stealthy as my eyes survey the area. I spot him next to his Bombe, hair slicked to the side as he makes adjustments to the miles of wiring.  “That’s Alan Turing!” I say to myself, quietly tiptoeing towards him.  My heart beats like a drum as I fumble through the questions I hastily wrote down before I was zapped here. How do you see computer science collaborating with other disciplines? Then again, this is 1940, and the term computer science is as foreign to him as morphogenesis is to me. I crumple a few notes. In what ways are intelligent machines limited in helping us solve social problems? Is consciousness programmable? What kind of apples do you like?  My watch roars to life, indicating my time is up. He hears it and turns to me. In my place is one of my crumpled notes. He walks over, picks it up, and reads it: “It’s interesting to know whether a machine can pass the imitation game, but what happens when it intentionally fails it? Maybe then the real fun will begin.” He smirks and resumes his work. — — —

Notice how this student takes the prompt to its logical conclusion and incorporates time travel. By no means do you have to do this, but it’s a nice way to have fun and stand out. 

Notice, too, that Turing doesn’t answer the writer’s questions, and that’s ok too. Don’t feel pressured to put words into your subject’s mouth. After all, the prompt only wants to know what you would ask them, not how you’d envision them answering.

Part II Examples

Answer the following questions in no more than 35 words, about 3 sentences. You may use comma-separated lists instead of sentences when appropriate.

Quick tips on answering these short answer questions:

The most important use of short answer questions is to show many different sides of yourself. If you’re an engineer, don’t try to shoehorn engineering into every answer. 

Don’t be afraid to give us personality. The other parts of your application have told us what we need to know about your achievements. Tell us what you’re into, and don’t be self-conscious about liking what you like (within reason).

Use the full word count! Don’t cut yourself off at 20 words. Is there more you can say? More context you can provide? A “why” or a “how”? 

Specificity is everything. Don’t just tell us you like “relaxing”—tell us what that looks like. 

More short answer tips here .

What is your favorite subject to study, and why? (33/35)

Problems exist everywhere. Some are solved with formulas while others with experiments. I prefer a computer and code because I can unlock anything from 1+1 to getting a man on the moon.

What are your favorite books and/or movies? (35/35)

Books: My Beloved World, Race After Technology, Stuck in the Shallow End, Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, Neural Networks for Babies Movies: Under the Same Moon, The Pursuit of Happyness, The Imitation Game, Coco

What is your favorite source of inspiration? (33/35)

Whether I’m tasked with crafting a better future for my family or with simply fulfilling a group role, responsibility ignites a flame of inspiration within me--one which no amount of failure can extinguish.

How do you spend a typical weekend? (35/35)

After finishing lingering homework, I clock in for my translation, IT support, and tutoring family positions. At 10 pm, I decompress with a warm shower and tune out with a book read or jazz tunes.

What compliment are you most proud of receiving and who gave it to you? (30/35)

“The Mark Zuckerbergs of the world won’t design the solutions to our problems, you will,” Adam Marks, Co-Founder of Biba Systems, told me during the TXT Full Cohort Demo Day.

After a challenging experience, how do you rejuvenate? (33/35)

A warm shower calls my name as melodies by Queen and Elton John fill the air. Afterward, I hear the calming voice of my mother through the phone and reflect on my day.

What would you contribute to your future college campus community? (35/35)

I will utilize my hardships to revitalize current CS research on social equity with new approaches and grow our FGLI family through student-run workshops where we can teach each other anything from coding to baking. — — —

Tips + Analysis 

Paint a broad picture: Notice how much this student is showing us. We get a broad sense of what matters to them: computer science, family, music, responsibility, hard work, teaching, and social impact.

You don’t have to be funny: You might feel pressure to make your short answer responses funny or clever, but you really don’t have to do that. This student answers the questions here in a plainspoken, straightforward way, and it’s effective. As always, if humor doesn’t come naturally to you, please: This isn’t the place to start. 

Make uncommon connections. If you choose a more common topic, like CS for example (favorite subject), you can help it stand out better (and be more memorable) by using uncommon language or making uncommon connections that only you can make. Like this: “I prefer a computer and code because I can unlock anything from 1+1 to getting a man on the moon.”

QuestBridge Essay 1 Example: Biographical Essay

(used for both QuestBridge NCM and Common App)

