Deck 16: Emotional and Social Development in Middle Adulthood

Question 1

Jennifer,age 45,is a Girl Scout leader.She states that she really enjoys giving to and guiding the next generation.According to Erikson,Jennifer has developed a sense of

A)intimacy.
B)generativity.
C)guilt.
D)stagnation.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Currently,the largest age sector of the U.S.population includes _____-year-olds.

A)15- to 24
B)25- to 34
C)45- to 54
D)65- to 74

Answer 2

C

Question 3

One way adults with a sense of stagnation express their self-absorption is through

A)lack of interest in young people.
B)focusing on being productive at work.
C)creative pursuits,such as photography or painting.
D)lack of interest in themselves.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Marcus,age 53,is spending a lot of time caring for his young grandson.His subordinates at work have noticed that he has become a kinder,more compassionate boss.According to Levinson,Marcus is engaged in which developmental task?

A)young-old
B)destruction-creation
C)masculinity-femininity
D)engagement-separateness

Question 5

The negative outcome of Erikson's midlife stage,stagnation,focuses on

A)self-indulgence.
B)selflessness.
C)role confusion.
D)guilt and shame.

Question 6

Compared with Caucasians,African Americans

A)are less involved in religious groups and activities.
B)offer less social support to members of their community.
C)are less likely to view themselves as role models for their children.
D)more often engage in certain types of generativity,such as involvement in religious groups.

Question 7

Which of the following is true about generativity?

A)Parenting is the primary means of realizing generativity and,therefore,childless middle-aged adults become stagnant.
B)Adults can be generative in parenting or other family relationships,but not in the workplace or community.
C)A culture's "belief in the species" is a major motivator of generative action,according to Erikson.
D)Generativity is motivated by the sense that one's days are numbered and the sense of quiet desperation that ensues.

Question 8

Which person is more likely to pursue and establish a satisfying life structure?

A)Jason,a blue-collar worker
B)Nathan,who recently divorced
C)Michael,who has a supportive family
D)Gregory,who is unemployed

Question 9

In early adulthood,Angelina grew distant from her father.Now that she is approaching midlife,Angelina has started making an effort to repair the relationship.According to Levinson,Angelina is engaged in which developmental task?

A)young-old
B)destruction-creation
C)masculinity-femininity
D)engagement-separateness

Question 10

Which person is the most likely to be concerned about the physical changes of aging?

A)Caleb,a college-educated man
B)Julie,a non-college-educated woman
C)Meg,a college-educated woman
D)Jack,a non-college-educated man

Question 11

Which of the following adults probably has a sense of stagnation?

A)Cane,who volunteers at a teen crisis center
B)Jill,who takes little interest in her grown children
C)Katherine,who is a mentor in her workplace
D)Philip,who works hard at being productive in the workplace

Question 12

A(n)_________ adult combines the need for self-expression with the need for communion,integrating personal goals with the welfare of the larger social world.

A)generative
B)stagnant
C)autonomous
D)diffused

Question 13

In midlife,Janine,a successful dentist with a busy practice,is most likely to

A)pursue an additional college degree.
B)scale back on her career and attend more to herself.
C)accept a position teaching community college courses at night.
D)purchase a retiring colleague's dental practice.

Question 14

____________ is associated with favorable personality traits and adjustment.

A)Masculinity
B)Femininity
C)Separateness
D)Androgyny

Question 15

Erikson's psychological conflict of midlife is called _________ versus ________.

A)initiative;guilt
B)identity;role confusion
C)intimacy;isolation
D)generativity;stagnation

Question 16

Kim devoted her early adulthood to raising her daughter.When Kim turned 45,she became active in community theater,which had been a passion in adolescence.She also volunteered in the community.According to Levinson,Kim is engaged in which developmental task?

A)young-old
B)destruction-creation
C)masculinity-femininity
D)engagement-separateness

Question 17

According to Levinson,middle adulthood begins with a

A)transitional period.
B)stable period.
C)significant crisis.
D)dream.

Question 18

Because Thomas is highly generative,he is also likely to

A)use authoritarian parenting.
B)be open-minded about differing viewpoints.
C)experience anxiety and depression.
D)work mostly for financial rewards.

Question 19

Betty just celebrated her fiftieth birthday.She celebrated by taking hang-gliding lessons and purchasing a more mature wardrobe.According to Levinson,Betty is engaged in which developmental task?

A)young-old
B)destruction-creation
C)masculinity-femininity
D)engagement-separateness

Question 20

Which of the following is true about generativity and having children?

A)Having children seems to foster women's generative development more than men's.
B)Childless men score higher in generativity than fathers.
C)Having children seems to foster men's generative development more than women's.
D)Childless women score higher in generativity than mothers.

