Glossary
Adolescent Egocentrism
A cognitive distortion in adolescence where individuals believe that everyone is watching and judging them.
Example:
A teenager who spends hours getting ready for school because they think everyone will notice every detail of their outfit is experiencing adolescent egocentrism.
Adult Attachment Styles
Patterns of relating to others in romantic relationships and parenting, influenced by early childhood attachment experiences.
Example:
Someone who consistently seeks closeness and reassurance from their partner might have an anxious adult attachment style.
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
Potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood, such as abuse, neglect, or household dysfunction, which can have lasting negative effects.
Example:
Experiencing parental divorce or living with a substance-abusing household member are examples of Adverse Childhood Experiences.
Anxious Attachment
A subtype of insecure attachment where a child becomes highly distressed when separated from their caregiver and is difficult to soothe upon reunion.
Example:
A child who clings excessively to their parent and becomes extremely upset and inconsolable when the parent leaves the room may be displaying anxious attachment.
Authoritarian Parenting
A parenting style characterized by strict rules, high expectations, low warmth, and little open communication.
Example:
A parent who tells their child, 'You'll do it because I said so!' without further explanation is using an authoritarian parenting style.
Authoritative Parenting
A parenting style that combines clear rules and high expectations with high warmth, open communication, and encouragement of independence.
Example:
A parent who sets a curfew but also discusses why it's important and listens to their teenager's perspective is demonstrating authoritative parenting.
Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
Erikson's second psychosocial stage (toddlerhood), where children assert their independence and develop self-control.
Example:
A toddler insisting on dressing themselves, even if it takes longer, is striving for autonomy.
Avoidant Attachment
A subtype of insecure attachment where a child shows indifference to their caregiver's presence or absence, often due to a history of rejection.
Example:
When a child doesn't react much when their parent leaves or returns, seemingly independent but internally suppressing needs, they might have an avoidant attachment style.
Chronosystem
The dimension of time in Bronfenbrenner's theory, encompassing the influence of historical events and transitions over a person's life.
Example:
Growing up during a major technological revolution, like the rise of the internet, would be a significant chronosystem influence on a person's development.
Collectivistic Cultures
Cultures that prioritize group harmony, interdependence, and the needs of the community over individual desires.
Example:
Many East Asian societies, where family loyalty and community well-being are paramount, are examples of collectivistic cultures.
Cooperative Play
A more advanced form of play where children interact, share, and work together towards a common goal.
Example:
Children building a fort together, assigning roles and sharing materials, are demonstrating cooperative play.
Disorganized Attachment
A subtype of insecure attachment where a child exhibits contradictory and confused behaviors, often linked to frightening or abusive caregiving.
Example:
A child who approaches their caregiver but then suddenly turns away or freezes, showing a lack of a clear strategy for comfort, might have disorganized attachment.
Ecological Systems Theory
Urie Bronfenbrenner's theory explaining how an individual's development is influenced by five interconnected environmental systems.
Example:
Understanding how a student's academic performance is affected by their family life, school environment, and cultural values requires looking through the lens of Ecological Systems Theory.
Emerging Adulthood
A proposed developmental stage between adolescence and full adulthood, characterized by exploration and instability, typically from late teens to mid-twenties.
Example:
A 22-year-old exploring different career paths and living situations before settling down is in the stage of emerging adulthood.
Exosystem
Indirect influences on an individual's development, such as a parent's workplace or local community policies, that they do not directly participate in.
Example:
A parent's stressful job, even though the child isn't present, can impact the child's home life and is an example of an exosystem influence.
Generativity vs. Stagnation
Erikson's seventh psychosocial stage (middle adulthood), where individuals focus on contributing to future generations or feeling a lack of purpose.
Example:
A middle-aged adult volunteering as a mentor for young people is demonstrating generativity.
Identity Achievement
An identity status where an individual has actively explored various options and made a firm commitment to a sense of self.
Example:
After researching several careers and interning, a college student confidently declares their major, demonstrating identity achievement.
Identity Diffusion
An identity status characterized by a lack of both exploration and commitment to a sense of self.
Example:
A high school student who has no idea what they want to do after graduation and isn't actively thinking about it is in identity diffusion.
Identity Foreclosure
An identity status where an individual commits to an identity without significant exploration, often adopting values or goals from others.
Example:
A teenager deciding to become a doctor simply because their parents expect it, without considering other options, is in identity foreclosure.
Identity Moratorium
An identity status where an individual is actively exploring different identities and options but has not yet made a firm commitment.
Example:
A college student taking a gap year to travel and try different jobs before choosing a major is in identity moratorium.
Identity vs. Role Confusion
Erikson's fifth psychosocial stage (adolescence), where teenagers explore and commit to a sense of self, including values, beliefs, and career goals.
Example:
A high school student trying out different clubs and friend groups to figure out who they are is navigating identity vs. role confusion.
