Deck 14: Socioemotional Development in Middle Adulthood

Question 1

Guillermo has taught his apprentices all the specialized techniques he has developed over the years as a carpenter. It makes him feel proud and useful to pass along what he has learned. According to Erikson, he has achieved _____ generativity.

A) biological
B) parental
C) work
D) cultural

Answer 1

work

Question 2

In a recent study by Cox and others, _____ was strongly linked to middle-aged adults' positive social engagement in contexts such as family life and community activities.

A) integration
B) self-concept
C) generativity
D) personal integrity

Answer 2

generativity

Question 3

Joshua, now in midlife, has been a Boy Scout leader since his children were small. He is taking great pride in watching his son take a leadership position in the scouts. His son is fulfilling Joshua's needs for:

A) self-actualization.
B) generativity.
C) self-absorption.
D) perpetuity.

Answer 3

generativity.

Question 4

Madison is a 19-year-old college freshman. She chose a college close to home because her dream is to have a quiet life in the town she grew up in. According to Levinson, Madison is right on time in her:

A) realization of a goal.
B) testing of a dream.
C) free experimentation.
D) formation of a dream.

Question 5

As he looks back over his life, Chris realizes that his work was not as important to him as he believed, and that he lost too much valuable time with his children. If he could do it over again, he would work less and spend more time with his children. According to Erikson, Chris is experiencing some degree of:

A) social rejection.
B) apathy.
C) generativity.
D) stagnation.

Question 6

In a longitudinal study of Smith College women, the desire for _____ increased as the participants aged from their thirties to their fifties.

A) generativity
B) self-concept
C) integration
D) balance

Question 7

According to Levinson, the transition from dependence to independence is marked by the:

A) realization of a goal.
B) testing of a dream.
C) free experimentation.
D) formation of a dream.

Question 8

Kevin's dream is to work with children as a physical therapist. He is committed to complete the years of higher education needed to achieve his dream, and stay active in volunteer work. According to Levinson, by planning the next few years of his life he is:

A) testing his industriousness.
B) developing a stable life structure.
C) determining his goals.
D) forming an image of his career.

Question 9

According to Levinson, which of the following is a major task that needs to be mastered in early adulthood?

A) Exploring the possibilities for adult living
B) Determining one's goals in life
C) Testing one's dreams in the real world
D) Becoming independent

Question 10

_____ develops when individuals sense that they have done nothing for the next generation.

A) Perpetuity
B) Generativity
C) Self-actualization
D) Stagnation

Question 11

Erikson proposed that middle-aged adults face a significant issue that he termed:

A) intimacy versus isolation.
B) integrity versus despair.
C) generativity versus stagnation.
D) autonomy versus shame and doubt.

Question 12

Victoria is so proud that her daughter wants to be a nurse, just like her mother. Victoria feels like her legacy will continue on in her daughter's work. Erik Erikson would describe this as meeting Victoria's need for generativity to achieve a sense of:

A) immortality.
B) recognition.
C) achievement.
D) omniscience.

Question 13

Saeko is committed to the improvement of society as a whole through her connection with her children and grandchildren. She believes that by nurturing them to become productive and active citizens, she is making the world a better place. According to Erikson, she is:

A) integrated.
B) generative.
C) very unusual in her position.
D) gifted.

Question 14

Kevin's dream is to work with children as a physical therapist. By finding a summer internship at a camp for children with physical disabilities, Kevin is testing his dream in the real world. According to Levinson, he is:

A) exploring the possibilities for adult living.
B) determining his goals in life.
C) testing his industriousness.
D) becoming independent.

Question 15

Levinson sees the twenties as a(n) _____ phase of adult development.

A) pre-adult
B) novice
C) expert
D) generative

Question 16

Alexander is a 19-year-old college freshman. He has a dream of becoming a sports journalist and living a fast-paced professional life in a large city. According to Levinson, Alexander is right on time in his:

A) transition from dependence to independence.
B) increase in generativity.
C) increase in feelings of stagnation.
D) transition from identity to intimacy.

