Deck 16: Middle Adulthood: Social and Emotional Development

Question 1

Typically, after adult children are "launched" from the family home, middle-aged adults provide no financial support to them.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

In a study of more than 2,000 university employees, blue-collar workers reported greater levels of job satisfaction compared to others in the study.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Most career changes in midlife involve shifts into related fields.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Culture affects the expression of personality traits of people.

Question 5

Workers in middle adulthood have unrealistic perceptions of their career goals.

Question 6

Conscientiousness increases dramatically from early adulthood and peaks during middle adulthood, followed by a decline during late adulthood.

Question 7

Women are more likely than men not to have friends or other close social relationships during midlife.

Question 8

In middle adulthood, the number of friends tends to dwindle, and couples and individuals tend to place more value on the friends they keep.

Question 9

The growing job satisfaction throughout middle age can be linked to factors such as increased expertise and income.

Question 10

The gender of the grandchild has great impact on the amount of involvement of grandparents in their life.

Question 11

Neuroticism-emotional instability-increases slightly and gradually during middle adulthood, but then levels off and declines somewhat in later adulthood.

Question 12

Most aging American parents move to Sunbelt locations such as Florida and Arizona after their children marry and have children of their own.

Question 13

There is no room in Havighurst's vision of normalcy for people who choose the single life.

Question 14

The term "sandwich generation" refers to older adults who are squeezed into homes with their children and grandchildren.

Question 15

In the context of adult sibling relationships, sisters tend to have more intimate relationships than brothers.

Question 16

People who score high on the neuroticism scale of the five-factor model of personality tend to be insensitive to negative stimuli.

Question 17

According to Daniel Levinson and his colleagues, the years from 40 to 45 comprise a midlife transition.

Question 18

Erikson believed that the major psychological challenge of the middle years is generativity versus stagnation.

Question 19

Generativity enhances one's self-esteem.

Question 20

When grandparents live with couples and their grandchildren, they have a positive influence and are more likely to contribute to the adjustment of the family.

Question 21

Which of the following is a developmental task of middle adulthood identified by Havighurst?

A) Establishing a deeper relationship with one's life partner
B) Keeping one's performance at work at above satisfactory levels
C) Providing monetary support to children in their late adulthood
D) Preparing for retired life by saving money

Question 22

Which of the following is true of people who experience a midlife crisis according to Levinson?

A) People experience enhanced self-confidence and self-esteem in middle adulthood.
B) People remain unaffected by marker events such as menopause or the death of a parent or a friend.
C) People engage in age-denying behaviors, such as having an extramarital affair.
D) People take on additional duties such as civic responsibilities to enhance their sense of being generative.

Question 23

According to Erikson's psychosocial theory, which of the following is true of stagnation in middle adulthood?

A) At this stage, adults reject their natural drive to bear children.
B) At this stage, adults lose the drive to work.
C) At this stage, adults experience a sudden shift in personality.
D) At this stage, adults lose the drive to live.

Question 24

There is no room in Havighurst's vision of normalcy for:

A) gays and lesbians.
B) people who have children.
C) people who choose marriage.
D) people who undertake meaningful social and civic responsibilities.

Question 25

According to Robert Havighurst, keeping our performance at work at a satisfactory level is considered a developmental task during _____.

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

Question 26

Erikson saw psychosocial generativity as based in:

A) a learned behavior, causing people to behave in socially acceptable ways.
B) an instinctual drive toward procreativity, bearing, and rearing children.
C) a cognitive process whereby people can think hypothetically about their futures.
D) the need of the elderly for approval from their peers.

Question 27

Levinson suggested that the midlife crisis:

A) is a psychological shift into late adulthood that is theorized to occur between the ages of 50 to 55.
B) is responsible to help people experience tranquility and contentment in later years.
C) is a problem only for men.
D) is triggered by marker events such as menopause or the death of a friend.

Question 28

According to Daniel Levinson and his colleagues, which of the following is true of the midlife transition?

A) It is a period in which people are at the peak of generativity.
B) It is a period in which people fear they have more to look back upon than forward to.
C) It is a period of development that occurs around the age of 30-35 years.
D) It is a period where people engage in procreation.

Question 29

Hank is 45 years old. Recently, he got divorced, moved across town, and is dating a young woman half his age. According to Levinson, Hank is most likely experiencing _____.