A typical day in the ice cream truck begins with supplying the freezer. My dad and I cut open boxes, and any time we slice through some ice cream wrapper I get to have it. My dad probably knows this, but sometimes I slice through some of the most expensive and chocolatey ice cream cones just to have one for myself, even though everything in the truck is already free for me. Once we leave Mr. Charlies, the late namesake supplier, we make our rounds around construction sites where new apartment complexes are being built. Most of the customers are Hispanic migrant workers, and my dad understands Spanish enough to not only sell them ice   cream, but also gain their loyalty because of his over-the-top friendly personality when making a pitch for selling Gatorade, popsicles, or energy drinks. He yells “Como esta! Coma esta! Coma esta!” at the top of his lungs to attract customers, speaking a mix of both broken Spanish and broken English when they get there. His favorite part of bringing me to work is that it allows him to brag about me and my school accomplishments. His ability to say “Look! Look! This is my daughter. Say hi,” and probably something along the lines of “She makes straight A’s every year!…she wins so many competitions that she’s allowed me to meet the mayor! You know she’s learning Latin? …she’s the best part of my life, an African queen” really makes me feel on top of the world while sitting on a cooler ready to hand out a drink to a tired worker. Yes, my dad loves to brag about the things that I’ve done. However, I know the struggle of having to defend our livelihood to people that probably think that we’re either homeless or extremely poor to be working in an ice cream truck day in and day out. Most days I don’t even have a seat to sit on, but a makeshift cardboard throne that I’m attached to with a rope seat belt and cushioned on by leftover plastic from the packs of water bottles. He tries to make me feel like a queen when I sit in the back of a truck, and nothing in my life ever makes me prouder. The feverish complimenting and appraisal from strangers are a sharp contrast to how I portray my life, or more realistically, hide it when I speak to my friends at school. It may not seem it, but my grades, awards, and even wardrobe are things that I’ve had to work so much harder to earn than my peers. What maybe seems like me easily getting an A on a test, or a great science project in a science fair is actually the product of me studying for hours in the ice cream truck, with my head buried in a borrowed textbook as the repetitive ice cream jingle surrounds me and kids scream to ask for treats. I never feel sorry for myself, because this life is more than I ever could have wished for, with my dad by my side, some change in the register, and friends waiting for me at school. This seemingly double life that I live could not be any farther apart, with long homework hours and happy group projects on one hand, and difficult and long hours in the truck on the other, yet so similar as I put my everything into both tasks. The day ends with us selling to the low-income housing area. Here, toddlers and teenagers alike beg for free ice cream. Footballs and frisbees fly at the windows as the kids here attempt to scare me in the window. Here, I duck my head in fear of seeing anyone from school who may reveal this side of me to my friends. It has taken me so long to come to terms with our lifestyle, how selling ice cream is our only way to get by, yet my praise and regalness from the apartment complexes have now turned to shame and me bowing my head. I know that these kids can’t see my father the way I do and that he also feels the embarrassment of subjecting me to this life, to this work. At home, even though I’m tired, I find time to finish all of my assignments and talk on the phone with my friends. The A/C is broken again, almost ironic compared to the ice-cold temperature of the freezer in which I stuck my head all day. Even though the work was hard and the pay-off was small, I still find myself ready to start up the next day of working with my dad, listening to his many stories while sitting on my cardboard throne. — — —

Don’t be afraid to get a little vulnerable. One great thing about this essay: The student doesn’t tie it all up with a bow. Notice how she still ducks her head “in fear of seeing anyone from school.” Many students feel compelled to give their essays an “after-school special” ending, but … what if you’re still figuring it out? Or to use a musical metaphor, what if the chord is still unresolved? That’s okay! As long as your essay demonstrates well-earned insights, values, and your powers of reflection, the ending can be a little untidy. After all, you’re human, and life is messy. 

Play with structure. This is a sort of “day-in-the-life” essay that charts the course of a typical workday from beginning to end, with the writer’s reflections woven seamlessly throughout. The writing is both expository and confessional, and the author manages to pack a lot into the container she’s created for herself: It’s about class and hard work, pride and shame, and at its center, is the beautiful relationship she shares with her father—a relationship the student protects by concealing her shame and insecurities. This is mature, thoughtful, and deeply personal writing. 

Use vivid details. This essay is packed with descriptive details: sights, sounds, flavors, sensations. Notice how this student creates a powerful sense of place. You get a vivid sense of what it’s like to work on that truck, and a clear picture of the communities the author and her father visit while selling ice cream. There’s a kinetic, propulsive quality to this kind of writing that—in the deft hands of this writer—manages not to overshadow or crowd out the reflections and insights at the core of the essay.

Option 3: What aspect of your current community do you admire and wish to bring to your future college community? (496/500-word limit)

Community, for me, has always been a battle of intersecting identities. I find myself at the forefront of many struggles, especially being a black, queer, first-generation, and low-income Muslim, young woman—basically the amalgamation of disenfranchisement and minority in America's eyes. However, being a part of so many groups has also brought accepting and loving communities for me. Paxon SAS, in Jacksonville, (my community by location) provides me with many opportunities. As someone who is always made fun of for being "teacher's pet," I do take pride in finding connections with the people who educate and guide me—even if they always tell me I send them too many emails. The school itself includes many clubs, such as Gay-Straight Alliance, Poetic Justice, and Creative Writing club that provide outlets for creativity and family. In these spaces, I can find my community within the community, revealing things I wouldn't dare to in front of my family or even some friends at school. Recently, the Black Student Caucus at Paxon has also been giving me much-needed community. Even though the school is majority-black students, doing the IB program, I find myself trapped in classrooms where no one around looks or acts like me (and sometimes, people who do things that inherently are against me). So, spending hours purely around other black students who share my experiences, my culture, and my lingo is one of the greatest things about the school. In the wake of Black Lives Matter protests, I saw all parts of my communities come together for a cause. They were all fighting with me and for me, and seeing that to this day reassures me that my community is strong. Inspired by the fire within my peers, I decided to create a group at my school called Pax Acts, which is dedicated to creating positive change. The enthusiasm for the club is one of the main things able to keep me going this year, and my fellow members provide so much help to support local political and social issues. Within the club, I get the chance to put so much of my energy into the intersections within my identities and communities. I get to talk about the way my queerness conflicts with the way I was raised. I get to talk about the way my race and family's economic class plays into the way society views me. And most importantly, we get to talk about the ways that we can come together and help change the negatives within society's perceptions and create positive ways within the world. Thus far, we have had an amazing discussion with Anthony Romero, the executive director of the ACLU, who inspired so many students in the school to join and help create the change that we wish to see. Hearing him praise my community of peers so heavily helped me realize just how supported I really am, and hopefully, I can foster the same types of support systems wherever I go in life. — — —