Question 17

Jacqueline nurtures and guides her children. As a homeschool mother, she is in tune with both their education and social development. According to Erikson, she has achieved _____ generativity.

A) biological
B) parental
C) work
D) cultural

Question 18

In terms of Erikson's generativity versus stagnation stage, the achievement of generativity is linked to all of the following EXCEPT:

A) better health in late adulthood.
B) positive social engagement.
C) decreased stress.
D) involvement in community activities.

Question 19

Abdiel has had three children, and he adores each one. He has found a way to connect with the interests of each of his children, spending time with them and sharing hobbies. According to Erikson, he has achieved:

A) biological generativity.
B) parental generativity.
C) biological stagnation.
D) cultural stagnation.

Question 20

According to Levinson, which of the following is a major task that needs to be mastered in early adulthood?

A) Testing industriousness
B) Developing a stable life structure
C) Determining goals
D) Forming an image of one's career

Question 21

Which of the following is not a criticism of Levinson's work on midlife?

A) His statistical analysis was flawed.
B) His original work was with men only.
C) Asking participants to reflect on how they felt 20 years earlier likely produces distorted data.
D) Asking participants to reflect on how they felt 20 years earlier likely produces selective memories and misses forgotten episodes.

Question 22

Adult development experts are virtually unanimous in their belief that midlife crises:

A) have been validated.
B) have been exaggerated.
C) have no cross-cultural validity.
D) have been under-researched.

Question 23

For the first time in his life, Kevin, now 46 years old, is allowing himself to spend time to learn how to cook for his family. He has always considered this a feminine task and something he would never brag about. Levinson would say he is working through the conflict of:

A) being young versus being old.
B) being attached to others versus being separated from them.
C) being masculine versus being feminine.
D) being destructive versus being constructive.

Question 24

William was one of those college guys who didn't know what he wanted to do, and at the time wasn't distressed about that. Being older in terms of his career development has him worried because, according to Levinson, by age 40, a man should have:

A) reached a stable point in his career.
B) just started to determine his goals.
C) just formed a dream about his future.
D) come to grips with the conflict of being attached to others versus being separated from them.

Question 25

George Vaillant concludes that the _____ are a decade of reassessing and recording the truth about the adolescent and adulthood years.

A) forties
B) fifties
C) sixties
D) thirties

Question 26

From about the ages of 28 to 33, a man goes through a transition period in which he must face the more serious question of:

A) achieving his independence.
B) forming his dreams.
C) achieving his goals.
D) determining his goals.

Question 27

Michael, 33 years old, is married, a father of two, and getting established in his career. He finds himself torn between obligations to his family and his employer, and often ponders where his loyalties are and where to draw boundaries. According to Levinson, he is:

A) achieving his independence.
B) forming his dreams.
C) achieving his goals.
D) determining his goals.

Question 28

One difference between earlier and current life-events approaches is that the later ones emphasize:

A) mediating factors.
B) statistical analysis.
C) global comparisons.
D) both men's and women's issues.

Question 29

What did Levinson's research conclude about women in midlife transition?

A) Women have significantly less distress during this process.
B) Women face the midlife transition earlier and with greater difficulty than do men.
C) Levinson maintained that women who have had children experience an easier time during midlife than those who have not had children.
D) Levinson reported that his stages, transitions, and the crisis of middle age hold for women as well as men.

Question 30

The _____ life-events approach focuses on the ways life events and the circumstances surrounding the events influence development.

A) contemporary
B) standard
C) traditional
D) early

Question 31

James, 32 years old, is married, a father of one, and getting established in his career. He finds himself torn between obligations to his family and his employer, and often ponders where his loyalties are and where to draw boundaries. According to Levinson, he is entering the phase of BOOM, or:

A) "boundaries on our midlife."
B) "boring, organized, odd, manly."
C) "becoming organized or manic."
D) "becoming one's own man."

Question 32

Holly asked her husband, Cody, if he felt as if he was in crisis during his midlife years. Cody replied, "My thinking on a lot of things changed, but it wasn't a crisis." Cody's experience:

A) is consistent with what Levinson would have predicted.
B) is consistent with current adult development experts.
C) is more typical of men in low SES positions.
D) is more typical of non-college educated men.

