Deck 16: Middle Adulthood: Social and Emotional Development

Question 1

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.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

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.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

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

Answer 3

True

Question 4

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

Question 5

Generativity enhances one's self-esteem.

Question 6

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

Question 7

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

Question 8

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

Question 9

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

Question 10

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.

Question 11

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 12

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 13

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 14

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

Question 15

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

Question 16

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 17

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

Question 18

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

Question 19

There is no room in Havighurst's vision of normalcy for gays and lesbians.

Question 20

Most career changes in midlife involve shifts into related fields.

Question 21

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 22

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 23

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 of the home.

Question 24

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 25

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 26

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 27

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

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

Question 28

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 experiencing _____.

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

Question 29

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 30

Mario was fired from his job of 20 years, experienced the death of his mother, and rarely sees 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 empty nest syndrome.
C) learn new skills more easily than in the past.
D) experience an increase in fluid and crystalline intelligences.

Question 31

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 32

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 33

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 34

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 late twenties.

Question 35

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

A) Weddings of children
B) Birth of grandchildren
C) Child leaving home for college
D) Relocation due to work

Question 36

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 37

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 38

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 39

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

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

Question 40

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

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

Question 41

Which of the following is true of the role of grandparents?​

A) They all have the same level of fun and access to grandchildren.
B) They rarely bear the primary responsibility for rearing grandchildren.
C) They rarely live far from their grandchildren.
D) They are affected by divorce and loss of identity as a family unit.

Question 42

In the context of unemployment, which of the following is true of the findings of a study conducted on married women?

A) Older women were more likely than younger women to take a job that they did not like as long as the pay was reasonable.
B) Older women were more likely to accept jobs that interfered with their home life.
C) Older women were least likely to experience declines in their well-being due to unemployment than younger women.
D) Older women were least likely to suffer financial strain following the loss of employment.

Question 43

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 44

Which of the following is true of the role of grandparents in two-parent households?

A) They fill "holes" left in the family.
B) They contribute the most to the adjustment of the family.
C) They become a source of discord between their son and daughter-in-law.
D) They usually have their own living space, referred to as an "in-law suite."

Question 45

Which of the following is most likely to occur after a child is "launched" into the outside world?

A) Parents must prevent the last child from leaving home.
B) Parents need to find a balance between staying in touch and interfering.
C) Parents rarely see or talk with their children.
D) Parents need to cut off financial assistance so their children become independent quickly.

Question 46

In the context of their roles of taking care of children, which of the following is a difference between parents and grandparents?​

A) Grandparents spend relatively less time in recreational activities than parents.
B) Grandparents spend a lower proportion of their time taking care of children while parents spend a higher proportion of their time taking care of children.
C) Grandparents usually bear the primary responsibility of taking care of children while parents bear the secondary responsibility of taking care of children.
D) Grandparents are limited socially with the arrival of grandchildren while parents have more time with the arrival of children.

Question 47

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 48

Rachel was laid off from her job as a financial consultant. Knowing that she is 25 and married, what can be predicted about the effects of the layoff?

A) She is more likely to have her sense of well-being disrupted than if she were older.
B) She is less likely to have financial strain than if she were older.
C) She is more likely to reject a job that interferes with her home life than if she were younger.
D) She is more likely to go back to school to earn a second degree than if she were younger.

Question 49

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 50

Which of the following is true of 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 51

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 the later years.
C) Neuroticism declines during middle adulthood.
D) Conscientiousness tends to decrease in early and middle adulthood.

Question 52

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 53

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 54

When young adults are 'launched' from their home:​

A) they are usually depressed for a while.
B) they are usually completely financially independent of their parents.
C) parents are usually dissatisfied with their children living apart even if they call or e-mail regularly.
D) parents still may have some influence over their children's choices.

Question 55

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

A) most personality characteristics are derived genetically from parents.
B) personality is learned 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 56

Parents are usually satisfied with their children living apart if:​

A) their children pay them daily visits.
B) there are frequent attempts by their children to garner financial assistance from them.
C) they are asked to dinner by their children on a weekly basis.
D) there are regular phone calls and e-mails from the children.

Question 57

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 58

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 59

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 60

Which of the following is true of the findings of cross-cultural research on grandparenting?

A) Grandchildren spend more time with grandfathers than grandmothers.
B) Grandchildren tend to be more involved with their mother's parents.
C) Children state they value their grandfathers less than their grandmothers.
D) The sex of the grandchildren typically influences which grandparent children gravitate to.

