Holistic

Development
Module 1: Lesson 2
Personal Development | COR15
 Human
Development
“To find yourself, think for
yourself.”

- Socrates
Human Development
What aspects of ourselves change and develop as we journey through life? We move
through significant physical, cognitive, and psychosocial changes throughout our lives—do these
changes happen in a systematic way, and to everyone? How much is due to genetics and how
much is due to environmental influences and experiences (both within our personal control and
beyond)? Is there just one course of development or are there many different courses of
development?

Defining Human Development

Human development refers to the physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development
of humans throughout the lifespan. What types of development are involved in each of these
three domains, or areas, of life? Physical development involves growth and changes in the body
and brain, the senses, motor skills, and health and wellness. Cognitive development involves
learning, attention, memory, language, thinking, reasoning, and creativity. Psychosocial
development involves emotions, personality, and social relationships.
Stages of Prenatal Development
Human development is usually understood as the changes that occur in
people as they advance from one stage of life to another. In an entry in the Britannica
Encyclopedia written by Tanner (2019), human development is defined as the growth
and change that we undergo from our birth until we reach full maturity. However,
this should not be understood merely as a process of becoming bigger or older. In
fact, human development is a much more complicated process than that.
The totality of human development is divided into the physical, cognitive,
emotional and even social aspects and into the four (4) major stages namely:
Prenatal, Infancy or Toddlerhood, Childhood, Adolescence and Adulthood. We will
discuss these stages individually, along with the unique developments that occur
during each stage.
Prenatal: Age: 0- 36
weeks (approx.)

Photos taken from:

https://www.invitra.com/en/differences-
between-a-zygote-an-embryo-and-a-fetus/
Prenatal: Age: 0- 36 weeks (approx.)
a. Germinal Stage
- Occurs during the first two weeks after conception, where the sperm and the egg
form a zygote
- In this stage, the zygote travels from the Fallopian tube for implantation in the
mother’s uterus, which usually takes up to a week to complete; the zygote develops
into a blastocyst
- During this period, there is a rapid division of cells where the three layers start to
develop (ectoderm = skin and nervous system, endoderm = digestive and respiratory
system and mesoderm = muscles and skeletal system)
 Embryonic Stage

Photo of a 23-day old human embryo from:

https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/197525133626
687236/?autologin=true
b. Embryonic Stage
- This usually occurs from the third to the eighth week of development.
- In this stage, the clump of cells is now called an embryo, where it begins to develop
into its distinct human features.
- At this stage, the most crucial aspect is the development of the brain which begins
with the development of the neural plate, a tube that eventually develops into the
central nervous system as well as the embryo’s cardiovascular system (the heart and
lungs).
- Along the next few weeks, the head begins to form followed by the facial features
such as the eyes, nose, ears and mouth and the formation of the arms and legs begin
in this stage as well.
- By the eighth week of development, the embryo measures around 1 inch in length
and has all the basic organs except for the sex organs.
 Fetal Stage

Photo taken from:

https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/pregnanc
y-and-prenatal-development--20
c. Fetal Stage
- This occurs from the ninth week down to the thirty-sixth week of development;
this is the longest stage of development
- At this stage, it is no longer called an embryo but a fetus
- At this stage, the initial developments that occur during the embryonic stage
continue to develop; the neural plate forms into the central nervous system along
with the different neurons and synapses
- In as early as the ninth week, the fetus’ reflexes begin to form, and the fetus now
begins to make reflexive motions such as kicking; the fetus’ organs have also
developed almost fully during this time
- During this period, the sex organs now begin to form, and the rest of the fetus’
body parts such as the fingernails, eyelashes and hair begin to grow
- This is stage is also hallmarked by a rapid increase in fetal weight and size
 Infancy or
Toddlerhood
Age: Birth to 3 years

Photo taken from:

https://babyology.com.au/lifestyle/things-to-
do/play-and-activities/eight-activities-toddlers-
and-babies-can-do-together/
a. Infancy
- This occurs from birth to about a year old; once born, a fetus is now called an infant
- At birth, the infant’s body systems are all functioning (but are quire immature); hearing is well-
developed but the ability to see clearly takes time; sense of smell and taste are evident (favoring
sweet tastes over the rest)
- The infant possesses abilities like coughing, yawning, swallowing, sucking, and eliminate
waste, as well as the startle reflex, where an infant may be sensitive to sudden unexpected
movements and sounds
- Infants also have the grasping reflex, where tiny infants have the tendency to hold on to
someone’s finger
- Crying and fussing are the usual forms of communication, making it quite difficult for adults to
determine the infant’s wants
- By the later stages of infancy, they may begin to crawl and be able to pick up and manipulate
small items
b. Toddler Years
- Usually occurs from the first year to 3 years old, at which time, they are now called toddlers
- At this stage, physical growth begins to slow down and toddlers may begin to master motor
skills and communication skills as well; much attention must be given to toddlers at this stage as
they begin to feel that they are the center of the universe and may already feel more complex
emotions such as shame or guilt
- Most toddlers become very energetic and enthusiastic during this period, constantly wanting
to play
- They are now able to grasp items properly and must be able to identify basic body parts; they
must also now be able to follow simple instructions and decode basic linguistic communication,
being able to carry on in a conversation although baby talk may still be apparent
 Childhood
Age: 3-11

