There are several main issues in human development that are subject to controversy. Some researchers maintain, for example, that development is a continuous process throughout life while others view development as happening in stages. In responding to the following questions, cite the page numbers from the textbook where you found your answers.
1. Describe the continuity (qualitative) vs discontinuity (quantitative) perspectives on how people change over time developmentally.
2. Provide at least one example from the text supporting each perspective that a classmate has not already used.
Sample Answer
In developmental psychology, the debate over how we change over time remains one of the most significant "grand issues" in the field. Below is a description of the two primary perspectives on the pace and nature of human growth.
1. Continuity vs. Discontinuity Perspectives
The tension between these two views centers on whether human development is a smooth, gradual accumulation of skills or a series of abrupt, distinct shifts.
Continuity (Quantitative Change): This perspective views development as a gradual and cumulative process. It suggests that humans change by degree rather than by kind. This is often described as quantitative change because it involves adding more of the same types of skills that were already present.
Visual Analogy: Development is like a seedling growing into a giant oak tree. The change is constant and incremental; there is no single day where the seedling "suddenly" becomes a tree.
Discontinuity (Qualitative Change): This perspective views development as occurring in distinct stages. It suggests that at specific points in time, humans undergo a rapid shift into a new way of functioning that is different from what came before. This is called qualitative change because the person becomes "different in kind" rather than just "more" of what they were.
Visual Analogy: Development is like the life cycle of a butterfly. The transition from caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly represents abrupt, structural shifts where the organism functions in entirely new ways.