Human development is a concept based on the idea of human beings' freedom, so that they have the opportunities and abilities to live with quality of life and in accordance with their goals.
Unlike economic growth, human development is not directly related to the analysis of financial resources, but with the satisfaction of people with the way they live the life.
Thus, to analyze the level of human development of a given group, one should look not at income, but all the conditions and opportunities that individuals have to be able to have a life with dignity and quality.
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In the realm of psychology, human development refers to formation of individual identity, that is, their behavior, values, abilities, and so on. In this aspect, human development takes into account several different factors, such as characteristics genetics, intellectual, emotional patterns, the social groups in which it is inserted, physical development, between others.
Stages of human development
From a psychological point of view, human development has been extensively studied by the Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget (1896). By analyzing the behavior of his own daughters, Piaget defined the different stages of human development:
Sensory-motor period (0 to 2 years)
Stage before language. During this period, the individual begins to acquire motor control, create affective bonds and develop the first reflexes and movements.
Pre-Operative Period (2 to 7 years)
Development of language, speech and physical skills. However, at this stage children are not yet able to carry out concrete operations. During this period the person is still not able to have empathy, for this reason egocentrism is still striking.
Period of Concrete Operations (7 to 12)
Development of the ability to reason. Improved thinking, when children start to think more logically and solve some less complex problems.
Period of Formal Operations (12 years onwards)
All skills and competences are developed. Domain of logical thinking. Individuals start to add moral values to their conduct and to think in order to make more complex decisions.
Human development Index
In order to measure and assess the quality of life of people in different societies, the United Nations (UN) created the Human Development Index (HDI).
The Human Development Index analyzes three main factors that represent basic requirements for people's quality of life: health, education and income.
Achieving these three dimensions of the HDI, the human being is able to have a long and healthy life, access to knowledge (which is essential for ensuring exercise of their individual freedoms), and financial conditions to maintain a stable standard of living (buying food, paying their basic bills and having shelter, for example).
The HDI was conceived by economists Mahbub ul Haq and Amartya Sen, who presented the first results in the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Human Development Report, in 1990.
Learn more about the meaning of HDI.