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129 Human Development Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

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Human development is a complex and multifaceted process that encompasses physical, cognitive, emotional, and social growth throughout the lifespan. Understanding the factors that influence human development is crucial for educators, psychologists, healthcare professionals, and policymakers to support individuals in reaching their full potential.

If you are studying human development or working in a related field, you may be tasked with writing an essay on a specific topic. To help you brainstorm ideas for your next paper, we have compiled a list of 129 human development essay topic ideas and examples.

Physical Development

  • The impact of nutrition on physical development in childhood.
  • How physical activity influences motor development in infants.
  • The role of genetics in determining growth patterns in adolescence.
  • The effects of puberty on physical development and self-esteem.
  • How chronic illness affects physical development in children.

Cognitive Development 6. Piaget's theory of cognitive development and its implications for education. 7. The role of language development in shaping cognitive abilities. 8. How technology impacts cognitive development in children. 9. The effects of early childhood trauma on cognitive development. 10. Cultural influences on cognitive development in adolescence.

Emotional Development 11. Attachment theory and its impact on emotional development in infants. 12. The role of parenting styles in shaping emotional development. 13. How social relationships influence emotional development in adolescence. 14. The effects of trauma on emotional development in children. 15. Strategies for promoting emotional regulation in early childhood.

Social Development 16. The role of play in social development in early childhood. 17. Peer relationships and social development in adolescence. 18. The influence of media on social development in children. 19. The effects of poverty on social development. 20. Gender identity and social development in adolescence.

Adolescent Development 21. The challenges of identity formation in adolescence. 22. Risk-taking behavior in adolescence and its impact on development. 23. The effects of social media on adolescent development. 24. Mental health issues in adolescence and their impact on development. 25. Strategies for supporting positive development during the adolescent years.

Childhood Development 26. The impact of early childhood experiences on development. 27. The role of play in promoting cognitive and social development. 28. Attachment theory and its implications for early childhood development. 29. The effects of adverse childhood experiences on development. 30. The importance of early intervention in promoting healthy development.

Infant Development 31. The impact of prenatal development on infant health and well-being. 32. Attachment theory and its implications for infant development. 33. The role of sensory experiences in promoting infant development. 34. The effects of neglect on infant development. 35. Strategies for supporting infant development in the first year of life.

Language Development 36. The stages of language development in children. 37. The role of environmental factors in promoting language development. 38. Bilingualism and its impact on language development. 39. Language development in children with developmental delays. 40. Strategies for supporting language development in early childhood.

Motor Development 41. The stages of motor development in infancy. 42. The impact of physical activity on motor development in children. 43. Motor development in children with disabilities. 44. The effects of screen time on motor development. 45. Strategies for promoting motor development in early childhood.

Adulthood Development 46. The challenges of middle adulthood and its impact on development. 47. The effects of aging on cognitive and physical development. 48. The role of social relationships in promoting healthy development in adulthood. 49. The impact of career changes on development in adulthood. 50. Strategies for maintaining optimal health and well-being in older adulthood.

Parenting and Development 51. The role of attachment in shaping parenting practices. 52. Parenting styles and their impact on child development. 53. The effects of parental stress on child development. 54. The challenges of co-parenting and its impact on child development. 55. Strategies for promoting positive parent-child relationships and healthy development.

Adoption and Development 56. The impact of adoption on child development. 57. Attachment issues in adopted children and their implications for development. 58. The challenges of transracial adoption and its impact on development. 59. Strategies for supporting healthy development in adopted children. 60. The role of open adoption in promoting positive outcomes for children.

Trauma and Development 61. The effects of trauma on brain development in children. 62. Trauma-informed care and its implications for supporting healthy development. 63. The role of resilience in promoting positive outcomes for children who have experienced trauma. 64. The effects of trauma on social and emotional development. 65. Strategies for supporting children and adolescents who have experienced trauma.

Mental Health and Development 66. The impact of mental health issues on development in children and adolescents. 67. The role of stigma in preventing access to mental health services for children and adolescents. 68. The effects of untreated mental health issues on cognitive and social development. 69. Strategies for promoting mental health and well

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108 Human Development Essay Topics

🏆 best essay topics on human development, ✍️ human development essay topics for college, 👍 good human development research topics & essay examples, 🎓 most interesting human development research titles, ❓ human development research questions.

  • Theories of Charles Horton Cooley and George Herbert Mead about Human Development
  • Sustainable Human Development
  • Human Development Psychology
  • The Impact of Communication on Human Development
  • The Role of the Environment and Genes in Human Development
  • Cognitive Changes in Human Development
  • “Lifespan Human Development” by Sigelman, Carol, and Elizabeth Rider
  • Analysis of Human Development Theories The paper focuses on the human development theories, such as classical conditioning, Hierarchy of Needs Theory, and social learning theory.
  • Art Education and Human Development Arts is a very flexible discipline, this means that there are no definite solutions to problems in art and by extension life.
  • Human Development Theories by Piaget, Vygotsky, and Erikson Several perspectives on the phenomenon of human development exist. These are represented by the framework designed by Piaget, Vygotsky, and Erikson.
  • Human Development and the Security and Safety Index The objective of this research was to look at the connection between human development and the security and safety index.
  • Research Designs in Human Development Studies This paper analyzes several types of research design, which include observational research technique, longitudinal design, cross-sectional research, and sequential research design.
  • Human Development Theories: The Science of Learning and Development There are many theories on how human development through different stages of life affects an individual’s life and mental health.
  • Bioecological Model of Human Development Many scholars in the psychology field define child development as biological, psychological and emotional transformation of a child from birth.
  • Human Development Psychology: Stages, Socio-emotional Development, and Emotional Attachment Lifespan development is the growth of the physical, cognitive, and psychosocial changes that incurs throughout life.
  • Human Development in Zimbabwe The report covers’ human development’, it’s meaning, and measures within the context of Zimbabwe development by incorporating aspects of the United Nations Development Program.
  • A Unified Theory of Human Development In the paper, the definition, benefits and disadvantages of a unified theory on human development will be discussed.
  • Developmental Research: Human Development Developmental research determines progress and development. This can be done by examining the relationship between factors contributing to that development.
  • Human Development in Early Adulthood During their life, a person goes through many developmental stages, each associated with specific activities. This paper examines early adulthood.
  • Why Adolescents Take Drugs: Human Development Delinquent and irresponsible behaviors such as substance abuse, violence, and unsafe safe practices produce serious social and health implications.
  • Child Labor’s Negative Impact on Human Development This paper argues that child labor is by far the worst form of atrocities because it inhibits positive development by robbing children of the opportunity to gain life skills.
  • Human Development: Key Aspects The ecological perspective studies humans from an environmental standpoint, which includes social, emotional, and biological influences.
  • Global Poverty and Human Development Poverty rates across the globe continue to be a major issue that could impair the progress of humanity as a whole.
  • Adolescence and Human Development Challenges There are various questions about how puberty affects adolescents concerning the fact that not all people are impacted in the same way.
  • Human Development Psychology Issues This paper summarizes learned information on the development of human, in particular transgender disorders and homosexuality, and personality development.
  • Pregnancy, Human Development and Heredity This paper presents the physiological concepts that revolve around pregnancy and their implication in human development.
  • Technologies Growth: Significance for Human Development Nowadays, various types of technologies are acknowledged to have become an integral part of people’s life. It is reasonable to claim that such progress might have a positive impact.
  • Global Social Progress and Human Development The global social progress concept provides an opportunity to look at the development of the humankind as the process enhanced by a combination of multiple factors.
  • Mobile Phones’ Social Impacts on Sustainable Human Development
  • Addiction and the Effects on Human Development
  • Child Health and Human Development Over the Lifespan
  • Foreign Direct Investment According to Different Countries’ Stages of Human Development
  • Biological and Environmental Factors and Human Development
  • How Nature and Nurture Affect Human Development
  • Corruption and Human Development Correlation in Western Balkan Countries
  • Determining the Relationship Between Happiness and Human Development
  • Psychology and Human Development: Theory of Radical Behaviorism
  • Human Development and Quality of Institutions in Highly Developed Countries
  • Computers and Their Influence on Human Development
  • Economic and Human Development in Global North and Global South
  • Measuring Human Development and Environmental Sustainability in European Countries
  • Developmental Psychology and Human Development
  • Rainbows: Jean Piaget and Human Development
  • Cognitive Development and Erikson’s Stages of Human Development
  • Animal and Human Development Throughout the Ages
  • Human Development and Income Inequality as Factors of Regional Economic Growth
  • Genetic and Environmental Influences on Human Development
  • Economic and Social Determinants of Human Development
  • Capitalism, the State, and the Underlying Drivers of Human Development
  • Human Development and Its Impact on the World
  • Biological Human Development and Its Interaction With Environmental Influences
  • Environmental Degradation and Inclusive Human Development in Sub‐Saharan Africa
  • Civil War and Human Development: Impacts of Finance and Financial Infrastructure
  • Natural Environment and Early Human Development
  • Factors Affecting the Human Development Index
  • Aid, Conflict, and Human Development
  • Comprehensive Human Development: Realities and Aspirations
  • Education and Human Development: How Much Do Parents Matter?
  • Democratization and Human Development
  • Poverty, Human Development, and Growth: An Emerging Consensus
  • Human Development and Regional Disparities in India
  • Ecological System and Its Effects on Human Development
  • Dynamic Linkage Between Economic Growth and Human Development
  • Climate Changes and Human Development
  • Gender and Regional Inequality in Human Development
  • Behaviorism and Human Development
  • Migration, Poverty Reduction Strategies and Human Development
  • Anxiety Disorder, Socialization, and Human Development
  • Circular Migration and Human Development
  • Economic and Human Development Policies Since Independence
  • Gender Codes and the Human Development Indicator
  • Counseling and Human Development in Multicultural Society
  • Global Governance for Human Development
  • Freud’s and Erikson’s Perspectives on Human Development
  • Shaping the Future: How Changing Demographics Can Power Human Development
  • Cultural and Political Influences on Human Development
  • Energy Consumption Transition and Human Development
  • Faith and Successful Human Development
  • What Happens at Each Stage of Human Development?
  • How Have the Natural Characteristics of Melanesia Affected Human Development?
  • How Does Cultural Anthropology Influence Human Development?
  • What Research Designs Are Used to Study Human Development?
  • How Do the Foundations of Human Development Influence the Work of Mental Health Counselors?
  • What Are the Main Theories of Human Development?
  • How Does the Impact of the Human Development Process Differ From Learning?
  • How Does Biology and the Environment Affect Human Development?
  • When Was Sigmund Freud’s Theory on Human Development First Published?
  • How Does Culture Affect Human Development?
  • What Is Human Ecology about Human Development?
  • How Does “Nature vs. Nurture” Influences Human Development?
  • How Did Erik Erikson Apply the Epigenetic Principle to Human Development?
  • How Do Heredity and Environment Interact to Influence Human Development?
  • What Variables Does the Human Development Index Incorporate?
  • Why Do Many Countries With High Gross Domestic Product Have a Low Human Development Index?
  • How Many Stages Does the Human Development Have?
  • Why Lifelong Motor Development Is a Vital Part of Human Development?
  • What Factors Best Explain Human Development?
  • At What Stage During Human Development Does the Lumbar Curve of the Spine Develop?
  • What Does the Science of Human Development Seek to Understand?
  • What Period of Human Development Brings About the Most Rapid Change?
  • What Importance Does Social or Moral Development Have for Human Development?
  • What Is the Critical Period Hypothesis of Human Development?
  • How Do Philosophy, Psychology, and Sociology Each Relate to Human Development?
  • How Does Neuroscience Relate to Human Development?
  • What Makes the Study of Human Development a Science?
  • What Is the Cognitive Domain in Human Development?
  • Is Human Development a “Means” to Achieve Economic Growth?
  • How Does Physical Geography Impact Human Development and Settlement?

