Praxis II School Psychology Exam
Questions and Answers
Post traumatic stress disorder - Answer-After a traumatic event, symptoms are intrusive memories,
avoiding emotional triggers, emotional numbness, and arousal
Genuineness - Answer-Therapist honestly communicates emotions and experiences
Lev Vygotsky - Answer-Believed that COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT IS DEPENDENT ON INTERACTIONS
WITH OTHERS
Classical Conditioning - Answer-The process by which a neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned
stimulus
Unconditional Stimulus (US) - Answer-Term for a stimulus that elicits a reflexive response in the absence
of learning
Unconditioned Response (UR) - Answer-A reflexive response elicited by a stimulus in the absence of
learning
,Conditioned Stimulus (CS) - Answer-Term for an initially neutral stimulus that comes to elicit a
conditioned response after being associated with an unconditioned stimulus
Conditioned Response (CR) - Answer-Term for a response that is elicited by a conditioned stimulus
Extinction - Answer-When a conditioned stimulus is repeatedly presented without the unconditioned
stimulus, the conditioned response disappears
Higher-Order Conditioning - Answer-A procedure in which a neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned
stimulus though association with an already established conditioned stimulus. → May contribute to the
formation of prejudices
Watson - Answer-Recognized the implication of Pavlonian theory and founded American behaviorism.
Watson believed that most fears are conditioned responses to stimuli that were originally neutral.
Demonstrated that phobias can be taught (Little Albert being taught to be afraid of a rat)
OPERARANT CONDITIONING - Answer-A form of learning in which a voluntary response is strengthened
or weakened by its association with positive or negative consequences. Generally, responses in operant
conditioning are complex and not reflexive
B.F. Skinner - Answer-Skinner believed that people learn to act deliberately on their environments in
order to bring about desired consequences. What we need to know to understand behavior are the
external causes of an action and the action's consequences. Thus, he avoided assumptions about what
an organism feels
Thorndike's Law of Effect - Answer-Correct responses after trial and errors become "stamped in" when
receive satisfying effect
Neutral Consequences - Answer-neither increases or decreases the probability that a behavior will recur
,Reinforcement - Answer-The process by which a stimulus strengthens or increases the probability of the
response that it follows
Punishment - Answer-The process by which a stimulus or event weakens the response that it follows,
reducing the probability of a response
Positive Reinforcement - Answer-A procedure in which a response is followed by the presentation of, or
increase in intensity of, a pleasant stimulus (thus, response becomes stronger and more likely to occur)
Negative Reinforcement - Answer-A procedure in which a response is followed by the removal, delay, or
decrease in intensity of an unpleasant stimulus (thus, response becomes stronger or more likely to
occur)
Positive Punishment - Answer-When a response is followed by the presentation of or increase in
intensity of an unpleasant stimulus (thus, response is less likely to occur)
Brown v. Board of Education - Answer-The assignment of African-American children to separate and
inferior public schools is a denial of equal protection under the 14th amendment. So, each state must
provide equal educational opportunity to all children within its jurisdiction regardless of race
Pennsylvania Assocation for Retarded Children v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (1971, 1972), and
Mills v. Board of Education (1972) - Answer-found that exclusion of children with handicaps from public
school is a denial of equal protection. Thus, states have a duty to provide equal educational
opportunities to all children regardless of race, color, national origin, native language, sex, and disability
under the 14th amendment
Procedural due process - Answer-This means that a state cannot take away life, liberty, or property
rights without some sort of procedural fairness to safeguard citizens from unfair or wrongful
infringement of rights
, Goss v. Lopez, (1975) - Answer-the Supreme Court held that education is a property right protected by
the 14th Amendment. Thus, schools may not:
1.Suspend or expel children without some sort of fair, impartial due process procedures
2. Schools may not label children (mentally retarded or emotionally disturbed - change of placement or
label) without due process
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 - Answer-provides financial assistance to schools with high
concentrations of children from disadvantaged homes. It requires statewide reading and mathematics
tests each year in grades 3-8, starting in 2005-2006. Each school must attain academic proficiency for all
students in 12 years, and document progress toward that goal
Individuals w/ Disabilities Education Act Used to be the Education of the Handicapped Act (EHA. L. No.
