Praxis Family and Consumer Sciences cheat sheet

Erikson's eight psychosocial stages pair each life phase with a crisis: trust vs. mistrust (infancy), autonomy vs. shame (toddler), initiative vs. guilt (preschool), industry vs. inferiority (school age), identity vs. role confusion (adolescence), intimacy vs. isolation (young adult), generativity vs. stagnation (midlife), integrity vs. despair (late life).

Piaget's stages: sensorimotor (0-2, object permanence), preoperational (2-7, egocentrism, symbolic play), concrete operational (7-11, conservation, reversibility), formal operational (11+, abstract and hypothetical reasoning).

Kohlberg's moral reasoning: preconventional (punishment/obedience and instrumental exchange), conventional (good-boy/good-girl and law-and-order), postconventional (social contract and universal ethical principles). Gilligan critiqued the model as male-oriented, emphasizing an ethic of care.

Bronfenbrenner's ecological model nests the developing child in microsystem (family, school), mesosystem (links between microsystems), exosystem (parent's workplace), macrosystem (culture, policy), and chronosystem (time and historical change).

Baumrind's parenting styles cross warmth with control: authoritative (high warmth, high expectations) is linked to the best outcomes; authoritarian (low warmth, high control), permissive (high warmth, low control), and uninvolved/neglectful (low both).

Family life cycle stages: launching single adult, newly married couple, families with young children, families with adolescents, launching children, later life. Each transition carries predictable tasks and potential stress points.

Duvall's developmental tasks and Hill's ABCX model: crisis (X) results from the interaction of the stressor event (A), the family's resources (B), and the family's perception of the event (C).

Bowlby and Ainsworth attachment categories: secure, avoidant, ambivalent/resistant, and disorganized. Secure attachment follows consistent, responsive caregiving in the first year.

Grief and family stress: Kubler-Ross described denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance as non-linear reactions; family systems theory treats a change in one member as affecting roles, boundaries, and communication across the whole system.

Opportunity cost is the value of the next-best alternative forgone; every spending or time decision has one, even when no money changes hands.

Compound interest: A = P(1 + r/n)^(nt). Simple interest: I = P × r × t. Doubling time is approximated by the Rule of 72 (72 ÷ annual percentage rate).

The consumer decision-making process: recognize need, gather information, evaluate alternatives, purchase, and post-purchase evaluation (cognitive dissonance often appears at the last stage).

SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound; a budget is a plan that matches expected income to fixed, flexible, and discretionary expenses.

Payroll deductions include mandatory items (federal and state income tax withholding, FICA - Social Security 6.2% and Medicare 1.45% for employees) and voluntary items (retirement contributions, insurance premiums).

Credit cost measures: APR expresses the yearly cost of credit including fees; a credit report records payment history, amounts owed, length of history, new credit, and credit mix.

Consumer protection tools: the FTC handles deceptive advertising, the CFPB handles consumer finance, the FDIC insures deposits (currently $250,000 per depositor per institution), and the Fair Credit Reporting Act governs credit report accuracy and dispute rights.

Resource management process: identify resources (human and material), plan, implement, and evaluate. Human resources include time, energy, knowledge, and skills; material resources include money, goods, and equipment.

Insurance principle of risk sharing: premiums pool risk; deductibles, coinsurance, and copays shift part of the cost to the insured; term life insurance covers a set period with no cash value.

Six nutrient classes: carbohydrates (4 kcal/g), protein (4 kcal/g), fat (9 kcal/g), vitamins, minerals, and water. Alcohol supplies about 7 kcal/g.

Macronutrient AMDRs for adults: carbohydrate 45-65% of calories, fat 20-35%, protein 10-35%. Added sugars should stay under 10% of calories; saturated fat under 10%.

MyPlate proportions: half the plate fruits and vegetables, one quarter grains (at least half whole grains), one quarter lean protein, plus a serving of low-fat dairy.

Protein quality: complete proteins supply all nine essential amino acids (animal sources, soy, quinoa). Complementary proteins combine limiting amino acids, e.g., rice plus beans.

Fatty acids: saturated fats are solid at room temperature and raise LDL; unsaturated fats (mono- and polyunsaturated) are liquid; trans fats raise LDL and lower HDL. Omega-3 and omega-6 are essential.

Micronutrient roles: vitamin A for vision, D for calcium absorption and bone, C for collagen synthesis and iron absorption, B12 for nerve function (vegans need fortified sources), folate for neural tube development, iron for hemoglobin, calcium for bone density.

Foodborne illness: high-risk foods (meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, cooked rice) sit in the temperature danger zone of 40°F to 140°F (4°C to 60°C). The four steps are clean, separate, cook, and chill.

Food label rules: ingredients are listed in descending order by weight; percent Daily Value is based on a 2,000-calorie diet; Nutrition Facts lists total fat, sodium, carbohydrate, and protein per serving.

Energy balance: 3,500 kcal equals about one pound of body fat; BMI = weight (lb) × 703 ÷ height (in)^2. Wellness includes physical, emotional, social, intellectual, spiritual, and environmental dimensions.

Cooking methods: moist heat (boiling, simmering, steaming, poaching, braising, stewing) vs. dry heat (baking, roasting, broiling, grilling, frying). Braising and stewing combine searing with liquid and long, low heat to tenderize tough cuts.

Maillard browning is a reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that creates flavor and color above about 300°F (150°C); caramelization is sugar browning alone.