A) a midlife crisis
B) high generativity
C) low stagnation
D) the glass ceiling effect

Question 30

According to Van Hiel and colleagues, which of the following is an outcome of the research on personality characteristics in middle adulthood?

A) People who were generative were emotionally unstable.
B) People who were stagnated were more conscientious.
C) People who were stagnated were more likely to score high on neuroticism.
D) People who were generative were less extroverted than those who were not.

Question 31

Identify an event that is likely to trigger a midlife crisis among middle-aged adults.

A) The acquisition of a new home
B) The birth of nephews and nieces
C) The death of a parent or a friend
D) The wedding of a grandchild

Question 32

Which of the following is true of theories of development during middle adulthood?

A) They debate whether or not middle adulthood is a distinct stage of life.
B) They all include the concept of a midlife crisis.
C) They agree that middle adulthood begins at age 35.
D) They suggest that one's age is the primary determinant of when middle adulthood begins.

Question 33

Which of the following is true of the findings of a study of 200 adults by Van Hiel and colleagues?

A) Havighurst's developmental tasks did not apply to middle adulthood.
B) Stagnation and generativity were direct opposites of each other.
C) Erikson's developmental crises were highly correlated with Freud's psychosexual stages of development.
D) The more generative group scored significantly higher on conscientiousness.

Question 34

In the context of middle adulthood, _____ is defined as the ability to produce.

A) assertiveness
B) conscientiousness
C) extraversion
D) generativity

Question 35

According to Erik Erikson, which of the following factors can lead to stagnation among middle-aged adults?

A) Rejection or suppression of the natural instinct to achieve job satisfaction
B) Rejection or suppression of the natural drive toward procreativity
C) Rejection or suppression of the natural drive to travel and explore
D) Rejection or suppression of the natural drive toward homosexual behavior

Question 36

According to Levinson, which of the following is true of middle adulthood?

A) At this stage, people are likely to experience a midlife crisis.
B) At this stage, people have more to look forward to than look back upon.
C) At this stage, people experience happiness due to the knowledge that they are approaching the end of their work years.
D) At this stage, menopause is seen as a positive event by women.

Question 37

Which of the following is an example of an event that is most likely to trigger the midlife crisis?

A) The wedding of a child
B) The birth of a grandchild
C) A child leaving home for college
D) Relocation due to work

Question 38

Which of the following is true of the midlife crisis according to Levinson and his colleagues?

A) It is a period when the personality variable of neuroticism is at its highest in adults.
B) It is a period when stagnation is at its prime.
C) It is a period when people view the future years as a second adulthood.
D) It is a period when generativity is at its prime.

Question 39

Maude is 40 years old. She recently quit her job and is involved in an extramarital relationship with a much younger man. According to Levinson, she is most likely experiencing _____.

A) a midlife crisis
B) high generativity
C) low stagnation
D) the glass ceiling effect

Question 40

According to Erikson's psychosocial theory of development, which of the following is true of people who are unable to have children?

A) They have high self-esteem.
B) They have no alternative but to experience stagnation.
C) They need to find substitutes to satisfy their need for generativity.
D) They are better off psychologically than those who have more than two children.

Question 41

Which of the following is true of present day middle-aged women in developed nations?

A) They experience the empty nest syndrome as a time of great depression.
B) They tire of their husbands and yearn for new, more exciting relationships.
C) They see their last child moving out of the home as the end of their lives.
D) They are in the workforce and find life satisfaction outside the home.

Question 42

Kenton, a 45-year-old man is warm and kind to everyone. He inspires trust in almost everyone around him. According to the "big five" model of personality factors, Kenton displays _____.

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

Question 43

Cassandra got divorced, lost her job, and had to move into a new apartment in a run-down section of town. She believes that these setbacks are temporary as she has the support of her family members and friends. Which of the following is most likely to occur to her?

A) She is likely to be severely depressed and unable to cope as a result of her way of thinking about her life events.
B) She is likely to become severely ill, which will only heighten the severity of these life events.
C) She is likely to suffer from anxiety symptoms that will lead to thoughts of suicide.
D) She is likely to manage her stress better than someone who believes this situation would not change.

Question 44

Adult children who return to their parents' home for prolonged periods are part of the _____.

A) boomerang generation
B) down syndrome generation
C) empty nest syndrome
D) sandwich generation

Question 45

Which of the following will have a moderating effect on stressful life events?

