CPS Educational Psychology Principles 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, which system directly involves the child's immediate environment such as family, school, and peers?
- Macrosystem
- Exosystem
- Microsystem (Correct answer)
- Chronosystem
Correct answer: Microsystem
The microsystem is the innermost layer and includes the settings the child directly participates in, such as home, school, and peer groups.
Question 2: A student consistently attributes academic failures to lack of ability rather than insufficient effort. According to attribution theory, this pattern is best described as:
- An external, unstable attribution
- An internal, stable attribution (Correct answer)
- An external, stable attribution
- An internal, unstable attribution
Correct answer: An internal, stable attribution
Attributing failure to ability is internal (within the person) and stable (unchangeable), which is the most maladaptive attribution pattern per Weiner's model.
Question 3: Which concept from Lev Vygotsky describes the difference between what a learner can accomplish independently and what they can accomplish with guidance?
- Scaffolding
- Zone of proximal development (Correct answer)
- Assimilation
- Metacognition
Correct answer: Zone of proximal development
The zone of proximal development (ZPD) is the gap between a learner's independent performance level and their potential level with expert assistance.
Question 4: A psychoeducational specialist notices that a student performs significantly better on tasks when given immediate feedback versus delayed feedback. This finding is best explained by which learning principle?
- Law of effect
- Contiguity principle (Correct answer)
- Latent learning
- Observational learning
Correct answer: Contiguity principle
The contiguity principle holds that learning is strongest when a stimulus and response (or response and feedback) occur close together in time.
Question 5: In information processing theory, which memory store has virtually unlimited capacity and holds information indefinitely?
- Sensory register
- Working memory
- Long-term memory (Correct answer)
- Phonological loop
Correct answer: Long-term memory
Long-term memory is considered to have unlimited capacity and can retain information permanently, unlike the sensory register or working memory.
Question 6: A teacher uses a graphic organizer to help students connect new material to prior knowledge. This strategy is most aligned with which educational psychology concept?
- Classical conditioning
- Advance organizer (Correct answer)
- Systematic desensitization
- Negative reinforcement
Correct answer: Advance organizer
Ausubel's advance organizer concept involves using introductory material to activate prior knowledge and provide a framework for integrating new information.
Question 7: Which of the following best describes 'mastery learning' as proposed by Benjamin Bloom?
- Students advance based on age regardless of performance
- All students can achieve high standards given sufficient time and instruction (Correct answer)
- Learning is driven entirely by intrinsic motivation
- Gifted students are grouped separately to maximize potential
Correct answer: All students can achieve high standards given sufficient time and instruction
Bloom's mastery learning holds that virtually all students can achieve high learning outcomes if instruction is appropriately paced and corrective feedback is provided.
CPS Educational Psychology Principles 2
According to Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, which system directly involves the child's immediate environment such as family, school, and peers?