Principles of Development Although all individuals grow and develop in their own unique way and in their own contexts, there are some basic principles which underlie the process of development and can be observed in all human beings. These are called the principles of development. 1. Development follows a pattern 2. Development proceeds from general to specific (global to analytical) 3. Development leads to integration 4. Development is continuous 5. Individuals differ with respect to the rate of development 6. Development occurs at different rates for different parts of the body 7. Development proceeds from ego-centricism to allocentricism 8. Development proceeds from hetero nom y to autonomy 9. Development is Predictable