Question 33

According to Levinson, the _____ rests on how effectively the individual reduces the four major conflicts and accepts each of them as an integral part of his being.

A) failure of adolescent transition
B) success of the midlife transition
C) success of transition into early adulthood
D) success of transition into late adulthood

Question 34

For the first time in his life, Austin, now 46 years old, is allowing himself to spend time to learn how to paint with watercolors. He has always considered this a feminine hobby and a waste of time because it doesn't make money. Levinson would say he is working through the conflict of:

A) being young versus being old.
B) being attached to others versus being separated from them.
C) being masculine versus being feminine.
D) being destructive versus being constructive.

Question 35

Of the men Levinson interviewed, _____ found the midlife transition tumultuous and psychologically painful, as many aspects of their lives came into question.

A) 50% to 60%
B) 40% to 50%
C) 70% to 80%
D) 10% to 20%

Question 36

Joe finds himself revisiting questions he has had since high school about being young or old and taking risks or taking the typical route to adulthood. According to Levinson, Joe's transition to middle adulthood will last about _____ years.

A) two
B) four
C) five
D) seven

Question 37

Which of the following is a major difference between Levinson's and Valliant's views on midlife?

A) According to Levinson, only males experience midlife crisis.
B) Valliant maintains that only a minority of adults experience midlife as a crisis.
C) Levinson maintains that the transition period to midlife is six years, while Valliant holds it to be eight years.
D) Valliant's study was mainly focused on the white, middle-aged, male population within the upper-SES of society.

Question 38

Salvador, now 42 years old, ponders over what to wear, what to say, and what music to listen to. He knows that if he stays with what is comfortable, he will be seen as "old" to his kids and younger colleagues. At the same time, he doesn't want to feel like he belongs in the generation of his father. Levinson would say he is struggling with:

A) being young versus being old.
B) being attached to others versus being separated from them.
C) being masculine versus being feminine.
D) being destructive versus being constructive.

Question 39

The life-events approach to understanding adult development has been criticized because it:

A) placed too much emphasis on change.
B) placed too much emphasis on the developmental stages adults go through.
C) did not consider the female experience.
D) focused on minor and not major life events.

Question 40

According to Levinson, one of the changes to middle adulthood requires that the adult male come to grips with four major conflicts. Which of the following is NOT one of these major conflicts?

A) Being young versus being old
B) Being attractive versus being unattractive
C) Being masculine versus being feminine
D) Being destructive versus being constructive

Question 41

When men face stress, they are more likely to respond in a:

A) composed manner.
B) fight-or-flight manner.
C) stagnant manner.
D) tend and befriend pattern.

Question 42

Kevin was in a serious car accident and knows this will be a life-changing event for him. Fortunately, he has a large, supportive family. The contemporary life-events approach would consider his family support to be:

A) a mediating factor.
B) an adaptation factor.
C) a life-stage context factor.
D) a sociohistorical context factor.

Question 43

A recent study by Specht, Egloff, and Schukle found that _____ showed a continuous increase from early adulthood to late adulthood.

A) agreeableness
B) extraversion
C) conscientiousness
D) openness

Question 44

When women experience stress, they are more likely to engage in:

A) a tend and befriend pattern.
B) aggressive behavior.
C) a flight-or-fight response.
D) social distancing.

Question 45

Which of the following places individuals on a continuum from trusting to suspicious?

A) Agreeableness
B) Neuroticism
C) Extraversion
D) Conscientiousness

Question 46

Researchers have primarily used _____ studies to assess stability and change across the life span.

A) longitudinal
B) cross-sequential
C) natural
D) experimental

Question 47

Which of the following is the conclusion of the study conducted by Costa and McCrae on approximately 1,000 college-educated men and women aged 20 to 96?

A) Considerable stability occurs in the five personality factors.
B) Extraversion is the most unstable personality factor.
C) While extraversion and openness remained stable, agreeableness and conscientiousness varied greatly.
D) The five personality factors were very unstable across different age groups.

