ECE114 Introduction to Childhood Development

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering key theorists, developmental stages, and psychological concepts from ECE114.

The theorist who proposed the four stages of cognitive development: Sensorimotor, Preoperational, Concrete Operational, and Formal Operational.

Jean Piaget

Sensorimotor Stage

The first cognitive stage ($0-2$ years) where a child achieves object permanence.

Object Permanence

The understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen, achieved during the Sensorimotor stage.

Egocentrism

The inability to see a situation from another person's perspective; a characteristic of the Preoperational stage.

Conservation

The understanding that quantity remains the same despite changes in shape or appearance; emerges in the Concrete Operational stage ($7-11$ years).

Assimilation

The process of fitting new information into existing schemas.

Accommodation

The process of modifying existing schemas to fit new information.

The developer of the Sociocultural Theory of development.

Lev Vygotsky

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

The gap between what a child can do independently and what they can achieve with guidance from a More Knowledgeable Other (MKO).

Scaffolding

Temporary support provided by a More Knowledgeable Other (MKO) within the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) that is gradually removed as the child becomes more competent.

Private Speech

Vygotsky's term for self-guidance and self-regulation speech that is eventually internalized as inner thought.

Cephalocaudal development

Development that proceeds from the head downward (head-to-tail).

Proximodistal development

Development that proceeds from the center of the body outward.

The developer of the Psychosocial Theory of development.

Erik Erikson

Trust vs. Mistrust

Erikson's first psychosocial stage occurring from $0-18$ months.

Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt

Erikson's second psychosocial stage ($18$ mo - $3.5$ yrs) where the central crisis is developing independence and self-control.

Initiative vs. Guilt

Erikson's third psychosocial stage occurring from $3.5-6$ years.

Industry vs. Inferiority

Erikson's fourth psychosocial stage occurring from $6-12$ years.

The theorist who developed Operant Conditioning.

B.F. Skinner

Shaping

The process of rewarding successive approximations toward a final target behavior.

Positive reinforcement

Increasing behavior by adding a pleasant stimulus.

Negative reinforcement

Increasing behavior by removing an unpleasant stimulus.

Variable ratio schedule

The reinforcement schedule that is most resistant to extinction.

David Gallahue

Developer of the Hourglass Model of Motor Development, which includes Reflexive, Rudimentary, Fundamental, and Specialized phases.

Physical literacy

The motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge, and understanding to value and take responsibility for engagement in physical activities for life, as defined by Margaret Whitehead.

Self-regulation

The ability to manage attention, emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in response to demands.

Executive function

Cognitive skills underlying self-regulation, including working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility.

Authoritative parenting

A parenting style characterized by high responsiveness and high demandingness, associated with the most positive developmental outcomes.

Authoritarian parenting

A parenting style with low responsiveness and high demandingness, focusing on strict obedience and little warmth.

Permissive parenting

A parenting style with high responsiveness and low demandingness, characterized by warmth but few boundaries.

Heteronomous Morality

Piaget's first stage of moral development ($4-7$ yrs) where rules are viewed as fixed and absolute.

Autonomous Morality

Piaget's second stage of moral development ($10+$ yrs) where rules are viewed as flexible and negotiable.

Preconventional level

The level of Kohlberg's moral development where morality is judged based on rewards and punishments.

Identity Foreclosure

Commitment to an identity without a period of exploration, often chosen by parents.

Identity Achievement

Commitment to an identity after a period of active exploration and crisis.

Vicarious reinforcement

Learning by observing someone else being rewarded for a behavior, a concept from Bandura's Social Learning Theory.

Urie Bronfenbrenner

Developer of the Ecological Systems Theory containing the Microsystem, Mesosystem, Exosystem, Macrosystem, and Chronosystem.

Vocabulary Spurt

A rapid increase in word learning ($10-20$ new words per week) occurring around $18$ months to $2$ years.

Responsive caregiving

Caregiver sensitivity and appropriate responses to a child's cues and needs, supporting secure attachment.

Epigenetic view

The perspective emphasizing that development results from ongoing bidirectional interactions between heredity and environment.

Who proposed the four stages of cognitive development?

Jean Piaget

Name Piaget's four cognitive stages in order.

Sensorimotor → Preoperational → Concrete Operational → Formal Operational

At which stage does a child achieve object permanence?

Sensorimotor (0-2 years)

Define egocentrism in Piaget's theory.

The inability to see a situation from another person's perspective; characteristic of the Preoperational stage.

What is conservation and at which stage does it emerge?

Understanding that quantity remains the same despite changes in shape/appearance; emerges in Concrete Operational stage (7-11 years).

Differentiate assimilation and accommodation.

Assimilation = fitting new information into existing schemas. Accommodation = modifying existing schemas to fit new information.

Who developed the Sociocultural Theory?

Lev Vygotsky

Define Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD).

The gap between what a child can do independently and what they can achieve with guidance from a More Knowledgeable Other (MKO).