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Human Development Essay: Topics, Examples, & How-to Guide

A human development essay explores how a person or group of people can grow and thrive.

A human development essay is a piece of writing that explores how a person or group of people can grow and thrive. Several disciplines study these processes and might require you to get ready with this kind of assignment:

  • Biology analyzes human body development issues throughout our lifespan;
  • Psychology views human development as gaining or abandoning certain behavioral trends;
  • Sociology explains the cause-and-effect relationships between an individual and a group;
  • Economics studies the growth of human freedoms through the improvement of their well-being.

This article systematizes the available bulk of knowledge on the importance of human development. We have collected the essential concepts and approaches you can explore through our human development essay topics and samples.

💵 Human Development in Economics

🤯 human development in psychology.

  • 🧒 Human Growth Essay Topics
  • 📑 Outlining Your Essay
  • 1️⃣ HD Theories: Essay Example
  • 2️⃣ HD & Economic Growth: Essay Example

The first Human Development Report introduced this notion back in 1990 . But the discussion of the relationship between economic growth and human development started in the middle of the 20 th century.

Now we believe that GDP is not the only indicator of our well-being . Human life is more than just selling, buying, and consuming.

Human development in economics focuses on the creation of equal rights and opportunities for everyone . This approach states that the entire society would prosper from the happiness of each of its members.

In these terms, human development has two dimensions:

  • enhancement of human abilities;
  • provision of prerequisites for our growth.

Human development has two dimensions: enhancement of human abilities and provision of prerequisites for our growth.

The former explores how we could ensure that everyone has access to education, healthcare, and decent living conditions. The latter involves achieving environmental sustainability and equality of rights and opportunities for people of all genders, ages, and ethnic backgrounds.

Human Development Index

The Human Development Index (HDI) emphasizes that people and their well-being are the criteria for a country’s prosperity, not only its economic growth.

Today, we use HDI to question the efficiency of national policy. It also allows us to compare different countries with the same GDP but different human development levels. Analyzing this data, governments can refocus their priorities and correct past mistakes.

HDI is calculated as the geometric mean of the following normalized indices:

  • Life expectancy at birth is used to calculate the life expectancy index, where 85 years is the maximum.
  • The education index is the sum of the expected and mean years of schooling divided by 2.
  • This index is determined as GNI per capita.

Meanwhile, HDI is not as comprehensive as one might expect. HDRO (the Human Development Report Office) claims that it does not consider human inequalities, the empowerment of minorities, poverty levels, and gender disparity.

Psychology views human development from an individual’s perspective. This discipline distinguishes between three directions of human development.

The picture describes three directions of human development in psychology.

  • Physical changes occur in our bodies. How do we grow from a baby into an adult and from an adult into an older person? How do we acquire new motor skills, and what is the biology of our senses? What do our brains consist of, and how do they change with age? Correct answers to these questions help us explain the next direction.
  • Cognitive changes cause the development of human behavior. What goes on in our brain that defines what kind of people we are? This domain focuses on logical thinking, learning, understanding, moral reasoning, and practical intelligence. It searches for the ways we could learn faster and become better versions of ourselves.
  • Psychosocial changes track the growth of our social skills and preferences. It all starts with the principal caregiver. Gradually, we begin to interact with more people, such as friends, distant relatives, educators, and colleagues. It is all about our self-image, self-esteem, emotions, and relationships. The psychosocial domain also studies our ways to cope with losses or death.

Human Development Theories

The history of psychology knows many human development theories, many of which are still trusted. We will focus on the two fundamental approaches. They divide childhood into several critical stages that define our character, habits, likes, relationships, and even success in life.

Piaget’s 4 Stages of Cognitive Development

Piaget’s theory is the most widely accepted approach to child development. He believed that children construct knowledge while they manipulate and explore the objects around them. Jean Piaget marked four stages of cognitive development.

  • Sensorimotor stage (0-2 years). A child learns that objects do not disappear. Their activity is all about experimenting with things to see what happens. This stage should culminate with developing the deferred imitation skill. It involves the ability to reproduce an action or sound made by another person later.
  • Preoperational stage (2-6 years). Children use symbols to represent words and ideas. They develop the language and make-believe play but still lack logical reasoning. They are egocentric and cannot imagine that other people may feel or think differently.
  • Concrete operational stage (6-12 years). Thinking becomes logical and focused. Children develop inductive reasoning: they observe to make generalizations about the world around them. But they still struggle with deductive thinking.
  • Formal operational stage (12 years – adulthood). Abstract thinking emerges. They learn to develop theoretical ideas to explain the world.

Freud’s 5 Stages of Psychosexual Development

The Father of Psychoanalysis believed that human personality consisted of ego, superego, and id. They become unified and inseparable once the child passes the five stages of psychosexual development.

  • Oral stage (0-1 year). The mouth is the pleasure center for the infant. That is why everyone is born with a sucking reflex. If the oral needs are not met during the first year of life, the child can start biting their nails or suck a thumb.
  • Anal stage (1-3 years). Children gain control over their bodily functions. They experiment with feces. But early toilet training can make a child too obsessed with order.
  • Phallic stage (3-6 years). Children find out the pleasure they can get from their genitals. According to Freud, this is when the sexual desire to the parent of the opposite sex emerges. Boys go through the Oedipus complex. They want to replace their father and see him as a rival in the mother’s love. Later, Carl Jung spoke of the Electra Complex, a similar mechanism in girls.
  • Latency stage (6-12 years). Sexual instincts give way to the superego. During this period, children adopt the moral principles and values of their parents.
  • Genital stage (12+ years). Sexual instincts reemerge. If all the above steps passed successfully, adolescents would show appropriate sexual behavior.

But this theory is too controversial to be taken for granted. Do parents define their child’s sexual and aggressive drives? Nobody knows for sure.

💡 232 Human Development Essay Topics

Since human development is a debatable and scarcely studied area of knowledge, it offers a whole lot of topics to discuss. For your convenience, we have divided them into two categories:

  • The first can be used for essays on human development psychology.
  • The second includes human growth and development essay topics in economics and sociology.

155 Human Development Topics (Psychology)

Psychology focuses on the emotional, intellectual, and social development of an individual. Scientists traditionally divide this growth into stages, according to the respective age. That is why the topics here can be about early childhood, parent-child relationships, school years, adolescence, marriage, and divorce.

