WGU Educational Psychology Exam with Correct Solutions.
Complete 2024/2025 Update
What is working memory (sometimes known as short-term memory)? -Correct Answer: It actively
processes a small amount of information, typically holding it for less than a minute.
What is positive reinforcement? -Correct Answer: Reinforcement consists of getting something a
learner finds desirable.
What is metacognition? -Correct Answer: Thinking about thinking
What is an accurate comparison between behaviorist and social cognitive theories of learning. -
Correct Answer: social cognitive theorists propose that reinforcement affects observers as well as
the individuals actually being reinforced.
In what way does self-efficacy differ from the term self-concept? -Correct Answer: self-efficacy
varies depending on the specific task to be performed
The term negative reinforcement can best be described as a situation in which: -Correct Answer:
Something the learner doesn't want is taken away after a response
No homework after doing well on an exam
Car chiming until you put your seatbelt on
Ms. O'Connor reinforces James every time she sees him reading independently. Once he is reading
frequently, she begins to reinforce him only every second time, then only every third time, and so
on, gradually reinforcing him less and less often. From a behaviorist perspective, we can predict
Jimmy will: -Correct Answer: Continue to read independently
,Which one of the following statements best characterizes ho reinforement of incompatible
behavior can help reduce inappropriate behavior in the classroom? -Correct Answer: An
undesirable behavior will decrease when a student is reinforced for a behavior in an opposite
manner
Social cognitive theory can best be characterized as being concerned with learning: -Correct
Answer:
through observations of others
One characteristic common to all behavorist learning theories is an emphasis on: -Correct Answer:
the effect of the environment on learning
Which one of the following statements best describes positive reinforcement? -Correct Answer:
Reinforcement consists of getting something a learner wants.
If we want to enhance students' metacognitive processes during problem solving, we would be
most likely to: -Correct Answer: suggest questions that students might ask themselves as they
work on problems.
Which one of the following is the best illustration of metacognition? -Correct Answer: Dolly is
studying for a history test. She knows that she has trouble with dates, so she checks herself by
giving herself a short quiz after each chapter.
Criterion-Referenced Assessment -Correct Answer: - Helps to figure out whether of not the
teaching and students' learning meet the international goals and the content area standards for
the covered material.
assess strengths and weaknesses of students' understanding
Focus is on standards
Which one of the following eamples illustrates informal assessment? -Correct Answer: observing
how students handle the ball as they play soccer in gym class
Which one of the following is the best example of performance assessment -Correct Answer:
having students do as many push-ups as they can
, by encouraging students to evaluate their own performance during assessment activities we are
most likely to: -Correct Answer: promote self-regulation
Which one of the following is a legitimate concern about the use of performance assessment? -
Correct Answer: its reliability and content validitly are sometimes questionable.
Which of the following students show motivation consistent with theoretical views of self worth? -
Correct Answer: Monica doesn't read the comments her teacher has written on her research paper
because she suspects that they're not very flattering.
which one of the following statements best describes motivation theorists' concept of sense of
self- determination? -Correct Answer: Believing that you have some choice about what you do.
Norm-Referenced Assessment -Correct Answer: - Individual performance
In your music class the teacher decides on chair order by having your whole trumpet section play
the same piece and then evaluates their quality relative to the other students.
Top 10% of your class in order to get into a certain college
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of informal assessment -Correct Answer: informal
assesment is valid
Ms. Smith's 7th grade language arts class has a reading chart on the wall to chart how mny books
they read during the month of december. If they read 3 books each, the class as a wholewill
receive a movie day where they get to choose a movie. What type of motivation is this classified
as? -Correct Answer:
Extrinisic motivation
The cognitive theory of motivation that one fo the congnitions that affect motivation is goals. Out
of the four types of goals, which of these scenarios best illustrates a mastery approach? -Correct
Answer: Sam loves playing football, but for some reason he just can't seem to throw that perfect
spiral. After many attempts he asks his dad for tips and suggestions on how to throw a great pass
since his dad played football throughout his younger years
Complete 2024/2025 Update
What is working memory (sometimes known as short-term memory)? -Correct Answer: It actively
processes a small amount of information, typically holding it for less than a minute.
