©BRIGHSTARS 2024/2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
LCSW Exam: Human Growth and
Development. Exam Study Guide.
Pre-conventional, Avoiding punishment - Answer✔Kohlberg's Stages of Morality, Level 1, 1st
stage. Ex. "Stealing is wrong", decisions avoid punishment
Pre-conventional, Individualism and exchange - Answer✔Kohlberg's Stages of Morality, Level
1, 2nd stage. Ex. "What's in it for me?", decisions meet their own interests.
Conventional, Good interpersonal relationships/good intentions - Answer✔Kohlberg's Stages of
Morality, Level 2, 3rd stage. Ex. "He did it because he loves his wife", decisions based on family
beliefs, personal approval.
Conventional, Maintain Social order - Answer✔Kohlberg's Stages of Morality, Level 2, 4th
stage. Ex. "If we all did this it would be chaos!", decisions based on obeying the laws.
Post-conventional, Individual rights and the social contract - Answer✔Kohlberg's Stages of
Morality, Level 3, 5th stage. Ex. "We all have rights.", decisions based on human rights and
democratic ideals, believes humans should change a rule if it is 'unfair' and would benefit the
common good.
Post-conventional, Universal Principles - Answer✔Kohlberg's Stages of Morality, Level 3, 6th
stage. Ex. "I must not obey this law because it is my obligation to my society, but I should not
use violence as that harms the common good. Justice is more important than obedience."
Infancy - Answer✔Stage in Erikson's psychosocial development theory. Conflict: *trust vs
mistrust* (feeding/comfort). Children develop a sense of trust when caregivers provide
reliability, care and affection. A lack of this will lead to mistrust. (0-18 months)
autonomy vs shame and doubt - Answer✔Stage in Erikson's psychosocial development theory.
Early Childhood (2-3) (toilet training/dressing). Children need to develop a sense of personal
control over physical skills and a sense of independence.
initiative vs guilt - Answer✔Stage in Erikson's psychosocial development theory. Preschool (3 to
5) (exploration/play). Children need to begin asserting control and power over the environment.
Success in this state leads to a sense of purpose.
1|Page
, ©BRIGHSTARS 2024/2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
industry vs inferiority - Answer✔Stage in Erikson's psychosocial development theory. School
Age (6-11) (school/activities). Children need to cope with new social and academic demands.
identity vs role confusion - Answer✔Stage in Erikson's psychosocial development theory.
Adolescence (12-18) (social relationships/identity). Teens need to develop a sense of self and
personal identity.
intimacy vs isolation - Answer✔Stage in Erikson's psychosocial development theory. Young
Adult (19-40) (intimate relationships). Young adults need to form intimate, loving relationships
with other people.
generativity vs stagnation - Answer✔Stage in Erikson's psychosocial development theory.
Middle Adulthood (40-65) (work and parenthood). Adults need to create or nurture things that
will outlast them, often by having children or creating a positive change that benefits other
people.
ego integrity vs despair - Answer✔Stage in Erikson's psychosocial development theory. Maturity
(65-death) (reflection on life). Older adults need to look back on life and feel a sense of
fulfillment.
Sensorimotor - Answer✔In Piaget's theory, the stage (from birth to about 2 years of age) during
which infants know the world mostly in terms of their sensory impressions and motor activities.
Goal: Object permanence
Preoperational - Answer✔In Piaget's theory, the stage (from about 2 to 7 years of age) during
which a child learns to use language but does not yet comprehend the mental operations of
concrete logic. Development of language, memory, and imagination. Intelligence is both
egocentric and intuitive. Goal: Symbolic thought
Concrete Operational - Answer✔In Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive development (from
about 7 to 11 years of age) during which children gain the mental operations that enable them to
think logically about concrete events. More logical and methodical manipulation of symbols.
Less egocentric, and more aware of the outside world and events. Goal: Operational thought
Formal Operational - Answer✔In Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive development (normally
beginning about age 12) during which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts.
Use of symbols to relate to abstract concepts. Able to make hypotheses and grasp abstract
concepts and relationships. Goal: Abstract Concepts
Attachment Theory - Answer✔The idea that early attachments with parents and other caregivers
can shape relationships for a person's whole life
Separation Anxiety - Answer✔A psychological condition in children characterized by
apprehension when separated from a parent.
