Question

Compare and contrast continuous and discontinuous development.

Short answer

Continuous development is a process of gradually augmenting the same types of skills that were there initially whereas discontinuous development occurs in unique stages wherein different kinds of skills occur at each stage. While they both focus on the process of development, the primary difference lies in the process - gradual improvement versus distinct stages.

Step-by-step solution

Understand Terms

Continuous development refers to a concept in psychology where development is seen as a cumulative process, gradually improving on existing skills. On the contrary, discontinuous development views progress as a series of distinct stages which are qualitatively different from each other and occurs at specific times or ages.

Comparing the Two

Both continuous and discontinuous theories are concerned with the underlying processes of development and how these influence behaviour and functioning. They both denote different means through which development occurs in an individual.

Contrasting the Two

The continuous development perspective suggests that development involves gradual and ongoing changes without abrupt shifts, whereas the discontinuous perspective views developmental change process as occurring through a series of fixed stages.

Apply Examples

A good example of continuous development could be language acquisition. That is, children's vocabulary expands and grammatical structures become more complex over time without sudden shifts. In contrast, an example for discontinuous development theory could be Piaget's stages of cognitive development where at each stage, children think and speak differently.