What theory suggests that children are like a blank slate that can be taught right from wrong?

The concept of "Tabula Rasa," which translates to "blank slate," is rooted in the belief that individuals are born without built-in mental content and that knowledge comes from experience and perception. This theory suggests that children's minds are shaped primarily by their environment and learning experiences. It emphasizes the idea that children can be molded into moral beings through appropriate teaching and reinforcement, aligning with the notion that they can be taught right from wrong.

While behaviorism focuses on observable behaviors and the idea that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning, and constructivism emphasizes the role of social interactions and active learning in knowledge formation, neither aligns directly with the notion of children starting with a blank slate. Cognitive development theory, on the other hand, concentrates on the stages through which children develop their thinking abilities, rather than on the idea of them being passively shaped by their surroundings. Thus, Tabula Rasa is the most fitting answer for the concept of children as blank slates who can be taught moral values and behaviors.