Deck 16: Psychosocial Development in Middle Adulthood

Question 1

Joshlyn,who is in her mid-fifties,takes classes at the local college at night and has started attending fitness classes in the morning.According to Rogers,Joshlyn is still striving

A) to reach late adulthood.
B) to reach self-actualization.
C) to achieve self-efficacy.
D) to fulfill a lifelong dream.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

According to the text,generativity can be expressed in the middle years through

A) teaching.
B) creativity.
C) travel.
D) politics.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

According to Erikson,the virtue of middle adulthood is

A) hope.
B) care.
C) trust.
D) love.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Gene,a middle-aged man,got remarried several years ago.According to your text,Gene is likely to become

A) less agreeable.
B) less conscientious.
C) less neurotic.
D) less extraverted.

Question 5

Belinda,who just turned 48,has begun volunteering at her grandson's preschool.According to Erikson,Belinda is striving for

A) individuation.
B) generativity.
C) stagnation
D) acceptance

Question 6

According to Jung,during the midlife transition,men and women

A) turn inward to express previously suppressed aspects of personality.
B) concentrate on obligations to family and society.
C) become less self-centered and more empathic.
D) do not change significantly, since personality is set in childhood.

Question 7

Researchers study three types of psychosocial developmental change.These include all of the following EXCEPT change related to

A) maturational needs or tasks that all human beings experience.
B) historical events that affect a particular population.
C) the socioeconomic status of a family.
D) unusual experiences and unusual timing.

Question 8

According to Erikson,middle-aged adults are involved in the crisis of

A) identity versus identity confusion.
B) generativity versus stagnation.
C) industry versus inferiority.
D) intimacy versus isolation.

Question 9

Among the Gusii of Kenya,

A) there are no expectations about stages of life.
B) expectations about stages of life are very different from those in the United States.
C) expectations about stages of life are surprisingly similar to those in the United States.
D) women dominate the culture.

Question 10

Melinda,who is in her mid-forties,owns a successful computer company.Recently,she has taken on a 14-year-old high school girl as an intern in order to "show her the ropes" of running a business.According to Erikson,Melinda is demonstrating

A) altruism.
B) generativity.
C) intimacy.
D) industry.

Question 11

Levinson felt that men become more concerned with ______________ during middle adulthood.

A) career
B) SES
C) self-esteem
D) relationships

Question 12

In Gusii society,transitions in social status depend on

A) spiritual powers.
B) ability to reproduce.
C) life events.
D) age.

Question 13

Cohort,gender,ethnicity,culture,and socioeconomic status affect the life course by

A) influencing the expectations and trajectory of life decisions.
B) protecting people from making decisions based on cultural biases.
C) influencing decisions equally by age and by specific events.
D) distinguishing the effects of age on personality development from the effects of specific events.

Question 14

In Gusii society,a "midlife crisis" is

A) impossible because they do not clearly label midlife transitions.
B) apparently similar to one in our society, involving reassessment of life and future performance.
C) usually the result of a loss of spiritual powers.
D) experienced only by women.

Question 15

Adam is 42 years old and in the midst of his midlife transition.According to Carl Jung's analysis of midlife,Adam needs to accomplish two important tasks for a successful transition:

A) to become more extroverted and more involved with family.
B) to become more assertive and more achievement-oriented.
C) to give up the image of youth and acknowledge one's eventual death.
D) to increase generativity and decrease stagnation.

Question 16

Lenard,who is 48,is described as organized and disciplined.Which of the big five personality traits would Lenard rate the highest in?

A) Neuroticism
B) Extraversion
C) Introversion
D) Conscientiousness

Question 17

In Vaillant's study of men in their fifties,those who were considered best-adjusted displayed all of the following characteristics EXCEPT

A) responsibility for others at work.
B) pride in the accomplishments of their children.
C) providing gifts to charity.
D) frustration at the lack of accomplishments of their children.

Question 18

Norm and Edna are in their late forties and are childless.According to Erikson,this couple may have problems

A) developing the virtue of hope.
B) experiencing intimacy as they progress through midlife.
C) relieving feelings of identity confusion.
D) achieving generativity.

Question 19

According to Erikson,generativity can take the form of

A) fostering the development of the young.
B) decreased concern for the well-being of others.
C) a maintenance of a youthful lifestyle.
D) indulging oneself in long-delayed pleasures.

