Chapter 4: Developmental Processes

accommodation

the process of changing one's understanding of the world to accommodate ideas that conflict with existing concepts

assimilation

the process of fitting new ideas into a preexisting understanding of the world

behavioral inhibition

an aspect of temperament where a child shows signs of wariness, discomfort, or distress when confronted with novel, challenging, or unfamiliar situations

conservation

an awareness that physical quantities remain the same even when they change shape or appearance

goodness of fit

how well a child's temperament fits into the expectations and values of the parents, environment and culture

ethic of autonomy

moral reasoning that emphasizes individual rights and justice

ethic of community

moral reasoning that emphasizes interpersonal relationships and community

ethic of divinity

moral reasoning that emphasizes the centrality of religious beliefs and spirituality

postconventional morality

the third stage of Kohlberg's theory of moral development, emphasizing moral reasoning on the basis of individual principles and conscience

developmental contextualism

a contemporary theoretical perspective that proposes that the multiple levels of a developing child are inextricably linked and function as an integrated system

cognitive development

a specialty in psychology that studies how thinking skills develop over time

ambivalent attachment

a style of attachment in which children are uncertain in their response to their mothers, going back and forth between seeking and shunning her attention

avoidant attachment

a style of attachment in which children shun their mothers, who are suspected of being intrusive and over stimulating

secure attachment

a style of attachment in which infants are described as warm and responsive to their caregiver

slow-to-warm-up

a type of temperament in which infants need time to make transitions in activity and experiences

difficult temperament

a type of temperament that is characterized by an intense, irregular, withdrawing style that is generally marked by negative moods

easy temperament

a type of temperament that is defined by a very regular, adaptable, mildly intense style of behavior that is positive and responsive

temperament

qualities of responsiveness to the environment that exist from birth and evoke different reactions from people in the baby's world

animism

the belief that all things are alive

preconventional morality

the first stage of Kohlberg's theory of moral development, emphasizing compliance with rules to avoid punishment and gain rewards

irreversibility

the inability to imagine undoing a process

egocentrism

the inability to step into another's shoes

conventional morality

the second stage of Kohlberg's theory of moral development, emphasizing conformity to rules that are defined by others' approval or society's rules

attachment

the special bond that develops between the infant and his primary caregiver and provides the infant with emotional security

centration

the tendency to focus on a single aspect of a problem

great divide theory

theory of cognitive development that suggests that the thought of westerners is superior to that of people who live in primitive societies