BSW License Exam Study Guide – Bachelor of Social Work (Licensing Exam Preparation and
Review Material)
The Biological Person - correct answer ✔✔The body's biochemical, cell, organ, and physiological
systems. Nervous system, endocrine system, immune system, cardiovascular system,
musculoskeletal system, reproductive system.
The Psychological Person - correct answer ✔✔The mind and the mental processes. Cognition
(conscious thinking processes), emotion (feelings), self (identity).
The Spiritual Person - correct answer ✔✔The aspect of the person that searches for meaning
and purpose in life,. Themes of morality, ethics, justice, interconnectedness, creativity, mystical
states, prayer, meditation and contemplation, relationships with a higher power.
The Physical Environment: - correct answer ✔✔The natural and human-built material aspects of
the environment. Water, sun, trees, buildings, landscapes.
Culture - correct answer ✔✔A set of common understandings, evident in both behavior and
material artifacts. Beliefs, customs, traditions, values.
Social Institutions - correct answer ✔✔Patterned ways of organizing social relationships in a
particular sector of social life, Family, religion, government, economy, education, social welfare,
health care, mass media.
Social Structure - correct answer ✔✔A set of interrelated social institutions developed by
humans to impose constraints on human interaction for the purpose of the survival and well
being of the collectivity. Social class.
Dyads - correct answer ✔✔Two persons bound together in some way. Parent and child,
romantic couple, social worker and client.
,Families - correct answer ✔✔Groupings of two or more people who define themselves as family
and assume obligations to one another. Nuclear family, extended family, fictive kin.
Small Group - correct answer ✔✔Collections of people who interact with each other, perceive
themselves as belonging to a group, are interdependent, join together to accomplish a goal,
fulfill a need through joint association or are influenced by a set of rules and norms. Friendship
group, self help group, therapy group, committee task group, interdisciplinary team.
Formal Organizations - correct answer ✔✔Collectivities of people, with a high degree of
formality of structure, working together to meet a goal or goals. Civic and social service
organizations, business organizations, professional associations.
Communities - correct answer ✔✔People bound either by geography or by network links (webs
of communication), sharing common ties, and interacting with one another. Territorial
communities such as neighborhoods, relational communities such as the social work
community, the disability community, a faith community, a soccer league.
Social Movements - correct answer ✔✔Large scale collective actions to make change or resist
change, in specific social institutions, Civil rights movement, poor people's movements,
disability movement, gay rights movement.
Trends - correct answer ✔✔Long term patterns of change that move in a general direction.
Trend toward greater ethnic diversity in the United States, trend toward delayed childbearing in
advanced industrial countries, trend toward greater income inequality between sub-Saharan
Africa and the rest of the world.
Cycles - correct answer ✔✔Short term patterns of change that reverse direction repetitively. A
weekly cycle of work interspersed with rest and relaxation. Economic downturns and upturns.
, Shifts - correct answer ✔✔Sudden abrupt changes of direction. Changes in patterns of living
following a major loss. Changes in the physical and social environment following a natural
disaster (hurricane, flood, earthquake) or human made disaster such as September 11, 2001.
Linear Time - correct answer ✔✔Time in terms of a straight line. Past, present, future.
Acculturation - correct answer ✔✔A process of changing one's culture by incorporating
elements of another culture.
Service - correct answer ✔✔Social worker's primary goal is to help people in need and to
address social problems. Social workers elevate service to others above self interest. Social
workers draw on their knowledge, values, and skills to help people in need and to address social
problems. Social workers are encouraged to volunteer some portion of their professional skills
with no expectation of significant financial return.
Social Justice - correct answer ✔✔Social workers challenge social justice. Social workers pursue
social change, particularly with and on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed individuals and
groups of people. Social workers' social change efforts are focused primarily on issues of
poverty, unemployment, discrimination, and other forms of social injustice. These activities seek
to promote sensitivity to needed information, services, and resources; equally of opportunity
and meaningful participation in decision making of people.
Dignity and Worth of the Person - correct answer ✔✔Social workers respect the inherent
dignity and worth of the person. Social workers treat each person in a caring and respectful
fashion, mindful of individual differences and cultural and ethnic diversity. Social workers
promote clients' socially responsible self determination. Social workers are cognizant of their
dual responsibility to clients and to the broader society. They seek to resolve conflicts between
clients' interests and the broader society's interests in a socially responsible manner consistent
with the values, ethical principles, and ethical standards of the profession.
