PRAXIS II Family and Consumer Sciences Exam

This exam is designed for potential family and consumer sciences instructors in grades 6 through 12. You will be given 2 hours to complete this 120 question multiple choice exam. The exam is comprised of 23 questions regarding family and consumer sciences education, 10 questions regarding housing, 11 questions regarding clothing and textiles, 18 questions regarding food and nutrition, 14 questions regarding consumer economics, 14 questions regarding management, 13 questions regarding human development, and, 17 questions regarding the family.

The Family
This section of the exam will assess your knowledge of influences on family relationships, changing roles and lifestyles, the development and education of family members, consumer education, physical and psychological support of family members, parenting and, the creation and maintenance of a stable family unit. Knowledge of family relationships, family recreational opportunities, and stages of family development, retirement, traditional families, single individuals, blended families, and family structures will also be included in this section of the exam.

Human Development
This section of the exam will assess your knowledge of theories of human development, physical, social, emotional, psychological, intellectual and, moral development. Knowledge of teen suicide, teen pregnancy, drug and alcohol abuse, special needs and special resources will also be assessed.

Management
This section of the exam will assess your knowledge of time management, organization, decision-making strategies, and identification of family values, goals and standards used in reaching management decisions.

Consumer Economics
This section of the exam will assess your knowledge of consumer protection, financial planning, family budgets, credit, health-care services, childcare services, elder care services, repair services and, consumer decision making resources. The impact of marketing and societal influences on consumer decisions, and consumer rights and responsibilities will also be included in this portion of the exam.

Nutrition and Food
This section of the exam will assess your knowledge of food storage and preservation, food preparation, food selection, food purchase, food and meal management, cultural, religious, and ethnic influences on food choices, nutritional guidelines and, the function and source of nutrients. Your knowledge of health problems related to diabetes, hypertension, obesity, bulimia and anorexia will also be assessed.

Clothing and Textiles
This section of the exam will assess your knowledge of characteristics in types of fibers, production of fabrics, wardrobe management, and the care of clothing.

Housing
This section of the exam will assess your knowledge of factors that impact consumer housing decisions, interior design, floor plans, traffic patterns, types of housing, and the function of housing.

Family and Consumer Sciences Education
This section of the exam will assess your knowledge of consumer education, community involvement, youth organizations, career education, improved quality of life and, preparation of students for dual roles at work and in the home.

PRAXIS II Family And Consumer Sciences Practice Questions

1. Moral development is based on society's:

A. norms, rules, and laws
B. cultural contract
C. self-control
D. empathy
E. All of the above

2. Which of the following is not one of Erik Erikson's stages of psychosocial development?

A. Old age
B. Adolescence
C. Early childhood
D. Middle childhood
E. Early adulthood

3. Social psychology includes the study of:

A. social behavior
B. social action
C. social interaction
D. Social relations
E. All of the above

4. Which of the following is not a common form of credit financing?

A. Credit cards
B. Mortgages
C. Debit cards
D. Personal loans
E. Merchant cards

5. Which of the following is not considered a creditor under the Consumer Credit Protection Act?

A. Credit card companies
B. Family and friends
C. Banks
D. Private lending institutions
E. Credit reporting agencies

Answer Key For Family And Consumer Sciences

1. Answer: E

The basic tenet of moral development is learning the difference between right and wrong, then applying those lessons consistently without giving conscious thought to the reasons for the response. It is exhibited in a person's unconscious conduct toward, attitude about, and treatment of other people. The mores of a culture develop over time depending upon how its citizens establish, respect, and follow societal norms, rules, and laws.

Behavior is based on a cultural social contract that in turn is founded on certain universally accepted aspects of moral functioning such as self-control, compliance, altruism, empathy, and reasoning. Moral development is a life-long process that begins in infancy, grows in childhood and adolescence, and matures in adulthood. Its manifestations change as the person ages. Reaching the next level of development is dependent upon learning and integrating the previous level. If the process is distorted at one stage, it could negatively influence behavior later in the process.

2. Answer: A

Erik Erikson's eight stages of psychosocial development are widely accepted and have greatly influenced later theories of psychological development. Erikson believed each stage was crucial to healthy development. He believed great emotional harm would occur and hinder children's success throughout life if they were not allowed to move through the stages at their own pace and not be rushed or pushed.

In brief, here are Erickson's eight stages of development shown with the major task of each one:

1. INFANCY, birth to twelve months: trust versus mistrust
2. YOUNGER YEARS, one to three years: autonomy versus shame and doubt
3. EARLY CHILDHOOD, three to five years: initiative versus guilt
4. MIDDLE CHILDHOOD, six to ten years: industry versus inferiority
5. ADOLESCENCE, eleven to eighteen years: identity versus role confusion
6. EARLY ADULTHOOD, eighteen to thirty-four years: intimacy versus isolation
7. MIDDLE ADULTHOOD, thirty-five to sixty years: generativity versus stagnation
8. LATER ADULTHOOD, sixty years to death: ego integrity versus despair

3. Answer: E

SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY is the study of how group behavior influences individual behavior. Its focus is what individuals think of each other and how they relate to one another.

SOCIAL BEHAVIOR comprises the ways in which people communicate. It is a hierarchal process with meaning and is conducted within a specific context.

SOCIAL ACTION is any rational, instrumental, emotional, or traditional action that is modified by the actions and reactions of other individuals.

SOCIAL INTERACTION is an accidental, repeated, regular, or regulated meeting in which the participants attach and interpret meaning to a dynamic situation and react accordingly. They are comprised of social actions, which are the foundation for social relations.

SOCIAL RELATIONS CAN mean interactions between individuals or groups in the same ethnic or kinship clan, social class, organization, country, gender, or any other grouping of people with a common denominator. The word "social" implies some kind of association based on mutual dependence and belonging. The association can be between people who are part of a group, between groups of people, or between an individual and a group of people.

4. Answer: C

Purchasing items on credit enables the borrower to postpone payment while taking immediate possession of an item by agreeing to make payments over a specific period of time. Common forms of financing include credit cards issued by a financial institution and personal loans and mortgages offered by banks, credit unions, and other lending institutions. Some merchants offer their own credit options.

Consumer credit is regulated primarily by federal and state laws. Several states have adopted the Uniform Consumer Credit Code to protect consumers and provide guidelines for the credit industry.

The United States Congress passed the Consumer Credit Protection Act to regulate the industry. Provisions include full disclosure of credit terms, protection from loan sharks, restrictions concerning garnishment of wages, and establishment of the National Commission on Consumer Finance, which monitors the credit industry, including credit card companies and credit reporting agencies.

5. Answer: B

It is against the Consumer Credit Protection Act for any creditor (credit card companies, banks, credit unions, private lending institutions, credit reporting agencies) to discriminate against any applicant in any part of the credit transaction. He cannot be denied credit or discriminated against based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age, whether some or all of his income comes from a public assistance program, or because he insisted upon claiming his rights under this law.

It is not considered discrimination to:

• Ask about marital status when trying to determine rights
• Verify age to determine if someone is of legal age to enter into a contract
• Ask an elderly person his age, as long as he is not given a value in any empirically derived credit rating system
• Request if any of an applicant's income is provided by a public assistance program, as long as the inquiry is made in order to determine his income level, the probability the income will continue, and to learn about his credit history.