Question 48

Vivian feels overwhelmed by her schedule. Aside from demands at work, she is responsible for getting her children to various events, taking care of her mother's shopping, and managing her household. According to the Almeida and Horn study, she is experiencing:

A) adaptive stressors.
B) developmentally appropriate stressors.
C) life-events stressors.
D) overload stressors.

Question 49

According to the Almeida and Horn study, which of the following is the difference in the experience of stressors between young adults and middle-aged adults?

A) Young adults experience daily stressors less frequently.
B) Middle-aged adults experience fewer multiple stressors than older adults.
C) Young adults were less physically reactive to work stressors.
D) Middle-aged adults experienced more "overload" stressors.

Question 50

Which of the following aspects of life do middle-aged adults feel they have less control over?

A) Finances
B) Sex life
C) Work
D) Marriage

Question 51

A study of healthy women ages 63 to 93 years old regarding their daily experiences revealed that:

A) older women reported more stressors.
B) older women reported less frequent negative emotions.
C) older women reported more overload stressors.
D) younger women reported less anxiety.

Question 52

Middle-aged adults feel they have less control over their:

A) marriage.
B) finances.
C) work.
D) children.

Question 53

It has been two weeks since Brianna's husband left her for someone else. She knows that this divorce will be a life-changing event for her. Even though she is distressed, she has coped with difficult things in the past, and is sure she will recover from this, too. The contemporary life-events approach would consider her appraisal to be:

A) a mediating factor.
B) an adaptation factor.
C) a life-stage context factor.
D) a sociohistorical context factor.

Question 54

Alexis is feeling the stress of a major life event-her daughter's wedding. Her already high blood pressure is soaring, causing her to worry. The contemporary life-events approach would consider her health issues to be:

A) a mediating factor.
B) an adaptation factor.
C) a life-stage context factor.
D) a sociohistorical context factor.

Question 55

Michelle's employer just announced through email that there will be a restructuring of the company and jobs will be eliminated. She quickly hurried down the hall to talk to her friend Phyllis. She is responding in a typically female:

A) tend and befriend manner.
B) aggressive manner.
C) flight-or-fight manner.
D) composed manner.

Question 56

Which of the following places individuals on a continuum from secure to insecure?

A) Agreeableness
B) Neuroticism
C) Extraversion
D) Conscientiousness

Question 57

Steven's employer is downsizing and cutting jobs. He is worried about his future with the company. On his way home he purchases enough beer so that he'll be drunk by bedtime. He is responding in a typically male:

A) composed manner.
B) fight-or-flight manner.
C) stagnant manner.
D) tend and befriend pattern.

Question 58

Dylan's father just passed away. He knows that he needs to arrange care for his mother and prepare his parents' house for sale. Even though he has an overwhelming list of tasks, he has withdrawn by going hiking for the day. He is responding in a typically male:

A) composed manner.
B) fight-or-flight manner.
C) stagnant manner.
D) tend and befriend pattern.

Question 59

Which of the following is consistent with the position of Margie Lachman and her colleagues regarding the differences in perspectives of younger and middle-aged adults?

A) Most young adults are aware and think about the aging process.
B) Most young adults are more realistic.
C) Most midlife adults focus on self-pursuits.
D) Most midlife adults feel their sense of control is frequently challenged by outside demands.

Question 60

According to Lachman, researchers have found that on average a sense of personal control peaks in _____.

A) early adulthood
B) midlife
C) adolescence
D) late adulthood

Question 61

Kaitlin told her daughter, "I just scored high on _____ on this personality test." Her daughter, a therapist, replied, "Well, you'll be happy to know that research shows you will experience less cognitive decline as you get older."

A) agreeableness
B) openness
C) extraversion
D) conscientiousness

Question 62

Researchers increasingly are finding that _____ is linking to being healthier and living longer.

