Abstract
Decision-making in professional practice is a daily activity for school psychologists. While influences that affect human decision-making have been extensively documented in some disciplines, application of these influences specific to school psychology practice remains less frequently discussed in the literature. This paper identifies some factors known to have powerful influence on general decision-making and offers some precautionary approaches to facilitate potentially more accurate conclusions. School psychologists are urged to consider these influences through reflection on the specific applied examples and the use of a summary rubric illustrating, first, how faulty decisions might manifest themselves in applied practice and, second, offering some reflection guidelines for avoiding erroneous decisions. School psychology training programs may consider how these influences impact decision-making processes and include discussion of the topic in relevant coursework.
