What Is Development?
The development of the world’s poorest countries is an essential goal for all humankind. However, defining development is complicated because it involves more than just improving people’s well-being. Development is also the capacity of a system to sustain that improvement over time. This definition has implications for both the developing nations wishing to move to higher levels of development and the outsiders who want to help them get there.
Development is the scientific study of how people change as they grow from birth to death, and it covers many domains of functioning including physical and neuro-physiological processes, cognition, personality, morality and our relationships with others. It is sometimes referred to as Lifespan Development.
There are different theories of development that differ in their assumptions about what causes people to develop and the nature of the changes they undergo. Some assume that genes and biology determine our development while others argue that we are active participants in choosing how we develop.
Other theorists believe that pathways of development are either universal and fixed, such as Piaget’s cognitive stages or Erickson’s behavioral tasks, or differential and specific, depending on our experiences and environmental contexts.
Keeping up with your professional development means that you’re constantly learning new skills and ways of thinking. When you share this knowledge with your team, it helps them to become more effective at work and gives them a sense of camaraderie. Regular development can also help you set SMART goals – objectives that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-based.