Deck 18: Socioemotional Development in Late Adulthood and the End of Life

Question 1

An individual with an ageist attitude believes older adults are ______.

A) fulfilled
B) impaired
C) carefree
D) narcissistic

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Samuel is 80 years old and loves his grandchildren. He tells them that he is happy that he made a difference in the lives of people by being a general practice physician, and for organizing his synagogue's community outreach program. He encourages his grandchildren to follow their hearts and make a difference in the world. Samuel can be described as ______.

A) spending too much time reminiscing
B) having little need to do a life review
C) having a high subjective age
D) reaching a sense of ego integrity

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Older adults construct their self-concept by ______.

A) focusing more on their negative aspects
B) integrating their negative and positive aspects
C) compartmentalizing their negative and positive aspects
D) denying their positive aspects

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Jayne is nearing the end of her life. She has spent a lot of time reflecting on past experiences in her life, such as all the different people she has met, and contemplating the meaning of those experiences and their role in shaping her life. She has become more accepting of others and has a higher life satisfaction. What has Jayne done?

A) engaged in congruence
B) completed a life review
C) reminisced successfully
D) performed a cognitive appraisal

Question 5

Older adults who enjoy good health are most likely to feel ______.

A) worried about aging
B) episodes of depression
C) younger than their years
D) older than their years

Question 6

According to Erikson, the alternative to developing a sense of integrity is ______.

A) calmness
B) sadness
C) despair
D) narcissism

Question 7

Reminiscence can help adults in managing life transitions by ______.

A) creating a sense of superiority over peers
B) minimizing the stresses others are feeling
C) providing a sense of personal continuity
D) focusing on negative aspects of self

Question 8

Which of the Big 5 personality traits tends to increase all the way through late adulthood?

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

Question 9

Which process helps elders accept and find meaning in the triumphs and disappointments of their lives?

A) doing a life review
B) reminiscing about events in the past
C) discussing past regrets with loved ones
D) keeping a journal

Question 10

What type of attitude believes stereotypes of older adults as lonely, lacking close friends and family, rigid, one-dimensional, and sick?

A) ageist
B) realistic
C) gerontological
D) generational

Question 11

Over time, adults reframe their sense of self by revising their possible selves in light of ______.

A) how their goals measure against those of their peers
B) how their goals measure against those of society
C) experiences and emphasis on goals related to finances and notoriety
D) experience and emphasis on goals related to relationships and health

Question 12

Walter is going to be given a series of ability tests. Which type is likely to make him feel the oldest?

A) vocabulary
B) mathematical
C) spatial
D) memory

Question 13

Joseph loves to sit and tell stories about his childhood and early adulthood on the farm he grew up in. At most family get-togethers, he can be found sitting with at least six or seven grandchildren listening to exciting tales of horse riding and snake catching. What is Joseph engaging in?

A) a life review
B) reminiscence
C) autobiographical sharing
D) subjectivity

Question 14

The results of research on cultural values and personal values toward older adults shows ______.

A) a cultural value towards individualism has little adverse effect on attitudes
B) a cultural value towards individualism has a major effect on attitudes
C) strong personal values of communalism mean a negative attitude
D) strong personal values of individualism mean a positive attitude

Question 15

A comprehensive reflection of past experiences and contemplation of the meaning of those experiences is called a ______.

A) life review
B) reminiscence
C) cognitive appraisal
D) contemplation

Question 16

Matthew is 83 and has been feeling quite down lately. He knows he is reaching the end of his life, and thinks he accomplished very little. He is withdrawing from friends and family, who are concerned about his isolation. Which approach could his friends and family use to help Matthew increase his well-being and quality of life?

A) stage a life review intervention
B) tell him to stop feeling sorry for himself
C) discuss past regrets with him
D) ask him to keep a journal

Question 17

A sense of coherence in life experiences and the conclusion that one's life is meaningful and valuable is called ______.

A) religiosity
B) morality
C) egotistical personality
D) ego integrity

Question 18

Ego integrity relies on ______.

A) need to make amends for past mistakes
B) emotional responses
C) need for concrete reasoning
D) dialectical reasoning

Question 19

Which statement describes conscientiousness and age?

A) declines from 30 to 90
B) peaks between 50 and 70 and then declines
C) continues to increase well into the eighties
D) shows a sharp decline in the fifties

Question 20

Older adults may employee strategies to hide their age because of ______.

