Social Work Examination Services (SWES) Human Behavior Practice Test

During which developmental stage are children particularly focused on absolutes?

1. Infancy

2. Early latency

3. Adolescence

4. Late childhood

The correct answer is: Early latency

The focus on absolutes in children is most prominent during the early latency stage, which corresponds to roughly ages 6 to 12. During this period, children typically develop concrete thinking, characterized by a strong understanding of the world in black-and-white terms. Their cognitive abilities are expanding, yet they often struggle with nuances, subtleties, and abstract concepts. This concrete way of thinking can manifest in their moral reasoning, creating a strong sense of right and wrong without much room for ambiguity. In contrast, other stages such as infancy concentrate on basic sensory and motor experiences rather than cognitive development. Adolescence introduces greater abstract thinking capabilities, where young people begin to contemplate complex concepts and moral dilemmas. Late childhood still involves some concrete operational thought but starts to prepare them for more abstract reasoning, making the focus on absolutes less pronounced than in early latency. Thus, early latency is the period where children are most diligently concerned with definitive rules and clear-cut distinctions.