Mix community and identity: The prompt asks about community, and the student does respond directly to the question. She also makes this essay about identity, and deftly links her identities to the communities she belongs to. Let’s list how many communities she names: Paxon SAS, Gay-Straight Alliance, Poetic Jusitice, Creative Writing Club, Black Student Caucus, and Pax Acts. And her identities: black, queer, first-generation, low-income, Muslim, young woman. For her, community and identity are inseparable. Think about this as you find your way into the prompt. 

Broaden your definitions of community: This student chose to define her communities as organizations she belongs to. But if you’re not as involved in clubs or groups, or if your club involvement is limited to something that—let’s be real—you don’t care all that much about, consider some alternatives: your neighborhood, your family, your friend group, your church, or the food bank where you volunteer, to name a few. 

Share what you’d improve. The prompt specifically asks what you’d improve about your community, which is an important aspect to address (especially since a full sentence in the prompt is dedicated to it). This student could have answered that part of the prompt more definitively, though she gets at it in a way by including her contributions to her communities and sharing how she started Pax Act to “create positive change” in the world around her. With 500 words in your tool kit, make a conscious decision to save some of it to identify how your community could be better—and maybe even share the role you’d play to be the change.

Part I Examples

Tell us about one of your proudest achievements or moments and what it says about you.

Notice in the example below how the writer turns what some might consider a merely cosmetic choice and turns it into a meaningful win. She achieves this by invoking her absent mother in the beginning of the essay. She takes us on a journey from being at the mercy of others to self-determination and freedom. It’s an effective mix.

One of my proudest achievements, though I did not get any official recognition for it, was fully transitioning to my natural hair. As a black teen growing up without a mother, dealing with my hair was one of my biggest struggles in life. I went from aunt to aunt asking them to do my hair so that it was presentable in school, which meant that I had many different hands and ideas being expressed on my head. Most of the time, I didn't even have much input on how I would be able to wear it.  Before I went into high school, around grade seven or eight, I simply stopped going to my aunts to do my hair and started watching online tutorials on how to deal with it. I quickly realized that my hair, in a permed state, was not healthy whatsoever and was extremely hard to handle on my own. Even so, I continued watching the videos and doing protective styles (of my choice) until my hair reached a good enough length for me. Then, after a long day of frustration, I cut off all of the permed ends. It was as if I had liberated myself. — — —

If you could meet a character from a book or a historical figure, who would it be and what would you ask them?  

The following example uses a well-chosen historical figure, and the questions are good ones. However, while the student does answer both parts of the question, her response ultimately doesn’t reveal much about her. Also, from a technical perspective, the ending doesn’t feel like an ending. Even one short sentence to wrap things up would have made this answer feel more complete. 

If I could meet a character from a book or a historical figure, it would definitely be Roald Dahl, who almost fits into both categories for me. I choose Dahl because of the amazing worlds he's created in his children's books. I've read nearly all of them and would probably base my questions around them.  It's crazy to think about how an adult can tap into such a child-like way of thinking, and able to communicate such ideas in a way comprehensible to children of many ages. I would ask him the following questions to gain more insight into his thought processes:  To what extent do you ever place yourself into your own works? If so, where can we find essences of Roald Dahl sprinkled into your books?  What advice would you give to growing teens, or even grown adults, about taking life too seriously?  How necessary do you believe it is to foster worlds like these within the minds of children? Do you feel you're the right person to be doing so? Would you say that you have ever hidden themes within characters or plots? Which ideas do you feel are very important but aren't as acknowledged as others? — — —

Answer the following questions in no more than 35 words, or about 3 sentences. You may use comma-separated lists instead of sentences when appropriate.

Notice how this student paints such a well-rounded picture of herself and keeps her values front and center. We learn so much about her that we didn’t get from her other essays. It’s nice to see her let her hair down a bit here—after using her other essays to paint a picture of a hard-working, serious student. From these answers, it’s clear she’s also a teenager who likes to play games, go on Discord, cook, and watch movies. Don’t feel pressured to be “on” in all your answers!

Select your top three academic areas of interest.

