ASPECTS OF DEVELOPMENT

 

 

By human growth is meant the increase in the size and weight of the human body, while human development indicates progressive change in his physical, mental, linguistic, emotional, social and character aspects. The scope of human development is very wide. It includes all types of social, cultural, economic and spiritual development , but in the flied of psychology, only those aspects are studied which are related to his psychological activities.

The Human Development is meant those changes that occur his physical and mental behaviour beside his growth. Human Development is a continuous process which runs from birth till death. Human development is quantitative as well as qualitative, its quantitative aspect can be measured by appliances, but special techniques and strategies have to be used for the measurement of its qualitative aspect.

 

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

By Physical development of man is meant the growth occurring in his physical structure, nervous system, digestive system, muscles and endocrine glands and the changes occurring in his psychophysical activities. Growth in the nervous system effects emotional stability in the children, increase in muscles enhances mobility in him and the hormones of endocrine glands effect several changes and these physical changes influence his behavior. The truth remains that physical and mental behavior of man are interdependent. All these are studied under man’s physical development.

 

MENTAL, INTELLECTUAL AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

Man is a psychophysical being. His mental development takes place beside his physical development. By mental development is meant development in his mental activities and abilities. In it is included the development of mental activities and abilities, such as intelligence sensation, observation, perception, interest, attention, imgination, thinking, reasoning, judgement, problem sloving, memory and forgetting etc. The learning process depends upon these mental activities and abilities and human development depends on learning.

                 

 

 

 

LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

The auditory tool which man has developed in order to express his emotions and thoughts and to exchange his thoughts is called the language. Though linguistic development is a part of mental development of man, yet psychologists study it separately because it is the basis of outcome of the development of mental faculties. It means that mental and linguistic development of man depend upon each other. As far as power of speech is concerned, it is innate, but language is acquired. A child learns the language that the people around him speak. Language is learnt in a sequence- listening, speaking, reading and writing. As physical and mental development of a child takes place, his linguistic skills of hearing, speaking, reading and writing develop.

            

       

 

 

EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

              

Psychologists have divided human behaviour into three aspects- cognitive, affective and conative. At first, man acquires the knowledge of an object or activity by his senses of perception, then certain feelings arise in his mind on the basis of knowledge, and after that he responds towards it; For example, the knowledge of a fearful object or activity creates fear in him and he flees due to this fear. Generally, the mental feelings that arise due to interaction with an object or activity are called emotions, such as love, hatred, fear etc. McDougall has clarified that there is one or the other emotion behind all instinctive behaviours, such as fear behind fleeing and wonder behind curiosity. But all feelings are not emotions, only those feelings are emotions which are developed on the basis of strong feeling or experience and influence the behaviour of man. When these emotions became a permanent part of the behaviour of a man, they are called sentiments. Psychologists have clarified that with the physical and mental development of man, the emotions are also developed. The development of emotions is called emotional development.

                

                     

            

                

                      

 

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

By social development of man is meant learning the lifestyle of his society and to adjust in his society. The society in which a man takes birth and lives, he is required to learn the language, lifestyle, methods of eating, customs and conduct; without them he cannot adjust in it. He learns it gradually, this is called social development. In sociological terminology, it is called socialization. Psychologists have ascertained after a long study that social development of man depends upon his physical, mental and emotional development. As he grows, the learns the language and customs of the society and thus adjusts in the society.

 

                     

 

MORAL AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

Generally by the character of man means abidance by the definite moral laws of the society . It is necessary to understand the difference between social laws and moral laws. Generally, learning and using the language, customs and norms of behavior of the society are considered to be the abidance by social laws and abidance by the social and religious directions such as related to social behavior is considered to be character. For it, man has to control his innate faculties. Bowley, on the basis has considered character as the source of self control. Because a man of character develops social habits. But psychology, by character development is meant the development of the power of self control and social behavior both. This power develops in man doing with his physical, mental, linguistic, emotional and social development.