  • Child psychology: Theories of development by J. Piaget.
  • How can parents facilitate their child’s relationships with peers?
  • Divorce: Psychological effects on children.
  • Which purposes does attachment play in infants?
  • Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory of development.
  • Which ideas of Freud’s psychosexual development theory do you think are valid?
  • Find the common features between Freud’s psychosexual theory and Erikson’s psychosocial theory.
  • Child development and education.
  • Explore the causes of inferiority complex in adolescents.
  • Children’s play: An ingredient needed in children’s learning.
  • How does one’s sense of self influence their future relationships?
  • Corporal punishment and its effects on children.
  • Why do we need to reward the feeling of gratitude in adolescents?
  • What is the role of the family in shaping our social well-being?
  • Developmental psychology in adolescence.
  • Describe the principles of caregiving you consider as healthy and beneficial.
  • Personal development plan.
  • What is social knowledge, and where do we gain it?
  • Write a human development theories essay.
  • Emotional development in children and adults.
  • What do the preferred leisure activities of adolescents tell us about their development?
  • Early childhood classroom environment plan.
  • Does the gender of the main caregiver matter?
  • Study the effect of orphanage education on a child’s psychology.
  • The introduction to early childhood education.
  • Is a child’s family or school more defining for their development?
  • Second life : Professional development and communication.
  • How does patriarchal prejudice undermine the intellectual growth in girls?
  • Does the lack of college-level education make a person less smart?
  • Sigmund Freud’s personality and psychoanalysis.
  • How did dr. Maria Montessori use human tendencies for child development?
  • Adult learning theories.
  • How does a father’s toxic masculinity impact a boy’s emotional well-being?
  • Early childhood cognitive-based philosophy.
  • Make a research summary of the role of IQ in human development.
  • Explore the causes of the “terrible threes.”
  • Lifespan human development: perspective and theories.
  • Write a reflection about risk-taking behaviors in teenagers.
  • Linking human development to the human condition.
  • Is poverty the worst factor for a child’s development?
  • Early childhood education activities and trends.
  • Analyze the consequences of substance abuse in adolescence.
  • Cognitive behavioural therapy for depression in adults.
  • Do children adopt their same-sex parent’s gender roles in adulthood?
  • Child abuse and neglect effects on adult survivors.
  • What is the role of creativity in a preschooler’s development?
  • Tools of the mind in the early childhood development.
  • Do you agree that all psychological disorders of children under 12 are caused by an unhealthy family atmosphere?
  • The theories of child development.
  • How do we learn to control our emotions?
  • How autistic children develop and learn?
  • Analyze the major results of gender-neutral education.
  • Early childhood education and skills development.
  • When is the due time to start sex education of children and why?
  • Erik Erikson’s theory of development.
  • What is the tole of symbolic function and make-believe play in a child’s development?
  • Family structure and its effects on children.
  • Why is egocentrism in children normal?
  • Infant development.
  • Establish the relationship between language development and intellectual growth.
  • Biological, cognitive, and socioemotional development.
  • Sexism in human development theories.
  • How an operant conditioning influences child development.
  • Awareness of age-related change helps to live a healthy life.
  • Middle childhood and adolescence development.
  • The adverse effect of malnutrition in a child’s development.
  • Assessment in early childhood: Special education.
  • When is stress positive and negative for the psychological development of an individual?
  • How video games affect children.
  • Analyze human development in multigenerational families.
  • Erickson’s psychosocial development and its stages.
  • Compare and contrast the American and Japanese approaches to education and their results.
  • Theoretical perspectives on human development: Freud, Piaget, and Skinner.
  • The role of controlled independence in childhood.
  • Technology impacts on the new generation of children.
  • Why is periodical boredom necessary for a child to develop?
  • Learning and student development theories and factors.
  • Why is human development the basic need of any society?
  • The development of secure and insecure attachments in children.
  • Why is intellectual growth so pleasurable for us?
  • Moral and personality development.
  • If the human development mechanism is equal for all, why are we so different?
  • 21 st century skills development.
  • Why do modern sociologists think we should work less?
  • Peer pressure on children in high school.
  • What could we learn from the indigenous African tribes in terms of the psychological development of children?
  • Interaction for child’s development and learning.
  • Schools: an unknown war where we miss our childhood?
  • Effects of media on children.
  • To which degree do genes determine our development?
  • Jean Piaget – cognitive theorist.
  • Why are foster children less prepared for adult life than their adopted peers?
  • When should children start school?
  • When do children stop learning through play?
  • Managing stress better: Personal development.
  • Which socio-emotional factors make aging less depressing?
  • Preschool play role in the cognitive development.
  • The benefits and drawbacks of grandparents’ raising children.
  • Autism as the most prevalent developmental mental disorder.
  • How does lifelong learning benefit human brain?
  • Teaching and supporting adult learners.
  • How does lifestyle influence our cognition?
  • Parent-child relationships and parental authority.
  • Should adults develop an awareness of their aging?
  • Early intervention for young children with autism.
  • Why do scientists no longer view aging as a negative process?
  • Development and improvement of communication skills.
  • Which factors define our ability for emotional regulation?
  • Child’s play observation and parent interview.
  • Compare the Christian and Muslim cultural differences in human development.
  • The early abuse’ impacts on teenagers emotional development.
  • Are private nurseries and schools better for children’s development?
  • Behavior change in learning processes.
  • Why is generation alpha more emotionally intelligent than any earlier-born children?
  • Videogame addiction and its impact on children.
  • Shout less and explain more: the effect of the modern approach to caregiving.
  • Adult education, its objectives and approaches.
  • Why should we tell our daughters they are smart rather than beautiful?
  • Personal development: Career management.
  • How does social change impact the life of an individual? Give examples.
  • Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s child development theories.
  • Suggest mentoring interventions for at-risk adolescents.
  • Adult learning and effective instruction.
  • To which extent should we normalize children with developmental disorders?
  • Negative impacts of adult cartoon television programs on children.
  • Do developmental differences make us more human?
  • Social psychology in people’s life.
  • Do all families need psychotherapy, like they need a family doctor?
  • Childhood sexual abuse and adolescents’ self-esteem.
  • Which barriers do LGBT adolescents meet in their development?
  • Life-span development and personal life experiences.
  • Outline a positive youth development program.
  • Understanding learning: theories’ impacts.
  • Explain eating disorders as the result of incorrect upbringing.
  • The influence of online games on children and adults.
  • Describe the changes our brain suffers under continuous stress.
  • The psychological effect of 9-11 on young adults.
  • Typical vs. Atypical development in children.
  • Social psychology: group influence on the self.
  • Why is mindfulness important for human development?
  • Importance of a teacher in child development.
  • We learn behavioral health from our parents.
  • Divorce influence on childrens’ mental health.
  • How do behavioral phenotypes emerge during early development?
  • Child development theories: Comparative analysis.
  • Why do many children function differently in home, school, or community settings?
  • Communication role in the children’ development.
  • Suggest ways to identify co-occurring conditions in developmental disorders.
  • Psychological child development theories.
  • Describe the existing approaches to establishing healthy schools.
  • Piaget’s stages of cognitive development.
  • Parental autonomy vs. Monitoring: which is better for an adolescent?
  • Postpartum depression effect on children’s development.
  • How do parents’ beliefs and values determine their parenting strategies?
  • Childhood and optimal development analysis.

77 Human Development Topics (Economics)

  • How entrepreneurship in the energy sector can pave the way for sustainable development in Africa.
  • What are the parties involved in human development, and why don’t they share the same interests?
  • Should we care about income inequality?
  • Why does totalitarianism entail stagnation?
  • Democratic and Economic Development in Asian Countries.
  • Do migrant incomes spur economic development in their native countries?
  • International human resource development.
  • How does the growth of female entrepreneurship favor economics?
  • A development of American society.
  • How can equal rights and possibilities of all people make governments more efficient?
  • Resolving the problems of poverty and income inequality.
  • How does the availability of loans benefit human development?
  • Development Theory and Human Rights.
  • Should towns transform into cities to become more prosperous?
  • Resource availability for low to moderate income families in New York City.
  • Is feminism a sign of human evolution?
  • Rapid urbanization in the developing world is increasing.
  • What is the impact of literacy campaigns in socially disadvantaged rural areas?
  • Poverty reduction in developing countries.
  • Find the relationship between water resources and the level of farming development in a given region.
  • Human Rights for Development.
  • Explore the growing urban-rural interactions in large cities.
  • Employment opportunity for people with learning disabilities in the UK.
  • Give examples of win-win scenarios in human evolution.
  • Analysing a community development: Case study.
  • Why do societies often ignore or resist the advantages of human development?
  • How innovation and growth strategy will develop Abu Dhabi economy through Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030.
  • Study the role of recreational possibilities for the local population.
  • Values of innovation and entrepreneurship in economic development.
  • The effect of food availability on human development.
  • Millennium Development and Well-Being of Families.
  • Do you support transnational social movements, and why?
  • Compensation and benefits in an area of human resources development.
  • Do religions favor economic development?
  • Influence of religion on the development of colonial American society.
  • Analyze the impact of socioeconomic context on human development.
  • Is nationalism beneficial for a country’s well-being?
  • The development of the industrial work environment.
  • Which factors impede poor people from growing their capital?
  • Crime prevention through social development.
  • Is leisure more critical for economic growth than production?
  • Alternative Fuels and the US Nation Development.
  • Should the government regulate human development, or is it unpredictable?
  • Development traps and failure: The negative consequences of disasters on the economy.
  • What are the external factors of human development in emerging countries?
  • Fiscal decentralisation and local economic development in Ghana.
  • Human Development Index (HDI) Vs. Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
  • National human resource development in Asian states.
  • Which aspects would you include in the HDI formula?
  • Is late retirement beneficial for a country’s economic development?
  • Environment: Sustainable Development in Abu Dhabi.
  • Which material conditions affect human evolution?
  • The critical points of equal employment opportunity.
  • The role of sustainable development in a country’s well-being.
  • Globalization drives inequality: Liberalist and structuralist perspectives.
  • What is the primary goal of human development for economics?
  • The income gap in the US economy.
  • Are elevated birth rates a positive or negative factor for economic growth?
  • Human resources development in the UK and Australia.
  • What is the relationship between foreign capital penetration and human life expectancy in third-world countries?
  • Economic and Social Development of the UAE.
  • How does ethnic homogeneity influence human development in a given area?
  • Gender wage gap and inequality.
  • Why is the majority of wealthy countries democratic?
  • Human resource development practices to achieve economic growth: The case of Singapore.
  • Analyze the role of free medicine in social well-being.
  • How can the employment of the disabled favor a country’s economy?
  • Assessing why Nigeria LNG has been restricted in development.
  • How is the work/family balance of employees important for a company’s prosperity?
  • Workforce development and modern trends.
  • Explore the effect of an individual’s well-being on a country’s development.
  • Small business and development in South Africa.
  • How does democratization improve a country’s productivity?
  • Regional inequality of Yogyakarta.
  • How does English training in third-world countries influence their development?
  • Post-disaster development of Haiti.
  • New conceptions of adulthood among the youth in the developing countries.

🧒 Human Growth and Development Essay Topics

  • The impact of aging on human development.
  • How do role models promote moral and behavioral development in the 21st century?
  • Socioeconomic factors and their value in growth and development.
  • The development of moral predispositions at an early age.
  • The value of professional development of a person.
  • Genetic regulation of growth in height and weight in teenagers.
  • The role of initiative and guilt in the preschool age group.
  • What are the main red flags in growth and development?
  • Child health and human development over the lifespan.
  • Emotional development of a person from birth to old age.
  • Regulation of early human growth: the main peculiarities.
  • COVID-19 and its role in children’s social development.
  • How does environmental pollution affect human growth and development?
  • The language development in humans and its key stages.
  • How does maternal physical activity influence fetal growth?