Question 21

Which of the following is true about people who flexibly modify their identities in response to age-related changes?

A)Their personalities undergo drastic revision.
B)They enter an extended period of moratorium.
C)They score higher in self-esteem.
D)They score lower in self-esteem.

Question 22

Bruce knows that he is able to manage a complicated array of tasks easily and effectively,which is what makes him such a good administrator.Bruce displays

A)generativity.
B)autonomy.
C)environmental mastery.
D)expertise.

Question 23

Which of the following is true about possible selves?

A)They increase in number with age.
B)They become increasingly abstract with age.
C)They show considerable stability by early adulthood.
D)They may be the key to continued well-being in adulthood.

Question 24

With age,possible selves become

A)greater in number.
B)more lofty.
C)more concrete.
D)more egocentric.

Question 25

As people age,they may rely less on ________ comparisons in judging their self-worth and more on __________ comparisons.

A)social;temporal
B)temporal;social
C)emotional;physical
D)physical;metacognitive

Question 26

Women's work-related turning points peak in

A)adolescence.
B)early adulthood.
C)middle adulthood.
D)late adulthood.

Question 27

Middle-aged adults who come to terms with life disappointments report

A)a significant midlife crisis.
B)greater fulfillment in life's dreams.
C)greater life satisfaction.
D)poorer physical health.

Question 28

Which of the following is true about the midlife crisis?

A)Vaillant saw many examples of midlife crisis,especially in men.
B)Levinson's work showed little evidence of a midlife crisis.
C)Vaillant's work indicated a slow and steady change,rather than a crisis.
D)Evidence strongly supports the view of middle age as a turbulent time.

Question 29

Which possible self is the most likely to be desired by a middle-aged adult?

A)a person who is perfectly happy
B)a person who is a good spouse and parent
C)a person who is rich and famous
D)a person who does something important

Question 30

Maureen,an attorney,went to law school to become a child advocate.Instead,she accepted a high-paying job at a corporation and was a partner by age 45.When looking back on the last two decades of her life,she wishes she had made different career choices.Maureen is experiencing

A)life regrets.
B)a midlife crisis.
C)a maladaptive social clock.
D)an interrupted life structure.

Question 31

_________ is common in middle adulthood.

A)Midlife crisis
B)Life regret
C)Drastic life alteration
D)Life evaluation

Question 32

Cate,age 49,acknowledges both her good and bad qualities and feels positively about herself and life.Cate exhibits

A)self-acceptance.
B)autonomy.
C)wisdom.
D)expertise.

Question 33

Faith,age 46,tells her sister that she hopes to get a promotion at work and become a grandmother in the next 10 years.She says she is afraid of growing old alone,and plans to move in with an old friend if she does not find a partner before she is 65.Faith is discussing her

A)future model.
B)possible selves.
C)internal map.
D)generalized goals.

Question 34

As people approach the end of middle adulthood,they focus on _________ goals.

A)shorter-term,more abstract
B)shorter-term,less complex
C)longer-term,more personal
D)longer-term,less personal

Question 35

Most middle-aged adults asked to describe "turning points" in the past five years report ones concerning

A)work.
B)family.
C)education.
D)spirituality.

Question 36

Raven is less concerned about others' expectations than she was in her thirties.She is now more concerned with following her own standards.Raven exhibits

A)generativity.
B)autonomy.
C)environmental mastery.
D)stagnation.

Question 37

The majority of adults who report experiencing a midlife crisis

A)attribute it to age rather than challenging life events.
B)have a much looser definition of midlife crisis than that of researchers.
C)report suffering from serious depression and anxiety attacks.
D)claim that it occurred between the ages of 40 and 50.

Question 38

Jay,age 50,is finally comfortable with himself.He is more independent,assertive,and committed to his personal values than he was in early adulthood.Jay probably believes that midlife is

A)a time of upheaval and crisis.
B)a stepping-stone to old age.
C)more stressful than early adulthood.
D)the prime of life.

Question 39

Possible selves are the __________ dimension of self-concept.

A)positive
B)negative
C)temporal
D)social

Question 40

In his mid-forties,Edgar felt enormous turmoil,dissatisfaction,and unhappiness with his life.He decided to quit his job,leave his family,and start a new life on a communal farm in Colorado.Research on midlife crisis indicates that Edgar is

A)unlike the average middle-aged adult.
B)typical of most people in midlife.
C)unlikely to enjoy his new life.
D)likely to return to his old life within a year.

Question 41

Which of the following is true about handling multiple roles in midlife?

A)Women who occupy several roles are too stressed to experience mastery.
B)As role involvement increases,environmental mastery decreases.
C)Control over roles may be vital for individuals with lower educational attainment.
D)The ability to handle multiple roles is greater in men than women.