 

 

 

 

REALISM

Realism, with its assumption of an external world existing quite independent of human mind has been widely accepted through tout history. In some form or other it has had almost universal acceptance among Western thinkers; in fact realism was not seriously questioned until the seventeenth century.  Most men think of themselves as existing in the midst of a world of objects that are independent of them.

                                            The meanings of terms real, reality and realism. The real is actual, or the existing ; the term refers to things or events that exist in their own right, as opposed to that which is imaginary or fictitious. Real refers to " What is ? ".Reality is the state or quality of being real or actually exist , in contrast with what is mere appearance , In a popular sense , realism   mean devotion to fact , to what is the case ,as opposed to what is wished ,hoped or desired. In Philosophy, however the word realism is used in a more technical sense.

                                           Realism cannot accept anything unless it can be tested by observation and experiment . It stands for a scientific outlook of life. Hence it denies transcendentalism. It is satisfied with "Physical environment and the sense perceivable conditions of experience".

                                            The great contribution of realism is in terms of a world view which is physical, orderly  and which can be understand and examined by men who themselves are subject to same universe. The great contribution of idealism  is in terms of a world - view which is largely  spiritual and orderly , and which can be understood by person who themselves are spiritual and who possess some of the attributes of the cosmic person.

EXPONENTS OF 

REALISM

Francis  Bacon

John  Locke

Comenius

St. Thomas Aquinas

Erasmus

John Frederich  Herbart

Immanuel Kant

 

 

CHARACTERISTICS OF REALISM
·         External world is the real world/nature. It is a world of objects not ideas.
·         It is not based upon perception of the individuals, but is an objective reality based on reason and science.
·         In realism there is no space for imagination and speculation God, the other world, spiritual world etc are mere imagination.
·         Nature existed before we knew it, exist whether or not we know it and will continue to exist after we pass on.

·         All knowledge is derived from experience. The best way to acquire knowledge is experiment or scientific method. 

 
REALISM AND AIMS OF EDUCATION
·       Preparing the child for a real life.
·       Developing the physical and mental powers of child.
·       Preparing the child for happy life.
·       Developing and training of senses.
·       Acquainting the child nature and social environment.
   

 

 

CURRICULUM

·       Realistic curriculum is developed according to utility and needs.

·       Subjects concerning day to day activities are included in curriculum.

·       Main subjects of realistic curriculum are natural sciences, biological sciences, health culture, physical experiences, mathematics, geography, history, astronomy, sports etc.

·       Curriculum should be scientifically approached, standardized and distinct-discipline based.

·       Character is developed through training in the rules of conduct.

METHODS OF TEACHING

·     Realists emphasize scientific and object method of teaching.

·     Realists emphasize the self-experience and research, experimental method, heuristic method and correlation method.

·     Teaching methods focus on mastery of facts and basic skills through demonstration and recitation.

TEACHER
·       Teacher’s role is supreme because he brings the child to touch with the external realities of life.
·       Keeping aside his own views, the teacher imparts scientific knowledge to the child in an easy and effective way.

 

DISCIPLINE
·       The teacher organizes and presents content systematically within a discipline, demonstrating use of criteria in making decisions.
·       Realism emphasizes on an impressionistic and emancipator discipline according to natural and social procedures.

MERITS OF REALISM
·       Realism emphasizes that education should be practical and utilitarian. Now, impractical and useless education has come to be regarded as waste to time, energy and resources.
·       Realism prescribed realistic and useful aims of education.
·       Realistic education has brought about revolutionary changes in the methods of teaching.
·       Because of realistic education, scientific subject have found an important place in curriculum.
·       In place of repassionistic discipline, a synthetic form of impressionistic and emancipatory discipline is being accepted by educationists today.

DEMERITS OF REALISM
·       Realism regards senses as the gate-way of knowledge.
·       Realism emphasizes facts and values them highly.
·       Realism accepts the real needs and real feelings only.
·       Realism emphasizes scientific subjects to the neglect of arts and literature. This is creating imbalance in the total curriculum.
·       Realism emphasizes exclusively on fact and realities of life. It does not give any importance to ideals and values. Denial of ideals and values often creates helplessness and pessimism which retard growth and development to the individual .