Haven’t found the perfect topic in the lists above? Use our essay topic generator !

📑 Human Development Essay Outline

1. Introduction. By the end of your essay, your readers will surely forget what you wrote here. But do not underestimate the effect of a well-composed introduction on your audience’s expectations! Do your best to sound inspiring and upbeat in your human development essay introduction. Tell yourself, why did you select this topic? If it is an exciting issue for you, the readers will also get interested. So, the introduction speaks about the topicality and urgency of a problem. The thesis statement culminates your introduction. You should explain your position in a single sentence. Here are some good and bad examples:

☹️ Bad😑 Better🙂 Good
I am going to speak about medicine in the social economy.This essay explains why free medicine is good for society.This essay will highlight the demographic, cultural, and economic results of free medicine in terms of social well-being.
Too broad and informalSlightly more precise, but not enoughJust right!

Need to formulate a thesis statement? Use our thesis-making tool !

2. Main body. The primary rule here is structure. It is hard to read one long paragraph with many ideas. Introduce each argument from the new line. Give a topic sentence at the beginning of each section and then elaborate on it with examples and reflections.

3. Conclusion. In the field of human development, the conclusion of an essay should provide the prospects of the tendency you analyzed. Imagine yourself an analyst consulting an international company. What will happen if they continue doing the same? How can they reach different results? Once again, try to sound inspiring.

1️⃣ Human Development Essay Example #1 (Psychology)

Below you will find a sample of human development essays for a psychology-related discipline. It illustrates the outline we have mentioned above based on the topic Why Is Freud’s Developmental Theory considered outdated?

Human Development Theories Essay

1. Introduction. In the XXI century, we are all obsessed with development. We would like to become a better version of ourselves, develop our country, and humanity as a whole. Unfortunately, there is no axiom confirming the mechanism of human development.

Thesis statement. This essay explores the pitfalls of Freud’s developmental theory and questions its applicability.

2. Main Body.

Argument 1. Freud drew his theory from memories of his patients. But certain experiences people believe are true often turn out to be inaccurate. Sometimes, we fabricate our memories due to how we felt back then or would like to feel now. Thus, Freud used unreliable sources of information about child development.

Argument 2. Freud’s theory revolves around sexuality. But as Jung and Adler noticed, human life is more complicated than that. Oversimplification reduces us to instincts, which is not true. People have their subconscious fears and desires, but sexual energy is only one of their aspects.

Argument 3. Sigmund Freud only worked with adults. All adults are former children, but the researcher never studied children in their games, education, or frustrations. Freud had six kids, but his career never allowed him to spend much time with family. It is questionable how someone could draw conclusions about a child’s mental processes without actually speaking to a child.

3. Conclusion. Sigmund Freud largely contributed to modern psychology. He was the first to question our rational thinking and intellectual sobriety. But his five stages of psychosexual development are far from reality. First, they are constructed based on inaccurate and unreliable reports of mentally disturbed people. Second, sexuality is only one of the many things that make us who we are. Third, the scientist never did live research on children. That is why his theory is outdated now.

2️⃣ Human Development Essay Example #2 (Economics)

If you need to write an essay on human development while studying economics, you may use the following sample. It illustrates how to write an essay on the relationship between human development and economic growth.

Human Development and Economic Growth

1. Introduction. What happened first, human development or economic growth? The early signs of economic growth appeared when the first people started exchanging their goods with the neighboring tribes. They had to develop a new skill and change their picture of the world to catalyze economic growth.

Thesis statement. This essay aims to confirm the two-way linkage between the development of individuals and economic growth.

Argument 1. If that first exchange of crops and cattle did not work out, we would have never got as developed as we are now. The economic growth that happened once we had mastered “business negotiations” gave us the necessary resources to develop other skills.

Argument 2. Human development is hardly predictable. The most significant improvements in technology, medicine, construction, and science happened during the most challenging times for humanity. The two world wars showed that we could develop when the economy is in decay. But the new production methods and scientific achievements give us an opportunity to grow the economy when things get better.

Argument 3. Economic growth without human development is limited. For example, when a third-world country receives an external capital inflow, its economy stabilizes or even grows. But if its population does not acquire new models of doing business, the money will end. Such a country will return to its previous poor condition.

3. Conclusion. It would be wrong to say that human development caused economic growth or vice versa. None of the two are possible without the other. Human development happened first, but further knowledge acquisition required economic growth. Improvement of the economy does not guarantee human intellectual growth. Meanwhile, it is an indispensable prerequisite for our development.

❓ Human Development Questions & Answers

What does the science of human development seek to understand.

This science tries to find the reasons why people tend to change over time or why they remain at the same level. It establishes the mechanisms through which we become more educated, moral, organized, and civilized. The science also describes the benefits and drawbacks of human development for the economy, sociology, psychology, and ecology.

What is Human Development and Family Studies?

Human Development and Family Studies focuses on the health and psychology of individuals throughout their lifespan. This area of knowledge discusses human life in the context of their family relationships and social roles. It is an interdisciplinary science that involves psychology, economy, and sociology.

How does culture affect human development?

Culture defines the way we perceive society and the world as a whole. It affects our vision of reality from early childhood. Culture influences our beliefs, values, and purposes. Moreover, it is a decisive factor for our self-image as an individual and a member of society.

What makes the study of human development a science?

The study of human development explores how we learn, mature, and adapt to changes and adverse conditions. It is largely related to psychology but also involves sociology, economics, anthropology, and biology. It is a science because it aims to describe, predict, and understand the changes in human behavior that bring us to development.

Hi Sir I need to write an essay on my development from birth to adult and will critique with other theorists. Can you help me how to write it

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Sir, I would like to write about human race of Asian paper, so please help me some idea how to write. and decide for me sir. Thank you

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The evolution of our understanding of human development over the last 10 years

Ali h. brivanlou.

1 Stem Cell Biology and Molecular Embryology Laboratory, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY USA

Norbert Gleicher

2 The Center for Human Reproduction, New York, NY USA

3 The Foundation for Reproductive Medicine, New York, NY USA

4 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

As it fulfills an irresistible need to understand our own origins, research on human development occupies a unique niche in scientific and medical research. In this Comment, we explore the progress in our understanding of human development over the past 10 years. The focus is on basic research, clinical applications, and ethical considerations.

What basic research has taught us about human development

Over the last decade, progress in understanding our own development was mostly driven by the emergence and combination of remarkable new technologies. New molecular biology tools such as single-cell RNA-sequencing (sc-RNA-seq) unveiled the earliest genetic signature of the three cell lineages of the human blastocyst and allowed for the discovery of human-specific signatures 1 – 3 . CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing has offered further access to in vitro functional studies in human blastocysts 4 . However, as we discuss below, an ethical line was crossed when a group claimed that genetically modified human embryos had been transferred, leading to births 5 when neither public opinion nor a consensus within the scientific community had been reached regarding whether crossing the germline in in vitro fertilization (IVF) was safe and ethically acceptable.

On the embryology side, the development of an in vitro attachment platform for human blastocysts offered a first glance into post-implantation events up to 12 days 1 , 3 , 5 , 6 . This paved the way for several important discoveries, including the observation that the human embryo can self-organize to generate embryonic and extraembryonic germ layers, yolk sac, and amniotic cavities in the absence of maternal influences 5 , 6 ; and the presence of a transient embryonic tissue of trophectodermal lineage, adjacent to the yolk sac, therefore named, yolk-sac trophectoderm ( ysTE ) 5 . The presence of these seemingly human-specific populations was independently confirmed by sc-RNA-seq 1 .

The marriage of stem cell biology with bioengineering gave birth to the field of synthetic embryology 7 – 13 . This technology uses human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) cultured on geometrically confined micropatterned substrates to generate 2D in vitro models of human conceptuses, such as models of the gastrula ( gastruloids ) 7 – 13 , or parts of the embryo, such as cerebroids and neuruloids 14 . Thousands of nearly identical self-organizing human embryonic structures allow for standardization and reproducibility, which cannot be achieved in standard organoid structures 15 . Cells within these structures can be tracked and quantified in real time with sub-cellular resolution, using sophisticated quantification code, including artificial intelligence 14 .

Human gastruloids induce formation of the primitive streak and have enabled the deciphering of the molecular network underlying gastrulation—the most crucial moment of our lives 7 – 13 . 3D models of human epiblasts can spontaneously break axial symmetry, thus providing an assay for the elucidation of molecular events underlying the emergence of antero–posterior polarity 11 , 16 . A highly homogenous population of self-organizing 3D models of amniotic ectoderm-like cells can be obtained by combining microfluidic and microculture approaches 17 .

Finally, the development of interspecies chimeras provided the most stringent in vivo validation of human embryo models 9 , 10 , 18 . Unimaginable in human models, inter-species chimeras have become the next best choice to test whether hESC behavior in self-organizing gastruloids , as observed on microchips, would also occur in an embryonic environment 10 , 18 , 19 . Human/bird chimeras generated from transplanting human gastruloids into early chick embryos in ovo unexpectedly proved more efficient than previous methods 9 , 19 . They allowed for the observation of an entire self-organizing embryonic axis in bird eggs 9 . As birds are closer to dinosaurs than to humans, this high rate of success with these chimeras further suggested that these early patterning events must be highly conserved.

Translational clinical applications that arose from basic research

The past 10 years bore witness to significant clinical progress in reproductive medicine, often translated from basic research. Successful human uterus transplantation and the subsequent birth of healthy offspring was, for example, only achieved after years of meticulous laboratory work in animals 10 . Significant improvements in cryopreservation technology for human eggs and ovarian tissue were also preceded by research in model systems 10 , 20 . Practical clinical applications have been developed for women in need of cancer treatment that are toxic to ovaries. In these cases, oocytes and/or ovarian tissue can be cryopreserved for later use in fertility treatments once the patient is cured of her cancer 21 . This ever-evolving technology has already proven to result in live births, and has also become an integral part of routine infertility treatments with IVF, giving rise to the brand-new concept of fertility extension through egg-freezing.

