What Is Development?

Development is a process of progress and improvement. It ensures the satisfaction of basic needs and aspirations, which is a key to individual and collective happiness, harmony and growth.

Economic Development

Boosting the economy is an essential part of developing countries and it can be achieved through different methods, such as reducing government budget deficits, removing barriers to investment or reducing tax burdens. Creating an environment that is conducive to business also has the potential to attract both domestic and inward investment.

International Development

Compared to national development, international development focuses on poverty alleviation and improving living conditions in the developing world. This is done by providing aid or establishing new institutions and infrastructure.

Lifespan Development

Unlike Freud’s psychosexual models, Erikson (1950) developed a lifespan model that describes the process of human development throughout the lifespan. In his model, each stage of development has its own unique challenge and crisis.

Multidisciplinary Approach

The study of human development is a vast topic that requires the theories, research methods and knowledge bases from many academic disciplines. Some researchers assume that development is a continuous process that reflects both biological and environmental factors, while others, such as the behaviorists, Vygotsky, information processing, and Piaget, believe it is more discontinuous and the result of more gradual change over time.

Active versus Passive: Conclusion: Theorists that see development as a more active process, such as Piaget, assume that humans actively explore their world and construct new ways of thinking. In contrast, behaviorists believe that humans are more passive in the process of their own development.