Deck 15: Late Adulthood: Psychosocial Development

Question 1

A study by Brasson et al (2012) indicated that the brains, bodies, and behaviors of adults diagnosed with _____ were more like those of younger adults; they did not age in the appropriate way.

A) the positivity effect
B) compulsive hoarding
C) late-life depression
D) disengagement

Answer 1

C

Question 2

_____ theories claim that social forces limit individual choice and direct life, especially in late adulthood.

A) Dynamic
B) Self
C) Stratification
D) Stage

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Martha has accumulated such large piles of old papers and magazines that she can no longer use her table or desk, and she has held on to so much old furniture and clothing that many rooms in her home cannot be entered. In her attempts to hang on to various material items from her life, Martha developed:

A) a positivity effect.
B) a good strategy for aging in place.
C) universal design.
D) compulsive hoarding.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Erikson called the final crisis of development:

A) optimization versus compensation.
B) generativity versus stagnation.
C) integrity versus despair.
D) activity versus disengagement.

Question 5

Self theories emphasize:

A) social forces.
B) levels of discrimination.
C) perceptions of self.
D) circumscribed opportunities.

Question 6

Theories that describe the ways in which societies place people on a particular life path are called:

A) self theories.
B) stratification theories.
C) continuity theories.
D) activity theories.

Question 7

According to Erikson, each new experience throughout life requires:

A) both assimilation and accommodation.
B) a reassessment of identity.
C) selective optimization.
D) stratification.

Question 8

Which of the following statements about selective optimization with compensation is TRUE?

A) With it, older adults decide how to accomplish something despite their limitations.
B) Older adults who use it have poor self- efficacy.
C) It was first emphasized by Freud and Erikson.
D) It assumes that older adults must find new hobbies given their increasing challenges.

Question 9

Marge was asked to select a cherished object from her life. She chose a small tarnished picture frame with a photo of her with her mother, taken when she was a girl. Her selection demonstrates her attempt to:

A) portray her object as a valued antique.
B) be young again.
C) hold on to her identity.
D) be more like her mother.

Question 10

According to Erikson, integrity versus despair is the focus of:

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

Question 11

The most controversial version of social stratification theory is _____, in part because it can be used to justify ageism and social isolation.

A) compensation
B) disengagement
C) optimization
D) activity

Question 12

As he ages, a professional musician begins to limit his repertoire, to practice more before concerts, and to change the way he sits when he plays. He is:

A) giving in to the despair of the last stage of the life cycle.
B) using selective optimization with compensation.
C) becoming less ambitious and creative.
D) showing the early signs of Alzheimer's disease.

Question 13

Yvette looks back at her life with pride, even though some aspects of her personal history include errors on her part. Yvette is in the stage that Erikson called:

A) generativity versus stagnation.
B) optimization versus compensation.
C) activity versus disengagement.
D) integrity versus despair.

Question 14

The antithesis of disengagement theory is _____ theory.

A) epigenetic
B) identity
C) activity
D) feminist

Question 15

A man who is almost 65 years old develops a passive style of interaction and withdraws from his connections with younger people. Which theory says this behavior is a natural part of aging?

A) continuity
B) self-actualization
C) selective optimization
D) disengagement

Question 16

Lloyd has retired from his career as a city administrator, disengaging from his work life. In a case like this, disengagement one area of life:

A) means that Lloyd will certainly disengage from all other areas of life, too.
B) does not necessarily mean that Lloyd will disengage from other areas of life.
C) proves that disengagement theory is more accurate than activity theory.
D) is the start of Lloyd's decline.

Question 17

Age, gender, ethnicity, and income are the four major categories of _____; as such, they can limit choice at every stage of life.

A) cognitive development
B) socioeconomic status
C) self theories
D) stratification

Question 18

The view that elderly people need to remain active in a variety of social spheres is called:

A) stratification theories.
B) positivity effect.
C) activity theory.
D) disengagement theories.

Question 19

In older adults, a positive world view:

A) correlates with less well being.
B) correlates with believing that life is meaningful.
C) is associated with increased family conflict.
D) is associated with increased responsiveness to regretful events.

Question 20

The idea that opportunities and roles are determined based on age is referred to as:

A) stratification by age.
B) selective optimization.
C) self-actualization.
D) social stagnation.

