What Is Development?

Development is an ongoing process of change. It can involve economic, social or political changes that improve the lives of individuals and groups in a society.

People are often divided into developmental categories based on their stage of life in a society. These include physical, vital (vital refers to the dynamic and nervous social energies that propel human beings to accomplish), and mental stages of development.

The pace and scope of development varies from one society to another. However, the essential features of these three stages are recognizable even in societies that are separated by great distances and having little direct contact with each other.

Individuals play a crucial role in the development of their community, country, or the world at large. Whether through activism, education, entrepreneurship or other forms of engagement, individuals are responsible for shaping the social structure and working to address its challenges and inequalities.

Many theorists view development as a continuous process resulting from the interaction of genetic and environmental factors. Others, such as behaviorists and Vygotsky, assume that development is a more passive and gradual process of learning. Still, some theorists, such as Piaget, believe that development is an active process in which children actively explore their world and build new ways of thinking to explain their experiences.