What phonological process involves replacing a sound with a more difficult one?

The question pertains to phonological processes, which are patterns of sound errors that typically occur in the speech development of children. The process of gliding is defined as substituting liquid consonants, such as /r/ and /l/, with glide consonants such as /w/ and /j/. For instance, a child might say "wabbit" instead of "rabbit." This process often manifests in children who are still mastering the articulation of more complex sounds, as the glide sounds are perceived as easier to articulate compared to the targeted liquids.

In this context, gliding effectively illustrates the phenomenon of replacing a sound with one that is less challenging to produce, which aligns with the question's focus. As children grow and their speech abilities mature, they typically overcome this phonological process and begin to accurately produce the more difficult sounds.