What is scaffolding?

Temporary support provided by a MKO within the ZPD gradually removed as the child becomes more competent.

According to Vygotsky what is the function of private speech?

Self-guidance and self-regulation; eventually internalized as inner thought.

List the five developmental periods covered in this course.

Prenatal Infancy (0-18/24 mo) Early Childhood (2-6 yrs) Middle/Late Childhood (6-11 yrs) Adolescence (11-20 yrs)

Define cephalocaudal development.

Development proceeds from the head downward (head-to-tail).

Define proximodistal development.

Development proceeds from the center of the body outward.

Who developed the Psychosocial Theory of development?

Erik Erikson

Name Erikson's first four psychosocial stages and their approximate ages.

Trust vs. Mistrust (0-18 mo) Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt (18 mo-3.5 yrs) Initiative vs. Guilt (3.5-6 yrs) Industry vs. Inferiority (6-12 yrs)

What is the central crisis of the Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt stage?

Developing independence and self-control; "Me do it!"

Who developed Operant Conditioning?

B.F. Skinner

Define shaping.

Rewarding successive approximations toward a final target behavior.

What is the difference between positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement?

Positive reinforcement = adding a pleasant stimulus to increase behavior. Negative reinforcement = removing an unpleasant stimulus to increase behavior.

Which reinforcement schedule is most resistant to extinction?

Variable ratio schedule

Match each theorist to their theory: Freud Erikson Piaget Vygotsky Skinner Bandura Bronfenbrenner

Freud — Psychoanalysis Erikson — Psychosocial Piaget — Cognitive Developmental Vygotsky — Sociocultural Skinner — Operant Conditioning Bandura — Social Learning Theory Bronfenbrenner — Ecological Systems Theory

Who developed the Hourglass Model of Motor Development?

David Gallahue

Name the four phases of Gallahue's Hourglass Model.

Reflexive (0-4 mo) → Rudimentary (0-2 yrs) → Fundamental (2-7 yrs) → Specialized/Sport (7+ yrs)

What is physical literacy according to Margaret Whitehead?

The motivation confidence physical competence knowledge and understanding to value and take responsibility for engagement in physical activities for life.

Define self-regulation.

The ability to manage attention emotions thoughts and behaviors in response to demands.

What is executive function?

The cognitive skills underlying self-regulation including working memory inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility.

Name the four components of the "self."

Self-awareness (~18 mo) Self-concept Self-control (~24 mo) Self-esteem

What is social competence?

The ability to form positive relationships cooperate and navigate social situations effectively.

List Baumrind's four parenting styles.

Authoritative Authoritarian Permissive Neglectful/Uninvolved

Which parenting style is associated with the most positive developmental outcomes?

Authoritative (high responsiveness + high demandingness)

Describe the Authoritarian parenting style.

Low responsiveness + high demandingness; strict obedience-focused little warmth.

Describe the Permissive parenting style.

High responsiveness + low demandingness; warm but few boundaries or expectations.

According to Piaget what are the two stages of moral development?

Heteronomous Morality (4-7 yrs) — rules are fixed and absolute. Autonomous Morality (10+ yrs) — rules are flexible and negotiable.

Name Kohlberg's three levels of moral development.

Preconventional Conventional Postconventional

At which Kohlberg level is morality judged by rewards and punishments?

Preconventional level

Who proposed the four identity statuses?

James Marcia

Name Marcia's four identity statuses.

Diffusion Foreclosure Moratorium Achievement

Define identity foreclosure.

Commitment to an identity without having gone through a period of exploration (often parentally chosen).

Define identity achievement.

Commitment to an identity after a period of active exploration and crisis.

What is vicarious reinforcement?

Learning by observing someone else being rewarded for a behavior (Bandura's Social Learning Theory).

Who developed the Ecological Systems Theory?

Urie Bronfenbrenner

Name the five environmental systems in Bronfenbrenner's model.

Microsystem Mesosystem Exosystem Macrosystem Chronosystem

What is the universal sequence of language development?

Babbling (6-8 mo) → One-word (12-18 mo) → Two-word (18-24 mo) → Telegraphese (24+ mo)

Approximately how many words does a child know by age 2? By age 6?

Age 2: ~200 words. Age 6: ~10,000 words.

What is the vocabulary spurt?

A rapid increase in word learning occurring around 18 months to 2 years (10-20 new words per week).

What is responsive caregiving?

Caregiver sensitivity and appropriate responses to a child's cues and needs; supports secure attachment and emotional regulation.

Name the Indigenous perspective included in this course.

Inuit Holistic Lifelong Learning Model

What are the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) mentioned in the course?

Global goals addressing poverty education health equality and sustainability — relevant to childhood development contexts.

What does the epigenetic view emphasize?

Development is the result of ongoing bidirectional interactions between heredity and environment.

What is the final exam format according to the course outline?

In-class 20% of final grade. Format likely includes multiple choice matching and short answer (similar to midterm).