A) a wish to date much younger people
B) negative stereotypes associated with aging
C) a desire to work longer and harder
D) benefits society gives them for their wisdom

Question 21

Christopher is an older adult who is described as happy, self-contented, self-centered, laid back, satisfied with what he has, and less preoccupied with productivity. As he ages, Christopher's personality style will cause him to ______.

A) have a smaller number of friends because of self-centeredness
B) have a greater connection to family
C) develop a sense of acceptance
D) experience greater despair for feeling like a failure

Question 22

Social interaction tends to decline in older adulthood as social networks become ______.

A) active
B) smaller
C) continuous
D) tedious

Question 23

Religious attendance may facilitate mental health through ______.

A) financial support
B) emotional support
C) discouraging autonomy
D) encouraging collectivism

Question 24

Providing assistance and support to older adults sends the message that they are ______.

A) needed by others
B) incapable of taking care of themselves
C) valued and gives them a sense of belonging
D) in short supply of time left

Question 25

Hubert is an older adult who has a strong sense of religiosity. He prays daily and attends church services every week. He believes that God is in control of his life. Which outcome is Hubert least likely to experience?

A) high sense of self-worth
B) high level of death anxiety
C) low life satisfaction
D) low sense of optimism

Question 26

Well-being correlates with lower levels of ______.

A) neuroticism
B) extroversion
C) agreeableness
D) conscientiousness

Question 27

Regarding religion, nearly three fourths of U.S. adults report being ______.

A) uncaring whether God exists or not
B) unsure whether God exists or not
C) absolutely certain God is make believe
D) absolutely certain of the existence of God

Question 28

In North America, which group shows the highest rates of religious participation?

A) high socioeconomic people of the majority group
B) low socioeconomic people of the majority group
C) high socioeconomic ethnic minority groups
D) low socioeconomic ethnic minority groups

Question 29

Which theory states that declines in social interaction are due to social barriers to engagement?

A) activity
B) disengagement
C) continuity
D) psychosocial

Question 30

Disengagement theory involves adults behaving in which manner?

A) turning to places of worship in anticipation of death
B) reviewing choices made to make sense of life
C) choosing to do only certain activities due to skill level
D) withdrawing from society in anticipation of death

Question 31

Which individual is most likely to identify God as a personal consultant for health-related matters?

A) Joi, who is 28 and Asian American
B) Alejandra, who is 34 and Mexican American
C) Beth, who is 68 and African American
D) Lucille, who is 72 and European American

Question 32

Which Big 5 personality trait is associated with worse average cognitive functioning and a steeper rate of decline?

A) lower levels of openness
B) higher levels of extroversion.
C) higher levels of neuroticism
D) lower levels of conscientiousness

Question 33

Low levels of perceived social support are associated with higher rates of ______.

A) positive feelings
B) exercise
C) life satisfaction
D) mortality

Question 34

How do most older adults approach the remainder of their lives?

A) asking others to make decisions for them
B) remaining active and engaging with others
C) choosing self-denial so that others have opportunities
D) withdrawing from society in anticipation of death

Question 35

A benefit of social support in older adults is ______.

A) promoting longevity
B) giving up control
C) uncertain life satisfaction
D) greater problem-solving ability

Question 36

Eleanor is an older adult who has quit volunteering at the food pantry where she used to spend 5 hours a week. She has stopped going to morning coffee with her friends, and her church has called on her much less than in the past. Which theory does this describe?

A) activity
B) continuity
C) disengagement
D) psychosocial

Question 37

Individuals who are extroverted, agreeable, conscientious, and emotionally stable are likely to ______.

A) complete a successful life review
B) show increases in well-being
C) have strong social support
D) have higher levels of education

Question 38

Denise retired from her job as a librarian in her local school district even though she loved seeing the children every day. Now that she is retired, she has decided to volunteer at her local library leading story times for preschoolers. What theory of social interaction and elders' psychological functioning is she demonstrating?

A) activity
B) continuity
C) disengagement
D) psychosocial

Question 39

Religiosity is associated with ______.