Question 42

____________ are among the best predictors of psychological well-being in the late forties and early fifties.

A)Occupational prestige and high income
B)Gratifying social ties
C)Employment and gender identity
D)Extroversion and neuroticism

Question 43

Alan is hardworking,well-organized,punctual,ambitious,and persevering.He is high on which of these "big five" personality traits?

A)extroversion
B)openness to experience
C)agreeableness
D)conscientiousness

Question 44

The term "empty nest" is not used as often as in the past to refer to the middle adulthood phase of the family life cycle because

A)many middle-aged adults are raising at least one grandchild.
B)it implies a negative transition,especially for women.
C)the baby boomers are less financially well-off and,thus,often return home to "the nest."
D)the majority of middle-aged people in the United States already live alone.

Question 45

Middle-aged adults are more likely than other adults to

A)identify the negative aspects of difficult situations.
B)take action before evaluating alternatives.
C)express their feelings in ways that offend others.
D)anticipate and plan ways to handle future discomforts.

Question 46

Hart volunteers with Habitat for Humanity.When he is at a work-site,he is so engrossed in activity that he loses all sense of time and self-awareness.Hart is experiencing

A)early-onset dementia.
B)environmental mastery.
C)self-efficacy.
D)flow.

Question 47

Midlife brings an increase in

A)effective coping strategies.
B)gender typing.
C)daily stressors.
D)psychological disturbance.

Question 48

Cynthia is imaginative,creative,original,curious,and liberal.She is high on which of these "big five" personality traits?

A)neuroticism
B)extroversion
C)openness to experience
D)agreeableness

Question 49

Moira,age 52,engages in a daily exercise regimen.As a result,she is likely to

A)fear losing an active lifestyle as she gets older.
B)worry a lot about age-related physical deterioration.
C)see herself as particularly active for her age.
D)have more physical injuries than other middle-aged adults.

Question 50

Alex is reserved,quiet,passive,sober,and emotionally unreactive.He is low on which of these "big five" personality traits?

A)extroversion
B)openness to experience
C)agreeableness
D)conscientiousness

Question 51

Gregor,an adolescent,can be characterized by the "big five" personality trait of conscientiousness.Gregor

A)can anticipate that this trait will increase through middle age.
B)can anticipate that this trait will decrease through middle age.
C)will probably also become more extroverted as he ages.
D)will probably become more neurotic as he ages.

Question 52

Cross-cultural research on the "big five" personality traits has led researchers to conclude that

A)individual differences in the traits are small and highly unstable.
B)adult personality change is genetically influenced.
C)the stability of the personality traits is inconsistent across time.
D)trends in adult personality changes are highly unstable across cultures.

Question 53

Which of the following statements is consistent with the parental imperative theory?

A)Gender role identity is maintained during active parenting years to help ensure survival of the children.
B)Androgyny is maintained during active parenting years to help ensure survival of the children.
C)Both mothers and fathers become more masculine as their children reach adulthood.
D)Both mothers and fathers become more feminine as their children reach adulthood.

Question 54

Which of the following women will probably become increasingly outspoken in her early fifties?

A)Debbie,a homemaker
B)Lin,a school bus driver
C)Mia,a waitress in a diner
D)Siobhan,a partner in a law firm

Question 55

According to parental imperative theory,after children reach adulthood,

A)parents both become more masculine,gaining most in dominance and assertiveness.
B)parents both become more feminine,gaining most in nurturance and empathy.
C)parents are free to express the "other-gender" side of their personalities.
D)men become goal-oriented,while women become more nurturing.

Question 56

Androgyny in adulthood is associated with

A)decreased self-acceptance and autonomy.
B)greater environmental mastery and neuroticism.
C)advanced moral reasoning and psychosocial maturity.
D)more life regrets and fewer possible selves.

Question 57

Studies report ___________ in midlife.

A)an increase in masculine traits in men
B)a decrease of masculine traits in women
C)that both men and women become more androgynous
D)an increase of feminine traits in women

Question 58

The role of marriage in mental health

A)decreases with age.
B)is unknown.
C)increases with age.
D)peaks in early adulthood.

Question 59

Sue is soft-hearted,trusting,generous,acquiescent,lenient,and good-natured.She is high on which of these "big five" personality traits?

A)neuroticism
B)extroversion
C)openness to experience
D)agreeableness

Question 60

Denyse is calm,even-tempered,self-content,comfortable,unemotional,and hardy.She is low on which of these "big five" personality traits?

A)neuroticism
B)extroversion
C)openness to experience
D)agreeableness

Question 61

Which grandparent is the most likely to report frequent visits with grandchildren?

A)Marion,a maternal grandmother
B)Ronald,a paternal grandfather
C)Barbara,a paternal grandmother
D)George,a maternal grandfather

Question 62

The ____________ of poverty is a trend in which women who support themselves or their families have become the majority of the adult poverty population.

