How Human Development Works According to Psychology: Complete Guide
Have you ever stopped to think about how we transform from dependent babies into complex adults? Human development is a fascinating journey that goes far beyond simple physical growth. It is a continuous process that shapes who we are and how we interact with the world around us.
In this article, we will explore how psychology understands human development, the factors that influence it, and the main phases we go through throughout life. Get ready for a journey of self-knowledge!
What Is Human Development from the Perspective of Psychology?
Human development involves two fundamental aspects: mental progress and physical growth. It’s not just about getting taller or gaining weight – it’s about how our mind evolves over time.
This mental development is a continuous process characterized by the formation of cognitive structures, which reflect how our mind improves. Some of these structures accompany us throughout life, allowing for constant advancement, while others are replaced as new phases emerge.
Wellness tip: Understanding the phases of development can help you have more empathy for yourself and others, recognizing that each age has its own challenges and potentials.
Why Children Are Not “Mini-Adults”
A fundamental concept in developmental psychology is understanding that a child is not simply a miniature adult. Each phase of life has specific characteristics and its own ways of thinking and acting.
As Jean Piaget, an important developmental theorist, pointed out:
- Each age group has particular ways of thinking and behaving
- The individual gradually adapts to and assimilates the environment
- The form of communication should be appropriate to the age (talking to a 4-year-old is different from talking to a 10-year-old)
Ignoring these differences can create unrealistic expectations and hinder healthy development.
The 5 Main Factors that Influence Human Development
Human development doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It is the result of constant interaction between various factors:
1. Culture
The culture in which we are inserted profoundly shapes our ways of thinking, speaking, and acting. Cultural values, beliefs, and traditions have a great impact on how we develop and express ourselves in the world.
2. Social Relations and Environment
The interactions we have with other people are crucial for our growth. For example, a child who grows up in an environment where reading is encouraged tends to develop this habit more easily.
3. Neurophysiological Maturation
The development of the nervous system, including the brain, directly influences our learning capacity. A practical example: children’s literacy depends on this factor, as even holding a pencil requires adequate neurological development.
4. Organic Growth
The physical aspect of the body, such as height and strengthening of the skeleton, allows for the acquisition of new behaviors. Think about how a child begins to crawl when their body reaches a certain stage of development.
5. Heredity
This factor determines our innate potential, which may or may not fully develop, depending also on the environmental conditions in which we are inserted.
The 4 Fundamental Aspects of Development According to Piaget
According to Piaget, there are four aspects that are fundamental and inseparable in human development:
- Physical-motor Aspect: Related to neurophysiological maturation and body growth.
- Intellectual Aspect: Involves our ability to think and reason, solving increasingly complex problems.
- Affective-emotional Aspect: Represents the unique way we experience and understand our experiences – it is the aspect of feeling.
- Social Aspect: Refers to how we behave in situations involving other people and how we interact in society.
Reflection: Which of these aspects do you feel received more stimulation during your childhood? And which one could you pay more attention to currently?
The 4 Phases of Human Development You Need to Know
Piaget divided human development into four main periods, each with its own characteristics:
1. Sensorimotor Period (0 to 2 years)
This first phase is marked by rapid physical development and the establishment of foundations for new skills. It’s impressive how, in just two years, the child goes from a relatively passive posture to a more active and participatory attitude towards the environment and people around them.
2. Preoperational Period (2 to 7 years)
The highlight of this period is the emergence of language, which significantly accelerates the development of thought. Initially, the child’s thinking is quite egocentric, where reality is filtered through their desires and fantasies.
Important characteristics of this phase:
- Difficulty understanding the sequence of more than two or three events
- Self-centered view, with difficulty seeing another’s point of view
- Emergence of shared feelings, with emphasis on figures such as parents and teachers
- View of rules as something immutable and external
3. Concrete Operations Period (7 to 11/12 years)
In this phase, logical reasoning begins to develop, allowing the child to understand different points of view. They can now:
- Establish cause and effect relationships
- Organize ideas or events sequentially
- Deal with concepts from different perspectives
- Achieve greater autonomy from adults
4. Formal Operations Period (11/12 years onwards)
The adolescent can now work with abstract ideas and understand complex concepts such as freedom and justice. Striking characteristics:
- Ability to create theories about the world
- Reflection on aspects they would like to change in society
- Process of internalization in social relationships (which may appear as distancing from family)
- Group of friends becomes an important reference, influencing everything from vocabulary to style of dress
How to Apply This Knowledge in Your Daily Life
Understanding human development is not just a theoretical issue – it has important practical applications:
- In education: Adapting teaching methods to the characteristics of each phase
- In communication: Adjusting the way you express yourself according to the developmental stage of the interlocutor
- In parenting: Creating realistic expectations about children’s behavior
- In self-knowledge: Better understanding your own characteristics and mental processes
Practical action: Observe the children and adolescents around you with this new perspective. Try to identify the characteristics of each phase and adapt your way of interacting with them.
Conclusion
Human development is a fascinating and continuous process that accompanies us throughout life. Understanding how the different phases work and the factors that influence this process helps us have more empathy for ourselves and others.
Remember: each phase has its own characteristics and challenges. There is no “advancement” or “delay” – there is only the unique time of each individual in their development journey.
Did you like this content? Share it with your friends and leave a comment below telling which aspect of human development you found most interesting!
References
BOCK, Ana Mercês Bahia. Psychologies: an introduction to the study of psychology [15th ed.]. São Paulo: Saraiva, 2019.
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