Gluten forms when wheat flour is hydrated and worked; glutenin provides elasticity and gliadin provides extensibility. High-protein flours suit yeast breads; low-protein flours suit cakes and pastries.

Leavening agents: yeast (biological, produces CO2 and alcohol), baking soda (needs acid; releases CO2), baking powder (soda plus acid plus starch, double-acting releases in two stages), and steam or air.

Emulsions: an emulsion combines two immiscible liquids; an emulsifier (lecithin in egg yolk, mustard) keeps oil and water dispersed. Mayonnaise is an oil-in-water emulsion.

Knife cuts and mise en place: mise en place means everything in place before cooking; standard cuts include julienne (matchstick), brunoise (fine dice), chiffonade (shredded ribbons), and dice.

Standard recipe conversions: 3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon, 16 tablespoons = 1 cup, 1 cup = 8 fluid ounces, 2 cups = 1 pint, 4 cups = 1 quart, 4 quarts = 1 gallon.

Cooking yields and equivalents: 1 stick butter = 8 tablespoons = 4 ounces; a dozen eggs weighs about 1 pound; flour is measured by spooning into the cup and leveling, not scooping.

Food safety in the kitchen: wash hands 20 seconds, use separate cutting boards for raw meat, cook poultry to 165°F, ground meat to 160°F, and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Natural fibers: cotton (cellulose, absorbent, wrinkles), linen (flax, strong, cool), wool (protein, warm, felts), silk (protein, strong, lustrous), and rayon (regenerated cellulose, semi-synthetic).

Synthetic fibers: polyester (strong, quick-drying, oleophilic), nylon (very strong, abrasion-resistant), acrylic (wool-like, warm), spandex (elastomeric, high stretch), and olefin (lightweight, moisture-wicking).

Yarn and fabric construction: staple fibers are short and spun; filament fibers are long and continuous. Weaves include plain (balanced), twill (diagonal, durable), satin (floats, lustrous), and knit (stretchy, loops).

Fabric finishes: durable press (wrinkle resistance), mercerization (cotton luster and strength), sanforization (shrinkage control), and flame retardancy.

Care labels and the FTC: the Care Labeling Rule requires care instructions on apparel; fiber content and country of origin must also be disclosed.

Pattern and fit terms: grainline (parallel to the selvage), selvage (finished edge), bias (45° to grain, greatest stretch), darts (shape fabric to the body), and ease (extra fabric for movement).

Color theory in apparel: hue, value (lightness), and intensity (saturation). Neutrals combine with most colors; a monochromatic scheme uses one hue in varied values.

Fashion cycle stages: introduction, rise, peak, decline, and obsolescence. Classic styles persist; fads rise and fall quickly.

Textile testing terms: tensile strength, abrasion resistance, pilling (fiber balls on the surface), colorfastness (resistance to fading or bleeding), and shrinkage.

Elements of design: line, shape/form, space, texture, and color. Principles of design: balance (symmetrical, asymmetrical, radial), rhythm, emphasis, proportion/scale, harmony, and unity.

Color schemes: monochromatic (one hue), analogous (adjacent hues), complementary (opposite hues), split-complementary, and triadic (three evenly spaced hues).

Housing types and tenure: single-family detached, townhouse, apartment, cooperative (own shares, not the unit), and condominium (own the unit plus shared common areas).

Universal design principles: equitable use, flexibility in use, simple and intuitive use, perceptible information, tolerance for error, low physical effort, and size and space for approach and use.

Sustainable design: passive solar orientation, insulation R-value (resistance to heat flow), U-factor (rate of heat transfer; lower is better), low-VOC finishes, and water-conserving fixtures.

Space planning zones: public (living, dining), private (bedrooms, baths), and service/work (kitchen, laundry, utility). The kitchen work triangle links sink, range, and refrigerator.

Lighting layers: ambient (general), task (focused), and accent (highlighting). Natural light reduces energy use and supports well-being.

Floor plan symbols: doors (arc showing swing), windows (line in wall), stairs (arrow showing up direction), and electrical symbols for outlets and switches.

Housing affordability: the 30% guideline suggests housing costs (rent or mortgage plus utilities) at or below 30% of gross income; cost burden above that is considered a hardship.

FCS history: the field grew from home economics, formalized by the Smith-Lever Act (1914, extension) and the Smith-Hughes Act (1917, vocational education funding); the name changed to family and consumer sciences in 1994.

Professional organizations: the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) sets standards and offers credentials; the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) is the student CTSO.

Instructional planning: a lesson plan includes objectives (measurable verbs), standards alignment, materials, procedures, assessment, and differentiation. Bloom's taxonomy orders remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating.

Assessment types: formative (ongoing, informs instruction) and summative (end of unit); norm-referenced compares to peers, criterion-referenced compares to a standard.

Differentiation strategies: flexible grouping, tiered assignments, scaffolding, multiple means of representation and expression (UDL), and accommodations vs. modifications.

Career and technical education: FCS programs align with career pathways (human services, hospitality and tourism, education and training, arts and communication) and employability skills such as teamwork and communication.

Classroom safety and lab management: food labs require handwashing, sanitation, knife safety, and equipment demonstrations; sewing labs require machine safety rules and supervision.

Professional ethics and law: FERPA protects student education records; mandated reporting requires teachers to report suspected abuse; copyright and fair use limit copying for instruction.

Work-based learning and CTSO integration: FCCLA projects (STAR events) build leadership, service learning, and career readiness; advisory boards connect programs to community and industry.