Cognitive Milestones (Piaget & Vygotsky)
The term for a mental "file folder" or framework used to organize information.
Schema
This part of the brain, responsible for balance and motor coordination, develops rapidly as infants learn to crawl and walk.
Cerebellum
In this Kohlberg level, morality is based entirely on self-interest: avoiding punishment or gaining rewards.
Preconventional Morality
According to Erikson, this is the very first "crisis" or milestone an infant must resolve.
Trust vs. Mistrust
This physiological factor often leads to impulsivity and emotional swings in teens.
Hormones
This Piaget stage (ages 2-7) is marked by egocentrism and a lack of conservation.
Preoperational Stage
The Harlows’ monkey studies proved that this factor is more important for attachment than providing food.
Contact Comfort
According to Jonathan Haidt, this part of our "Social Intuitionist" mind makes quick, emotional gut judgments.
Elephant (The Rider is the rationalizer)
This Erikson stage occurs during adolescence as teens try to figure out "Who am I?"
Identity vs. Role Confusion
Phillip mimics his father’s behaviors while playing with a stuffed dinosaur. According to Piaget, he is likely in this stage.
Preoperational Stage
If a child understands that a tall thin glass and a short wide glass hold the same amount of juice, they have mastered this concept.
Conservation
This phenomenon explains why we generally cannot remember events from before age 3 or 4.
Infantile Amnesia
A person who follows the law simply because "it is the law and keeps order" is in this Kohlberg stage.
Conventional Morality
An elderly person looking back on life with satisfaction has achieved this, rather than falling into despair.
Integrity
This physiological factor, which involves the brain "cleaning up" unused neural connections during adolescence, helps make brain processing more efficient.
Synaptic Pruning
Vygotsky’s term for the "sweet spot" of learning—the gap between what a learner can do alone and what they can do with help.
Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)
An infant who is distressed when a parent leaves but is easily comforted upon their return displays this attachment style.
Secure Attachment
This term describes the ability to understand that others have their own mental states, feelings, and perspectives.
Theory of Mind
This Erikson stage occurs in elementary school when children learn the pleasure of applying themselves to tasks.
Industry vs. Inferiority
This term describes a child’s inability to see things from another person’s point of view.
Egocentrism
The difference between Assimilation and Accommodation.
Fitting new info into an old schema (Assimilation) vs. changing the schema to fit new info (Accommodation)
The "Social Clock" refers to this.
Culturally preferred timing for major life events (marriage, kids, retirement)?
In Haidt’s model, the "Rider’s" primary job is not to choose the path, but to do this.
Rationalize the Elephant’s (instinctual emotion) choice.
This is the second milestone of childhood (toddlerhood) where children seek to do things for themselves.
Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
This is the cognitive milestone where a child realizes an object still exists even when it's hidden
Object Permanence