Journalism  Communication  Computer and Information Sciences 

Select your top three career interests.

Writer or Journalist  Lawyer (Attorney) or Judge  Computer Programmer or Analyst 

What are your career goals and how did you develop them?

My career goals are to maintain a balance between happiness and finances so that I can do what I love without worrying about supporting myself. I want to inspire change in whatever field I choose. If it's journalism, I want to work for a newspaper that has a positive influence on people and the environment. If it's art, I want to make designs and infographics for a company that is able to create good.

Describe which single activity/interest listed above represents your most meaningful commitment and why. 

My most meaningful commitment, even though it is my newest, is Pax Acts. It is something that I feel that my school (as well as many other schools) has needed for a very long time coming now, and I have put so much effort into laying down the foundation and groundwork for it so that other students will be able to create effective change through it efficiently. It also provides support for us all.

What is your favorite subject to study, and why?

I have many, but if I had to choose one with many fun experiences and memories, it'd have to be Latin class. I've truly bonded with my classmates and love hearing the mythological tales.

What are your favorite books and/or movies?

My favorite movies--The Devil Wears Prada, because I've adored Anne Hathaway since I was a child, and Meryl Streepemotes confidence, favorite book/movie combo--if that's allowed-- is Matilda, simply because it makes me happy inside

What is your favorite source of inspiration?

I honestly get alot of my inspiration from watching other people do things. For example, if I watch a really amazing spoken word poem presentation, it makes me want to go write my own.

How do you spend a typical weekend?

I spend my typical weekend watching tons of movies and shows, attempting to be productive at schoolwork, talking with my friends on Discord while playing games, and trying out different recipes.

What is the compliment you have been paid that you are most proud of? Who gave you the compliment?

This summer, at the ACLU Advocacy Institute (held online this year), Anthony Romero, the director of the ACLU, said that I'd make a great lawyer, and that has resonated with me to this day.

After a challenging experience, how do you rejuvenate?

After a challenging experience, I honestly rejuvenate by getting good rest, in whatever capacity. That could be going to sleep for a long time, just wasting the night away on Netflix, or just lying down.

What would you contribute to your future college campus community?

I can contribute to any type of conversation, whether it be with a teacher or a student, and I would join many clubs, hopefully in leadership roles as I do now in high school.

It’s October, and I’ve been named a QuestBridge Finalist! Now what?!?

First of all, congratulations! Spend a little time celebrating. And then, sit down at your computer and get ready to write. You have exactly two weeks to submit your Match Requirements to each of the colleges that you ranked on your application. Yep, all materials must be submitted no later than November 1st.

How do you find the Match Requirements for each of the schools on your list? You can gather that information through the QuestBridge portal or click on the links here . Also make sure to check your email every day, as the schools will be sharing key information about the Match Requirements, activating your applicant portal, and more.

Pro Tip: The required Match essays may or may not be the same as for non-QuestBridge students. Drop all essay prompts onto a spreadsheet and check out these supplemental essay guides for how-to guides chockablock full of examples and analysis.

Remember that you will need to ask other people to submit materials. Your school counselor or registrar may need to submit any available senior year grades. Your parents or guardians will need complete financial aid forms. Clue them in as soon as possible, so that they have ample time to get through their to-dos before the deadline.

If you are sharing any standardized test scores, you can submit unofficial test score reports. Either you or your school counselor can upload that information to your application. There is only one QuestBridge school that requires test scores from the SAT or ACT (MIT, we’re looking at you). In order to be used in the evaluation process, you must have taken all tests no later than October of your senior year. Curious to learn more about testing policies for each school? Check this out .

Pro Tip: Having second thoughts about the order of the schools that you ranked? Or maybe you’ve decided that you’re no longer interested in one of them? You are allowed to submit one Revised Ranking Form, where you can remove or reorganize your rankings. But note that you are not able to add any new schools to your list.

Have a question about submitting materials that you can’t find the answer to? Then call or email the college’s admissions or financial aid office directly through the contact information on the bottom of their Application Requirements page. There is often a specific point person on campus that fields all QuestBridge questions. 

You’ve got this.

More great reads on financial aid & scholarships:

How to find scholarships for high school seniors, how to write a scholarship essay, college application fee waivers: who qualifies & how to get them.

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Home / Online Bachelor’s Degree Programs / Online Bachelor’s in Human Development and Family Studies / Bachelor’s in Human Development and Family Studies Resources / Stages of Human Development: What It Is & Why It’s Important

What Is Human Development and Why Is It Important? What Is Human Development and Why Is It Important? What Is Human Development and Why Is It Important?

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Tables of Contents

• Eight Stages of Human Development?
• Theories of Human Development

Human Development vs. Developmental Psychology

What are the genetic factors that affect human growth and development, why do we study human growth and development.

Imagine two children born in the same town and the same year to families with similar socioeconomic statuses. One child grows up to be assertive and confident, while the other grows up to be timid and shy. The study of the stages of human development can help explain the reasons for these differences and much more.