A) help with finding meaning in life
B) smaller social networks
C) lower self-esteem
D) faster declines in physical functioning

Question 40

Maurice had to give up driving due to his slow reflexes. Since he still enjoys volunteering as a docent at the local botanical gardens, his son sets him up with an app ride account. Which concept does this illustrate?

A) socioemotional selectivity theory
B) life review
C) reminiscence
D) selective optimization with compensation

Question 41

The median annual income for older women is how much above the U.S. definition of poverty?

A) $3000
B) $5000
C) $6000
D) $8000

Question 42

Doris is 81 and is starting to have some health issues. Her daughter has been encouraging Doris to move in with her and her three teenage kids. However, Doris is hesitant. The most likely reason why is because Doris ______.

A) really dislikes her grandchildren
B) is concerned about losing autonomy
C) thinks her daughter is insincere
D) thinks her grandchildren will be a burden

Question 43

Who is likely to be in the best financial situation during her retirement years?

A) Nancy, who interrupted her career four times to have children
B) Alice, who was able to get a degree by attending night courses
C) Harriett, who was widowed the year her husband retired
D) Kathleen, who was divorced 5 years before she retired

Question 44

Older adults who have the best access to transportation and health and social service tend to live in which type of area?

A) urban
B) suburban
C) rural
D) transitional

Question 45

What percentage of U.S. older adults live in rural areas?

A) 10%
B) 25%
C) 35%
D) 50%

Question 46

Maeve lives in an apartment complex that is handicap accessible with grab bars in the bathroom, a call button in the bathroom, bedroom, and kitchen, and has intercoms installed in the apartments to reach the security office. What type of living arrangement does Lucille live in?

A) hospice center
B) nursing home
C) home care
D) residential community

Question 47

Older adults place more emphasis on the emotional quality than on the number of their social relationships and interactions. What theory is consistent with this view?

A) activity
B) cognitive development
C) continuity
D) socioemotional selectivity

Question 48

Which factor is least effective in helping a person maintain a sense of consistency in self?

A) acknowledging and minimizing losses
B) integrating losses with their sense of self
C) increasing number of social contacts
D) optimizing strengths to construct a life path

Question 49

Beverly is spending less time with her old co-workers or her book club and more time with her grandchildren. She has dinner at her daughter's house twice a week and enjoys picking her grandchildren up from school on Wednesdays. What theory of social interaction and elders' psychological functioning is she demonstrating?

A) activity
B) cognitive development
C) disengagement
D) socioemotional selectivity

Question 50

Research shows that civic engagement in social and productive activities reduced mortality as much as did ______.

A) omega-3 supplements
B) smoking cessation
C) physical fitness
D) moderate drinking

Question 51

Elderly women are what percentage more likely to be poor than elderly men?

A) 10%
B) 25%
C) 50%
D) 75%

Question 52

In the socioemotional selectivity theory, which function of friendship becomes less important as people age?

A) emotion-regulating
B) companionship
C) information-sharing
D) intimacy

Question 53

Older adults in which ethnic group are especially likely to remain in their lifelong neighborhoods and to live in poverty?

A) African American
B) Mexican American
C) European American
D) Asian American

Question 54

Debbie is an older adult who lives in a suburb of Chicago. The impact of where Debbie lives means that she will most likely ______.

A) experience social isolation and emotional deprivation
B) be healthier, wealthier, and have a higher rate of life satisfaction
C) have lower self-esteem and life satisfaction
D) have health problems and difficulty finding social support

Question 55

According to socioemotional selectivity theory, older adults derive emotional meaning from life by ______.

A) increasing physical activity
B) widening their social circles
C) disengaging from peripheral social ties
D) limiting time spent with family

Question 56

What is the financial structure of most residential communities?

A) privately owned
B) subsidized by the government
C) built by the residents
D) run by universities

Question 57

The majority of older adults prefer to age in ______.

A) their own homes
B) residential communities
C) assisted living facilities
D) nursing homes

Question 58

Which factor influences whether older women will become or stay poor during the retirement years?

A) emotional status
B) cognitive ability
C) number of children
D) health

Question 59

Which older adult is most likely to interact with his neighbors?

A) Ozzie, who lives in New York City
B) Del, who lives in a suburb outside of Miami
C) Mort, who lives in a small town in Nebraska
D) Jack, who lives in the capital of Indiana

Question 60

Despite the challenges, remaining in a lifelong home gives elders the emotional benefit of ______.