Question 61

Explain the relationship that middle-aged children share with aging parents.

Question 62

In a study administered by Alyssa Zucker and her colleagues to college-educated women, it was found that despite increasing concern with aging, _________ was lower among older women, suggesting, perhaps, that older women are more settled.
A. generativity
B. confident power
C. personal distress
D. identity certainty

Question 63

Which of the following is a reason for grandparents to be able to relate to grandchildren in a more relaxed way than parents?​

A) They have a greater fund of child-rearing experience than the parents.
B) They only have to spend time with the kids for short amounts of time, and so they rarely see the children misbehaving.
C) They are not really respected by the grandchildren as an authority figure, and so they do not have to care as much as the parents do.
D) They know that their child-rearing skills are better than the parents', so they can act without worrying about being wrong.

Question 64

Most people who change their careers do so in _________.
A. middle adulthood
B. late adulthood
C. adolescence
D. young adulthood

Question 65

Which of the following is true of sibling relationships in middle adulthood?​

A) A majority of sibling relationships get cut off in middle adulthood in the United States.
B) Most adult sibling relationships tend to reflect the nature of sibling relationships in childhood.
C) Very few people in middle adulthood have at least one living brother or sister in the United States.
D) Brothers tend to have more intimate relationships than sisters.

Question 66

Van Hiel and colleagues found that those research participants who had the highest level of what Erikson would call generativity scored significantly higher in the personality variable of _________.
A. neuroticism
B. conscientiousness
C. agreeableness
D. extraversion

Question 67

Which of the following is true of the "sandwich generation"?​

A) Sons always assume the major responsibility for caring for their parents than daughters.
B) They do not help out with grandchildren.
C) It consists of middle-aged children having the burden of caring for young children and aging parents.
D) It occurs when parents have to care for their children and their grandchildren at the same time.

Question 68

Van Hiel and colleagues found that those research participants who had the highest level of what Erikson would call stagnation scored significantly higher in the personality variable of _________.
A. neuroticism
B. conscientiousness
C. agreeableness
D. extraversion

Question 69

Which of the following is a difference between friendships in men and friendships in women?​

A) Male friends are likely to be more competitive in friendships while female friends are less likely to be competitive.
B) Male friends are more likely to be intimate in friendships while female friends are less likely to be intimate in friendships.
C) Men who have greater physical strength have fewer friends while women who have lesser physical strength have many friends.
D) Men who have fewer friends are less likely to be depressed while women who have more friends are more likely to be depressed.

Question 70

Discuss how unemployment affects middle-aged adults.

Question 71

The generativity versus stagnation stage is the _________ stage of Erikson's psychosocial development.
A. fifth
B. seventh
C. first
D. second

Question 72

_________ is a factor in the "big five" model of personality that contrasts kindness, trust, and warmth with hostility, selfishness, and distrust.
A. Conscientiousness
B. Agreeableness
C. Neuroticism
D. Extraversion

Question 73

The _________ approach to middle age focuses on the particular challenges and changes that people are likely to face at this time of life rather than phases or stages of life.
A. life-events
B. psychosocial
C. cognitive
D. psychosexual​

Question 74

Describe career change in middle adulthood.

Question 75

In a study administered by Alyssa Zucker and her colleagues to college-educated women, it was found that _________ was higher in the 40s than in the 20s.
A. generativity
B. confident power
C. personal distress
D. identity certainty

Question 76

_________ is the age at which women who become pregnant are advised to check for chromosomal abnormalities in their fetuses.
A. 35
B. 40
C. 45
D. 50

Question 77

_________ is a factor in the "big five" model of personality that contrasts talkativeness, assertiveness, and activity with silence, passivity, and reserve.
A. Conscientiousness
B. Agreeableness
C. Neuroticism
D. Extraversion

Question 78

In terms of friends, which of the following is true of research carried out by Toni Antonucci and Kira Burditt in 2004?

A) Women without close social ties are significantly more depressed than men.
B) For women, social isolation is connected with mortality.
C) Women are more likely than men not to have friends.
D) For men, social isolation is connected with poorer physical and psychological health.

Question 79

Explain Erikson's theory of psychosocial development with regard to middle adulthood.

Question 80

Briefly describe Daniel Levinson's seasons.