What is human development, exactly? Human development is a branch of psychology with the goal of understanding people — how they develop, grow, and change throughout their lives. This discipline, which can help individuals better understand themselves and their relationships, is broad. As such, it can be used in various professional settings and career paths.

What Are the Eight Stages of Human Development?

If human development is the study of how people change throughout their lives, how and when does this development happen? Many scientists and psychologists have studied various aspects of human development, including ego psychologist Erik Erikson. He examined the impact of social experiences throughout an individual’s life and theorized that  psychosocial development happens in eight sequential parts . What are the eight stages of human development?

Stage 1 — Infancy: Trust vs. Mistrust

In the first stage of human development, infants learn to trust based on how well their caregivers meet their basic needs and respond when they cry. If an infant cries out to be fed, the parent can either meet this need by feeding and comforting the infant or not meet this need by ignoring the infant. When their needs are met, infants learn that relying on others is safe; when their needs go unmet, infants grow up to be less trusting.

Stage 2 — Toddlerhood: Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt

In addition to autonomy versus shame and doubt, another way to think of the second stage is independence versus dependence. Like in the first stage, toddlers go through this stage responding to their caregivers. If caregivers encourage them to be independent and explore the world on their own, toddlers will grow up with a sense of self-efficacy. If the caregivers hover excessively or encourage dependence, these toddlers grow up with less confidence in their abilities.

For example, if a toddler wants to walk without assistance in a safe area, the caregiver should encourage this autonomy by allowing the independent behavior. If the caregiver insists on holding the toddler’s hand even when it’s not necessary, this attention can lead to doubt later in life.

Stage 3 — Preschool Years: Initiative vs. Guilt

During the preschool years, children learn to assert themselves and speak up when they need something. Some children may state that they’re sad because a friend stole their toy. If this assertiveness is greeted with a positive reaction, they learn that taking initiative is helpful behavior. However, if they’re made to feel guilty or ashamed for their assertiveness, they may grow up to be timid and less likely to take the lead.

Stage 4 — Early School Years: Industry vs. Inferiority

When children begin school, they start to compare themselves with peers. If children feel they’re accomplished in relation to peers, they develop strong self-esteem. If, however, they notice that other children have met milestones that they haven’t, they may struggle with self-esteem. For example, a first grader may notice a consistently worse performance on spelling tests when compared with peers. If this becomes a pattern, it can lead to feelings of inferiority.

The key components of Erikson’s model of human development include stage one, infancy, trust versus mistrust; stage two, toddlerhood, autonomy versus shame and doubt; stage three, preschool years, initiative versus guilt; stage four, early school years, industry versus inferiority; stage five, adolescence, identity versus role confusion; stage six, young adulthood, intimacy versus isolation; stage seven, middle adulthood, generativity versus stagnation; and stage eight, late adulthood, integrity versus despair.

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Stage 5 — Adolescence: Identity vs. Role Confusion

The adolescent stage is where the term “identity crisis” originated, and for good reason. Adolescence is all about developing a sense of self. Adolescents who can clearly identify who they are grow up with stronger goals and self-knowledge than teenagers who struggle to break free of their parents’ or friends’ influences. Adolescents who still deeply depend on their parents for social interaction and guidance may experience more role confusion than teenagers who pursue their own interests.

Stage 6 — Young Adulthood: Intimacy vs. Isolation

In young adulthood, which begins roughly at age 20, people begin to solidify their lifelong bonds; many people enter committed relationships or marriages, while others form lifelong friendships. People who can create and maintain these relationships reap the emotional benefits, while those who struggle to maintain relationships may suffer from isolation. A young adult who develops strong friendships in college may feel more intimacy than one who struggles to form and maintain close friendships.

Stage 7 — Middle Adulthood: Generativity vs. Stagnation

In middle adulthood, people tend to struggle with their contributions to society. They may be busy raising children or pursuing careers. Those who feel that they’re contributing experience generativity, which is the sense of leaving a legacy. On the other hand, those who don’t feel that their work or lives matter may experience feelings of stagnation. For example, a middle-aged adult who’s raising a family and working in a career that presumably helps people may feel more fulfilled than an adult who’s working at a day job that feels meaningless.

Stage 8 — Late Adulthood: Integrity vs. Despair

As adults reach the end of life, they look back on their lives and reflect. Adults who feel fulfilled by their lives, either through a successful family or a meaningful career, reach ego integrity, in which they can face aging and dying with peace. If older adults don’t feel that they’ve lived a good life, they risk falling into despair.

Other Theories of Human Development

Although widely used, Erikson’s psychosocial development theory has been critiqued for focusing too much on childhood. Critics claim that his emphasis makes the model less representative of the growth that people experienced in adulthood. Erikson’s model of the stages of human development is only one theory addressing growth and change throughout life, as many other psychologists have researched their own  theories of human development , including the following:

Cognitive Development

Jean Piaget developed the theory of cognitive development. Piaget’s theory is widely used in education programs to prepare teachers to instruct students in developmentally appropriate ways. The theory is based on four stages:

• Sensorimotor —  In the sensorimotor stage (birth to 2 years old), children learn object permanence, which is the understanding that people and objects still exist even when they’re out of view.
• Preoperational —  In the preoperational stage (2-7 years old), children develop symbolic thought, which is when they begin to progress from concrete to abstract thinking. Children in this stage often have imaginary friends.
• Concrete operational —  In the concrete operational stage (7-11 years old), children solidify their abstract thinking and begin to understand cause and effect and logical implications of actions.
• Formal operational —  In the formal operational stage (adolescence to adulthood), humans plan for the future, think hypothetically, and assume adult responsibilities.