Diagnostic technologies to assess retrieved eggs and preimplantation-stage embryos in the IVF process have been disappointing. For example, tracking extended embryo culture to blastocyst-stage with time-lapse imaging failed to improve embryo selection 22 . That chromosomal-abnormal embryos increase with maternal (but not paternal) age has been interpreted to mean that chromosomal abnormalities were a principal cause for lower implantation chances and higher miscarriage risks among older women. This assumption led to the rapidly growing utilization of chromosomal testing of human embryos prior to embryo transfer in a procedure recently renamed preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) 23 . The hypothesis behind PGT-A is to exclude chromosomal-abnormal embryos from the transfer, thereby improving implantation potentials of remaining euploid embryos.

Here too, clinical evidence was unable to confirm the hypothesis 24 . Moreover, basic research demonstrated a self-correction mechanism in mouse 25 and human embryos 26 – 29 that arose during embryogenesis that was cell lineage-specific to the embryonic cell lineage. In contrast, PGT-A biopsies are obtained from the extraembryonic-derived trophectoderm, rendering any diagnostic procedure at the blastocyst stage ineffective. In addition, mathematical modeling demonstrated that results from a single trophectoderm biopsy could not be extrapolated to the whole embryo 30 . Transfer of PGT-A “chromosomal-abnormal diagnosed embryos” has resulted in the births of over 400 chromosomal-normal offspring 20 , 21 .

In recent years, increasing attention has also been given to the quickly evolving understanding of how interdependent lifestyle and human fertility are 31 – 33 , including the influence of diet on the microbiome, as in many other areas of medicine.

The ethical significance of understanding human development

Whether in clinical medicine or in the research laboratory, human embryology has remained an ethical minefield, strongly influenced by socio-political and religious considerations. At the core of the controversy resides the special moral value of the human embryo, a subject that has come to the forefront again with the ascent of human embryonic stem cell research 34 . There is, however, little consensus as to how to answer a previously raised question: “ what is an embryo ?” 35 . The term pre-embryo, first introduced in 1986, was defined as the interval up to the appearance of the primitive streak, which marks biological individuation at ~14 days post-fertilization. This definition designated the period beyond 14 days as the time when a pre-embryo attains special moral status 36 , 37 . Paradoxically, the term pre-embryo has been replaced by the indiscriminate use of the term embryo, whether at preimplantation cleavage or blastocyst-stages or post-implantation before day 14. It was suggested that the distinction was important for ethical, moral, and biological relevance. The principal reason is simple: Until a pre-embryo becomes an embryo, there is no way of knowing whether implantation has taken place, whether a pregnancy is developing, whether there is a single pregnancy or twinning, or whether fertilization ended up in a benign (hydatidiform mole) or even in a malignant tumor (choriocarcinoma) 35 . Assigning advanced moral value to embryos at those early stages is, therefore, difficult to defend.

The past 10 years have witnessed innumerous ethical debates related to this subject, each with its own social, historical, and religious justifications, reflecting cultural diversities in human populations. Most are triggered by scientific breakthroughs. We summarize here the major ethical challenges preoccupying reproductive research and clinical practice.

We have already briefly referred to CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing. While the use of sc-RNA-seq to identify the molecular blueprint of human development has not elicited significant controversy, CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing of human embryos has been a topic of intense discussions and is currently permissible only in vitro 38 . An alleged attempt in China of implanting human genome-edited embryos into the uterus supposedly led to two births (one a twin birth). Though widely discussed in the media, neither attempt was published in the medical literature, and therefore cannot be verified 5 , 38 .

The ethical debates surrounding the 14-day rule, quiescent since the early IVF days, experienced a rebirth that was prompted by in vitro human embryo attachment studies and the emergence of synthetic human embryos. Within this context, we note that self-organizing embryo models are nothing more than cells in culture and are certainly not embryos. Regardless of scientific merits, in the U.S., the National Institutes of Health (NIH) currently prohibits the use of public funds for the study of synthetic embryos “for ethical reasons”. After being under an NIH moratorium for more than a year, research on chimeras is now, however, again permitted, though human/non-human primate chimeras remain prohibited.

These ongoing ethical debates mostly also mirror those surrounding the lack of U.S. federal funding for clinical IVF and related research, as well as hESCs-derived model embryos. In this context, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM)’s Ethics in Embryo Research Task Force recently made an important statement: “ Scientific research using human embryos advances human health and provides vital insights into reproduction and disease ” 39 .

Provided certain guidelines and safeguards are followed, research with already existing embryos or embryos specifically produced for research should be ethically acceptable as a means of obtaining new knowledge that may benefit human health. ASRM also pointed out that scientists and society must understand which research questions necessitate the use of human embryos.

It is gratifying to acknowledge the history and vitality of ongoing debates, especially since they increasingly mimic decision-making processes in the medical field. These debates are meant to be based on cost-benefit and/or risk-benefit assessments. These debates will, unquestionably, continue and, indeed, considering that every intervention has consequences, must be decided based on careful considerations, including all relevant stakeholders and all parts of society.

Acknowledgements

We like to thank Min Yang, Jean Marx Santel, Adam Souza, and Amir Brivanlou, for data gathering and critical reading of the manuscript, and constructive criticism.

Author contributions

Both A.H.B. and N.G. have contributed to writing the manuscript.

Competing interests

A.H.B. and N.G. are co-founders of OvaNova Inc. A.H.B. is a co-founder of Rumi Scientific Inc.

Peer review information Nature Communications thanks Alfonso Martinez Arias, Annelien Bredenoord and the other anonymous reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work.

Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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  • Published: 29 July 2021

The evolution of our understanding of human development over the last 10 years

  • Ali H. Brivanlou   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-1761-280X 1 &
  • Norbert Gleicher   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-0202-4167 2 , 3 , 4  

Nature Communications volume  12 , Article number:  4615 ( 2021 ) Cite this article

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  • Developmental biology
  • Embryogenesis

As it fulfills an irresistible need to understand our own origins, research on human development occupies a unique niche in scientific and medical research. In this Comment, we explore the progress in our understanding of human development over the past 10 years. The focus is on basic research, clinical applications, and ethical considerations.

What basic research has taught us about human development

Over the last decade, progress in understanding our own development was mostly driven by the emergence and combination of remarkable new technologies. New molecular biology tools such as single-cell RNA-sequencing (sc-RNA-seq) unveiled the earliest genetic signature of the three cell lineages of the human blastocyst and allowed for the discovery of human-specific signatures 1 , 2 , 3 . CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing has offered further access to in vitro functional studies in human blastocysts 4 . However, as we discuss below, an ethical line was crossed when a group claimed that genetically modified human embryos had been transferred, leading to births 5 when neither public opinion nor a consensus within the scientific community had been reached regarding whether crossing the germline in in vitro fertilization (IVF) was safe and ethically acceptable.

On the embryology side, the development of an in vitro attachment platform for human blastocysts offered a first glance into post-implantation events up to 12 days 1 , 3 , 5 , 6 . This paved the way for several important discoveries, including the observation that the human embryo can self-organize to generate embryonic and extraembryonic germ layers, yolk sac, and amniotic cavities in the absence of maternal influences 5 , 6 ; and the presence of a transient embryonic tissue of trophectodermal lineage, adjacent to the yolk sac, therefore named, yolk-sac trophectoderm ( ysTE ) 5 . The presence of these seemingly human-specific populations was independently confirmed by sc-RNA-seq 1 .

The marriage of stem cell biology with bioengineering gave birth to the field of synthetic embryology 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 . This technology uses human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) cultured on geometrically confined micropatterned substrates to generate 2D in vitro models of human conceptuses, such as models of the gastrula ( gastruloids ) 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , or parts of the embryo, such as cerebroids and neuruloids 14 . Thousands of nearly identical self-organizing human embryonic structures allow for standardization and reproducibility, which cannot be achieved in standard organoid structures 15 . Cells within these structures can be tracked and quantified in real time with sub-cellular resolution, using sophisticated quantification code, including artificial intelligence 14 .

Human gastruloids induce formation of the primitive streak and have enabled the deciphering of the molecular network underlying gastrulation—the most crucial moment of our lives 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 . 3D models of human epiblasts can spontaneously break axial symmetry, thus providing an assay for the elucidation of molecular events underlying the emergence of antero–posterior polarity 11 , 16 . A highly homogenous population of self-organizing 3D models of amniotic ectoderm-like cells can be obtained by combining microfluidic and microculture approaches 17 .

Finally, the development of interspecies chimeras provided the most stringent in vivo validation of human embryo models 9 , 10 , 18 . Unimaginable in human models, inter-species chimeras have become the next best choice to test whether hESC behavior in self-organizing gastruloids , as observed on microchips, would also occur in an embryonic environment 10 , 18 , 19 . Human/bird chimeras generated from transplanting human gastruloids into early chick embryos in ovo unexpectedly proved more efficient than previous methods 9 , 19 . They allowed for the observation of an entire self-organizing embryonic axis in bird eggs 9 . As birds are closer to dinosaurs than to humans, this high rate of success with these chimeras further suggested that these early patterning events must be highly conserved.

Translational clinical applications that arose from basic research

The past 10 years bore witness to significant clinical progress in reproductive medicine, often translated from basic research. Successful human uterus transplantation and the subsequent birth of healthy offspring was, for example, only achieved after years of meticulous laboratory work in animals 10 . Significant improvements in cryopreservation technology for human eggs and ovarian tissue were also preceded by research in model systems 10 , 20 . Practical clinical applications have been developed for women in need of cancer treatment that are toxic to ovaries. In these cases, oocytes and/or ovarian tissue can be cryopreserved for later use in fertility treatments once the patient is cured of her cancer 21 . This ever-evolving technology has already proven to result in live births, and has also become an integral part of routine infertility treatments with IVF, giving rise to the brand-new concept of fertility extension through egg-freezing.

