Modern scientific thought, describing a person’s life from birth to death, sometimes uses terms that the layman can interpret in two ways. This group includes the concept of unevenness, heterochronism of human development. Is everything so ambiguous in this case?
Origin of the term
The word of Greek origin (ετερο - another, χρόνος - time), which literally means "non-simultaneity", actively entered the vocabulary of contemporaries with the light hand of psychophysiologists. Heterochronism is a temporary discrepancy in the development of organs and functions. It is caused by the heterogeneity of the elements of the body, and is embedded in the mechanism of inheritance. P.K. Anokhin singled out the law of heterochronism of development as a component of the theory of systemogenesis, highlighting two types: intrasystem and intersystem.
- The first is observed in the asynchronous maturation of fragments of the same function (the example is the formation of color perception: at the early stage, a yellow-green spectrum is recognized, then recognition of other shades is formed).
- The second is manifested in the simultaneous maturation of body structures due to adaptation to the external environment.
Heterochronism of development is the occurrence of newly formed body functions at certain stages of development, in order to meet the environmental requirements. For example, the formation of the function of the vocal apparatus. In infancy, only the sucking reflex is developed (ensures the supply of nutrients and the survival of the newborn). Then the masticatory muscles develop, and only after that, the child begins to speak (all the muscles of the functional system develop comprehensively). From the whole variety of development options, those functions that are vitally important for a person at a given moment appear immediately.
Systemogenesis of P. K. Anokhin
Under the development of the organism is understood the harmonious formation of physical, mental and biological properties. The concept of heterochronism first appears in the theory of systemogenesis of P. K. Anokhin.
Systemogenesis is a gradual manifestation and change of functional systems in the process of individual development.
The leading pace of maturation and development of human functions is due to environmental requirements. Therefore, at first “basic” functions are activated (reflexes, thermoregulation, etc.), and then more complex ones (orientation in space and time, speech, memory, attention) appear.
The role of heterochronism is to ensure the plasticity of the formation of body systems and the possibility of compensation, through the redistribution of functions.
Heterochronism of mental development
Six patterns of human mental development are known:
- unevenness (spasmodic formation and development of mental functions);
- heterochronism (a temporary discrepancy in the formation of individual functions);
- Sensitivity (hypersensitivity to the impact (development) of any function);
- cumulativeness (qualitative transformation of development, for example, distinguishing color, then shape, and only after this volume and mass of the object);
- divergence - convergence (diversity - selectivity, as the basis of individual development).
There are tables developed by Soviet scientists for the heterochronous development of a child from 0 to 7 years. They describe the critical time frame for the manifestation of different functions, an approximate interval of their formation and development. It should be mentioned that heterochronism is a more inherited property of an organism. However, variability is not excluded in the case of negative or positive influence of exogenous factors.
For example, the ability to grab with one hand the seen object is formed in the child at 4.5 months (it may appear earlier, but if it is not available at the indicated time - this is an occasion to pay close attention to this function). But the ability to rotate a brush with a toy appears only by 7 months, and clapping - by 9 months. When a child is placed in a “developing environment”, the stages of the formation of certain functions may shift to an earlier period (by 2-3 months).
When adults express an opinion on the appearance of a particular ability in a newborn, based on personal experience, such a factor as the environment is overlooked, which always makes its own adjustments to the development of the baby.
The heterochronism of the manifestation of mental functions is due to endogenous (hereditary) and exogenous (environmental) factors. Both play a large role in shaping the personality of the child.
Periods of manifestation of heterochronism of development
There are well-established cliches that the development of man is possible only in childhood, adolescence and adulthood. However, this is a misconception. Heterochronism is the process that accompanies people all their lives. If in childhood it manifests itself in the emergence of new functions, abilities and skills, then in old age it means the preservation of some functions (more in demand in a person’s professional life) and the decrease in the relevance of others.
Heterochronism is not evil and not good, but the body’s ability to adapt to survival. On how adaptability is successful, the adaptation of the body to the outside world depends.
Scope of the law
The theory of systemogenesis by P. K. Anokhin (and the law of heterochronism as its component) are successfully applied not only in physiology and psychology. This principle of system structuring is successfully applied in the management of organizations and small groups. The methodology is successfully used by most of the exact sciences, philosophy and cybernetics.
Finally
Human development, as proven by psychogenetics, occurs on the basis of 50% of innate abilities (gene pool) and 50% acquired (the influence of the environment, communication, customs and rules of society). Heterochronism of development is characteristic of almost all biological systems. It is an integral part of the body's adaptation mechanism, along with plasticity and compensation.
The heterochronism of individual structures and functions ultimately leads to genotype stability. After all, with another device of the system - the slightest deviation would lead to its change. A deviation in the preservation of genes by only a few percent turn a person into a dolphin.