CS #3: Diane & Matt’s Blended Family
October 15, 2017
The psychological term for the behavior that Grace is exhibiting is called Overimitation
(p 178 para 1). Overimitation in children is when they emulate meaningless habits and
customs; examples of which can be swearing or kicking. This behavior results from
children’s eagerness to learn. Lev Vygotsky was a psychologist famous for his theories
on cognitive development in children. Vygotsky placed emphasis on the effect of social
and cultural environments on maturation and would thus emphasize Gracie’s social
environment as a direct cause of her cursing. He would also support positive scaffolding
(p 177 para 3) to show young Gracie correct use of language.
Diane and Matt can avoid shaming or negatively affecting Gracie when she uses
