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
