Human Development Quiz

Growth Motor Development and Physical Literacy

• Growth is a measurable change in size, quantity, or function of the body.
• Maturation is the extent to which underlying characteristics resemble biological or emotional states.
• Motor development is the study of how movement changes over time due to biological and environmental influences.
• Physical literacy involves integrating movement capacities with health behaviours, understanding, and attitudes to create a long-term lifestyle.
• Physical literacy is important for overall health, and as a foundation for sports and fitness.
• Early exposure to physical activities promotes early development of balance, coordination, strength, flexibility, and endurance.
• Positive experiences in physical activities are essential for development.
• Early exposure to physical activities, motivating children for sports in their education programs, is beneficial.
• Critical periods are times of specific sensitivity to environmental stimuli, affecting optimal development. Stimuli present during these periods influence development.
• Readiness is a state where an individual is prepared to acquire a specific behaviour or skill; it includes desire, information, ability, and acquisition of physical characteristics.
• Growth and development have stages: Infancy, Childhood, & Adolescence.

Defining the Main Concepts

• Growth: Measurable change in a body part's size, amount, or function.
• Maturation: Extent to which a characteristic resembles a biological state (body changes or emotions).
• Motor Development: Studying how movement behaviour progresses over time because of influences from the biological system and the environment.

Physical Literacy

• Physical literacy integrates various movement capabilities with health-related aspects (behaviours, knowledge, and attitudes).
• Applying these aspects to a long-term lifestyle reflects a person's physical literacy.
• Proficient movement is essential for overall health, not solely for sport or fitness.

Introduction

• Factors affecting growth and motor development include early exposure to physical activities, critical periods, and readiness.

Early Exposure to Physical Activities

• Encouraging physical activity from a young age is helpful.
• Essential to develop balance, coordination, strength, flexibility, and endurance.
• Positive physical activity experiences are very important.
• Early exposure motivates many parents to involve their children in various sports or physical education programs.

Critical or Sensitive Periods

• Periods when individuals are particularly receptive to environmental stimuli.
• Development is sensitive to the presence or absence of appropriate stimuli.
• These periods are often early in development.

Readiness

• Readiness implies an individual is prepared for acquiring a behaviour or skill.
• Readiness includes having the desire to perform, access to information, ability, and appropriate physical characteristics.

Stages of Growth & Development

• Growth and development are divided into infancy, childhood, and adolescence; each with characteristics.

Infancy

• Birth to one year.
• Marked by rapid growth.
• Typically, boys are heavier and taller at birth than girls.

Childhood

• One year to thirteen years.
• Includes early childhood (1–6 years), mid-childhood (6–10 years), and late childhood (10–13 years).
• Characterized by distinct growth and development patterns in each stage.

Early Childhood (1–6 years)

• Gradual loss of "baby fat".
• Girls lose less fat than boys.
• Rapid growth (slower than infancy).
• Quite flexible bodies.
• Muscle development during play.

Mid-Childhood (6–10 years)

• Slower, more consistent growth.
• Improved coordination and motor skills.

Late Childhood (10–13 years)

• Increased growth rate.
• Fat deposition just prior to adolescent growth spurt.
• Differences in maturation start to emerge.
• Reproductive system develops; secondary sex characteristics begin to appear.
• Redistribution of body weight occurs (e.g., boys gain muscle, girls gain some fat).
• Early onset of maturation can affect participation in sports or activities across all age groups.

Adolescence (14–20 years)

• Following puberty, physical growth ceases by the end of adolescence.
• Significant differences in physique are apparent post-puberty.
• Body types (somatotypes) become evident.
• These types are Ectomorph, Mesomorph, and Endomorph.

Ectomorph

• Long, thin, and fine-boned body type.
• Introverted, thoughtful, inhibited, and sensitive personality traits.

Mesomorph

• Square, muscular, active, dynamic, assertive, and aggressive personality.

Endomorph

• Round and soft body type.
• Extroverted, relaxed, and comfortable personality.

External Social Pressures

• Social pressures often contribute to shaping the ideal physique in adolescence.
• It is combined with significant physical, hormonal, and psychological changes in adolescence.

Gender Body Structure Differences

• Differences in body characteristics exist between genders over the growth cycle.
• Little difference between genders prior to adolescence in body structure or body weight.