Diagnostic technologies to assess retrieved eggs and preimplantation-stage embryos in the IVF process have been disappointing. For example, tracking extended embryo culture to blastocyst-stage with time-lapse imaging failed to improve embryo selection 22 . That chromosomal-abnormal embryos increase with maternal (but not paternal) age has been interpreted to mean that chromosomal abnormalities were a principal cause for lower implantation chances and higher miscarriage risks among older women. This assumption led to the rapidly growing utilization of chromosomal testing of human embryos prior to embryo transfer in a procedure recently renamed preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) 23 . The hypothesis behind PGT-A is to exclude chromosomal-abnormal embryos from the transfer, thereby improving implantation potentials of remaining euploid embryos.

Here too, clinical evidence was unable to confirm the hypothesis 24 . Moreover, basic research demonstrated a self-correction mechanism in mouse 25 and human embryos 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 that arose during embryogenesis that was cell lineage-specific to the embryonic cell lineage. In contrast, PGT-A biopsies are obtained from the extraembryonic-derived trophectoderm, rendering any diagnostic procedure at the blastocyst stage ineffective. In addition, mathematical modeling demonstrated that results from a single trophectoderm biopsy could not be extrapolated to the whole embryo 30 . Transfer of PGT-A “chromosomal-abnormal diagnosed embryos” has resulted in the births of over 400 chromosomal-normal offspring 20 , 21 .

In recent years, increasing attention has also been given to the quickly evolving understanding of how interdependent lifestyle and human fertility are 31 , 32 , 33 , including the influence of diet on the microbiome, as in many other areas of medicine.

The ethical significance of understanding human development

Whether in clinical medicine or in the research laboratory, human embryology has remained an ethical minefield, strongly influenced by socio-political and religious considerations. At the core of the controversy resides the special moral value of the human embryo, a subject that has come to the forefront again with the ascent of human embryonic stem cell research 34 . There is, however, little consensus as to how to answer a previously raised question: “ what is an embryo ?” 35 . The term pre-embryo, first introduced in 1986, was defined as the interval up to the appearance of the primitive streak, which marks biological individuation at ~14 days post-fertilization. This definition designated the period beyond 14 days as the time when a pre-embryo attains special moral status 36 , 37 . Paradoxically, the term pre-embryo has been replaced by the indiscriminate use of the term embryo, whether at preimplantation cleavage or blastocyst-stages or post-implantation before day 14. It was suggested that the distinction was important for ethical, moral, and biological relevance. The principal reason is simple: Until a pre-embryo becomes an embryo, there is no way of knowing whether implantation has taken place, whether a pregnancy is developing, whether there is a single pregnancy or twinning, or whether fertilization ended up in a benign (hydatidiform mole) or even in a malignant tumor (choriocarcinoma) 35 . Assigning advanced moral value to embryos at those early stages is, therefore, difficult to defend.

The past 10 years have witnessed innumerous ethical debates related to this subject, each with its own social, historical, and religious justifications, reflecting cultural diversities in human populations. Most are triggered by scientific breakthroughs. We summarize here the major ethical challenges preoccupying reproductive research and clinical practice.

We have already briefly referred to CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing. While the use of sc-RNA-seq to identify the molecular blueprint of human development has not elicited significant controversy, CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing of human embryos has been a topic of intense discussions and is currently permissible only in vitro 38 . An alleged attempt in China of implanting human genome-edited embryos into the uterus supposedly led to two births (one a twin birth). Though widely discussed in the media, neither attempt was published in the medical literature, and therefore cannot be verified 5 , 38 .

The ethical debates surrounding the 14-day rule, quiescent since the early IVF days, experienced a rebirth that was prompted by in vitro human embryo attachment studies and the emergence of synthetic human embryos. Within this context, we note that self-organizing embryo models are nothing more than cells in culture and are certainly not embryos. Regardless of scientific merits, in the U.S., the National Institutes of Health (NIH) currently prohibits the use of public funds for the study of synthetic embryos “for ethical reasons”. After being under an NIH moratorium for more than a year, research on chimeras is now, however, again permitted, though human/non-human primate chimeras remain prohibited.

These ongoing ethical debates mostly also mirror those surrounding the lack of U.S. federal funding for clinical IVF and related research, as well as hESCs-derived model embryos. In this context, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM)’s Ethics in Embryo Research Task Force recently made an important statement: “ Scientific research using human embryos advances human health and provides vital insights into reproduction and disease ” 39 .

Provided certain guidelines and safeguards are followed, research with already existing embryos or embryos specifically produced for research should be ethically acceptable as a means of obtaining new knowledge that may benefit human health. ASRM also pointed out that scientists and society must understand which research questions necessitate the use of human embryos.

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Acknowledgements

We like to thank Min Yang, Jean Marx Santel, Adam Souza, and Amir Brivanlou, for data gathering and critical reading of the manuscript, and constructive criticism.

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Essay on Human Development

Students are often asked to write an essay on Human Development in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Human Development

The concept of human development.

Human development is a process of enlarging people’s freedoms and improving their well-being. It involves increasing the choices and opportunities for all people.

Dimensions of Human Development

There are three main dimensions: health, education, and living standards. Health is measured by life expectancy, education by years of schooling, and living standards by income.

The Importance of Human Development

Human development is crucial. It helps societies to progress, reduces poverty, and promotes equality. It’s a way to help everyone live a productive and fulfilling life.

Challenges in Human Development

Despite its importance, many challenges exist, like inequality, environmental degradation, and political instability. Overcoming these challenges is vital for sustainable human development.

250 Words Essay on Human Development

Introduction, theoretical framework.

The Human Development Index (HDI), introduced by the United Nations Development Programme, quantifies human development. It emphasizes three fundamental dimensions: knowledge, longevity, and decent standard of living. However, human development is not merely a function of these quantifiable elements; it also involves intangible aspects such as freedom, dignity, and autonomy.

Role of Education

Education plays a central role in human development. It equips individuals with knowledge and skills, empowering them to contribute to societal progress. Education fosters creativity and innovation, driving technological advancements and economic growth.

Health and Living Standards

Health is another crucial component. A healthy population is more productive, contributing to economic growth and societal development. Additionally, a decent standard of living, characterized by access to basic needs and services, is vital for human development.

Societal Participation

Active societal participation promotes inclusivity and equality, essential elements of human development. It enables individuals to contribute to and benefit from societal progress, fostering a sense of belonging and mutual respect.

In conclusion, human development is a comprehensive and nuanced concept. It encompasses not only economic growth but also aspects such as education, health, living standards, and societal participation. It is about creating an environment where individuals can develop their full potential and lead productive, creative lives in accord with their needs and interests.

500 Words Essay on Human Development

The biological perspective.

From the biological standpoint, human development begins with genetics. Our genetic makeup, coupled with environmental influences, guides our physical growth and maturation. This includes the development of the brain, motor skills, and health. Understanding the biological aspects of human development allows us to grasp why we are the way we are, and how our physical attributes and health conditions may influence our life experiences.

The Psychological Perspective

The psychological perspective focuses on the development of mental processes, behaviors, and emotions. Cognitive development theory, proposed by Jean Piaget, suggests that individuals pass through different stages of cognitive growth as they mature. This theory underscores the importance of experiences and interactions in shaping our cognitive abilities, personality, and emotional well-being.

The Sociocultural Perspective

Interplay of factors.

It is important to recognize that these perspectives do not exist in isolation. They interact in complex ways to shape human development. For instance, our biological makeup may influence our cognitive abilities, which in turn can be shaped by our sociocultural environment. Similarly, our sociocultural context may impact our physical health through factors such as diet, lifestyle, and access to healthcare.

Human Development Index

To measure human development, the United Nations uses the Human Development Index (HDI). The HDI is a summary measure of average achievement in key dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable, and having a decent standard of living. It is a standard means of measuring well-being, especially child welfare.

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Human Development Essays

Exploring person-centred care: impacts on public health and human development, movie review for human development, synthesis paper on curriculum creation and leadership, exploring the interplay of nature and nurture in shaping intelligence and personality, understanding human development through ecological systems theory, the intersection of social forces, human development, and learning styles in curriculum development and leadership, human development and ageing: case analysis, theories of human development and their application to personal growth and social work practice, physical activity, environment, and their measurements, human growth and development, essay on human development, nature vs nurture issue, poverty, homelessness, and hunger, integrating the field of developmental psychology, human learning: a developmental approach, popular essay topics.

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The Lifespan Development Perspective Essay

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Introduction

The lifespan perspective of development, conclusions, reference list.

Lifespan development is a progressive process of development in a human being involving an increase in age, which begins at conception and ends with death (Sugarman, 2000, p. 56). In addition, lifespan development can be divided into four levels depicting advanced functionality and character changes as an individual moves from one level to another.

These levels include childhood and adolescence; early adulthood; middle adulthood; and late adulthood (Sugarman, 2000, p. 56). This paper presents discussions on the lifespan perspective of development and two major theories of lifespan development. In addition, the impact of the interaction between genes and the environment on the process of human development is also discussed.

The lifespan perspective examines the changes that take place at each level of human development relative to the environmental (Society and culture) factors that influence these changes (Sigelman & Rider, 2008, p. 84). Moreover, the lifespan perspective can be defined in many ways.

For instance, the lifespan perspective can be a progressive and lifelong process of development that is not limited to any single level in human development. On the other hand, there are three major aspects of the lifespan perspective of development, which include the cognitive, social, physical dimensions of change (Sugarman, 2000, p. 59).

Furthermore, other studies claim that the perspective is plastic in nature because some domains of lifespan development increase while others decrease. This plasticity of the lifespan perspective occurs in response to various environmental factors that influence human development.

In addition, the perspective is embedded in the lifelong events that occur in the life of an individual. Thus, this perspective is studied by scientists, anthropologists, and psychologists, which brings out its multidisciplinary nature (Sugarman, 2000, p. 63). On the other hand, the perspective has different contextual implications. Therefore, human development is determined by biological, cultural, social, and physical environmental factors.