Photo taken from:

https://parenting.firstcry.com/articles/importan
ce-of-early-childhood-education/
a. Early Childhood
- Occurs from 3 years to about 5 or 6 years of age (the years before formal
schooling begins)
- This stage is signified by a child’s rapid growth in terms of his/her
vocabulary and begins to become more independent
- A child may also be very curious about the workings of his/her
environment and may have an initial understanding about height, length,
space and time
b. Middle Childhood
- Occurs from 6 to 10 years of age
- This is where a child’s academic and intellectual skills are initially put to
the test; a child may now begin to assess his/her academic skills and may
also begin to compare his/her accomplishments with those of others
- At this stage, recognition coming from others is important as a means of
encouraging good behavior and encouraging achievements and putting a
stop to unpleasant behavior
- This is where children begin to form social relationships with other
children through games and playing
 Adolescence
Age: From 12-18

Photo taken from:

https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/adolesc
ence/352707
a. Early Adolescence
- Occurs between the ages 12-14, where adolescents begin to experience the changes brought
about by puberty
- Both sexes begin to detect physical changes such as the growth of the pubic and armpit hair,
increase physical growth, change in body chemistry and even sexual interest
- The males’ voice box develops, and their voices become deeper; they also begin to develop
body odor
- The females may experience menarche (the first menstruation) at this period; they may begin
to detect changes such as the modulation of their voice and the development of breasts
- Cognitively, they may begin to develop their intellectual skills and but may still have limited
ability for abstract thinking
- They may also experience changes in their social and emotional aspects as they may feel more
self-conscious at this point due to their physical changes; they may try to find their cliques and
their identity at this point
b. Middle Adolescence
- Occurs from 15 to 17 years old; marked by the stage of sexual maturation
- Physical growth begins to slow down for females but may continue for males
- Capacity for abstract thinking is developed and teenagers at this stage may yearn
for more independence and may also begin to set long-term goals especially in terms
of their careers
- May explore social and even romantic relationships with others
c. Late Adolescence/ Young Adulthood
- Occurs between the ages 18-30; physical growth is very minimal but cognitive
development continues
- Rational thought is developed along with the ability to delay gratification, plan for
the future, and may have already gained a sense of self-identity
- More exploration into romantic relationships
 Adulthood
Age: 24 - Death

Photo taken from:

https://www.pinterest.ph/uopdrk/middle-
adulthood/

Photo taken from:

https://sites.google.com/site/maggieshumandev
elopment001site/late-adulthood
a. Middle Adulthood
- Occurs between the mid 30’s to early 60’s
- This is the peak of a person’s productivity as this is the age of the career person; this is a time
where a person may seek to be an expert in a certain field of study/ career
- This is also known as the “sandwich generation” as they may already be taking care of their
own kids as well as their aging parents
- This is where mid-life crises usually arise

b. Late Adulthood
- Occurs from about mid 60’s to death
- Health problems begin to arise; people now fear mortality as this is their ultimate end
 The
Developmental
Domains
The Developmental Domains
The process of human development does not occur as a single holistic transition. Instead, it is
divided into different aspects called developmental domains. These domains are the aspects of a
human person where developments can be found. There are five (5) main developmental
domains: Physical, Emotional, Language, Cognitive and Social (PELCS).
1. Physical Domain. This domain refers to elements which have something to do with gross and
fine motor skills, movement and coordination, body structure and shape and health.
2. Emotional Domain. This refers to the elements which deal with maturity, intentions, feelings,
etc.
3. Language Domain. This refers to the linguistic and communicative centers of a person, which
include his/her ability to communicate with people, the ability to express his/her emotions
verbally and to articulate his/her thoughts as well.
4. Cognitive Domain. This includes the ability of a person to think and comprehend and make
sense of the world through his/her senses.
5. Social Domain. This has something to do with how a person relates to and with others.
The Interrelationship Among the Developmental Domains
In an article published in Child Health Explanation, it is stated that the domains of
development are interconnected and interrelated. This means that the development in one
domain influences the development in another. This interrelationship can be best remembered
through the mnemonic: SPICE (Social, Physical, Intellectual, Creative and Emotional).
This interrelationship entails that the holistic development of a person from birth to
adulthood can only be assured when there is development in all the domains. This means as a
person develops to perceive the world through his/her senses (physical), that person must also
know how to process the perception (intellectual) and determine how he/she feels about it
(emotional). This perception, which may be shared by others can be used to bring people together
(social) and think of other angles in which that perception may be viewed (creative).
This interrelatedness of the different developmental domains also resides in you as you
have developed over the years. When you look back, you may see that there is a change in how
you look at things, the way you talk and interact with others, the way you think and there may
even be a change in the power of your imagination.
 Do you have any questions?
Contact your subject teacher via
their contact information during
Monday-Friday at 8-6 PM.

Thanks!
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