MC Master of Counseling: Human Development and Lifespan 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to Erik Erikson's psychosocial theory, what is the central developmental conflict of early adulthood (ages 20–40)?
- Industry vs. Inferiority
- Identity vs. Role Confusion
- Intimacy vs. Isolation (Correct answer)
- Generativity vs. Stagnation
Correct answer: Intimacy vs. Isolation
Erikson identified Intimacy vs. Isolation as the core conflict of early adulthood, where individuals seek to form meaningful close relationships.
Question 2: Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development identifies four stages. Which stage is characterized by the development of object permanence?
- Preoperational stage
- Concrete operational stage
- Formal operational stage
- Sensorimotor stage (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Sensorimotor stage
Object permanence—the understanding that objects continue to exist even when out of sight—develops during the sensorimotor stage (birth to age 2).
Question 3: John Bowlby's attachment theory proposes that infants develop secure attachments to caregivers primarily based on which factor?
- The caregiver's physical appearance
- The caregiver's responsiveness and sensitivity to the infant's needs (Correct answer)
- The total amount of time spent with the caregiver
- The caregiver's socioeconomic status
Correct answer: The caregiver's responsiveness and sensitivity to the infant's needs
Bowlby emphasized that secure attachment forms when caregivers consistently respond sensitively and appropriately to the infant's signals and needs.
Question 4: Lawrence Kohlberg's theory of moral development includes which of the following sets of levels?
- Preconventional, Conventional, and Postconventional (Correct answer)
- Sensorimotor, Preoperational, and Operational
- Trust, Autonomy, and Initiative
- Id, Ego, and Superego
Correct answer: Preconventional, Conventional, and Postconventional
Kohlberg's moral development theory consists of three levels: Preconventional (self-interest), Conventional (social rules), and Postconventional (universal principles).
Question 5: According to Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) refers to:
- The range of skills a child can perform completely independently
- The gap between what a child can do alone and what they can achieve with skilled guidance (Correct answer)
- The emotional support provided by caregivers in the home
- The broader social context in which all learning occurs
Correct answer: The gap between what a child can do alone and what they can achieve with skilled guidance
The ZPD represents the distance between a learner's actual developmental level and the higher level they can reach with the assistance of a more knowledgeable other.
Question 6: Which theorist is best known for proposing the hierarchy of needs, which includes physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, and self-actualization?
- Carl Rogers
- Abraham Maslow (Correct answer)
- Albert Bandura
- Sigmund Freud
Correct answer: Abraham Maslow
Abraham Maslow developed the hierarchy of needs, proposing that lower-level deficiency needs must be met before higher growth needs such as self-actualization can be pursued.
Question 7: Mary Ainsworth's Strange Situation procedure identified several infant attachment styles. Which style is characterized by intense distress at the caregiver's departure but ambivalence or resistance to comfort upon reunion?
- Secure attachment
- Avoidant attachment
- Anxious-ambivalent (resistant) attachment (Correct answer)
- Disorganized attachment
Correct answer: Anxious-ambivalent (resistant) attachment
Anxious-ambivalent infants show heightened distress at separation but display conflicting behaviors—seeking and resisting comfort—when the caregiver returns.
MC Master of Counseling: Human Development and Lifespan 1
According to Erik Erikson's psychosocial theory, what is the central developmental conflict of early adulthood (ages 20–40)?