A) a reason to make family come visit
B) making them completely self-sufficient
C) a reason to avoid relocating
D) aiding their sense of identity

Question 61

Divorce in long-term marriages can be described as ______.

A) being easier to adjust to than for young adults
B) feeling a sense of accomplishment for changing an unhappy situation
C) men facing greater financial and emotional difficulties than women
D) women being more likely to remain single the rest of their lives

Question 62

Which statement describes sibling relationships in older adulthood?

A) Most older adults feel close to their siblings and consider them to be close friends.
B) The majority of older adults live far away from their siblings.
C) The majority of older adults avoid communicating with their siblings regularly.
D) With age, siblings tend to grow apart rather than closer.

Question 63

A characteristic of cohabitation among older adults is ______.

A) it tends to be a precursor to marriage
B) partners report a high-quality relationship
C) the relationships are of shorter duration
D) they are less likely to have been divorced

Question 64

How do older adults typically spend time with their friends?

A) reminiscing about times past
B) engaging in activities, such as golf or playing cards
C) activities surrounding their grandchildren
D) volunteering in the community

Question 65

Elders who live in a residential community that are most at risk for depression are ones who ______.

A) have perceived autonomy
B) feel to be connected to others
C) perceive a lack of support
D) share similar values with others

Question 66

In times of crisis, who are older adults most likely to turn to?

A) friends
B) siblings
C) children
D) doctors

Question 67

Which older adult is most likely to rely on siblings?

A) Terri, who has never married but has three children
B) Richard, who is married without children
C) Jeffrey, who is married and has two children
D) Renee, who has never married and is without children

Question 68

Which scenario is most likely to happen after a divorce?

A) More older women than older men remarry.
B) Adult children give care and money to their mothers over their fathers.
C) A remarriage is usually less stable than those of younger people.
D) Divorcee fathers are least in need of formal support.

Question 69

The outcome of individuals who live in residential communities compared to those who live in life-long homes is those in residential communities ______.

A) participate more frequently in social activities
B) have a higher sense of well-being
C) feel a greater sense of vulnerability
D) feel a greater sense of security

Question 70

Higher rates of anxiety tend to be found in those in which living arrangement?

A) residential communities
B) nursing homes
C) with family members
D) life-long home

Question 71

Who is most likely to be most interested in cohabitating?

A) Patricia, who went through a rather grueling divorce
B) Aaron, who prefers a woman with traditional values
C) Jessica, who has conservative religious views
D) Desmond, who wants to have children

Question 72

Marital satisfaction of older adults as compared to younger adults is that older adults ______.

A) report lower levels of pleasure
B) describe their relationships as having more conflict
C) tend to perceive more positive characteristics in their partners
D) appraise their spouse's behavior as more negative than do outside observers

Question 73

Sexuality in older adults is characterized by them being ______.

A) physically unable to have it
B) uninterested in it
C) too mentally fragile to have it
D) interested and capable of it

Question 74

When does marital satisfaction tend to be the highest?

A) late adulthood
B) middle adulthood
C) early adulthood
D) emerging adulthood

Question 75

Whose marriage is most typical of those in older adulthood?

A) Bill and Simone, who argue in front of other people all the time
B) George and Louise, who point out each other's faults and have done so since their honeymoon
C) Wallace and Barb, who kid with each other all the time
D) Charles and Karen, who barely speak to each other and are each involved in their own activities

Question 76

Friendships in older adults are characterized by ______.

A) having long-term friends and avoiding new ones
B) being less fun than those of younger adults
C) having more friends than younger adults
D) being very meaningful

Question 77

Older adults view cohabitation as ______.

A) a sin
B) negative
C) positive
D) a last option

Question 78

With increasing age and the death of friends, older adults are more likely to report having friends of ______.

A) similar backgrounds
B) the same age
C) different generations
D) the same fitness level

Question 79

Which type of living arrangement offers the greatest amount of care?

A) residential community
B) nursing home
C) multigenerational home
D) life-long home

Question 80

Sylvia is an elderly woman who is unable to care for herself and her family is unable to meet all of her health needs. She has to live in a nursing home. Even though the home is of a high quality, Sylvia is most likely going to experience a ______.

A) greater sense of control
B) higher rate of depression
C) sense of integrity
D) sense of guilt