Moral Development

Lawrence Kohlberg created a theory of human development based on moral development concepts. The theory comprises the following stages:

• Preconventional —  In the preconventional stage, people follow rules because they’re afraid of punishment and make choices only with their best interests in mind.
• Conventional —  In the conventional stage, people act to avoid society’s judgment and follow rules to maintain the systems and structures that are already in place.
• Postconventional —  In the postconventional stage, a genuine concern for the welfare of others and the greater good of society guides people.

Psychosexual Theory

Sigmund Freud popularized the  psychosexual theory . The theory comprises five stages:

• Oral —  In the oral stage (birth to 1 year old), children learn to suck and swallow and may experience conflict with weaning.
• Anal —  In the anal stage (1-3 years old), children learn to withhold or expel feces and may experience conflict with potty training.
• Phallic —  In the phallic stage (3-6 years old), children discover that their genitals can give them pleasure.
•   Latency —  In the latency stage (roughly 6 years old through puberty), they take a break from these physical stages and instead develop mentally and emotionally.
• Genital —  In the genital stage (puberty through adulthood), people learn to express themselves sexually.

Ideally, children move through each phase fluidly as their sexual libidos develop, but if they’re stuck in any of the phases, they may develop a fixation that hinders their development.

Behavioral Theory

The behavioral theory focuses solely on a person’s behaviors rather than the feelings that go alongside those behaviors. It suggests that behaviors are conditioned in an environment due to certain stimuli. Behavioral theorists believe that behavior determines feelings, so changing behaviors is important because this will in turn change feelings.

The  attachment theory  focuses on the deep relationships between people across their lifetime. An important attachment theory finding is that children must develop at least one strong bond in childhood to trust and develop relationships as adults. The attachment theory comprises four stages:

• Asocial or  pre-attachment   (birth to 6 weeks old)
• Indiscriminate attachment (6 weeks old to 7 months old)
• Specific or discriminate attachment (7-9 months old)
• Multiple attachments (10 months old or later)

Social Learning Theory

The social learning theory builds upon the behavioral theory and postulates that people learn best by observing the behavior of others. They watch how others act, view the consequences, and then make decisions regarding their own behavior accordingly. The four stages in this theory are:

• Reproduction

In the attention stage, people first notice the behavior of others. In the retention stage, they remember the behavior and the resulting consequences. In the reproduction stage, people develop the ability to imitate the behaviors they want to reproduce, and in the motivation stage, they perform these behaviors.

Sociocultural Theory

The  sociocultural theory  ties human development to the society or culture in which people live. It focuses on the contributions that society as a whole makes to individual human development. For example, children who are raised to play outdoors develop differently from children who are raised to play indoors.

An important part of this theory is the zone of proximal development, which is an area of knowledge and skills slightly more advanced than a child’s current level. The zone of proximal development helps teachers think about and plan instruction, so sociocultural theory plays a large role in preservice teacher training.

Resources: More Information on Theories of Human Development

• BetterHelp, “Behavioral Theory, Behavioral Psychology, or Behaviorism? How Behavior and Personality Intersect ”
• Encyclopedia Britannica, “Lawrence Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development”
• Healthline, “What Are Freud’s Psychosexual Stages of Development?”
• PositivePsychology.com, “What Is Attachment Theory? Bowlby’s 4 Stages Explained”
• Psychology Today , Social Learning Theory
• SimplyPsychology, “Lev Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory”
• SimplyPsychology, Theories of Psychology
• Verywell Mind, “The 4 Stages of Cognitive Development”

What are the differences between human development and developmental psychology? These terms are closely related. In fact, the study of developmental psychology is most people’s entry into human development.

Developmental psychology  is defined as a scientific approach to explaining growth, change, and consistency throughout a lifetime. It uses various frameworks to understand how people develop and transform throughout their lives. The goals of developmental psychology are to describe, explain, and optimize development to improve people’s lives. In the real world, developmental psychology is used in the study of physical, psychological, emotional, social, personality, and perceptual development.

The  study of developmental psychology  can lead to careers in several different fields. Developmental psychologists often work in colleges and universities and focus on research and teaching. Others work in healthcare facilities, clinics, assisted living facilities, hospitals, mental health clinics, or homeless shelters. In these applied settings, their focus is more on assessing, evaluating, and treating people. According to June 2020 data from PayScale, developmental  psychologists earn an average annual salary of about $68,000 .

One more key element of human growth and development left to explore is  genetics . Genetics influences the speed and way in which people develop, though other factors, such as parenting, education, experiences, and socioeconomic factors, are also at play. The multiple genetic factors that affect human growth and development include genetic interactions and sex chromosome abnormalities.