What is positive reinforcement? -Correct Answer: Reinforcement consists of getting something a
learner finds desirable.
What is metacognition? -Correct Answer: Thinking about thinking
What is an accurate comparison between behaviorist and social cognitive theories of learning. -
Correct Answer: social cognitive theorists propose that reinforcement affects observers as well as
the individuals actually being reinforced.
In what way does self-efficacy differ from the term self-concept? -Correct Answer: self-efficacy
varies depending on the specific task to be performed
The term negative reinforcement can best be described as a situation in which: -Correct Answer:
Something the learner doesn't want is taken away after a response
No homework after doing well on an exam
Car chiming until you put your seatbelt on
Ms. O'Connor reinforces James every time she sees him reading independently. Once he is reading
frequently, she begins to reinforce him only every second time, then only every third time, and so
on, gradually reinforcing him less and less often. From a behaviorist perspective, we can predict
Jimmy will: -Correct Answer: Continue to read independently
,Which one of the following statements best characterizes ho reinforement of incompatible
behavior can help reduce inappropriate behavior in the classroom? -Correct Answer: An
undesirable behavior will decrease when a student is reinforced for a behavior in an opposite
manner
Social cognitive theory can best be characterized as being concerned with learning: -Correct
Answer:
through observations of others
One characteristic common to all behavorist learning theories is an emphasis on: -Correct Answer:
the effect of the environment on learning
Which one of the following statements best describes positive reinforcement? -Correct Answer:
Reinforcement consists of getting something a learner wants.
If we want to enhance students' metacognitive processes during problem solving, we would be
most likely to: -Correct Answer: suggest questions that students might ask themselves as they
work on problems.
Which one of the following is the best illustration of metacognition? -Correct Answer: Dolly is
studying for a history test. She knows that she has trouble with dates, so she checks herself by
giving herself a short quiz after each chapter.
Criterion-Referenced Assessment -Correct Answer: - Helps to figure out whether of not the
teaching and students' learning meet the international goals and the content area standards for
the covered material.
assess strengths and weaknesses of students' understanding
Focus is on standards
Which one of the following eamples illustrates informal assessment? -Correct Answer: observing
how students handle the ball as they play soccer in gym class
Which one of the following is the best example of performance assessment -Correct Answer:
having students do as many push-ups as they can
, by encouraging students to evaluate their own performance during assessment activities we are
most likely to: -Correct Answer: promote self-regulation
Which one of the following is a legitimate concern about the use of performance assessment? -
Correct Answer: its reliability and content validitly are sometimes questionable.
Which of the following students show motivation consistent with theoretical views of self worth? -
Correct Answer: Monica doesn't read the comments her teacher has written on her research paper
because she suspects that they're not very flattering.
which one of the following statements best describes motivation theorists' concept of sense of
self- determination? -Correct Answer: Believing that you have some choice about what you do.
Norm-Referenced Assessment -Correct Answer: - Individual performance
In your music class the teacher decides on chair order by having your whole trumpet section play
the same piece and then evaluates their quality relative to the other students.
Top 10% of your class in order to get into a certain college
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of informal assessment -Correct Answer: informal
assesment is valid
Ms. Smith's 7th grade language arts class has a reading chart on the wall to chart how mny books
they read during the month of december. If they read 3 books each, the class as a wholewill
receive a movie day where they get to choose a movie. What type of motivation is this classified
as? -Correct Answer:
Extrinisic motivation
The cognitive theory of motivation that one fo the congnitions that affect motivation is goals. Out
of the four types of goals, which of these scenarios best illustrates a mastery approach? -Correct
Answer: Sam loves playing football, but for some reason he just can't seem to throw that perfect
spiral. After many attempts he asks his dad for tips and suggestions on how to throw a great pass
since his dad played football throughout his younger years
