Deck 11: Loneliness and Solitude

Question 1

Some argue that technology promotes connectivity, whereas others believe it promotes:

A) healthy solitude.
B) shyness.
C) social isolation.
D) fear of connection.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Loneliness can be the result of all the following EXCEPT :

A) not having any validation from others.
B) an unfulfilling relationship.
C) a toxic relationship with a partner who is critical and negative.
D) a healthy relationship.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

_________________ is considered an asset in Confucian cultures.

A) Shyness toward strangers.
B) Anxious shyness.
C) Regulated shyness.
D) Shyness toward family members.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Edward Arlington Robinson's poem "Richard Cory" best illustrates the

A) image of a man who is justifiably envied by everyone he knows.
B) murder of a wealthy man.
C) quiet desperation that occurs when we pretend to others that we are not who we really are.
D) loneliness we feel when we fail to have an intimate relationship.

Question 5

__________ exists when people are unable to establish meaningful interpersonal relationships over a relatively long period of time and involves painful feelings and presents more of a problem in living.

A) Chronic loneliness.
B) Transient loneliness.
C) Existential loneliness.
D) Everyday loneliness.

Question 6

The social fitness perspective encourages us to think of shyness as a personality style, and NOT :

A) a characteristic that exists on a continuum.
B) a characteristic that results in feelings of depression, anxiety, and loneliness.
C) a characteristic that prevents people from expressing their views and speaking up for their rights.
D) a disease that needs to be cured.

Question 7

Many of us fail to experience solitude because we

A) allow our lives to become more and more frantic and complicated because we enjoy being busy.
B) may fear that we will alienate others if we ask for private time.
C) don't know how to make up good excuses when we want to decline invitations to be with friends.
D) are social beings with a need to belong.

Question 8

Solitude can be considered as

A) basically the same thing as loneliness.
B) something that happens to us when we experience a loss.
C) a choice we make when we take time to be with ourselves, discover who we are, to engage in inner searching, and to renew and replenish ourselves.
D) something that needs to be avoided at all costs.

Question 9

Jeff is quite shy and has difficulty meeting new people, making friends, and getting involved in many social activities. Which of the following would NOT be suggested?

A) He put himself in situations where he would be forced to make social contact, even though he feels intimidated.
B) He try to pinpoint the reasons or combination of factors underlying his shyness.
C) He strive to become an extroverted personality since his shyness interferes so much with his life.
D) He challenge the personal fears that keep him from being comfortable in social situations.

Question 10

In the age of connectivity, one difference observed between those who were "lonely" and those who felt more "connected" was:

A) the type of loneliness the individual experienced.
B) the type of information posted on Facebook.
C) the time spent with others.
D) the time spent alone.

Question 11

Reliving some of our childhood experiences of loneliness can

A) bring on pain and should be avoided at all costs.
B) be a futile attempt to rewrite the past.
C) help us come to grips with present fears about being alone or lonely.
D) only be done with the help of a counselor.

Question 12

Below is an example of negative "self-talk" that can set the shy person up for failure in social situations:

A) "I'd better try something new, because it doesn't matter if I look like a fool."
B) "If people only knew what I was like they would really like me."
C) "I have nothing to fear by trying to approach a person I'd like to get to know."
D) "Others constantly evaluate and judge me, and I'm sure I won't measure up to what they expect."

Question 13

Researchers have identified three distinct forms of shyness in Chinese children. They include all of the following EXCEPT :

A) shyness toward strangers.
B) anxious shyness.
C) regulated shyness.
D) shyness toward family members.

Question 14

Laurie is being honored for her outstanding work achievements by her boss at a social function attended by many attractive and accomplished people in her field. Others can't seem to find her because she keeps leaving the function to take cigarette breaks whenever her name is mentioned. Laurie's behavior may be

A) an indication that she cares neither about the honor nor the respect of her boss or colleagues.
B) a sign that she has a severe tobacco addiction.
C) indicative of shyness.
D) a sign that she doesn't deserve the honor.

Question 15

We can escape from facing and coping with our loneliness by all of the following ways EXCEPT :

A) scheduling every moment and overstructuring  our lives.
B) surrounding ourselves with people and becoming absorbed in social functions.
C) trying to numb ourselves with self-destructive compulsive behavior.
D) spending a healthy amount of time fulfilling our responsibilities.

Question 16

A common form of __________________ that many new college students experience is homesickness.

A) transient loneliness
B) chronic loneliness
C) neurosis
D) personality disorder

Question 17

Unlike loneliness, __________ is something that we choose for ourselves.

A) intimate relationships.
B) solitude.
C) shyness.
D) separation anxiety.

Question 18

A constellation of factors explains shyness. Which of the following is NOT one?

A) not fearing rejection.
B) being overly sensitive to negative feedback from others.
C) lacking self-confidence and specific social skills.
D) being frightened of intimacy.

Question 19

Many people fear loneliness because they may associate the lonely periods of their lives with

A) pain and struggle.
B) rejection of self and being cut off from others.
C) abandonment and isolation.
D) healthy time alone.

Question 20

As we try to relive lonely experiences from early childhood, we should remember that

A) children live in a logical, well-ordered world and our memories are certain to be accurate.
B) our childhood fears were greatly exaggerated so we are unlikely to carry them over into adulthood.
C) strategies we adopted as children may remain with us in adulthood, even if they are no longer appropriate.
D) strategies we learn as children are easy to replace when we no longer need them.

