Child Psychology

Theory: Coherent set of logically related concepts that seeks to organize, explain and predict data

Hypotheses: Possible explanations for phenomena, used to predict the outcome of research

Mechanistic model: Model that views development as a passive, predictable response to stimuli

Organismic model: Model that views development as internally initiated by an active organism and as occurring in a sequence of qualitatively different stages

Psychoanalytic perspective: View of development as shaped by unconscious forces

Psychosexual development: In Freudian theory, an unvarying sequence of stages of personality development during infancy, childhood, and adolescence, in which gratification shifts from the mouth to the anus and then to the genitals

Psychosocial development: In Erikson's eight stage theory, the socially and culturally influenced process of development of the ego, or self.

Learning perspective: View of development that holds that changes in behaviour result from experience, or adaptation to the environment

Behaviourism: Learning theory that emphasizes the predictable role of environment in causing observable behaviour

Classical Conditioning: Learning based on associating a stimulus that does not ordinarily elicit a particular response with another stimulus that ordinarily does elicit the response

Operant Conditioning: Learning based on reinforcement or punishment

Reinforcement: In operant conditioning, a stimulus that encourages repetition of a desired behaviour

Punishment: In operant conditioning, a stimulus that discourages repetition of a behaviour

Social Learning Theory: Theory that behaviours are learned by observing and imitating models; also called social cognitive theory

Observational learning: Learning through watching the behaviour of others

Cognitive perspective: View that thought processes are central to development

Organization: Piaget's term for integration of knowledge into systems

Schemes: Piaget's term for organized patterns of behaviour used in different situations

Adaptation: Piaget's term for adjustment to new information about the environment

Assimilation: Piaget's term for incorporation of new information into an existing cognitive structure

Accomodation: Piagets' term for changes in a cognitive structure to include new information

Equilibration: Piaget's term for the tendency to seek a stable balance among cognitive elements

Information - processing approach: Approach to the study of cognitive development by observing and analyzing the mental processes involved in perceiving and handling information

Cognitive neuroscience approach: Approach to the study of cognitive development that links brain processes with cognitive ones

Ethological perspective: View of development that focuses on biological and evolutionary bases of behaviour

Contextual perspective: View of development that sees the individual as inseparable from the social context

Bioecological theory: Brofenbrenner's approach to understanding processes and contexts of development

Microsystem: Brofenbrenner's term for a setting in which a child interacts with others every day face to face

Mesosystem: Brofenbrenner's term for linkages of two or more microsystems

Exosystem: Brofenbrenner's term for linkages between two or more settings, one of which does not contain the child

Macrosystem: Brofenbrenner's term for overall cultural patterns

Chronosystem: Brofenbrenner's term for effects of time on other developmental systems

Socio-cultural theory: Vygotsky's theory of how contextual factors affect children's development

Zone of proximal development: Vygotsky's term for the difference between what a child can do alone and with help

Scaffolding: Temporary support to help a child master a task

Scientific method: System of established principles and processes of scientific inquiry

Sample: group of participants chosen to represent the entire population under study

Operational definitions: Definitions stated in terms of operations or procedures used to produce or measure a phenomenon

Naturalistic observation: research method in which behaviour is studied in natural settings without intervention or manipulation

Laboratory observation: Research method in which all participants are observed in the same situation, under controlled conditions.

Case study: Study covering a single case or life

Ethnographic study: In depth study of a culture, which uses a combination of methods including participant observation.

Participant observation: Research method in which the observer lives with the people or participates in the activity being observed.

Correlational study: Research design intended to discover whether a statistical relationship between variables exists

Experiment: Rigorously controlled, replicable procedure in which the researcher manipulates variable to assess the effect of one on the other

Experimental group: In an experiment, the group receiving the treatment under