Question 21

The crucial stratification variable in the well being of the elderly is _____, which causes a lifetime of stresses including less education, less health care, and accumulating disadvantages of many kinds.

A) the age of retirement
B) low income
C) age
D) family size

Question 22

After mandatory retirement was outlawed on a federal level in the 1980s, the average retirement age:

A) increased dramatically.
B) decreased.
C) stayed the same.
D) was no longer measured.

Question 23

Which of the following is NOT a possible reason that elders don't volunteer in higher numbers?

A) Many structured volunteer activities are short, intense experiences that aren't designed for the elderly.
B) Older people may be afraid to leave familiar environments.
C) Organizations often lack recruitment and training efforts aimed at older volunteers.
D) The elderly usually do not want to give time or money to assist others.

Question 24

Older immigrants tend to be:

A) happy and financially stable due to retirement savings.
B) well integrated into extended family life, as is the norm in the United States.
C) isolated but provided for by social welfare programs.
D) lonely and poor, without a U.S. work history or the benefit of extended family life to support them.

Question 25

When older Americans move, they are most likely to move:

A) not far from their old residence.
B) to a warm climate.
C) to the town where they were born.
D) to the countryside, where it is quiet and where there is less crime.

Question 26

Xavier had strong social connections and community ties throughout his adult life, and mentored many individuals while in his career as a business manager. He was also an active volunteer in his community. Now that he is retired, Xavier will most likely:

A) become socially isolated as he disengages from his work.
B) become an active volunteer or find other ways to remain socially engaged.
C) actually return to work because his professional life is his sole source of identity.
D) experience rapidly declining health and well-being as he becomes more and more isolated.

Question 27

Which of the following occupations still has a legal mandatory retirement age?

A) doctor
B) lawyer
C) jet pilot
D) teacher

Question 28

Marietta babysits two days a week for her school-age grandchildren, and regularly gives her neighbor, who can no longer drive, a ride to the grocery store and doctor appointments. She also frequently sends small amounts of money to her daughter, who has just returned to college. Which of the following statements about Marietta's activities is NOT true?

A) These informal activities are not measured in statistics about the volunteer work of the elderly.
B) Many elderly people provide this kind of informal volunteer assistance to others.
C) This work, like all volunteer work, is likely to increase Marietta's well being.
D) Marietta would be better off volunteering with an organization, as to really help others, she needs more structure to her activities.

Question 29

Typically, who does more housework after retirement than before?

A) men
B) women
C) hired caregivers
D) both men and women

Question 30

Claire and Dennis have lived in the same house for over 40 years. They reared their children there and were actively involved in the neighborhood. As they age, their children want them to move to a nearby small apartment. Like many other older adults, Claire and Dennis:

A) look forward to moving to a new home.
B) prefer to age in place.
C) are divided on the decision, as women in general prefer to move to moving during retirement.
D) would actually prefer to head to a warmer climate than stay local.

Question 31

Denmark, which has the highest proportion of happy seniors, mitigates stratification by income by:

A) requiring, by law, that younger family members financially support elders.
B) limiting family size to one child per household.
C) providing free health care and subsidized senior housing.
D) allowing no retirement.

Question 32

In the U.S., elderly Hispanics seem to have a _____ advantage over elderly non-Hispanics.

A) longevity
B) income
C) health care
D) education

Question 33

_____ provides social status, financial security, and independence for older adults.

A) Paid employment
B) Volunteer opportunities
C) Retirement
D) Medicare

Question 34

What proportion of adults over the age of 65 volunteer in formal settings?

A) 1/2
B) 1/4
C) 3/4
D) 1/3

Question 35

All of the following workers are quite likely to remain in the paid labor force after age 60 EXCEPT:

A) an English professor.
B) a unionized mechanic at a local factory.
C) an independently employed cleaning lady.
D) a judge in a state court.

Question 36

The increased allostatic load that African Americans experience as a result of years of stress related to discrimination is referred to as:

A) self theory.
B) weathering.
C) disengagement.
D) integrity.

Question 37

Which theory focuses on the gender divisions promoted by society?

