In psychology, a term describing the uneven development of cognitive abilities at different stages or in different domains.
From French 'décalage' meaning 'shift' or 'gap,' borrowed into English psychology in the mid-20th century. The term describes a lag or discontinuity in child development theory.
Psychologist Jean Piaget used 'decalage' to explain why a child might be brilliant at solving one puzzle but struggle with a similar one—it revealed that development isn't a smooth staircase but more like a bumpy, uneven climb!
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