The three aspects of the lifespan perspective are also implicated in different developmental changes. The physical aspect of development involves changes in weight, height, shape, and the changes in individual experiences with the external environment (Sigelman & Rider, 2008, p. 86).

On the other hand, the social aspect of development involves changes in different phases of human development, which are directly influenced by the social environment such as social skills and relationships. Lastly, the cognitive domain of human development entails change in an individual’s thinking capacity, memory, and decision-making (Sugarman, 2000, p. 64).

The changes characterizing the lifespan perspective of development can also be divided into eight stages of human development. The first stage also known as the Trust vs. Mistrust stage occurs during the period between birth and one year.

Here, development of trust depends on the relationship between the toddler and the care-giver (Sugarman, 2000, p. 66). The second stage also known as Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt period occurs during the early childhood stage. During this stage, the child is capable of making choices relative to the individualized willingness.

The Initiative vs. Guilt is the third stage in development, which occurs during the middle childhood stage. During this stage, children develop a sense of purpose through engaging in goal-oriented activities (Sigelman & Rider, 2008, p. 88). The fourth stage also called the Industry vs. Inferiority period occurs at the late childhood period. Here, children develop competence through learning social norms, basic education, and culture.

Additionally, the adolescence stage signifies the Identity vs. Role Confusion period. Here, individual values and choices develop because individuals are able to account for their actions. The Intimacy vs. Isolation period occurs during early adulthood and it is characterized by development of intimate relationships, marriage, and families (Sigelman & Rider, 2008, p. 90).

The Generativity vs. Stagnation period occurs during the middle adulthood stage. Here, individuals are committed with providing for their families and developing their careers. Lastly, the Integrity vs. Despair stage occurs during the late adulthood stage. The elderly individuals are self-contented and they are full of life experiences and advice.

Theories of Lifespan Development

There are many theories that attempt to explain the process of human development from different perspectives such as Freud’s theory of psychosexual development and Erikson’s theory on psychosocial development. Erikson’s theory posits that an individual encounters several conflicts during the development process, which depend on the type of relationship existing between this individual and the society.

Therefore, as an individual moves through the eight stages of development discussed above, he/she must solve the conflicts involved in one stage before moving to another. This ensures that one develops a sound personality; otherwise one may encounter difficulties in addressing conflicts in subsequent stages if the previous ones were not sufficiently resolved (Sugarman, 2000).

On the other hand, Freud’s theory states that the process of personality development occurs at the early childhood stage. Subsequently, the behavioral changes observed in developing individuals are influenced by the childhood events. Here, personality development occurs through several stages during the early childhood stage.

During this stage, the pleasure-oriented capabilities of an individual become focused on specific areas in one’s body. These capabilities also known as sexual libido or psychosexual energy play a major role in the subsequent behavioral changes in an individual (Sigelman & Rider, 2008).

Thus, if all the issues involved in the psychosexual stages of development are adequately resolved, then an individual develops a sound personality. However, if the psychosexual issues remain unresolved, the person involved is trapped in a particular stage until all the issues are resolved.

The Interaction of Genes and the Environment in Lifespan Development

A child inherits the genetic information of both parents through the information carriers known as genes. The genes are made up of DNA, which is found on chromosomes. On the other hand, the environment in the context of lifespan development refers to the total social and cultural factors surrounding a developing human being (Sigelman & Rider, 2008, p. 86). Therefore, lifespan development in children depends on two major factors; the genetic make-up of a child and the environmental factors.

However, the two factors can play a mutual role in influencing the development of different individuals in the society. Here, the epigenetic framework of development posits that the genetic make-up can be turned on and off relative to the internal and external environmental feedback (Sigelman & Rider, 2008, p. 89).

This gives the process of lifespan development the flexibility and plasticity described in the discussions above. For instance, the learning process in children follows a specific pattern of adaptability, which depends on the internal and external factors.

Therefore, during the early childhood stage, individuals use the environmental experiences in reasoning and acting. However, as the environmental factors and experiences change along the period of lifespan development, so does the emotional, reasoning, and social attributes in an individual (Sigelman & Rider, 2008, p. 91).

The paper presents discussions on the lifespan perspective of development, the theories of lifespan development and the interaction of heredity and environment to produce individual differences in development.

From the discussions above, the lifespan perspective of development examines the changes that occur in different individuals, which occur due to the interaction of the genetic make-up and the total circumstances surrounding an individual. On the other hand, this perspective is also reinforced by Freud’s theory of psychosexual development and Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development, which are summarized in the discussions above.

Sigelman, C. K. & Rider, E. A. (2008). Lifespan human development. New York: Cengage Learning Publishers, Inc.

Sugarman, L. (2000). Lifespan development: Frameworks, accounts and strategies (2 nd ed.). New York: Routledge.

  • The role of genetics in development
  • Effect of Humanistic Theory on Individual Personalities
  • Freud's Psychosexual Stage Conception
  • Lifespan Development and Its Theories
  • Behaviour across the Lifespan
  • Erik Erikson's Life and Contributions to Psychoanalysis
  • Developmental Theories in Psychology
  • Levels of Play Development
  • Social Theories and Concepts in Forrest Gump
  • Lifespan development and the human servises
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Essay on Theories of Human Development

Human development invites the creations of various theories and perspectives that help understand people, their development, growth, and the physical, cognitive and psychosocial changes they experience throughout their lives. Human development is based on the principle that most things in life can only be achieved through age and experience, resulting in maturity and character development. Through scientific proof, various psychologists and scientists have developed theoretical frameworks that explain and predict individual behaviors and development. There are three significant approaches to human development; the psychosexual, psychosocial, and ecological approach

Freud’s psychosexual theory states that children’s development occurs in a series of stages related to erogenous zones. Freud suggested that parents play a critical role in managing their children’s sexual and aggressive drives during early childhood, fostering their proper development. This theory posits that human personality consists of three interworking components: the id, the ego, and the superego, which unify as children go through the five stages of psychosexual development. The id focuses on desires and impulses. The ego focuses on reasoning while the superego helps to apply morals and values from society. According to Jeffrey & Lene (2019), Freud named five stages of his theory and emphasized that the early stages were vital, and most of later development were determined by the age of 6.

Erikson’s psychosocial theory states that human beings have to resolve various crises to become successful and complete. Erikson proposed eight stages of human development. Each stage has two conflicting ideas that must be resolved for children to develop into successful and active members in their societies (Maryville University, n.d). The conflicting ideas have two possible resolutions, a healthy and an unhealthy one. Failure to resolve the conflicts will result in the feeling of inadequacy and incompleteness (Barbara & Newman, 2015). In addition, Erikson posits that significant changes occur throughout a person’s life span, based on psychological and social aspects.

Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory states that a child develops within a complex system of relationships. They include the microsystem characterized by parent-child relationships; the mesosystem comprises the extended family, school, neighborhood; and the ecosystem, which comprises the general society and culture. Additionally, the macrosystem is characterized by socioeconomic status, poverty, ethnicity, and the chronosystem is characterized by shaping environmental aspects with life changes and sociohistorical circumstances. This theory is significant because it incorporates historical aspects as important influencers on human development (Jeffrey & Lene, 2019). Further, Bronfenbrenner posits that children and adolescents play pivotal roles in their development, not entirely dependent on external influences.

Erikson modified Freud’s psychosexual theory into an eight-stage theory of development. It means that Erikson’s theory is an advanced model of Freud’s theory. Freud’s theory is psychosexual, related to the psychological and sexuality aspects, while Erikson’s theory is psychosocial, which relates to the psychological and social aspects. Bronfenbrenner’s theory is ecological as it relates to environmental aspects. Further, Freud’s theory focuses on conscience, where a person learns the rights and wrongs through a person, a being, or a voice that gives moral lessons and advice. On the other hand,

Erikson’s theory focuses on autonomy, where people learn how to be independent and self-sufficient. Additionally, Freud’s theory suggests that the early childhood stages are the most essential in human development. At the same time, Erikson believes that every stage in a person’s life is vital in molding their life. Compared to Erikson and Freud’s theories, Bronfenbrenner’s theory does not focus on life stages. Instead, he emphasizes numerous influences that model humans in the social environment (Jeffrey & Lene, 2019). It is also important to note that the three theories play significant roles today in the study and planning of children and adolescent’s development.

In conclusion, human development is a broad, complex process with different scientists trying to develop the most appropriate and exclusive explanation. Human development theories provide various ideas developed from scientific proof to predict and learn individual developments and behaviors. Most people experience the stages highlighted by Freud and Erikson, while Bronfenbrenner’s environmental aspect relates to most people’s lives. Regardless of the difference in their explanations, the three theories explicitly outline human development as it is. Human beings go through several stages in their life, and every stage is significant in its way. Further, early childhood experiences play a significant role in shaping our adult life, and the people and things we engage with are significant determinants of our development.

Barbara, N. M., & Newman, P. R. (2015)  Theories of human development  Psychology Press.  https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315871240

Jeffrey Jensen Arnett & Lene Arnett Jensen, (2019) Human Development: A Cultural Approach Pearson ISBN.13: 978-0-134-64134-8

Maryville University (n.d) What is Human Development and Why is it Important?  Stages of Human Development: What It Is & Why It’s Important (maryville.edu)

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Top Human Development Topics for Research Paper

Human Development topics

Human development is a field of study that is an offshoot of psychology. It focuses on the psychology and biological evolution of man from infancy to adulthood. Human development is dubbed as psychology development in some schools. It is a comprehensive course of study and involves a handful of researches.

Writing a research paper in human development like every other science course can be tedious. However, research writing challenges are just a step away from being solved when you already have your topic.

Not just any topic though, having the best of topics is equally important. The topic chosen must be relevant and researchable. We have compiled some human growth and development topics you can consider.

