Development is not just about whether a country becomes richer. Sociologists often define development in several different ways. Some focus on economic development, measured through indicators such as GDP per capita or GNI, which show the value of goods, services or income within a country. Others prefer social development, using measures such as literacy levels, life expectancy and access to healthcare or education. Amartya Sen argues that development should be understood as expanding people’s freedoms and capabilities, while the Brundtland Report links development to sustainability, meaning meeting people’s needs today without damaging the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This activity helps you compare different measures of development by matching each measure to its strengths, limitations and examples. This links closely to the AQA Global Development focus on economic, social and composite measures such as GDP, GNI, HDI, literacy, life expectancy and sustainability.
This activity helps you revise one of the starting points for AQA A Level Sociology: Global Development: how development is defined and measured. You will match key measures such as GDP per capita, GNI, HDI, literacy levels, life expectancy and sustainability to their definitions, strengths, limitations and examples. This tests your AO1 knowledge of key concepts, your ability to make AO2 links between measures and real-world examples, and your AO3 evaluation of why some measures may give a limited or incomplete picture of development. As you complete the activity, think carefully about what each measure shows, what it leaves out, and why sociologists often argue that development should be understood as more than just economic growth.
Development Measures Matcher
Sociologists do not all agree on what “development” means. Some approaches define development mainly in economic terms, focusing on whether a country is becoming wealthier through measures such as GDP per capita or GNI. Other approaches argue that development should also include social improvements, such as better education, longer life expectancy, improved healthcare and greater equality. Sustainable development goes further by asking whether development today protects the environment and the life chances of future generations.
In this activity, you will match key measures of development to definitions, strengths, limitations and exam-style judgement statements. The cards appear in a mixed order each time, so think carefully about what each clue is really testing.
Revision summary: measures of development
- GDP per capita measures average economic output per person, but it can hide inequality.
- GNI measures income linked to residents and businesses, including income from abroad, but it still focuses mainly on money.
- HDI is a composite measure using income, education and life expectancy, so it is broader than GDP alone.
- Literacy levels show access to basic education, but they do not show the quality or usefulness of education.
- Life expectancy can suggest better healthcare, food, sanitation and living conditions, but it does not show quality of life.
- Sustainability asks whether development protects future generations, but it can be difficult to measure consistently.
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