A term that has assumed a variety of meanings in the past. Simply put, it is an increase the size or mass of the developing organism. This is appositional growth or growth by accretion and which is distinguished from differential or allometric growth: changes in shape associated with increases or decreases in size. Starting with Aristotle (384-322 BP), growth has been used as a vague synonym for development, with no distinction being made between appositional growth (which involves only quantitative change) and differential growth (which engenders qualitative change). However, the relationships between growth and development have been brought closer together in recent years. Thus, for example, appositional growth has been demonstrated to influence the developmental course of certain motor abilities such locomotion and prehension, motivated by a dynamical systems approach to development. As for allometric growth, it is apparent in changes in the appearance of the face leading to emergence of the classical ‘baby face’ (Kindchenschema) at around two-to-three months of age as identified by Konrad Z. Lorenz (1903-1986), and shown to elicit changes in caregiving behaviors, which in turn can influence those of the infant.
GrowthSee Adolescent growth spurt, Allometry, Development, Developmental acceleration, Differentiation (embryology), Dynamical systems theory (development and evolution), Evolution, Dysmorphology, Epigenesis, Innate releasing mechanism (IRM), Maturation, Mid-growth spurt, Morphogenesis, Motor Performance Study (Michigan State University), Ontogenetic development, Organogenesis, Preformationism, Quantitative and qualitative change