Dev Psych chap 7 pp

Preoperational Thought

A stage in Piaget’s theory where children think using symbolic reasoning but lack logical operations.

Egocentrism

The inability to differentiate between one's own perspective and someone else's perspective.

Conservation

The understanding that certain properties of objects remain the same despite changes in their form or arrangement.

Myelination

The process by which a fatty layer (myelin) forms around nerve fibers, increasing the speed of thought and coordination.

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

The range of tasks that a child can perform with guidance but not yet independently.

Scaffolding

A teaching method that involves providing support to help a child accomplish a task they cannot complete independently.

Theory of Mind (TOM)

Children’s ability to understand that others have thoughts, beliefs, desires, and intentions that are different from their own.

Static thought

A way of thinking characterized by a reliance on appearances rather than transformations.

Animism

The belief that inanimate objects have feelings, thoughts, and intentions.

Private Speech

Self-directed speech that children use to guide themselves during tasks.