ILTS Family and Consumer Sciences (217) key terms

A ranked model of human motivation in which basic physiological and safety needs must be met before higher needs such as belonging, esteem, and self-actualization can drive behavior.

The highest level of Maslow's hierarchy, describing the drive to reach one's full potential through growth, creativity, and meaningful achievement.

A framework describing predictable stages a family passes through, from formation and child-rearing to launching children and later life, each with distinct developmental tasks.

Skills and adjustments expected at particular life stages, such as forming an identity in adolescence or establishing independence in young adulthood, shaped by individual and social expectations.

Eight lifespan stages in which a person resolves a social-emotional crisis, such as trust versus mistrust or intimacy versus isolation, to develop healthy personality traits.

A household consisting of two parents and their dependent children, often contrasted with extended, single-parent, blended, and multigenerational household structures.

A household formed when a partner with children from a prior relationship joins another adult, requiring negotiation of roles, rules, and stepparent-child relationships.

A perspective holding that a family is an interdependent unit whose members influence one another, so a change in one member affects the whole system's functioning.

Recurring patterns of speaking and listening within relationships, such as assertive, passive, aggressive, and passive-aggressive approaches, that shape conflict and closeness.

A communication technique in which the listener paraphrases and reflects the speaker's message and feelings to confirm understanding and reduce miscommunication.

A conflict-reducing statement format that names the speaker's feeling and the specific behavior causing it, avoiding blame directed at the other person.

A process of addressing disagreement through negotiation, compromise, or collaborative problem-solving so that relationships and goals are preserved.

The deliberate planning, allocation, and use of limited resources such as time, money, energy, and space to meet individual and family goals.

A structured sequence of identifying a need, gathering information, weighing alternatives, choosing, acting, and evaluating outcomes used in individual and family choices.

The value of the best alternative given up when a choice is made, a core concept in managing scarce family resources.

A written plan that estimates income and assigns spending to categories over a period so that expenditures stay within available funds.

Fixed expenses stay the same each period, such as rent, while variable expenses fluctuate with use or season, such as groceries and utilities.

Take-home pay remaining after taxes and required deductions are subtracted from gross earnings, the amount available for spending and saving.

Total earnings before any taxes, insurance premiums, or other payroll deductions are withheld from a paycheck.

A record compiled by agencies showing borrowing history, payment timeliness, balances, and inquiries, used by lenders to judge creditworthiness.

A numerical rating derived largely from payment history, amounts owed, length of credit history, and new credit, predicting likelihood of repaying debt.

Annual percentage rate, the yearly cost of borrowing expressed as a percentage that includes interest and certain fees, allowing comparison across loan offers.

Interest calculated on both the original principal and previously accumulated interest, causing savings to grow and debt to expand faster over time.

The principle that money available now is worth more than the same amount later because it can be invested to earn a return.

A USDA food guidance graphic dividing a plate into fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy to illustrate balanced meal proportions.

Federal nutrition recommendations updated periodically that advise on food and beverage choices and physical activity to promote health and reduce chronic disease risk.

The amount of beneficial nutrients a food provides relative to its calories, so vegetables and lean proteins rank higher than sugary or refined items.

Energy from foods and drinks that supply solid fats and added sugars with few or no other nutrients, such as soda and many desserts.

Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, the energy-yielding nutrients the body needs in relatively large amounts for fuel, structure, and regulation.

Vitamins and minerals required in small quantities that support metabolism, immunity, and tissue function without supplying significant energy.

The building blocks of protein; nine are essential because the body cannot make them and they must come from food.

A protein source containing all nine essential amino acids in adequate amounts, typically from animal foods or complementary plant combinations.

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point, a preventive food safety system that identifies biological, chemical, and physical hazards and sets controls at critical points.

The range of roughly 40 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit in which bacteria multiply rapidly, so perishable food should be kept outside it.

Transfer of harmful microorganisms from one food, surface, or utensil to another, often prevented by separating raw meats and washing hands and equipment.

Limited or uncertain access to enough safe, nutritious food for an active healthy life, often measured by household surveys and addressed by assistance programs.

Designing products and environments usable by the widest range of people without adaptation, benefiting older adults, children, and people with disabilities.

Applying knowledge of human anatomy and behavior to arrange tools, furniture, and tasks so they fit the user and reduce strain.

The ability of older adults to remain in their own homes safely and independently, supported by home modifications and community services.

Textile fibers such as cotton, wool, silk, and linen that come from plants or animals, differing in absorbency, strength, and care from manufactured fibers.

Attached labels giving washing, drying, ironing, and bleaching instructions; in the United States the care label rule requires them on many garments.