Deck 18: Late Adulthood: Social and Emotional Development

Question 1

Socioemotional selectivity theory, a lifespan theory of motivation, hypothesizes that increasing emphasis is placed on emotional experiences as we age.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Ego transcendence refers to older adults' focus on future generations and their own legacy after they are gone.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

According to disengagement theory, when older adults disengage from society and society disengages from them, they will be dissatisfied with life.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

The majority of research on older adults supports the disengagement theory of aging.

Question 5

Of all retired people, 90% still consider their identity to be determined by their former occupation.

Question 6

Depression has been linked to genetic factors, key life events, and personality factors.

Question 7

Reminiscence and life review may assist older adults in creating meaning for their lives.

Question 8

Ego integrity derives from wisdom and from the acceptance of one's life span as being limited and occurring at a certain point in the sweep of history.

Question 9

Leisure activities are important determinants of successful retirement.

Question 10

Retirement is most successful when it is planned.

Question 11

The conflict during late adulthood, according to Erikson's psychosocial theory, is generativity vs. stagnation.

Question 12

Older adults who are afraid to go into public places are suffering from agoraphobia rather than having realistic fears.

Question 13

In late adulthood, people express progressively less "body esteem."

Question 14

Depression is the same thing as sadness or bereavement.

Question 15

Reminiscence is a sign of mental illness in older adults.

Question 16

Body transcendence occurs when people get beyond the physical limitations they experience and place more value on social relationships and cognitive abilities.

Question 17

Depression has been linked to cognitive and physical problems.

Question 18

Physical activity, social contacts, self-rated good health, the absence of cognitive impairment and depression, nonsmoking, and the absence of disabilities and chronic diseases are components of successful aging.

Question 19

Research consistently shows that physical activity is associated with a lower mortality rate in late adulthood and that leisure and informal social activities contribute to life satisfaction among retired people.

Question 20

Theories of late adulthood focus on how older adults try to regain their former abilities.

Question 21

Very few older adults demonstrate resilience through the loss of a spouse.

Question 22

People who are moderately involved in religion have been shown to have low levels of depressive symptoms.

Question 23

During late adulthood, similarities in the personalities of marital partners are considered to be related to increased levels of conflict in the marriage.

Question 24

Well-being among older adults is generally predicted by pursuing goals, rather than by withdrawal.

Question 25

There is no sufficient legislation to protect seniors living in residential care in Canada.

Question 26

Older adults are more likely to have a lot more friends than during middle adulthood.

Question 27

People who have a friend or loved one die are inevitably depressed.

Question 28

Toileting independently is an important issue for older adults.

Question 29

Once widowed, most widows and widowers cope best when they withdraw from society.

Question 30

Ego transcendence is otherwise known as the quieting of the ego.

Question 31

It has been generally found that gay men and lesbians in long-term partnerships tend to enjoy higher self-esteem, less depression, fewer suicidal urges, and less alcohol and drug abuse than their peers who are not in long-term relationships.

Question 32

Research has shown that older adults tend to focus less on the emotional content of information as they get older.

Question 33

Whereas younger cohabiters often see their lifestyle as a prelude to marriage, older cohabiters are more likely to see their relationship as an alternative lifestyle.

Question 34

Agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorder, and panic disorders are types of anxiety disorders.

Question 35

Older people are increasingly likely to cohabit today.

Question 36

Nothing can be done to help older adults remain in their homes when they become ill or physically limited.

Question 37

Being able to care for oneself appears to be a core condition of successful aging.

Question 38

According to activity theory, older adults are better adjusted when they are more active and involved in physical and social activities.

Question 39

Older adults' self-esteem may be lower than that of younger adults because older adults are wiser, know themselves better, and tend to be more accepting of their own flaws.

Question 40

Approximately 25% of older adults suffer from anxiety disorders.

Question 41

Ego integrity is the sense that people feel better about themselves because they are better than other people.

Question 42

In a Dutch study of retirement, most retirees reported that their well-being increased a year after they retired and that much of the stress they felt before retiring had diminished.

Question 43

Self-esteem has been shown to be higher during late adulthood and to provide a less accurate appraisal of oneself compared with earlier in life.

Question 44

The majority of adults over age 65 live in nursing homes or retirement communities.

Question 45

During late adulthood, friends act as confidants and provide opportunities for social networking, emotional closeness, and emotional support.

Question 46

Troubling emotions, such as depression and anxiety, tend to decline as we age, whereas positive emotions remain fairly steady.

Question 47

Research has shown that sharing power in the marital relationship and a division of household tasks contributed to satisfaction in the relationships.

Question 48

Older people who are independent tend to think of themselves as leading a "normal life," whereas those who are dependent on others, even if they are only slightly dependent, tend to worry more about aging and encountering physical disabilities and stress.

Question 49

Older North Americans report being much less happy than younger adults.

Question 50

Men in their 70s seem to have the most difficulty coping with the death of a spouse.

Question 51

Very few seniors continue to be homeowners.

Question 52

After being widowed, siblings tend to increase their social contacts and emotional support of each other.

Question 53

Ego transcendence is believed to grow out of self-reflection and willingness to learn from experience.

Question 54

Body preoccupation is more likely to develop in late adulthood than before.

Question 55

The "quieting of the ego" is characterized by a concern for the well-being of humankind in general, not just the well-being of oneself and those one loves.