Question 20

It can be inferred from Erikson that achieving generativity is

A) not easy for childless people.
B) actually easier for childless people than for parents.
C) equally difficult for childless people and parents.
D) unnecessary for childless people.

Question 21

Martha tends to express a lot of negativity and often feels like the events in her life are happening beyond her control.According to Lachman,Martha is likely to rate low on measures of

A) neuroticism.
B) ego-resiliency.
C) depression.
D) intelligence.

Question 22

According to research presented in your text,wearing a uniform to work

A) is oppressive and restricting.
B) may lower morbidity.
C) frees individuals to think more efficiently, because they don't have to "think about what to wear."
D) promotes creativity among employees.

Question 23

would describe Travis' emotional state as

A) a midlife crisis.
B) a male climacteric.
C) stagnation.
D) burnout.

Question 24

In the timing-of-events model,personality development is dependent on

A) specific, age-related maturational processes that occur in a fairly predictable way from one person to the next.
B) crises that occur when people turn 30, then 40, then 50 years old.
C) significant life events that occur at different times for different people.
D) changes in reproductive capacity.

Question 25

Leslie adapts well to life's challenges and often finds ways to turn negative events into positive ones.Based on evidence in your text,it is unlikely that Leslie will experience

A) the empty nest.
B) a midlife crisis.
C) generativity.
D) deindividuation.

Question 26

Initially when Maria started discovering gray hairs on the top of her head,she either plucked them out or went immediately to the store and bought hair coloring products to preserve her natural color.Recently,she has been more accepting of her physical changes and even appreciative of how others seem to be taking her more seriously at work and remarking on her increased maturity.Piaget would suggest that Maria has reached

A) identity assimilation.
B) identity accommodation.
C) identity balance.
D) generativity.

Question 27

Whitbourne concluded that a person customarily reaches identity equilibrium on the basis of their identity style.All of the following are typical identity styles EXCEPT

A) assimilative.
B) accommodative.
C) comprehensive.
D) balanced.

Question 28

Identity has been described as the accumulated perceptions of the self,both conscious and unconscious.This means that

A) our identity is an absolute view based on facts.
B) once established, identity is stable throughout life.
C) self-perceptions are confirmed or denied throughout a person's lifetime and adjustments are made to this view.
D) only information from intimate relationships has value in redefining one's view of oneself.

Question 29

According to both Erikson and Valliant,more than half of the people they studied who had entered their fifties

A) had not shown any exceptional success at work.
B) often did not achieve intimacy.
C) often took responsibility for others.
D) were often hampered by the onset of physical problems.

Question 30

The midlife crisis is brought on by an individual's awareness of his or her

A) aging process.
B) limited resources for change.
C) mortality.
D) inability to fulfill the dreams of his or her youth.

Question 31

All of the following may trigger turning points,psychological transitions that involve significant change,EXCEPT

A) major life events.
B) normative changes.
C) the social clock.
D) understanding of past experiences.

Question 32

An attempt to fit a new experience into an existing schema is identity

A) formation.
B) assimilation.
C) accommodation.
D) style.

Question 33

A psychological turning point that often yields new insights into the self and corrects life's design and trajectory is called a

A) male climeractic.
B) menopause.
C) midlife crisis.
D) midlife review.

Question 34

Most research has cast doubt on the idea that middle age brings about ________ as a source of psychological disturbance.

A) menopause
B) a climacteric
C) a midlife crisis
D) a crisis of industry versus inferiority

Question 35

A midlife review for Donald may include all of the following EXCEPT

A) regret over failure to achieve his dream of becoming company president.
B) a keener awareness that his social clock is ticking and he has still not had a child.
C) a midlife crisis.
D) the imminence of developmental deadlines.

Question 36

All of the following are valid criticisms of the concept of the midlife crisis EXCEPT

A) this sort of transition is not necessarily limited to the middle years.
B) it appears to be more related to life events, circumstances, and personality than to age.
C) the transition, though potentially stressful, does not necessarily take on crisis proportions.
D) midlife stress is limited chiefly to professional men.

Question 37

Both Valliant and Jung reported

A) a lessoning of gender differentiation at midlife and a tendency for men to become more nurturing and expressive.
B) a desire to protect people from making decisions based on cultural biases.
C) that most men and women influence decisions equally by age and by specific events.
D) the effects of age on personality development have a profound effect on decision making.

Question 38

According to research on "the social clock," which person would be viewed most negatively by other adults?

