Intellectual development is an important aspect of growth, embracing the various mental abilities. Mental development includes such abilities as attending, perceiving, observing, remembering, imagining, thinking, solving problems, and growth of intelligence as well as of language.
These abilities grow and mature with age. In spite of general pattern of mental development, each individual grows and matures with age. In spite of a general pattern of mental development, each individual grows and develops in his own unique manner.
The various mental abilities are inter-related and develop as a whole. They are inter-dependent. Moreover, mental development is a continuous process. The factors that affect mental development include maturation, learning and education. Mental development is a function of the nervous system, especially of the brain.
Phases or Aspects of Intellectual Development
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1. Formation of Perceptions
The basic function of the mind is to perceive and to know about the objects around. This perception is caused by the sensations. Sensations and perceptions therefore form an important aspect of mental development. Sensations act upon the individual through the sense organs and a meaning is attached to these by the nervous system, and thus, it assumes the form of knowledge; and knowledge is the basis of mental development.
To begin with, environment of the child is vague and undifferentiated; by and by, the child’s nsations of taste, colour, sound and toucget associated with certain concrete objes. Thus, the childegins to discriminate experiences with objects, persons or events through a group of sensations.
This may also be noted that the child perceives those things quicklynd clearly in wh he is interested. Thu the child’s perceptions are ao termined by hiseeds and interests. As the child gws older, his beliefs, opinions, and ideals also affect his perceptions; and thus, his knowledge becomes more and more mplex and abstract. Thus formatioof perceptions is a sificant factor in the mental development of a child.
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2. Formation of Concept
Mental development takes place through the increase of knowledge. Though perceptions are the basis of knowledge, real knowledge implies the formation of concepts. Perceptions are concrete and objective; for example, we perceive a table or a chair. Though, this type of knowledge is essential and basic, the real knowledge is when the perceptions are converted into concepts, or generalizations.
Thus though the concepts are the result of our perceptual experiences, a concept is the generalised meaning that is attached to an object. We arrive at concepts of things, persons and qualities as a result of our perceptual experience, our ability to compare the common qualities, and to generalize the same. For example, table, chair, pen, etc., are concepts of things: father, mother, teacher are concepts of persons; and honesty and truthfulness are concepts of qualities and ideas.
The formation and acquisition of concepts is a great step forward in the mental development of children. It involves both discrimination and generalization. The child’s concepts increase with experience and with his ability to perceive relationships between new and old situations.
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Of all the types of concepts of the self, and the social concepts of interpersonal relations greatly influences the child’s thinking and behaviour. That is a very important step towards the mental development of the children. The child’s social concepts are influenced by the nature of inter-personal relationships at home, in the neighbour hood, in the play-ground and other social activities. Concept formation, therefore, is one of the most significant aspects of mental development.
3. Development of Language
Language is a powerful force in the mental development of a child. In fact, mental development pre-supposes a good command over language. Our mind develops through thinking, and thinking is impossible without language. Thus, language development is a great factor in mental development.
The process of concept formation is helped by the development of language. Language is a tool of both thinking and communication. It is a tool which has to be used effectively in acquiring knowledge and mastering facts in education. We develop the power to think and reason on a higher plane only through language.
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It is the basic tool for social communication. In fact, no society, worth the name is possible without language. Language is in fact a potent means of personality development, which is the aim of education.
As the child grows, he acquires more and more mastery over the language. In fact, language development and mental development go side by side.
So much so that mastery over a language is sure sign of mental development of the individual. Language helps in the mental development through listening, speaking, reading and writing. No mental development can take place without these.
4. Growth in Thinking
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Thinking is a powerful tool for mental development. In other words, mental development can be brought about mainly through the process of thinking. Growth in thinking is made possible by the formation of concepts with the help of language. Thinking is a process of dealing with ideas, thoughts or concepts. It essentially consists in the manipulation of symbols instead of the manipulation of objects and situations in the environment.
Thinking and reasoning is a potent medium for the mental development of children. They should, therefore, be given opportunities to think and reason out. Rote learning should be discouraged, as it does not lead to the development of the mind. Let the child think him, and he will surely develop mentally.
5. Development of Intelligence
Development of intelligence is the most important aspect of mental development. The growth of intelligence does not take place independent of the rest of the child’s personality, language development, emotional and social development, as well as physical growth is all related to the intellectual development or the growth of intelligence.
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During the last fifty years, many attempts have been made to measure intelligence and its growth from birth to maturity. A study of the typical mental growth curve or the curve of intelligence will show that the period of infancy is marked by rapid intellectual growth.
Growth is moderate in childhood and it slows down in adolescence and the latter period. Various studies have been made in this regard, but all agree that intelligence increases with age in the majority of cases. Of course, there are individual variations. Some individuals show a rapid increase in certain areas of intelligence, whereas others indicate a rapid increase in other areas of abilities.
In addition to this, intelligence seems to grow on upto a certain age, and then it reaches its limit. Ternan sets the age of 16 as the period at which mental growth reaches its limit.
According to some other psychologists, those who are superior in intelligence continue to grow in intelligence even upto 20 years or more. The various conditions or factors which affect intellectual development or the growth of intelligence are the intellectual atmosphere at home, the socio-economic status of the parents, and the emotional atmosphere in the home arising out of inter-personal relationships, and the kind of education available to the child.
It may be noted that environmental factors do not affect the potential intelligence; they only affect the rate of its growth, and the use to which intelligence is put by the individuals. But the fact remains that growth of intelligence or intellectual development is a significant factor in the mental development of the individuals.