A) Having a greater number of life events occur at one time
B) Having understanding and supportive family members
C) Having few resources to tackle the challenges posed by the life events
D) Using alcohol to help relax

Question 46

_____ refers to a syndrome wherein some children fail to leave home even by age 30.

A) Failure to thrive
B) Midlife transition
C) The empty nest syndrome
D) Failure to launch

Question 47

Which of the following is true of the empty nest syndrome?

A) It affects middle-aged adults who separate from their spouses.
B) It no longer exists during middle adulthood.
C) It affects mothers much more than fathers.
D) It usually affects individuals in their late teens.

Question 48

Which of the following is true of the research on the stability of the five personality factors as proposed by Costa and McCrae?

A) Extraverted adults tend to become far more introverted as they get older.
B) Agreeableness increases during later years.
C) Neuroticism declines during middle adulthood.
D) Conscientiousness tends to decrease in early and middle adulthood.

Question 49

The life-events approach to middle adulthood focuses on:

A) various stages of life.
B) challenges and changes that people face in this time.
C) the mental changes that occur due to the midlife crisis defined by Levinson.
D) the outcome of the glass ceiling effect on middle-aged women.

Question 50

Cross-cultural research on the "big five" personality factors has shown that:

A) most personality characteristics are derived genetically from parents.
B) personality is developed within the first five years of life.
C) the expression of personality traits remains unaffected by culture.
D) the factors are related to people's basic temperaments, which are largely inborn.

Question 51

Which of the following factors is a part of the five-factor personality theory?

A) Identity certainty
B) Generativity
C) Extraversion
D) Personal distress

Question 52

Which of the following is true of people during middle adulthood?

A) Women become more aware that their "biological clocks" are ticking.
B) The sperm count and "swimming ability" of sperm begin to decline markedly at age 30.
C) Most people in middle adulthood suffer major loss of physical prowess.
D) There is great loss of fluid intelligence during middle adulthood.

Question 53

Aleeza is a 42-year-old woman with lots of friends. She loves to share her thoughts and opinions with her girlfriends. She also enjoys a host of hobbies and activities. According to the "big five" model of personality factors, Aleeza displays _____.

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

Question 54

Which of the following is true of stressful life events?

A) These events have little effect on physical health.
B) These events have little effect on psychological health.
C) These events are offset by an increased sense of control.
D) These events are important to keep people mentally alert.

Question 55

Which of the following is true of corporate downsizing?

A) It helps companies identify the most loyal workers.
B) It initiates a midlife crisis on those who are laid off.
C) It is a tactic used by companies to increase the generativity of their workers.
D) It mostly affects people who are flexible about their career choices.

Question 56

Corinne is going through a hostile divorce, and her youngest child is leaving home for college. She is also facing the threat of downsizing at her workplace. She blames herself for all her sorrows and sees the future as bleak and hopeless. Corinne is most likely to:

A) experience a spike in fluid intelligence.
B) recover quickly from the empty nest syndrome.
C) learn new skills more easily than in the past.
D) face a host of harmful health problems.

Question 57

Gary is a 43-year-old-man with a large circle of friends. He loves to spend time at gatherings and parties and likes to talk about a variety of topics. He is self-assured and commanding during discussions and debates. According to the "big five" model of personality factors, Gary displays _____.

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

Question 58

Careful monitoring of the _____ is usually recommended for women who become pregnant at 35 or later.

A) hair
B) fetus
C) brain
D) liver

Question 59

Eddie nursed his wife through a long illness and was by her side when she passed away. A few days later, Eddie's best friend of 40 years moved to another country. Eddie feels lonely but is hopeful of finding meaningful company soon. Meanwhile, he spends quality time with his grandchildren. In this scenario, which of the following options is most likely to happen to Eddie?

A) He is likely to become severely ill, which will only heighten the severity of the painful life events.
B) He is likely to manage his stress better than someone who believes the situation will not change.
C) He is likely to suffer from severe anxiety symptoms that will lead to thoughts of suicide.
D) He is likely to be depressed and unable to cope as a result of his way of thinking about life events.

Question 60

Mario recently lost his mother and was fired from his job of 20 years. He rarely gets to see his children after his divorce. He believes that he has bad luck and that everything he does seems to end in a mess. Mario is most likely to:

A) face health problems.
B) recover from the empty nest syndrome.
C) learn new skills more easily than in the past.
D) experience an increase in fluid and crystalline intelligences.