2|Page
LCSW Exam: Human Growth and
Development. Exam Study Guide.
Pre-conventional, Avoiding punishment - Answer✔Kohlberg's Stages of Morality, Level 1, 1st
stage. Ex. "Stealing is wrong", decisions avoid punishment
Pre-conventional, Individualism and exchange - Answer✔Kohlberg's Stages of Morality, Level
1, 2nd stage. Ex. "What's in it for me?", decisions meet their own interests.
Conventional, Good interpersonal relationships/good intentions - Answer✔Kohlberg's Stages of
Morality, Level 2, 3rd stage. Ex. "He did it because he loves his wife", decisions based on family
beliefs, personal approval.
Conventional, Maintain Social order - Answer✔Kohlberg's Stages of Morality, Level 2, 4th
stage. Ex. "If we all did this it would be chaos!", decisions based on obeying the laws.
Post-conventional, Individual rights and the social contract - Answer✔Kohlberg's Stages of
Morality, Level 3, 5th stage. Ex. "We all have rights.", decisions based on human rights and
democratic ideals, believes humans should change a rule if it is 'unfair' and would benefit the
common good.
Post-conventional, Universal Principles - Answer✔Kohlberg's Stages of Morality, Level 3, 6th
stage. Ex. "I must not obey this law because it is my obligation to my society, but I should not
use violence as that harms the common good. Justice is more important than obedience."
Infancy - Answer✔Stage in Erikson's psychosocial development theory. Conflict: *trust vs
mistrust* (feeding/comfort). Children develop a sense of trust when caregivers provide
reliability, care and affection. A lack of this will lead to mistrust. (0-18 months)
autonomy vs shame and doubt - Answer✔Stage in Erikson's psychosocial development theory.
Early Childhood (2-3) (toilet training/dressing). Children need to develop a sense of personal
control over physical skills and a sense of independence.
initiative vs guilt - Answer✔Stage in Erikson's psychosocial development theory. Preschool (3 to
5) (exploration/play). Children need to begin asserting control and power over the environment.
Success in this state leads to a sense of purpose.
1|Page
, ©BRIGHSTARS 2024/2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
industry vs inferiority - Answer✔Stage in Erikson's psychosocial development theory. School
Age (6-11) (school/activities). Children need to cope with new social and academic demands.
identity vs role confusion - Answer✔Stage in Erikson's psychosocial development theory.
Adolescence (12-18) (social relationships/identity). Teens need to develop a sense of self and
personal identity.
intimacy vs isolation - Answer✔Stage in Erikson's psychosocial development theory. Young
Adult (19-40) (intimate relationships). Young adults need to form intimate, loving relationships
with other people.
generativity vs stagnation - Answer✔Stage in Erikson's psychosocial development theory.
Middle Adulthood (40-65) (work and parenthood). Adults need to create or nurture things that
will outlast them, often by having children or creating a positive change that benefits other
people.
ego integrity vs despair - Answer✔Stage in Erikson's psychosocial development theory. Maturity
(65-death) (reflection on life). Older adults need to look back on life and feel a sense of
fulfillment.
Sensorimotor - Answer✔In Piaget's theory, the stage (from birth to about 2 years of age) during
which infants know the world mostly in terms of their sensory impressions and motor activities.
Goal: Object permanence
Preoperational - Answer✔In Piaget's theory, the stage (from about 2 to 7 years of age) during
which a child learns to use language but does not yet comprehend the mental operations of
concrete logic. Development of language, memory, and imagination. Intelligence is both
egocentric and intuitive. Goal: Symbolic thought
Concrete Operational - Answer✔In Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive development (from
about 7 to 11 years of age) during which children gain the mental operations that enable them to
think logically about concrete events. More logical and methodical manipulation of symbols.
Less egocentric, and more aware of the outside world and events. Goal: Operational thought
Formal Operational - Answer✔In Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive development (normally
beginning about age 12) during which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts.
Use of symbols to relate to abstract concepts. Able to make hypotheses and grasp abstract
concepts and relationships. Goal: Abstract Concepts
Attachment Theory - Answer✔The idea that early attachments with parents and other caregivers
can shape relationships for a person's whole life
Separation Anxiety - Answer✔A psychological condition in children characterized by
apprehension when separated from a parent.
2|Page
