LMSW Human Development Theories Questions and Answers Flashcards

Object relations theorist Margaret Mahler described 'separation-individuation' as a process in which the infant:

Answer: Gradually differentiates a sense of self from the primary caregiver

Mahler's separation-individuation theory describes the infant's psychological birth as they move from symbiosis with the caregiver toward a distinct, autonomous sense of self.

Carl Jung's concept of the 'collective unconscious' refers to:

Answer: Shared, universal symbols and archetypes inherited across generations

Jung proposed that the collective unconscious contains archetypes and primordial images common to all humanity, inherited rather than personally acquired.

In social learning theory, Albert Bandura's concept of 'self-efficacy' refers to:

Answer: An individual's belief in their capacity to execute behaviors needed to achieve goals

Self-efficacy is an individual's confidence in their own ability to succeed at specific tasks, which directly influences motivation and behavior.

According to Daniel Levinson's theory of adult development, 'life structure' refers to:

Answer: The underlying pattern or design of a person's life at a given time

Levinson defined life structure as the patterning of a person's sociocultural world at a given time, shaped primarily by key relationships and roles.

Lev Vygotsky emphasized that cognitive development is fundamentally shaped by:

Answer: Social interaction and cultural tools such as language

Vygotsky argued that higher mental functions develop through social interaction and are mediated by culturally created tools, most importantly language.

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross's five stages of grief are most accurately described as:

Answer: A framework of common emotional responses that may occur in any order

Kübler-Ross's stages—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance—represent common experiences in grief but do not occur in a rigid, universal order.