Genetic Interactions

Genes can act in an additive way or sometimes conflict with one another. For example, a child with one tall parent and one short parent may end up between the two of them, at average height. Other times, genes follow a dominant-recessive pattern. If one parent has brown hair and the other has red hair, the red hair gene is the dominant gene if their child has red hair.

Gene-Environment Interactions

Humans’ genetic information is always interacting with the environment, and sometimes this can impact development and growth. For example, if a child in utero is exposed to drugs, the child’s cognitive abilities may be impacted, thus changing the developmental process. In addition, even if a child’s genes would indicate a tall height, if that child experiences poor nutrition as children, it may impact their height.

Sex Chromosome Abnormalities

Sex chromosome abnormalities impact as many as 1 in 500 births. The following syndromes are examples of sex chromosome abnormalities that can impact development:

• Klinefelter syndrome  is the presence of an extra X chromosome in males, which can cause physical characteristics such as decreased muscle mass and reduced body hair and may cause learning disabilities.
• Fragile X syndrome  is caused by a mutation in the FMR1 gene that makes the X chromosome  appear fragile . It can cause intellectual disability, developmental delays, or distinctive physical features such as a long face.
• Turner syndrome  happens when one of the X chromosomes is missing or partially missing. It only affects females and results in physical characteristics like short stature and webbed neck.

Down Syndrome

Down syndrome  is another common example of how genetics can impact development. This chromosomal disorder may cause some individuals to experience physical or intellectual development differences. Down syndrome occurs at the 21st chromosomal site, in which people with Down syndrome have three chromosomes rather than two.

Those with Down syndrome often have different physical characteristics and may be prone to physical problems like heart defects and hearing problems. Most individuals with Down syndrome have intellectual impairment, but the degree of this impairment varies from person to person.

The top reasons for studying human development are to gain an understanding of your own life experience, help others understand what they’re going through, understand the relationship of society and individual growth, lead more effectively, and support the physical and mental health of others.

The study of human growth and development offers a wealth of value for personal and professional growth and understanding. Many reasons exist for why we study human growth and development.

Common benefits include the following:

• To  gain a better understanding  of one’s own life experiences. This can help people personally reach an understanding of what childhood events shaped their adulthood.
• To  gain knowledge  of how social context impacts development. This knowledge can be invaluable for professionals like teachers as they gain a deeper understanding of their students.
• To  help others understand and contextualize  the ups and downs of life. This helps therapists and psychologists better aid their clients in self-discovery.
• To  understand how societal change can support growth  and development. This understanding helps decision-makers in schools change the educational culture for the better.
• To  become a more effective research, teacher, or leader  in many different industries. Understanding human development deeply and in context has many professional benefits that can lead to greater insight.
• To  support the physical and mental health of individuals  throughout their life span. Professionals like doctors, nurses, and therapists must understand human growth and development to better support their clients.

Students may choose to study human growth and development because of its array of applications across many professional fields. For example, students who want to become elementary school teachers may take courses on the stages of human development to understand cognitive development and how children’s brains grow and change.

Human development is a wide-reaching and ever-changing discipline. A knowledge of human development can be invaluable to people personally as they continue to learn and grow throughout their lives and professionally as they learn to apply what they’ve learned to their careers.

Infographic Sources

Financial Express, “The Eight Stages of Human Development”

VeryWell Mind, “5 Reasons to Study Human Development”

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An overview of the concepts of change and development - from the premodern to modern era

2012, In P. Tynjälä, M.L. Stenström & M. Saarnivaara (Eds) Transitions and transformations in learning and education. (pp. 21-50). Dordrecht: Springer. https://www.springer.com/la/book/9789400723115

This chapter focuses on the concepts of change and progress: on one hand, it approaches this topic from the point of view of the history of science; on the other hand, from the point of view of modern developmental psychology. The section on the history of science focuses on the historical period of the pre-modern Hellenistic era to the Enlightenment. This period is long, and it therefore includes several, different world views and cultural trends. In this chapter culturally significant trends of thought within the PtolemaicAristotelic tradition are described.The section on the modern developmental psychology approach analyses the following questions: (1) which characteristics must changes – namely cognitive changes – have in order to be considered “developmental”, (2) how developmental and learning theories, grounded in different philosophical frameworks, view the concepts of change and development, and (3) how change and development are currently studied by developmental scholars. Weak and strong conceptions of development in particular are emphasised. In the conclusion, the concepts of progress, change, and development are discussed using classification of world hypotheses and unitideas (family resemblances) in the history of Ideas

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Growth and Development of Children Essay (Critical Writing)

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The bodies of children change in their measurable characteristics during the period of infancy, early childhood, and adolescence significantly. Moreover, children can develop their abilities and skills and achieve different results while growing. Thus, it is necessary to concentrate on different concepts of growth and development in order to examine all the possible changes associated with the children’s progress in body size or in gaining more skills.