Question 56

Few life reviews are unguided and complex.

Question 57

Detection and treatment of depression in older adults is as frequent as in younger adults.

Question 58

Most grandparents in late adulthood and their grandchildren conceptualize their relationships as mutually rewarding.

Question 59

Heterosexual couples in satisfactory relationships are more likely to plan for retirement interdependently than those who are not in satisfying marital relationships.

Question 60

Selective optimization with compensation means that older people manage to maximize their gains while minimizing their losses.

Question 61

Which statement best characterizes successful retirement?

A) It requires mandatory retirement ages.
B) It involves financial security.
C) In today's society it rarely occurs.
D) In heterosexual marriages, women take the lead in planning.

Question 62

Which statement best characterizes older adult gay men and lesbians?

A) They rarely have long-term relationships.
B) They have higher rates of depression than their heterosexual counterparts.
C) They have higher rates of alcohol and drug abuse than their heterosexual counterparts.
D) They have higher self-esteem if they are in long-term relationships compared with those who are not in long-term relationships.

Question 63

Self-sufficiency, or being able to care for oneself, is vital to successful aging. Which inability was found to be a particularly sensitive issue?

A) the inability to bathe oneself
B) the inability to feed oneself
C) the inability to toilet oneself
D) the inability to take care of one's financial decisions

Question 64

Which of the following is a characteristic of disengagement theory?

A) Normal, healthy aging requires a reengagement with society.
B) Society withdraws from older adults as they age.
C) It is atypical behaviour that might occur between older adults and their extended family.
D) It is a welcome part of aging.

Question 65

Which of the following is a characteristic of depression in older adults?

A) It is often linked to Alzheimer's disease and cancer.
B) It is a problem that is best left to family to manage.
C) It is often misdiagnosed as low blood sugar.
D) It affects a majority of older adults over the age of 65.

Question 66

According to Ardelt (2008), which of the following best represents ego transcendence?

A) self-love
B) quieting of the ego
C) a negative response to aging
D) acceptance of imminent death

Question 67

When do most retirees indicate feeling a reduction in stress?

A) immediately upon retiring
B) six months after retiring
C) one year after retiring
D) five years after retiring

Question 68

What percentage of seniors would say that their health is excellent?

A) 10
B) 44
C) 64
D) 88

Question 69

According to Erikson, what is the meaning of ego integrity?

A) individuals feel they are on death's doorstep
B) individuals are depressed
C) individuals feel life is meaningful despite the challenges of physical decline
D) individuals report more health problems than they can handle

Question 70

Why is the retirement age likely to continue to increase over time?

A) insufficient retirement planning opportunities
B) increased job satisfaction
C) insufficient income
D) medical advances

Question 71

Joe is in early adulthood and has decided that marriage is an important life choice for him. What is a core issue of marriage for Joe at this point in his human development?

A) the development of a shared life
B) parenting and household chores
C) the division of labour
D) the selection of community to establish roots

Question 72

Which statement best characterizes widows and widowers?

A) Social isolation is less problematic than it is for their divorced peers.
B) They often experience improved mental health as single people.
C) Men are more likely to remarry than women.
D) Women are more emotionally affected than men.

Question 73

Single people who never had children are as likely to be socially active in late adulthood as older adults who had children.

Question 74

Which activities are included in Hansen and colleagues' "social" factor?

A) Bridge or card-game clubs
B) team sports
C) partying
D) time with family

Question 75

Which statement best characterizes older adults who wish to stay in their own homes longer?

A) They enjoy the labour involved in home ownership.
B) They perceive their health to be poor.
C) They want to build equity in their homes.
D) They fear losing independence and social connections.

Question 76

Which of the following older adults is at the highest risk for suicide?

A) an 80-year-old woman who has decided not to winter in Florida so that she can be near her children
B) a 75-year-old man who has been on two dates with a woman from his bridge club
C) a 75-year-old woman who has only two close friends and a dog to spend time with
D) an 80-year-old recently widowed man who has been diagnosed with lung cancer

Question 77

Which statement best characterizes activity theory?

A) It is unsupported by research data.
B) It is less accurate in its portrayal of older adults than disengagement theory.
C) People are better adjusted when they are engaged in life's activities.
D) It pertains only to older female adults who did not previously work outside the home.

Question 78

In late adulthood, self-esteem may be lower than in middle adulthood. Which of the following best accounts for this drop in self-esteem?

A) Older adults have suffered from ego despair.
B) Older adults may have lost people close to them and experienced other life challenges.
C) Older adults are typically depressed during late adulthood.
D) Older people may be comparing themselves to others they follow on social media.

Question 79

Which statement best represents the data reported in a survey of older gay, lesbian, and bisexual adults?

A) Overall, they struggled with society acceptance and their level of happiness decreased.
B) Their mental health is negatively affected, leading to an increase in suicidal thoughts.
C) In terms of social supports LGBTQ seniors have fewer than their heterosexual counterparts.
D) Older gay individuals tend to become more isolated from mainstream society as they age.

Question 80

Which statement best describes the majority of older adults whose loved ones have died?

A) They are usually depressed.
B) They rarely find pleasure in life afterwards.
C) They may be saddened but are often not depressed.
D) They cannot bounce back to a normal state.