heteronomous stage

in Jean Piaget’s theory of moral development, the stage during which the child, approximately 6 to 10 years of age, equates morality with the rules and principles of his or her parents and other authority figures. That is, the child evaluates the rightness or wrongness of an act only in terms of adult sanctions for or against it and of the consequences or possible punishment it may bring. Also called heteronomous morality. See also immanent justice; moral absolutism; moral realism. Compare autonomous stage; premoral stage.

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Psychology term of the day

November 18th 2024

health activities questionnaire

any questionnaire designed to measure an individual’s current repertoire of health-related behaviors. In health care there is an increased emphasis on prevention, and many inventories exist to measure an individual’s compliance with physical activity, dietary control, preventive inoculations, and screening for potential health problems, such as mammography and prostate or colon cancer testing.