Developmental psychology is known to be engaged in multiple debates about theories regarding human development. The textbook definition of human development is “the scientific study of processes of change and stability throughout the human lifespan” (Papalia & Feldman, 2012, p. 4). Every human being constantly changes from the moment of conception until their final days on Earth. Human development is constantly evolving and brings with it new topics to evaluate and discuss. Those who study human development, evolutionists, evaluate different theories in the hope of expanding their knowledge on the subject. This allows them to use their discoveries to positively impact people's lives. Their findings cover multiple topics including education, physical and mental health, social policy and child rearing. A debate that is often raised in human development is whether or not each individual is active or reactive in their own development? Controversies can always be found in the topics surrounding psychology, and the debate over whether development is active or reactive is no exception. You are active in your own development by initiating events, not just reacting to them. Being reactive in your development involves automatically responding to events in your life. As early as the 18th century, two well-known philosophers developed their own opinions regarding the debate. The English philosopher John Locke firmly believed that the mind was an empty state upon which society is imprinted. He used the term tabula rasa to define an empty state. The opposite point of view was led by the French philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau. Rousseau believed that each individual develops according to his or her natural tendencies. John Locke'... middle of paper... the nismic model best describes human development. We are constantly progressing and changing. This cannot be done if we let our surroundings guide us. Each individual must be decisive in their own development. Seeing human development this way changes your entire view of life itself. You realize that to reach your full potential you must be in charge. For example, you find yourself in a situation where your friends offer you drinks even though you are underage. Do you accept the drink just because you are in that environment or do you make your choices based on what you believe? If you choose the second option, you most likely agree with the organismic model. Believing that human development is active allows one to fully flourish in life. The organismic model really wants development to be growing and active, and not to behave like a machine.