Domains of Development

Shailini G. Gestosani, M.Ed.

College of Teacher Education
St. Paul University Iloilo

Developmentalists
Professionals in the field of child
development
Describe, explain and predict how
individuals at different stages typically think,
feel, grow and behave

Universal Norms
Suggests that development unfolds through
a series of sequence.

5 Domains of Development

Cognitive Development
Socio Emotional Development
Adaptive Development
Physical Development
Communication Development

Cognitive Development
Development of age-appropriate mental
functions
Perceiving, thinking, understanding, knowing
Acquired through an interplay of the
neurological structure that includes the brain
and the nervous system as well as cultural
influences
Directly related to the developmental of other
domains: motor, communication, socioemotional, adaptive

Basic Cognitive Processes

Perception
Attention
Reasoning
Memory

Perception
Ability to make sense of information provided to
the brain from the sense organs
Perceptual skills or abilities are used to
enhance learning
Perceptual skills: reflexive response, visual
acuity, auditory abilities (language)
Sensory delays exists most frequently on visual
and auditory perceptions inability to receive
stimuli, damage to a sensory nerve, inability to
sense, understand and process information

Attention
Focusing attention to relevant information
presented ( reaction to stimuli)
Focusing attention to task at hand
Avoiding distractions
Problems with attention: ADHD, Autism,
Learning Disability

Reasoning
Children explore environment and find ways
to solve problems
Inductive Reasoning reasoning from a
single instances to generalizations
Deductive Reasoning from general
instances to particular ones
Animism attributing human qualities to
non-living objects

Memory
The ability to store and retrieve information
Relies on the abilities of perception and
attention
Short-term Memory storage lasts less than
sixty minutes and allows for storage of about
seven items
Long-term Memory storing information
permanently and is limitless in capacity;
often aided by rehearsal

SocioEmotional Development
Development of age- and situation- appropriate
abilities and skill
Understanding ones own feelings as well as those
of others
Developing socially acceptable behavior
Responding to social experiences
Learning behavior through modeling
Important aspects: play, building a positive selfconcept and self-esteem, understanding various
kinds of emotions and morality

Adaptive Development
Development of age-appropriate self-care
and other behaviors to adapt successfully to
different environments and circumstances
Independence

Physical Development
Gross Motor Development
Large scale muscle use
Typically occurs prior to fine motor development
Influenced by genetics and environment

Fine Motor Development

Small muscles groups but more precise
Manipulation of small objects
Develops drastically during childhood

Communication Development
Abilities to express thoughts and feelings of
others
Understand others vocal, nonverbal, signed,
gestural and written expressions
Hearing, language and speech
Language is acquired through operant
conditioning