INTRODUCTION: CHARACTERISTICS OF DEVELOPMENTAL TASK: STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT: EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS

2. PAPER-III
PSYCHOLOGY OF LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
SANA FATIMA
M.ED SEMester-I
GHULAM AHMED COLLEGE OF EDUCATION,BANJARA
HILLS,HYD.

4. WHAT IS A DEVELOPMENTAL TASK?
The term “developmental task” was introduced by Robert
Havighurst in 1950’s.
A developmental task is one that arises predictably and
consistently at or about a certain period in the life time of
the individual.
Successful achievement of these tasks leads to the person’s
happiness, and increases the probability of competence in
the following tasks, while failure leads to unhappiness in
the individual, disapproval by society and difficulty in later
tasks

5. CHARACTERISTICS OF
DEVELOPMENTAL TASK
Many different aspects of a person’s life that influence a
person’s development viz., the biological development and
physical structures of the individual; the society, in which
the person lives, and the resultant cultural influences, as
well as the individual’s personal characteristics, values and
goals.
According to Havighurst, there are sensitive periods which
he called “teachable moments”, when an individual is
mature enough to learn the developmental tasks.

6. Some tasks are the same for everyone, regardless of where you
live, as they are about human biology.
Example: learning to crawl and walk.
Some tasks are different in different societies. For example, some
tasks may be in different forms in different cultures or it may
exist in culture and not in the other culture.
Example; the task of getting an occupation is different in
different cultures, in some cultures an individual gets his job
while the person is very young while in other culture, the person
may get a job after long education and training.

7. Havighurst identified the following six major
stages of development in human life:
 Infancy & early childhood (0-5years)
 Middle childhood (6-12years)
 Adolescence (13-18years)
 Early Adulthood (19-29years)
 Middle Age (30-60years)
 Later maturity (61years and above)

8. Some Developmental tasks of Infancy and
early childhood (0-5years) are:
Learning to
Walk
Talk
to control the elimination
of body wastes
form relationship with family members
Getting ready to read

9. Some Developmental tasks of Middle childhood
(6-12years) are:
 Learning physical skills necessary for ordinary
games
 Learning to get along with age-mates
 Developing fundamental skills in reading,
writing, and counting
 Developing conscience, morality, and a scale of
values
 Achieving personal independence
 Developing attitudes toward social groups and
institutions.

10. Some Developmental tasks of Adolescence (13-18years) are:
 Achieving new and more mature
relations with age-mates of both sexes
 Achieving emotional independence of
parents and other adults
 Equipping self with skills needed for
productive occupation
 Acquiring a set of values
 Desiring and achieving socially
responsible behavior

11. Some Developmental tasks of
Early Adulthood (19-29years) are:
Establishing a career
Choosing a life partner
Learning to live with the
life partner
Starting a family
Managing home and responsibilities

12. Some Developmental tasks of Middle age(30-60years)
are:
Maintaining economic
standard living
Adjusting to physiological
changes
Adjusting to aging parents
Performing civic and social responsibilities
Assisting teenage children to become responsible and
happy adults

13. Some Developmental tasks of Later maturity(60years
and above) are:
Adjusting to deteriorating physical strength and
health
Adjusting to retirement
Adjusting to death of a spouse
Meeting social and civil
obligations

14.  The assertions and principles presented by Havighurst
are quite easily understandable and clear. The
applications of Havighurst’s Developmental Tasks
Theory extend to the field of education and have
asserted influence over educators and psychologists
worldwide.
 Havighurst’s developmental tasks have explained
about how the problems are faced by us in all stages of
life and he explains them really well. We can all relate
that biology has some kind of effects in our
development, as well as psychology and society.