As a field of study, development focuses on improving people’s quality of life. This includes economic and social progress, like increased incomes, improved literacy and the provision of public services. It also means changes in the environment, such as better agriculture and conservation of natural resources.
The question of how active or passive a role humans play in their own development is a major one that divides many developmental theorists. Some, like Piaget and Kohlberg, believe that human development is a process that unfolds in a set universal sequence. They call their theories stage or discontinuous theories, and they assume that a person enters each new stage after completing the previous one. Other theorists, such as Vygotsky and information processing theorists, see development as a gradual, continuous process that begins when children are very young and continues throughout adulthood.
The idea of a definition of development that goes beyond improvements in quality of life has gained acceptance among scholars and policy makers. Amartya Sen’s “capability approach” emphasizes that true development must include not only increases in income but also freedom of choice, capability and access to opportunity. It also must be sustainable and equitable. Development is not just a Third World issue; it should be a global priority. And to do so, we need to understand it as a complex process that must address all dimensions of people’s lives.