Difference between growth and development

by Yuvi - November 8, 2020

Difference between growth and development

Growth:-

1. Part: Growth is a part or an aspect of development.
2. Not continuous: It is not continuous. It is start from conception but end from at some particular age. Mostly, it stops
3. Changes in particular aspects growth in particular aspect of body and behaviour.
4. Improvement in structure e.g. hand, legs:- grow large.
5. Not integrated: growth is not an integrated process. It refers to changes in structure only.
6. Cellular: It may be looked as cellular multiplication. It refers to changes in the particular aspects of the body.
7. Organism: It is the function of the organism rather than that of environment.
8. Measurable: Growth can be measure, quantified like inches etc.
9. May not bring development: Growth may or may not bring development e.g. A child may grow (e.g. weight) by becoming fat but this growth may not bring any functional improvement.

Development:-

1. Wider: Development is a wider and comprehensive all aspects of development.
2. Continuous process: It is a continuous and life long process. It starts with when the person attains maturity. Covers the whole life span of an individual.
3. Changes as a whole development refers to change in various parts of body and behaviour as whole.
4. Improvement in structure and functioning:- e.g. hand does not grow large but also develop because they improve in their functions.
5. Integrated: it is a complex process of integrated many structures and functions.
6. Organizational: It is an organization of all the parts which grow. It implies the organism as a whole.
7. Environment: It is the function of both organism and environment.
8. Assessment: Qualitative changes are assessed not measured.
9. Possible without growth: generally, growth and development go hand in hand. But it is possible to growth e.g. many persons do not gain in terms, size, height but they do experience function improvement in various aspects.