Page 35 - Sember, Vedrana, and Shawnda A. Morrison. 2018. The Mind-Body Connection. Koper: University of Primorska Press.
P. 35
Physical Activity: Growth,
Maturation and Development
In physical activity research, pedagogy, pediatrics, human biology
and biological anthropology terms like growth and maturation are
often in the center of attention. Both processes are often men-
tioned in the same sentence. Nevertheless, each refers to particu-
lar biological activity. Natural growth and maturation of children
and adolescents have been studied for more than 150 years (Ma-
lina, Bouchard, & Bar-Or, 2004). Growth is linked to maturation
(Hermanussen, 2010). Processes growth and maturation are very
important to understand the children’s and adolescents’ biologic-
al variability in the phase of development. Growth and maturation
are often used in conjunction with term development (Bose, 2007).
Development is a widely used term, which refers to biological, psy-
chological and emotional changes between birth and the end of
adolescence.
Growth is an increase in size, cell number or hyperplasia, cell size
or hypertrophy and intercellular substance or accretion. As children
grow, they become taller, heavier; they increase in lean and fat mass
and their organs increase in size (Malina et al., 2004). Maturation
is often described as the process of becoming mature and refers to
the timing and tempo toward the mature biological state. Timing
refers to when some specific events occur, e.g. appearance of pubic
hair and tempo refers the rate at which maturation progress young-
ster is. Timing and tempo of maturation are different in children at
the same age and the same size. Since maturation and growth are
closely related, they must be viewed as dynamic.
33
Maturation and Development
In physical activity research, pedagogy, pediatrics, human biology
and biological anthropology terms like growth and maturation are
often in the center of attention. Both processes are often men-
tioned in the same sentence. Nevertheless, each refers to particu-
lar biological activity. Natural growth and maturation of children
and adolescents have been studied for more than 150 years (Ma-
lina, Bouchard, & Bar-Or, 2004). Growth is linked to maturation
(Hermanussen, 2010). Processes growth and maturation are very
important to understand the children’s and adolescents’ biologic-
al variability in the phase of development. Growth and maturation
are often used in conjunction with term development (Bose, 2007).
Development is a widely used term, which refers to biological, psy-
chological and emotional changes between birth and the end of
adolescence.
Growth is an increase in size, cell number or hyperplasia, cell size
or hypertrophy and intercellular substance or accretion. As children
grow, they become taller, heavier; they increase in lean and fat mass
and their organs increase in size (Malina et al., 2004). Maturation
is often described as the process of becoming mature and refers to
the timing and tempo toward the mature biological state. Timing
refers to when some specific events occur, e.g. appearance of pubic
hair and tempo refers the rate at which maturation progress young-
ster is. Timing and tempo of maturation are different in children at
the same age and the same size. Since maturation and growth are
closely related, they must be viewed as dynamic.
33
