Human Development

Theoretical Background

What are the intellectual roots of Human Development?

Lifespan human development is an interdisciplinary enterprise which grew out of scientific and philosophical roots in the nineteenth century. Darwin and other biologists were early students of human development in their quest for information about the origins of humankind. In the broader sense this kind of study is ubiquitous in colleges and universities at present, being done wherever the subject matter is called human development. The academic area of human development arose formally in curricula in the late 1960’s. The term lifespan, which describes a theoretical point of view and a set of research approaches, came into common usage in the early 1980's. Today lifespan development is focused on the methodologies of longitudinal study which serve investigators in a wide range of disciplines in the social and natural sciences. This area of human development is growing rapidly in response to the advent of new technologies in data processing.

Erik Erikson had a major role in significant shifts in how theorists and researchers viewed the processes of growth and development. Rather than placing the majority of his attention on the developmental changes that take place within the first two decades of life, Erikson observed and described the continuous and significant patterns of change that happen throughout life. His eight stages gave equal emphasis to all periods of life as providing the opportunity for growth and adaptation. As human development evolved, the biological, cognitive and social dimensions of development remain focal, but development is always understood within the context of such variables as an individual's cohort and culture. There is a particular interest in understanding what happens to individuals and groups of individuals over the stages of life. What impact is there over time when studying variables such as personality characteristics, social and historical experiences, biological strengths and vulnerabilities? Once the intellectual framework is expanded to see growth and development as life-long, the area of study and research is dramatically expanded. This research may be focused on both individual differences and group trends. It looks to issues of adaptation, coping and well-being. In our culture where the context of family has changed dramatically in less than two generations, it is important to examine that impact on childhood, on parenting and on adult relationships. In our world where individuals are experiencing dramatically expanded longevity, where families are often expanding to include surviving great-great grandparents, there is a need to better understand the aging process and to study intergenerational relations. As in child study fields, theorists and researchers are valued from a wide array of disciplines. Child developmentalists, biologist, sociologists, anthropologists, psychologists, and medical researchers are all intrinsic to the developing literature.