ASWB Test Prep: Developmental Theories (Erikson, Piaget, Kohlberg)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from Erikson, Piaget, and Kohlberg as presented in the notes.

Trust vs Mistrust

Erikson's first psychosocial stage; infancy relies on meeting basic needs and safety to develop trust; unresolved leads to mistrust.

Autonomy vs Shame & Doubt

Erikson - Toddler stage; increased independence and self-control; unresolved leads to shame and doubt.

Initiative vs Guilt

Erikson - Early childhood stage; children initiate activities and explore; unresolved results in fear, passivity, or guilt.

Industry vs Inferiority

Erikson - School-age stage; mastery of tasks builds a sense of industry; unresolved leads to feelings of inferiority.

Identity vs Role Confusion

Erikson - Adolescence stage; forming a coherent sense of self; unresolved leads to identity confusion.

Intimacy vs Isolation

Erikson - Young adulthood stage; forming intimate relationships; unresolved leads to isolation.

Generativity vs Stagnation

Erikson - Middle adulthood stage; caring for others and contributing to society; unresolved leads to stagnation.

Integrity vs Despair

Erikson - Older adulthood stage; reflection on life; resolved leads to integrity, unresolved leads to despair.

Sensorimotor Period

Piaget; birth to 2 years; coordination of sensory input and motor responses; development of object permanence.

Preoperational Period

Piaget; 2–7 years; egocentrism, animism, magical thinking; centration and irreversibility; development of symbolic thought.

Concrete Operational

Piaget; 7–11 years; mental operations on concrete events; mastery of conservation and hierarchical classification.

Formal Operational

Piaget; 11 years through adulthood; abstract, logical, systematic thinking.

Object Permanence

Piaget - Understanding that objects continue to exist even when not seen; develops in the Sensorimotor stage.

Egocentrism

Piaget - During Preoperational stage; difficulty taking others' viewpoints; self-centered thinking.

Animism

Piaget - Preoperational; attributing life or human characteristics to inanimate objects.

Magical Thinking

Piaget - Preoperational; belief that thoughts or wishes can influence events.

Conservation

Piaget - Concrete Operational; understanding that quantity remains the same despite changes in appearance.

Irreversibility

Piaget - Preoperational; inability to reverse a sequence of mental steps.

Pre-conventional morality

Kohlberg's Level 1; morality influenced by avoiding punishment and self-interest.

Stage 1 Obedience and Punishment

Kohlberg - Behavior driven by avoidance of punishment.

Stage 2 Individual Interest

Kohlberg - Behavior driven by self-interest and rewards.

Conventional morality

Kohlberg's Level 2; morality driven by social approval and conformity.

Stage 3 Interpersonal

Kohlberg - Behavior driven by seeking social acceptance and pleasing others.

Stage 4 Authority

Kohlberg - Behavior driven by obeying laws and maintaining social order.

Post-conventional morality

Kohlberg's Level 3; morality guided by balance of rights and social contracts and by universal ethical principles.

Stage 5 Social Contract

Kohlberg - Morality guided by the good of the community and protecting individual rights.

Stage 6 Universal Ethics

Kohlberg - Moral principles defined by internalized, universal ethical ideals.

Lifelong development

Concept that development continues across the entire lifespan (Erikson’s view).