Question 61

The growing _____ throughout middle age can be linked to factors such as increased expertise and income.

A) disillusionment
B) job satisfaction
C) waist sizes
D) stress

Question 62

Maureen is a 45-year-old woman who radiates warmth and kindness. She gets along well with everyone in the family and also has a lot of friends who trust her completely. According to the "big five" model of personality factors, Maureen displays _____.

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

Question 63

In the context of scales used to assess development of personality in women from young adulthood through late adulthood, which of the following themes assesses the sense of authority over others?

A) Identity certainty
B) Confident power
C) Generativity
D) Concern with aging

Question 64

According to a study of more than 2,000 university employees conducted by Hochwarter et al. in 2001, job satisfaction _____ throughout middle adulthood.

A) decreased sharply
B) remained steady
C) reduced gradually
D) increased steadily

Question 65

Linghao, a 50-year-old artist, is imaginative and creative in his use of paints in his art class. He is likely to score high in the _____ factor of the five-factor personality model.

A) extraversion
B) conscientiousness
C) neuroticism
D) openness to experience

Question 66

Nikita is neat, organized, and thorough with her work at the office. Based on the five-factor model of personality, she is likely to score high in _____.

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

Question 67

Most middle-aged workers:

A) have lesser income than during their younger years.
B) have more satisfaction on the job than during their younger years .
C) are less realistic about their careers than when they were younger.
D) are less happy since they realize they have not attained their lifelong dreams.

Question 68

In the context of scales used to assess development of personality in women from young adulthood through late adulthood, which of the following themes assesses the feelings of incompetence and loneliness?

A) Identity certainty
B) Confident power
C) Personal distress
D) Concern with aging

Question 69

Which of the following is true of involuntary unemployment?

A) It affects those with more social support more than those with less social support.
B) It is harder on young adults than middle-aged adults.
C) It affects all individuals in the same way.
D) It harms the physical and psychological well-being of many individuals.

Question 70

According to the Conference Board (2010) survey, what percentage of American workers are satisfied with their jobs?

A) 10%
B) 60%
C) 45%
D) 90%

Question 71

Tyson, a 45-year-old man, is known among his colleagues for his timely and accurate work. His bosses trust him for his thoroughness and reliability. According to the "big five" model of personality factors, Tyson displays _____.

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

Question 72

In the context of scales used to assess development of personality in women from young adulthood through late adulthood, which of the following themes assesses the feeling that "I am my own person"?

A) Identity certainty
B) Confident power
C) Generativity
D) Concern with aging

Question 73

In the context of scales used to assess development of personality in women from young adulthood through late adulthood, which of the following themes assesses preoccupation with death?

A) Identity certainty
B) Confident power
C) Generativity
D) Concern with aging

Question 74

Hannah is extremely sensitive in nature and is prone to moodiness. She also gets very nervous on occasions. According to the "big five" model of personality factors, Hannah displays _____.

A) neuroticism
B) hyperactivity
C) conscientiousness
D) attention deficit

Question 75

Stella, a 50-year-old secretary, is careless with how she prepares her reports for work and is often late for meetings. She would most likely score low on the _____ scale of the five-factor model of personality.

A) conscientiousness
B) agreeableness
C) openness to experience
D) neuroticism

Question 76

Which of the following is true of a career change in middle adulthood?

A) It often involves change into related areas.
B) It occurs more often in middle adulthood than in early adulthood.
C) It is rarely voluntary.
D) It is always associated with negative changes in one's mental health.

Question 77

Kimberly is keenly observant of things around her and uses her information to craft imaginative stories. Her writings showcase her creativity with language. According to the "big five" model of personality factors, Kimberly displays _____.

A) openness to experience
B) hyperactivity
C) conscientiousness
D) attention deficit

Question 78

Paulo is 45 years old and is often nervous and moody. His friends avoid him due to his behavior. Based on the five-factor model of personality, Paulo is likely to score high in _____.

A) extraversion
B) openness to experience
C) neuroticism
D) agreeableness

Question 79

In the context of work in middle adulthood, women aged _____ were most likely to accept jobs low in pay, as long as they liked the work.

A) 25-37
B) 18-25
C) 35-50
D) 50-62

Question 80

In the context of scales used to assess development of personality in women from young adulthood through late adulthood, which of the following themes assesses the sense of being needed?

A) Identity certainty
B) Confident power
C) Generativity
D) Concern with aging