Imaginary Audience
A component of adolescent egocentrism where teenagers feel that they are the focus of everyone's attention and scrutiny.
Example:
Feeling mortified and believing everyone is staring after tripping in the hallway is an example of the imaginary audience at work.
Individualistic Cultures
Cultures that emphasize personal independence, self-reliance, and individual achievement.
Example:
The United States, with its focus on personal success and freedom, is often considered an individualistic culture.
Industry vs. Inferiority
Erikson's fourth psychosocial stage (school age), where children develop competence and a sense of achievement in school and social tasks.
Example:
A child who feels proud of mastering multiplication tables is developing a sense of industry.
Initiative vs. Guilt
Erikson's third psychosocial stage (preschool), where children begin to take on new challenges and plan activities.
Example:
A preschooler who enthusiastically suggests a game to their friends is demonstrating initiative.
Insecure Attachment
An attachment style resulting from inconsistent or unresponsive care, leading to various forms of distress or indifference.
Example:
A child who struggles to form trusting relationships later in life might have experienced insecure attachment in infancy.
Integrity vs. Despair
Erikson's eighth and final psychosocial stage (late adulthood), where individuals reflect on their life with a sense of fulfillment or regret.
Example:
An elderly person looking back on their life with a feeling of satisfaction and peace has achieved integrity.
Intimacy vs. Isolation
Erikson's sixth psychosocial stage (young adulthood), focused on forming close, committed relationships with others.
Example:
A young adult seeking a deep, meaningful romantic partnership is working through the conflict of intimacy vs. isolation.
Macrosystem
The broadest cultural context that influences an individual, including societal values, laws, customs, and economic conditions.
Example:
The prevailing societal belief in individual achievement in Western cultures is an example of a macrosystem influence on personal goals.
Mesosystem
The connections and interactions between different microsystems in an individual's life.
Example:
When a parent communicates with their child's teacher about their behavior in school, this interaction represents the mesosystem.
Microsystem
The immediate environment where an individual has direct interactions, such as family, friends, and teachers.
Example:
A teenager's daily interactions with their parents and siblings at home are part of their microsystem.
Multiple Intersecting Identities
The concept that an individual's identity is composed of various overlapping aspects, such as racial/ethnic, gender, sexual orientation, and occupational identities.
Example:
Understanding how a person's experience as a Black, queer woman shapes their unique perspective involves considering their multiple intersecting identities.
Parallel Play
A form of play common in toddlers where children play alongside each other but do not interact or share.
Example:
Two toddlers sitting next to each other in a sandbox, each building their own sandcastle without talking, are engaged in parallel play.
Permissive Parenting
A parenting style marked by few rules, low expectations, and high warmth, often allowing children significant freedom.
Example:
A parent who rarely enforces bedtime or homework rules, prioritizing their child's happiness over discipline, is exhibiting permissive parenting.
Personal Fable
A component of adolescent egocentrism where teenagers believe in their own uniqueness and invincibility, often leading to risky behaviors.
Example:
A teenager who drives recklessly, thinking 'nothing bad can happen to me,' is demonstrating the personal fable.
Possible Selves
Imagined future identities that individuals aspire to become (hoped-for selves) or fear becoming (feared selves), guiding their decision-making.
Example:
A student studying hard to become a successful engineer (a hoped-for possible self) and avoiding behaviors that could lead to academic failure (a feared possible self) is motivated by their possible selves.
Pretend Play
Play that involves imaginative scenarios, exploring social roles, and developing perspective-taking skills.
Example:
A group of children playing 'house,' with one acting as the parent and another as the child, is engaging in pretend play.
Secure Attachment
An attachment style where a child trusts their caregiver due to consistent and responsive care, feeling confident and loved.
Example:
A toddler who is upset when their parent leaves but quickly calms down and is happy upon their return shows secure attachment.
Separation Anxiety
A normal developmental stage, typically between 8-18 months, where children fear being away from their primary caregivers or around strangers.
Example:
A 10-month-old crying intensely when their parent drops them off at daycare is experiencing separation anxiety.
Social Clock
The culturally preferred timing of social milestones, such as leaving home, getting married, having children, and retiring.
Example:
Feeling pressure to get married by a certain age because 'everyone else is' reflects the influence of the social clock.
Social-Emotional Development
A lifelong process that involves how individuals interact with others, understand themselves, form attachments, develop identities, and navigate relationships.
Example:
A child learning to share toys with friends and understanding their own feelings of frustration is demonstrating aspects of social-emotional development.
Temperament
An individual's innate, biologically based personality traits and behavioral styles that are evident from birth.
Example:
A baby who is naturally calm and easily soothed has a different temperament than a baby who is highly reactive and fussy.
Trust vs. Mistrust
Erikson's first psychosocial stage (infancy), where infants develop a sense of safety and reliability based on consistent care.
Example:
A baby whose cries are consistently met with comfort and feeding will develop a sense of trust in their caregivers and the world.