94-142) - Answer-The reauthorization of IDEA in 1997 (Pub. L. No. 105-117). IDEA-Part B allocates funds
to states that provide a free and appropriate education to all children with disabilities. In order to
receive funds, each state must have developed a plan to ensure that every child with disabilities receives
special education and related services in conformance with an IEP. Must use nondiscriminatory testing
and evaluation procedures and provide the least restrictive environment (LRE) feasible. IDEA-Part C
provides funds to states that offer early intervention services/programs for infants and toddlers with
known or suspected disabilities in conformance with an individualized family service plan (IFSP)
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) - Answer-Under FERPA, NO federal funds will
be made available to schools unless they adhere to the pupil record-keeping procedures outlined in the
law, to ensure confidentiality. Parents have access to all official school records, the right to challenge the
accuracy of the records, and a right to a hearing regarding their accuracy. The records are to be available
only to those in the school setting with a legitimate educational interest, and parent consent must be
obtained before records are released to agencies outside of the school
The Protection of Pupil Rights Act - Answer-Need written parental consent before a pupil can be
required to submit to a survey, analysis, or evaluation that reveals certain types of personal information
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 SECTION 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Pub. L. No. 93-112) - Answer-
prohibits discrimination against any qualified individual solely on the basis of a handicapping condition
Questions and Answers
Post traumatic stress disorder - Answer-After a traumatic event, symptoms are intrusive memories,
avoiding emotional triggers, emotional numbness, and arousal
Genuineness - Answer-Therapist honestly communicates emotions and experiences
Lev Vygotsky - Answer-Believed that COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT IS DEPENDENT ON INTERACTIONS
WITH OTHERS
Classical Conditioning - Answer-The process by which a neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned
stimulus
Unconditional Stimulus (US) - Answer-Term for a stimulus that elicits a reflexive response in the absence
of learning
Unconditioned Response (UR) - Answer-A reflexive response elicited by a stimulus in the absence of
learning
,Conditioned Stimulus (CS) - Answer-Term for an initially neutral stimulus that comes to elicit a
conditioned response after being associated with an unconditioned stimulus
Conditioned Response (CR) - Answer-Term for a response that is elicited by a conditioned stimulus
Extinction - Answer-When a conditioned stimulus is repeatedly presented without the unconditioned
stimulus, the conditioned response disappears
Higher-Order Conditioning - Answer-A procedure in which a neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned
stimulus though association with an already established conditioned stimulus. → May contribute to the
formation of prejudices
Watson - Answer-Recognized the implication of Pavlonian theory and founded American behaviorism.
Watson believed that most fears are conditioned responses to stimuli that were originally neutral.
Demonstrated that phobias can be taught (Little Albert being taught to be afraid of a rat)
OPERARANT CONDITIONING - Answer-A form of learning in which a voluntary response is strengthened
or weakened by its association with positive or negative consequences. Generally, responses in operant
conditioning are complex and not reflexive
B.F. Skinner - Answer-Skinner believed that people learn to act deliberately on their environments in
order to bring about desired consequences. What we need to know to understand behavior are the
external causes of an action and the action's consequences. Thus, he avoided assumptions about what
an organism feels
Thorndike's Law of Effect - Answer-Correct responses after trial and errors become "stamped in" when
receive satisfying effect
Neutral Consequences - Answer-neither increases or decreases the probability that a behavior will recur
,Reinforcement - Answer-The process by which a stimulus strengthens or increases the probability of the
response that it follows
Punishment - Answer-The process by which a stimulus or event weakens the response that it follows,
reducing the probability of a response
Positive Reinforcement - Answer-A procedure in which a response is followed by the presentation of, or
increase in intensity of, a pleasant stimulus (thus, response becomes stronger and more likely to occur)
Negative Reinforcement - Answer-A procedure in which a response is followed by the removal, delay, or
decrease in intensity of an unpleasant stimulus (thus, response becomes stronger or more likely to
occur)
Positive Punishment - Answer-When a response is followed by the presentation of or increase in
intensity of an unpleasant stimulus (thus, response is less likely to occur)
Brown v. Board of Education - Answer-The assignment of African-American children to separate and
inferior public schools is a denial of equal protection under the 14th amendment. So, each state must
provide equal educational opportunity to all children within its jurisdiction regardless of race
Pennsylvania Assocation for Retarded Children v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (1971, 1972), and
Mills v. Board of Education (1972) - Answer-found that exclusion of children with handicaps from public
school is a denial of equal protection. Thus, states have a duty to provide equal educational
opportunities to all children regardless of race, color, national origin, native language, sex, and disability
under the 14th amendment
Procedural due process - Answer-This means that a state cannot take away life, liberty, or property
rights without some sort of procedural fairness to safeguard citizens from unfair or wrongful
infringement of rights
, Goss v. Lopez, (1975) - Answer-the Supreme Court held that education is a property right protected by
the 14th Amendment. Thus, schools may not:
1.Suspend or expel children without some sort of fair, impartial due process procedures
2. Schools may not label children (mentally retarded or emotionally disturbed - change of placement or
label) without due process
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 - Answer-provides financial assistance to schools with high
concentrations of children from disadvantaged homes. It requires statewide reading and mathematics
tests each year in grades 3-8, starting in 2005-2006. Each school must attain academic proficiency for all
students in 12 years, and document progress toward that goal
Individuals w/ Disabilities Education Act Used to be the Education of the Handicapped Act (EHA. L. No.
94-142) - Answer-The reauthorization of IDEA in 1997 (Pub. L. No. 105-117). IDEA-Part B allocates funds
to states that provide a free and appropriate education to all children with disabilities. In order to
receive funds, each state must have developed a plan to ensure that every child with disabilities receives
special education and related services in conformance with an IEP. Must use nondiscriminatory testing
and evaluation procedures and provide the least restrictive environment (LRE) feasible. IDEA-Part C
provides funds to states that offer early intervention services/programs for infants and toddlers with
known or suspected disabilities in conformance with an individualized family service plan (IFSP)
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) - Answer-Under FERPA, NO federal funds will
be made available to schools unless they adhere to the pupil record-keeping procedures outlined in the
law, to ensure confidentiality. Parents have access to all official school records, the right to challenge the
accuracy of the records, and a right to a hearing regarding their accuracy. The records are to be available
only to those in the school setting with a legitimate educational interest, and parent consent must be
obtained before records are released to agencies outside of the school
The Protection of Pupil Rights Act - Answer-Need written parental consent before a pupil can be
required to submit to a survey, analysis, or evaluation that reveals certain types of personal information
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 SECTION 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Pub. L. No. 93-112) - Answer-
prohibits discrimination against any qualified individual solely on the basis of a handicapping condition