A) agreeableness
B) extraversion
C) optimism
D) conscientiousness

Question 63

Vaillant's research showed that at age 50, the best predictors of who would be dead at 75 to 80 years of age were:

A) chronic depression and cardiovascular disease.
B) diabetes and depression.
C) alcohol abuse and smoking.
D) smoking and obesity.

Question 64

Ms. Jenkins is the most generous person in the neighborhood. Every summer she has a neighborhood cookout, and she's the first to offer help when someone is in trouble. These characteristics are most closely related to:

A) agreeableness.
B) openness.
C) extraversion.
D) conscientiousness.

Question 65

Shino is looking over her list of friends and family on Facebook. She feels good about the social support network she has developed. Her satisfaction in relationships is most closely related to:

A) neuroticism.
B) openness.
C) extraversion.
D) conscientiousness.

Question 66

Which of the following places individuals on a continuum from independent to conforming?

A) Agreeableness
B) Openness
C) Extraversion
D) Conscientiousness

Question 67

Which of the following places individuals on a continuum from affectionate to reserved?

A) Agreeableness
B) Neuroticism
C) Extraversion
D) Conscientiousness

Question 68

Jesse is known for setting goals and achieving them. When faced with a challenge or problem he will tackle it quickly and directly. His great health is partly due to his running skills, but also to his attention to his nutrition. These characteristics are most closely related to:

A) agreeableness.
B) openness.
C) extraversion.
D) conscientiousness.

Question 69

In personality research aiming to predict future well-being, _____ tends to be more positive years later, and _____ tends to be more negative years later.

A) extraversion; neuroticism
B) agreeableness; neuroticism
C) openness; conscientiousness
D) agreeableness; extraversion

Question 70

According to George Vaillant's longitudinal studies, _____ in middle-age was more strongly related than _____ to whether individuals would have an enduring and happy marriage at 75 to 80 years of age.

A) generativity; intimacy
B) generativity; parenting
C) optimism; intimacy
D) optimism; parenting

Question 71

In a recent study, a higher level of _____ following an acute coronary event was linked to engaging in more physical activity.

A) agreeableness
B) extraversion
C) optimism
D) conscientiousness

Question 72

Dr. Taylor has a very high IQ and several post-baccalaureate degrees. Even though she is pleasant to talk with, her vocabulary is challenging. These characteristics are most closely related to:

A) agreeableness.
B) openness.
C) extraversion.
D) conscientiousness.

Question 73

Sam is dealing with heroin addiction, and recently told his counselor that he turned to drugs because he's always gotten knocked down in life. These characteristics are most closely related to:

A) agreeableness.
B) openness.
C) extraversion.
D) neuroticism.

Question 74

Occasionally on the news there are stories of people who put their own lives on the line to save someone else. Not only are these people heroes, they are truly selfless in their actions. Their altruistic behaviors are most closely related to:

A) agreeableness.
B) openness.
C) extraversion.
D) conscientiousness.

Question 75

In the Berkeley Longitudinal Studies, which of the following characteristics generally changed the most across time for the adult?

A) Intellectual orientation
B) Nurturance or hostility
C) Openness to experience
D) Self-confidence

Question 76

In a recent study, a higher level of _____ following an acute coronary event was linked to fewer cardiac readmissions.

A) agreeableness
B) extraversion
C) optimism
D) conscientiousness

Question 77

Chelsea has severe coronary heart disease. This condition is most closely linked to:

A) agreeableness.
B) openness.
C) extraversion.
D) neuroticism.

Question 78

As an art studio professor, Dr. Brandywine is both smart and creative. He enjoys reading high-level books on the philosophy and neuroscience of supporting artistic endeavors, and communicating that information in an understandable way to his students. These characteristics are most closely related to:

A) agreeableness.
B) openness.
C) extraversion.
D) conscientiousness.

Question 79

Which of the following places individuals on a continuum from disciplined to impulsive?

A) Agreeableness
B) Openness
C) Extraversion
D) Conscientiousness

Question 80

In the Berkeley Longitudinal Studies, which of the following characteristics was generally stable across time for the adult?

A) Nurturance
B) Hostility
C) Self-control
D) Self-confidence