A) feminist
B) continuity
C) disengagement
D) sexist

Question 38

When many adults who moved into a neighborhood decades earlier never leave the area, the result is:

A) assisted living.
B) an empty nest.
C) a universal design.
D) a naturally occurring retirement community.

Question 39

Gender-stratification theory recognizes that men and women are pushed into certain roles because of their sex, roles that may ultimately:

A) limit women but not men.
B) harm them in late adulthood.
C) keep society intact.
D) make them better spouses.

Question 40

Generally, where do the elderly prefer to live?

A) in a planned retirement community
B) with their children or other relatives
C) in their own homes
D) in nursing homes

Question 41

One crucial factor in the success of long-term marriages is:

A) a sense of agreement on everything.
B) a strong sense of shared experiences.
C) a more active sex life.
D) the trend toward living apart together.

Question 42

Which state has the highest proportion of people over the age of 65?

A) Florida
B) California
C) Arizona
D) Maine

Question 43

The requirement for membership in AARP is that the person is:

A) retired.
B) over 50.
C) over 65.
D) collecting Social Security.

Question 44

A family of many generations but with only a few members of each generation is called a _____ family.

A) beanpole
B) nuclear
C) stratified
D) collective

Question 45

Religious involvement correlates with _____ because it promotes social relationships and healthy habits.

A) higher levels of stress
B) better health
C) more wealth
D) earlier death

Question 46

Brad has added a room to his house in anticipation of his elderly parents moving in with him. As their oldest son, he feels obligated to provide care for them out of a sense of:

A) filial responsibility.
B) family ethics.
C) guilt.
D) surrogate parenting.

Question 47

Elderly people's relationships with members of younger generations:

A) are usually positive but can also include tension and conflict.
B) are usually negative but can also have some aspects that are mutually beneficial.
C) do not have a significant impact on their life and happiness.
D) are usually good with those much younger, such as grandchildren, but strained with those just one generation removed.

Question 48

Who is most likely to be the healthiest and happiest at age 70?

A) Jan, who never married and lives alone
B) Annette, who lives with her husband of 40 years
C) Carly, who has been a widow for 14 years and did not remarry
D) Susan, who has been divorced for 23 years and lives with her daughter

Question 49

Compared to single older adults, elderly partners tend to be:

A) happier and wealthier.
B) happier but poorer.
C) poorer and less happy.
D) wealthier but less happy.

Question 50

Ed and Janet have been married for 60 years. When asked to share their secret to a long marriage, Ed replied:

A) "We spend ample time apart."
B) "We have learned how to disagree."
C) "She depends on me for money."
D) "We each have our own friends instead of a combined social circle."

Question 51

In what way are older Americans the LEAST politically active?

A) voting
B) writing letters to elected officials
C) staying informed on current events
D) volunteering on political campaigns

Question 52

The term "social convoy" refers to the truism that:

A) he who travels fastest travels alone.
B) it is not healthy to spend time alone.
C) we travel through life in the company of others.
D) we need a strong leader in times of conflict.

Question 53

With regard to elections and public policy debates, the elderly tend:

A) to always vote in support of their economic interests.
B) to uniformly support the candidate or measure endorsed by AARP.
C) to identify with a political party.
D) to look to their adult children for guidance.

Question 54

Most studies of marriages of long duration find that compared to younger adults, the elderly are:

A) more open to the possibility of divorcing.
B) happier in their marriages.
C) no longer interested in sexual interaction.
D) more likely to dwell on areas of disagreement.

Question 55

What percentage of older adults volunteer in political campaigns?

A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) 5

Question 56

The fact that Maine, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia follow Florida as the states with highest proportion of residents over age 65 illustrates that:

A) most elderly people want to retire to warmer environments.
B) only a few states have an adequate number of planned retirement communities.
C) most people prefer to age where they have always lived.
D) the old tend to congregate in a few parts of the country.

Question 57

Which of the following statements about older people and religion is TRUE?

A) Religious institutions provide a valuable social network to the aging.
B) Belief in the afterlife may explain the high numbers of suicide among African American women.
C) Faith decreases with age and experience.
D) Religious identity is never as significant as ethnic identity in the lives of older adults.

Question 58

Jonah and Abigail have been married for 50 years. Jonah is healthy and active, and through his life's work as the owner of a business -- work he deeply loved -- he saved well for retirement. Based on this, which of the following is most likely TRUE?