How to Get Human Development Paper With Ease

Writing a research paper is not always an easy task, even when writing is your hobby. It requires some systematic steps: topic selection, research activity, analysis, and paper writing. All of these might be a great deal for a student involved in a lot of activities.

Your responsibility becomes more straightforward when you have got the best topic related to human development. Hence, you can brainstorm to gather ideas needed for writing. However, if this still seems to you as a big deal, you can seek the help of professional writers who help with “ write my thesis “, “write my paper” requests. Likewise, you can make use of assignment writing services that can be of help.

Good Research Topics on Human Development in Psychology

Human development and human psychology are two inseparable entities. Writing a research paper on one might imply writing on the other. We have compiled human growth and development research topics related to psychology to aid easy research paper writing. They are as follows;

  • Cartoons and animation: Roles and impact in children learning and unlearning
  • Impact of child abuse on the cognitive ability of a child
  • Research on the connection of sleeping disorders and mental illness
  • Research on the psychology of the aging process
  • Effect of horror movies and violent video games on children’s development

Human Development Research Topics in Philosophy

Human development students might be required to research as it relates to philosophy. Reasoning is part of human life. As such, humans are not out of place if your research is tailored towards philosophy. These are human growth and development research paper topics you may consider;

  • Research on the use of social media and its impact on human behavior and upsurge in case of violence
  • Genius: What the term means, and are they made or born?
  • Research on the definition and the implication of mood-freezing
  • The role of color in human reasoning and its ability to enhance a human’s mood
  • The role of good parenting and child upbringing in curbing serial killing

Some Current Human Growth and Development Topics

Human development has to do with human behavior. Therefore, as man evolves, there are always new things to research and talk about. You might need to focus your research on trending and current events. The following are human development paper topics you can lay your hands on;

  • A study on transgender and its rising campaign among the youth
  • Study on the impact of stress and peer pressure on rising cases of depression among teenagers and students
  • Research on the influence of sexuality on human physical health and mental health
  • Swift personality change: Possibilities and factors responsible in this generation
  • The roles of religion in spiritual and moral development in humans

Some Easy Human Growth and Development Research Topics

No doubt, human development is a broad field of study. At the same time, you can find some human development essay topics that are pretty easy. These are research topics that you can quickly develop without much stress. You find such topics below;

  • Study on the function and dysfunction of the brain when someone is in love
  • Research on how helpful yoga is in human growth and development
  • Dementia: Causes, symptoms, and its remedies
  • The role of divorce in the emotional and behavioral development of a child
  • Introversiveness: Advantage, disadvantage, and general evaluation

Human Lifespan Development Paper Topics

Human development encompasses human life from birth to death. Your research paper might have to deal with the human lifespan. The following are research topics for human development as it relates to lifespan;

  • Research on the relationship between psychology and aging.
  • Is it possible to have an abnormal aging process, and what are the factors responsible?
  • Controlling depression and anxiousness about death
  • Research on the phases of human growth and development.
  • Study on coping mechanisms and managing loneliness through the human lifespan

Human Development Research Paper Topics in Sociology

Society is made up of humans. Hence you can not separate human development and sociology. Studying human development might imply a study of society. It is vital to have some research paper topics and human development thesis topics in sociology.

  • Racism: Effects on the society and the factors responsible for it
  • Study on gender roles in society
  • Homophobia: Definition, psychological aspect, and its effect on society
  • Research on eliminating gender discrimination and enhancing gender equality
  • Bullying and its effect on the social interaction of a child in high school or colleges

Human Development Topics in Biology

You can find some human development topics as it relates to biology. Perhaps you need some human resources development thesis topics about biology. Some of such topics are;

  • The relationship between human physical growth and mental growth
  • Happiness as a genetic condition: Exploration using biological and psychological constructs
  • Research on prenatal memory and child choices while growing.
  • The impact of maternal stress in pregnancy on a child’s cognitive ability
  • Research on hormones responsible for growth, emotion, and aging in humans

Education Topics on Human Development

Writing a research paper might be for education. Generally, every research paper is expected to educate the reader. For the sake of education, the following are human growth and development research paper topics you may want to consider;

  • Autism in human psychology.
  • Memory loss: Causes and when does it happen in the human development phase?
  • Speech disorder and cognitive development in kids: The relationship and the resultant effects
  • Research on the possibility of recovering memory loss.
  • What is attention span, and how does it affect children’s cognitive behavior?

Writing a human development research paper can be hard at first. You will find it easier when you have the best research topic. The next step is to brainstorm ideas necessary to develop your arguments.

Above are human development topics as it relates to many other fields. As such, it is safe to say you have taken a step toward getting a good grade. However, you can get professional help to increase your chances of getting good grades.

At our reputable writing service, we understand the challenges that come with crafting a thesis in the field of human development. That’s why we’re here to offer you expert assistance to help you write your thesis. Our team of experienced writers specializes in human development topics, equipped with in-depth knowledge and a thorough understanding of the subject. When you reach out to us and say, “ Help me write my thesis ” we are ready to guide you through the entire process.

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  • What is Human development?

What is Human Development?

While the expression “human development” is widely used, it is understood in different ways around..

research essays on human development

HDRO Outreach

2015 marks 25 years since the first Human Development Report introduced a new approach for advancing human flourishing. And while the expression “human development” is widely used, it is understood in different ways around the world. So on the occasion of the 25th anniversary year of human development reporting, we’d like to highlight how the Human Development Report Office (HDRO) presents human development.

Credit: UNDP Kosovo’s animation "What is Human Development?" explains and promotes sustainable human development.

Human development grew out of global discussions on the links between economic growth and development during the second half of the 20th Century. By the early 1960s there were increasingly loud calls to “dethrone” GDP: economic growth had emerged as both a leading objective, and indicator, of national progress in many countries i , even though GDP was never intended to be used as a measure of wellbeing ii . In the 1970s and 80s development debate considered using alternative focuses to go beyond GDP, including putting greater emphasis on employment, followed by redistribution with growth, and then whether people had their basic needs met.

These ideas helped pave the way for the human development approach, which is about expanding the richness of human life, rather than simply the richness of the economy in which human beings live. It is an approach that is focused on creating fair opportunities and choices for all people. So how do these ideas come together in the human development approach?

  • People: the human development approach focuses on improving the lives people lead rather than assuming that economic growth will lead, automatically, to greater opportunities for all. Income growth is an important means to development, rather than an end in itself.

research essays on human development

  • Choices: human development is, fundamentally, about more choice. It is about providing people with opportunities, not insisting that they make use of them. No one can guarantee human happiness, and the choices people make are their own concern. The process of development – human development - should at least create an environment for people, individually and collectively, to develop to their full potential and to have a reasonable chance of leading productive and creative lives that they value.

The human development approach, developed by the economist Mahbub Ul Haq, is anchored in Amartya Sen’s work on human capabilities, often framed in terms of whether people are able to “be” and “do” desirable things in life iii . Examples include

Beings: well fed, sheltered, healthy

Doings: work, education, voting, participating in community life.

Freedom of choice is central: someone choosing to be hungry (during a religious fast say) is quite different to someone who is hungry because they cannot afford to buy food.

As the international community seeks to define a new development agenda post-2015, the human development approach remains useful to articulating the objectives of development and improving people’s well-being by ensuring an equitable, sustainable and stable planet.

i Kennedy, Robert. (1968). Address to the University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas on March 18, 1968. www.informationclearinghouse.info/article27718.htm ii Simon Kuznets, who created GDP, warned expressly against using it as a measure of wellbeing. Kuznets, Simon. “National Income, 1929–1932.” U.S. Congress, Senate Doc. No. 124–73, at 7 (1934) iii Professor Sen was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 1998 for his work in welfare economics.

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Writing Research Papers in Human Development

The college-level research paper is more than just a summary of book chapters and research articles. An acceptable paper takes a clearly defined topic or idea, supports it through research of the current literature, and presents it in a logical and consistent fashion. Below are resources that will aid you throughout the process of writing a research paper in human development.

Student Guides for Doing Research in Huamn Development

  • Library Research in Psychology "This information was created to help students and nonpsychologists find relevant research on psychological topics and includes links to the Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature, the Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms, and various APA databases, including PsycINFO and PsycEXTRA" (APA)
  • Psychology Writing Center The University of Washington Psychology Writing Center provides numerous guides for writing about psychology. The writing guide section about "Scientific Writing and APA Format" includes such topics as "Summarizing a Research Article," "Writing an APA Lab Report" and "Writing a Psychology Literature Review."

Using the APA Style for Writing Your Research Paper

  • American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.) . Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. This print resource provides all the rules that govern the formatting of your final manuscript. Please note that this style guide governs more than just the organization of your bibliography. There are rules, for example, concerning your paper's font size, margins, pagination and punctuation. You can locate this guide in virtually any public or academic library or online.
  • APA Style Help Links to resources on the APA Style website.
  • APA Style Online summary of the American Psychological Association's guide to writing research papers. This resource provides summarized instructions for citing references as well as how to prepare a manuscript.

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Home — Essay Samples — Economics — Human Development — Reflection Paper on Human Development

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Reflection Paper on Human Development

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Published: Mar 16, 2024

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Key concepts and theories of human development, impact of environmental and genetic factors on development, implications for personal and professional growth.

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    An Argument on The Role of Mistakes in The Shaping of History and Human Development. 1 page / 375 words. In his essay "The Medusa and the Snail", biologist Lewis Thomas claims humans are naturally inclined to make mistakes throughout their lives. Furthermore, he argues that mistakes are the basis for human progress.

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  18. Top Human Development Topics for Research Paper

    Some Easy Human Growth and Development Research Topics. No doubt, human development is a broad field of study. At the same time, you can find some human development essay topics that are pretty easy. These are research topics that you can quickly develop without much stress. You find such topics below;

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    The human development approach, developed by the economist Mahbub Ul Haq, is anchored in Amartya Sen's work on human capabilities, often framed in terms of whether people are able to "be" and "do" desirable things in life iii. Examples include. Beings: well fed, sheltered, healthy. Doings: work, education, voting, participating in ...

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