Stature

• Stature refers to a person's height.
• Infants' body length is measured while they are supine.
• Little difference in average length between males and females at birth.
• Boys are typically taller and heavier than girls toward the end of the first year of life.
• Puberty causes increased growth rate for both genders; peak height varies based on gender and individual variation.
• Growth continues to adolescence then slows; stature remains stable until age 30.
• Some decrease in stature occurs after age 45 due to intervertebral disc degeneration.

Weight

• Little difference in average weight between males and females at birth until adolescence.
• Weight gain rapidly accelerates (especially in first year). Weight gain slows down after the first year.
• Weight gain continues through the following two years of life.
• Significant increase at puberty. The weight gain during adolescence can be attributed to height increase and composition changes.

Gender Fitness Differences

• Gender differences in fitness throughout the growth cycle exist.

Cardiorespiratory Fitness

• Heart rate averages about 100 bpm in children under six, gradually decreasing to 72-75 bpm in early adulthood.
• Stroke volume (blood pumped per minute) is less than in adults due to smaller heart size.

Body Composition

• Lean body tissue vs. fat (adipose) tissue.
• Fat tissue at birth (females tend to have more than males).
• Fat deposition continues through the growth span.
• Adult body composition varies (10%–20% fat for men and 20%–32% for women).

Exercise & Bone Development

• Regular exercise promotes increased bone diameter and density.
• Exercise increases bone strength and durability (especially weight-bearing exercises).
• Overuse injuries due to excessive exercise and young children's bone development may happen during growth time.

Flexibility

• Flexibility is the range of motion around joints; it is influenced by ligament structure, joint capsule, muscle mass, and the type of joints involved.
• Flexibility generally decreases with age and inactivity.

Muscular Strength

• Differences appear post-puberty in muscular strength between genders, with testosterone being the chief influence.
• Typically, post-puberty, males tend to exhibit greater muscular strength than females.

Exercise & Body Composition

• Active children and teenagers generally show an increase in lean body mass and a decrease in percent body fat.
• Muscle growth accompanying exercise is termed "muscle hypertrophy."

Knowledge Check

• Adolescent growth spurt occurs approximately two years earlier in girls compared to boys (False).
• Significant difference between female and male physiques exists before puberty (False).
• Individuality and variability in growth and development exist within and between genders throughout the life stages (True).

Factors Affecting Growth & Development

• Key factors include heredity, nutrition, socioeconomic status, and exercise.

Heredity

• Involves genetic information passed through generations.
• Environmental factors affect gene expression, such as malnutrition delaying potential height.

Nutrition

• Essential nutrients for growth and development.
• Inadequate nutrition, including malnutrition (or undernourishment), can delay or impair growth even in areas with abundant food supplies.
• Overeating and lack of exercise contributes to obesity.

Socioeconomic Status

• Body size is related to socioeconomic status and nutrition.
• Factors directly impacting socioeconomic status are income, education about healthy food, and access to adequate food supplies.
• Other contributing factors such as stress levels, sleep patterns, and exercise habits also impact growth and development; they are easier to maintain when basic needs are met.

Exercise & Social Development

• Team sports promoting positive interaction and cooperation can facilitate social development.
• Pressure from coaches and parents can hinder development of an active lifestyle and cause stress.

Perceptual Motor Development Across the Growth & Development Cycle

• Importance of physical education curriculum often overlooked.
• Certain parents discourage physical education and emphasize academics over it.
• Some parents promote physical activity through enrolled children into organized physical activity programs.
• Perceptual motor development focuses on using movement activities to improve academic and intellectual performance.
• Newell Kephart's theory highlights the importance of integrating present stimuli with past experiences for efficient learning.

Other Factors Affecting Motor Development

• Motivation is essential to physical activity. It includes things like perceived confidence, control, and expectations.
• Fun and enjoyment are essential to maintaining physical activity interests and motivation.
• Self-esteem, self-concept, and self-confidence are closely related and all enhance motivation.
• Socio-cultural factors, including family background and fostering positive social skills, are also important, such as supporting rather than exerting pressure to perform. The influence of peers is also high during the adolescent period.

This quiz explores key concepts in human development, including growth, maturation, and the importance of physical literacy. It also examines factors influencing early motor development, nutrition, and socioeconomic impacts on growth. Test your understanding of these essential topics in human development.