A) Abigail has a high level of well being because her partner has a high level of well being.
B) Abigail's well being is certainly far less than that of her partner.
C) Jonah would be wealthier if he were not partnered.
D) Jonah and Abigail probably have an unhappy partnership.

Question 59

Psychological health in old age is based on:

A) the belief that one's particular faith or ethnicity is superior to that of others.
B) a feeling that there is continuity in experience and traditions among generations.
C) a focus on pleasure and immediate needs.
D) the regular attendance of religious services.

Question 60

About one in every ____ long-term marriages is not satisfying to at least one person in the couple.

A) 10
B) 6
C) 2
D) 4

Question 61

The most important buffer against the loss that comes from retirement and widowhood is having:

A) several grandchildren.
B) at least one close friend.
C) paid caregivers.
D) a home of one's own.

Question 62

What percentage of those over the age of 74 in the United States have never married?

A) 12
B) 10
C) 4
D) 2

Question 63

The style of grandparenting is the most common in the United States is the _____ style.

A) involved
B) companionate
C) remote
D) traditional

Question 64

Grandparents who are active in the daily lives of their grandchildren are said to be _____ grandparents.

A) companionate
B) surrogate
C) distant
D) involved

Question 65

Mildred and Louis are respected and obeyed by their grandchildren, who they see on holidays a few times a year. They would be described as _____ grandparents.

A) involved
B) companionate
C) remote
D) surrogate

Question 66

In parent and adult child relationships, _____ feel stronger affection toward their parents.

A) daughters
B) sons
C) those who live physically close together
D) those who are emotionally close

Question 67

Mrs. Smith lives in the same house as her grandchildren and cares for them every day. Her grandparenting is:

A) surrogate.
B) remote.
C) involved.
D) companionate.

Question 68

Grandparents who are emotionally distant but who are honored, respected, and obeyed by grandchildren are considered to have which of the following grandparenting styles?

A) remote
B) involved
C) surrogate
D) companionate

Question 69

Multi-generational families appear to be most beneficial for:

A) elephants.
B) children.
C) the sandwich generation.
D) people from each generation.

Question 70

Today, most never-married older adults are:

A) pitied or ridiculed.
B) still seeking a mate.
C) unlikely to have a mate or partner of any kind.
D) about as happy as people in long-term marriages.

Question 71

By age 65, what percentage of adults are grandparents?

A) 75
B) 80
C) 85
D) 90

Question 72

Life satisfaction for the elderly correlates with:

A) work.
B) companionship
C) sexual activity.
D) income.

Question 73

Companionate grandparents are:

A) emotionally distant elders.
B) actively involved in the day-to-day life of their grandchildren.
C) happy to be independent of the daily demands of child rearing.
D) least likely to be close to their adult children.

Question 74

In recent years, the rates of social networking among those aged 65 and older increased by what percent?

A) 15
B) 40
C) 75
D) 100

Question 75

What is the usual response when the elderly and their adult children are asked how much they contribute to the relationship?

A) both underestimate
B) older adults overestimate; younger adults underestimate
C) younger adults overestimate; older adults underestimate
D) both overestimate

Question 76

Laniya's three grandchildren live with her because their mother is in jail. The term for the family structure that best describes the household of Laniya and her grandchildren is:

A) nuclear.
B) skipped generation.
C) adoptive.
D) extended family.

Question 77

Research indicates that having a partner and children is:

A) essential for happiness in late adulthood.
B) not essential for happiness in late adulthood.
C) more common with each generation.
D) likely to increase one's allostatic load.

Question 78

Only a small minority of older adults without access to broadband connections view this lack as:

A) a major disadvantage.
B) an advantage.
C) a reason to maintain neighborliness.
D) a financial issue.

Question 79

When it comes to intergenerational relationships, conflict is more likely in ______ relationships than in distant ones.

A) married
B) long-lasting
C) newly formed
D) emotionally close

Question 80

_____, in which grandparents provide for grandchildren because the parents have been judged neglectful or abusive, works as well as other comparable arrangements for the children but can be difficult for grandparents in a wide variety of ways.

A) Kinship foster care
B) Companionate grandparenting
C) Volunteer caregiving
D) Extended family-building