Question 21

Ellen is an 85-year-old widow who spends most of her days watching television and doing crossword puzzles. She has few friends and only has occasional contact with her family because she doesn't want to be a burden to them. Ellen complains that she is lonely and is unable to recognize that she

A) is a prisoner of her loneliness because she fails to realize how much others could benefit from her company.
B) is unable to change her pattern because she is set in her ways.
C) needs to stop complaining so people will want to be with her.
D) is feeling sorry for herself.

Question 22

_________________________ involves brief feelings of loneliness that occur when people have had satisfactory social relationships in the past but experience some disruption in their social network.

A) Transient lonelin
B) Chronic loneliness
C) Temporary despair
D) Profound loneliness

Question 23

________ often feel that they are all alone in their world, that they are the first ones to have had the feelings they do, and that they are separated from others by some abnormality.

A) Children
B) Adolescents
C) Young adults
D) Older adults

Question 24

________________________ exists when people are unable to establish meaningful interpersonal relationships over a relatively long period of time.

A) Transient loneliness
B) Chronic loneliness
C) Psychosis
D) Severe loneliness

Question 25

Sarah's loneliness seems to stem from her fear of intimacy and feelings of shame, rejection, and of being unlovable.  Her loneliness is best described as

A) transient loneliness.
B) chronic loneliness.
C) everyday loneliness.
D) existential loneliness.

Question 26

Adolescents often feel lonely for all of the reasons below except

A) their bodily changes and impulses alone are enough to bring about a sense of perplexity and loneliness.
B) they are developing a sense of identity.
C) they want to be accepted and liked, but they fear rejection, ridicule, or expulsion by their peers.
D) their level of maturity and self-awareness help them to grasp and accept the existential reality that we all are alone in this world.

Question 27

Yalom (2008) writes about two kinds of loneliness:

A) everyday and existential loneliness.
B) transient and chronic loneliness.
C) aloneness and meaninglessness.
D) neurotic and psychotic loneliness.

Question 28

Jerilyn recently ended a lengthy relationship and seems to be filling all of her free time by going on dates and attending parties. She also seems to be eating more than usual for emotional reasons. These behaviors could be indicative of

A) Jerilyn's changing metabolism.
B) Jerilyn's fear of loneliness.
C) Jerilyn's need for excitement.
D) Jerilyn's inability to reflect on her life.

Question 29

What is the relationship between shyness and loneliness?

A) People who have difficulty dealing with shyness often withdraw socially, and social withdrawal generally exacerbates matters and can lead to loneliness.
B) People who are shy tend to gravitate towards other people who are shy, which creates a communication barrier, and ultimately, loneliness.
C) Shy people typically move far away from their families and end up with poor social networks, exacerbating their loneliness.
D) There is no relationship between shyness and loneliness.

Question 30

As people age and move closer to death, they tend to become increasingly aware that their world will disappear and that others cannot accompany them to their final destiny. This experience is best described as

A) transient loneliness.
B) chronic loneliness.
C) everyday loneliness.
D) existential loneliness.

Question 31

Severe shyness is referred to as

A) anxious avoidance.
B) social avoidance.
C) antisocial personality disorder.
D) social anxiety disorder.

Question 32

Making time for yourself is a basic part of:

A) shyness.
B) self-care.
C) loneliness.
D) connectivity.

Question 33

Ethnic minority adolescents often face unique challenges in terms of feeling connected to others because

A) they have learned that loneliness results from being alone.
B) of an inadequate resolution of the intimacy vs. isolation psychosocial crisis.
C) they have bought into stereotypes that contribute to feeling alone and different,
D) they haven't developed an ego identity.

Question 34

Which of the following statements is not true about loneliness?

A) We often experience loneliness when our network of social relationships is lacking, when there are strains on these relationships, or when these relationships are not satisfying to us.
B) Loneliness can occur when we feel set apart in some way from everyone, which can have its roots in the lack of attachment in early childhood.
C) Loneliness generally happens to us rather than being chosen by us.
D) We should not allow ourselves to fully experience our loneliness because the pain can become unbearable and it is not productive.

Question 35

According to counselors who work with children, many of them suffer from stress and have overscheduled lives. These children tend to do all of the following EXCEPT :

A) become impatient with lack of stimulation.
B) feel bored without activity.
C) enjoy their quiet time relaxing.
D) take catnaps during the day.

Question 36

Bill realizes that he paid a terrible price in lost relationships for the success he has obtained. He finds himself surrounded by material possessions, yet overwhelmingly lonely. Bill is in a crisis associated with

A) young adulthood.
B) middle age.
C) old age.
D) adolescence.

Question 37

The following is a change or crisis that is not likely to occur during middle age:

A) Our significant other may grow tired of living with us and decide to leave.
B) Our life may not have turned out the way we had planned.
C) Our children may leave home, and with this change we may experience emptiness and a sense of loss.
D) We may struggle with role confusion.

Question 38

The question of what to do with our lives, what intimate relationships we want to establish, and how we will chart our futures most likely occurs during

A) adolescence.
B) young adulthood.
C) middle adulthood.
D) a major crisis in our lives.

Question 39

Taking time to be alone gives us the opportunity to do all of the following EXCEPT :

A) think, plan, imagine, and dream.
B) listen to ourselves.
C) appreciate both our separateness from and our relatedness to important people and projects in our lives.
D) become sensitive to what we are experiencing.

Question 40

Loneliness and hopelessness are experienced by anyone who feels there is little to look forward to or that he or she has no vital place in society, and such feelings are particularly common among

A) young adults.
B) adolescents.
C) middle-aged individuals.
D) older adults.