The children’s growth is discussed when the changes in body size, proportions, height, and weight are obvious. These changes can be measured and compared with the definite set standards. The concept of development is used to evaluate the changes in children’s acquiring new skills, performing new actions, and forming new social interactions. Thus, a child develops when he or she improves definite skills and abilities and gains some new knowledge.

The concept of the children’s growth is based on physical changes. It is important to pay attention to the fact that the characteristics of the children’s growth are measurable, and it is possible to refer to the certain rate in growth in order to compare the measures with the age standards. The body of a child changes significantly during the first years.

Thus, the most rapid growth can be observed during the periods of infancy and early childhood when the proportions of the children’s bodies change according to their sizes. Furthermore, the rate of the children’s growth is not significant during the school age, but it can become extremely rapid during the period of adolescence when the growth is associated with the hormone changes (Hendry, Farley, & McLafferty, 2012).

Children grow differently because of their individual physical characteristics, but the general measures should be related to the set standards. The role of the individual characteristics is more obvious in relation to the children’s development.

The concept of development is used to explain the changes in children’s abilities to speak, behave, interact, and learn. The development is observed when a child learns some skills, and then the child can use these skills effectively. Thus, the development depends on the children’s individual differences and abilities to learn the new skills and use the new information or knowledge.

Nevertheless, the main characteristic feature of development is sequence. From this point, the order of children’s acquiring different skills is the same, but the individuality of children is observed with references to the rate. The development is the complex concept which includes the child’s physical, emotional, social, and intellectual development.

Moreover, the influence of a family is important to stimulate the child’s further development and positive tendencies in acquiring different skills (Proos, 2009). It is rather difficult to measure the features of the children’s development that is why researchers and parents are inclined to orient to the milestones of development to control the process.

Thus, there is the obvious difference between the concepts of growth and development. Those physical changes which refer to changes in size and proportions are correlated with the children’s growth, and those physical, emotional, social, and intellectual alternations which refer to acquiring the new skill and changes in quality of the definite knowledge are associated with the processes of development.

Children can have similar measurable characteristics, but their development can be rather different. Furthermore, the progress in growth cannot guarantee the progress in the children’s emotional or intellectual development.

Hendry, C., Farley, A., & McLafferty, E. (2012). Development, growth and repair from conception to old age. Nursing Standard, 26 (50), 44-49.

Proos, L. A. (2009). Growth and development of Indian children adopted in Sweden. Indian Journal of Medical Research, 130 (5), 646-650.

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An Useful Essay on Development

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The term ‘development’ should be distinguished from ‘progress’. Progress is concerned with moral judgement applied on normative criteria. Devel­opment is a process in which a system or institution is transformed into stronger, more organised, more efficient and more effective form. It implies a conscious effort for the attainment of a specific goal. For J.H. Mittelman, it is ‘the increasing capacity to make rational use of natural and human resources for social ends.’

There are other definitions of development which try to compound all types of changes into one. Accordingly, it is a major social change from one state of national being to another more valued state. It involves a complex of mutually related economic, social and political changes. Economic factors are only one aspect of the total process. Changes are the result of both past history and current’ experience, and in turn provide the basis of further changes.

Scholars mix up development with growth: social and cultural change with economic growth. The former presenting qualitative and the latter quantitative changes. Riggs unnecessarily regards the two as distinct and separate. Development, according to him, is not merely quantitative. He refers to changes in the basic structural arrangements of a society and economy, not the degree to which these structures are productive or non-productive.

The term ‘growth’ can be used for a different variable from ‘development’. According to Esman, development denotes a major social transformation, a change in system-states, along with the continuum from peasant and pastoral to industrial organisation. The assimilation and institutionalisation of modern physical and social technology are crucial ingredients. The qualitative changes affect values, behaviour, social structure, economic organisation and political process.

Development, broadly, is a combination of both techno-economic and socio-political changes. Bendix explores it as:

(i) A change for better;

(ii) Never-ending process of change;

(iii) Gradual change;

(iv) A combination of qualitative and quantitative changes;

(v) Change in all spheres – political, social, economic, etc.; and

(vi) Not necessarily a copy of the ‘western’ countries.

Development takes place when an index of what is deemed desirable and relatively preferable, increases in magnitude. It is increasing the ability of a system to shape or reshape its environment: ability to make decisions.

According to Riggs, the central variable in ‘development’ is increasing differentiation of structures rather than any particular consequence of that differentiation, whether it be productivity, capital formation, income distri­bution, personal security, or some associated political, social, or administrative variables. He invents a technical term ‘differaction’ for development, which can be both negative and positive. Development is not a natural process. It is a planned and induced change. It is a change which is positive, all-round, balanced, qualitative, and contributes towards making the life of man.

Unplanned changes can also contribute to ‘development’. But in order to avoid waste of resources, particularly in developing societies, planned changes or induced development is always desirable. At this juncture, it can also be explained as a state of mind, a tendency, a direction. Without it, no change can be initiated or realised properly. All this, to political scientists, means modernisation, which is regarded as an antecedent to development. Still the two concepts or processes should be analysed in a specific manner, at least for analytical purposes.

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