A)emasculation
B)gender equalization
C)feminization
D)glass ceiling

Question 63

The gender gap in poverty is

A)lower in the United States than in other Western industrialized nations.
B)virtually nonexistent in the United States,but exists in many nonindustrialized nations.
C)a trend of the past that has been successfully overcome by strong public policies safeguarding women.
D)higher in the United States than in other Western industrialized nations.

Question 64

The most common reason that grandparents step in to raise grandchildren is parental

A)death.
B)relocation.
C)substance-abuse issues.
D)financial problems.

Question 65

Chet and Leola enjoy being grandparents.They especially value being able to pass family history and values to a new generation.Which grandparenthood gratification is probably most important to them?

A)valued elder
B)immortality through descendants
C)reinvolvement with personal past
D)indulgence

Question 66

Following her divorce,48-year-old Donna reevaluated what she considered important in a healthy relationship.She probably places

A)greater weight on passionate love.
B)greater weight on equal friendship.
C)less emphasis on communication.
D)more emphasis on financial security.

Question 67

Missy lives with her maternal grandparents,apart from her father and mother.Missy is growing up in a _________ family.

A)skipped-generation
B)generative
C)nuclear
D)kinkeeper

Question 68

Throughout middle adulthood,parents' relationships with their young adult children tend to involve

A)receiving more assistance than they give.
B)giving more assistance than they receive.
C)careful monitoring and awareness of day-to-day activities.
D)escalating tensions and little communication.

Question 69

Little is known about long-term adjustment following divorce among middle-aged men,perhaps because

A)so few men divorce in middle adulthood.
B)they often die within 5 to 10 years after divorce.
C)how well they adjust depends on the reasons for the divorce.
D)most enter new relationships and remarry within a short time.

Question 70

Which characteristic of young adult children is more important for midlife parental adjustment?

A)educational success
B)occupational success
C)marital satisfaction
D)psychological adjustment

Question 71

Which of these factors can prompt parental strain as children depart from the home?

A)a child who was born after the parents turned 30
B)a strong orientation toward home
C)a strong orientation toward work
D)a child who is "off-time" in development

Question 72

Which of the following is true about marriage and divorce in midlife?

A)Marital satisfaction is only a modest predictor of midlife psychological well-being.
B)Middle-aged adults seem to adapt more easily to divorce than younger people.
C)Middle-aged adults with little or no education are more likely to divorce than their educated counterparts.
D)Overall,divorce rates in middle adulthood are significantly higher than in early adulthood.

Question 73

Parents who were __________ in _________ are more likely to experience contact and closeness with their child in early adulthood.

A)permissive;early childhood
B)warm and supportive;middle childhood
C)strict and authoritarian;adolescence
D)permissive;adolescence

Question 74

Ron and Raul love being grandparents.They are thrilled to be leaving behind not just one but two generations after death.Which grandparenthood gratification is probably most important to them?

A)valued elder
B)immortality through descendants
C)reinvolvement with personal past
D)indulgence

Question 75

In many Mexican- and Chinese-American households,the maternal grandmother is

A)the primary source of financial support.
B)the gatekeeper of the parent-child relationship.
C)the preferred caregiver for young grandchildren.
D)less significant than the paternal grandmother.

Question 76

After all five of her children struck out on their own,Naomi made sure everyone stayed in touch by creating a family blog.She also took charge of gathering the family for celebrations.Naomi is her family's

A)social secretary.
B)relationship guardian.
C)kinkeeper.
D)organizational arranger.

Question 77

Which of the following is true about grandparents who take full responsibility for raising grandchildren?

A)They are usually financially well-off.
B)Because of the generation gap,they lack effective child-rearing skills.
C)The family arrangement is unique to certain minority groups.
D)They often experience considerable emotional and financial strain.

Question 78

A person who lists being a valued elder as a gratification of grandparenthood values

A)having fun with children without major child-rearing responsibilities.
B)the idea of leaving behind two generations after death.
C)being perceived as a wise,helpful person.
D)being able to pass family history and values to a new generation.

Question 79

More Italian young adults reside with their parents until marriage than in other Western nations because

A)young adults must financially contribute to the family's welfare before moving on.
B)Italian parents grant their children few freedoms within the parental home.
C)parents believe that moving out without a "justified" reason signifies that something is wrong in the family.
D)Italian young adults are expected to serve as family kinkeepers.

Question 80

Compared with grandchildren in intact families,grandchildren in single-parent and stepparent families report

A)engaging in fewer activities with their grandparents.
B)engaging in more diverse,higher-quality grandparent activities.
C)significant conflict with their grandparents.
D)less interest in having a close relationship with their grandparents.