Importance of Human Relationship - correct answer ✔✔Social workers recognize the central
importance of human relationships. Social workers understand that relationships between and
Review Material)
The Biological Person - correct answer ✔✔The body's biochemical, cell, organ, and physiological
systems. Nervous system, endocrine system, immune system, cardiovascular system,
musculoskeletal system, reproductive system.
The Psychological Person - correct answer ✔✔The mind and the mental processes. Cognition
(conscious thinking processes), emotion (feelings), self (identity).
The Spiritual Person - correct answer ✔✔The aspect of the person that searches for meaning
and purpose in life,. Themes of morality, ethics, justice, interconnectedness, creativity, mystical
states, prayer, meditation and contemplation, relationships with a higher power.
The Physical Environment: - correct answer ✔✔The natural and human-built material aspects of
the environment. Water, sun, trees, buildings, landscapes.
Culture - correct answer ✔✔A set of common understandings, evident in both behavior and
material artifacts. Beliefs, customs, traditions, values.
Social Institutions - correct answer ✔✔Patterned ways of organizing social relationships in a
particular sector of social life, Family, religion, government, economy, education, social welfare,
health care, mass media.
Social Structure - correct answer ✔✔A set of interrelated social institutions developed by
humans to impose constraints on human interaction for the purpose of the survival and well
being of the collectivity. Social class.
Dyads - correct answer ✔✔Two persons bound together in some way. Parent and child,
romantic couple, social worker and client.
,Families - correct answer ✔✔Groupings of two or more people who define themselves as family
and assume obligations to one another. Nuclear family, extended family, fictive kin.
Small Group - correct answer ✔✔Collections of people who interact with each other, perceive
themselves as belonging to a group, are interdependent, join together to accomplish a goal,
fulfill a need through joint association or are influenced by a set of rules and norms. Friendship
group, self help group, therapy group, committee task group, interdisciplinary team.
Formal Organizations - correct answer ✔✔Collectivities of people, with a high degree of
formality of structure, working together to meet a goal or goals. Civic and social service
organizations, business organizations, professional associations.
Communities - correct answer ✔✔People bound either by geography or by network links (webs
of communication), sharing common ties, and interacting with one another. Territorial
communities such as neighborhoods, relational communities such as the social work
community, the disability community, a faith community, a soccer league.
Social Movements - correct answer ✔✔Large scale collective actions to make change or resist
change, in specific social institutions, Civil rights movement, poor people's movements,
disability movement, gay rights movement.
Trends - correct answer ✔✔Long term patterns of change that move in a general direction.
Trend toward greater ethnic diversity in the United States, trend toward delayed childbearing in
advanced industrial countries, trend toward greater income inequality between sub-Saharan
Africa and the rest of the world.
Cycles - correct answer ✔✔Short term patterns of change that reverse direction repetitively. A
weekly cycle of work interspersed with rest and relaxation. Economic downturns and upturns.
, Shifts - correct answer ✔✔Sudden abrupt changes of direction. Changes in patterns of living
following a major loss. Changes in the physical and social environment following a natural
disaster (hurricane, flood, earthquake) or human made disaster such as September 11, 2001.
Linear Time - correct answer ✔✔Time in terms of a straight line. Past, present, future.
Acculturation - correct answer ✔✔A process of changing one's culture by incorporating
elements of another culture.
Service - correct answer ✔✔Social worker's primary goal is to help people in need and to
address social problems. Social workers elevate service to others above self interest. Social
workers draw on their knowledge, values, and skills to help people in need and to address social
problems. Social workers are encouraged to volunteer some portion of their professional skills
with no expectation of significant financial return.
Social Justice - correct answer ✔✔Social workers challenge social justice. Social workers pursue
social change, particularly with and on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed individuals and
groups of people. Social workers' social change efforts are focused primarily on issues of
poverty, unemployment, discrimination, and other forms of social injustice. These activities seek
to promote sensitivity to needed information, services, and resources; equally of opportunity
and meaningful participation in decision making of people.
Dignity and Worth of the Person - correct answer ✔✔Social workers respect the inherent
dignity and worth of the person. Social workers treat each person in a caring and respectful
fashion, mindful of individual differences and cultural and ethnic diversity. Social workers
promote clients' socially responsible self determination. Social workers are cognizant of their
dual responsibility to clients and to the broader society. They seek to resolve conflicts between
clients' interests and the broader society's interests in a socially responsible manner consistent
with the values, ethical principles, and ethical standards of the profession.
Importance of Human Relationship - correct answer ✔✔Social workers recognize the central
importance of human relationships. Social workers understand that relationships between and