A) A 47-year-old woman who is getting her first job
B) A 29-year-old man who becomes president of a rapidly growing company
C) A 47-year-old woman who is having her first child
D) A 47-year-old man who is getting married for the first time

Question 39

Which of the following is a characteristic of an ego-resilient adult?

A) Social awkwardness
B) Feels a lack of personal meaning in life
C) A frenzied manner
D) Good sense of humor

Question 40

According to identity process theory,statements such as "I am empathetic towards my friends" are part of one's

A) self-concept.
B) self-awareness.
C) identity schema.
D) role understanding.

Question 41

Highly generative adults tend to construct

A) commitments.
B) generativity scripts.
C) generative stories.
D) gender roles.

Question 42

According to the text,all of the following factors contribute to life satisfaction EXCEPT

A) social support.
B) religiosity.
C) conscientiousness.
D) introversion.

Question 43

According to narrative psychology,life-story interviews with middle-age adults often reflect their

A) personalities.
B) goals in life.
C) past accomplishments.
D) None of these

Question 44

In cross-sectional studies,the midlife period is characterized by

A) less autonomy than young adults.
B) more purposeful and more focused on personal growth.
C) increases in environmental mastery.
D) unstable self-acceptance.

Question 45

According to social convoy theory,we rely on our close friends and family for all of the following EXCEPT

A) assistance.
B) well-being.
C) financial support.
D) social support.

Question 46

According to Carstensen's socioemotional selectivity theory,people's goals for social interaction include

A) finding sources of information.
B) submerging their sense of self.
C) developing networks for social advancement.
D) avoiding pleasure and emotional well-being.

Question 47

Many studies of middle-age adults have found a gradual average decline in negative emotions.Which of the following is TRUE?

A) Women and men did not differ in negative emotions with age.
B) Women have more positive emotions at all ages than men.
C) Women have more negative emotionality at all ages than men.
D) Married people report fewer positive emotions than unmarried people.

Question 48

According to Carstensen,in middle age people use social interaction primarily

A) as a source of information.
B) as a means to maintain a sense of self.
C) as a means of emotional support.
D) as a way to stay competitive in the workplace.

Question 49

Which age group has the largest number of people in its social convoy?

A) Adolescence
B) Young adulthood
C) Middle adulthood
D) Older adulthood

Question 50

Based on almost all measures of generativity in middle adulthood,

A) men reported higher levels of generativity than women.
B) women reported higher levels of generativity than men.
C) there were no measurable differences between men and women.
D) generativity could not be measured, only inferred.

Question 51

Even in his forties,James continues to wear the same style sneakers he wore growing up,despite objections from his wife that he is too old to wear that style.Piaget would suggest that James is engaging in

A) identity assimilation.
B) identity accommodation.
C) identity balance.
D) All of these

Question 52

Nathan is now in his mid-fifties and upon review is mainly satisfied with his past choices.He maintains a mostly positive outlook on life.According to the Ryff Well-Being Inventory,Nathan is demonstrating

A) self-acceptance.
B) positive relations with others.
C) autonomy.
D) purpose in life.

Question 53

Ethnic conservatism refers to

A) the tendency of immigrants to accept assimilation to the majority culture.
B) the tendency of immigrants to reject assimilation to the majority culture.
C) the tendency of immigrants to promote assimilation to the second generation of immigrants.
D) None of these

Question 54

Which of the following is NOT one of the dimensions of the Ryff Well-Being Inventory?

A) Self-actualization
B) Positive relations with others
C) Autonomy
D) Environmental mastery

Question 55

As children move away from home,they experience a reversal of life roles that Gutmann identified as gender

A) attitudes.
B) decisions.
C) crossover.
D) goals.

Question 56

Pamela is 47 years old and,to her friends,seems to be just drifting through life.She has a low-paying job which she does not get much satisfaction from,and yet she does not seem to really care.If Pamela were given the Ryff Well-Being Inventory,she would probably score the lowest on the dimension of

A) self-acceptance.
B) autonomy.
C) environmental mastery.
D) purpose in life.

Question 57

Positive mental health involves a sense of psychological well-being,which depends upon having a

A) healthy sense of self.
B) heightened sense of paranoia.
C) sense of popularity.
D) great deal of praise and positive feedback.

Question 58

Studies from the 1960s to 1980s found that,compared with younger men,men in middle age were

A) the busiest in developing their careers.
B) the most achievement-oriented.
C) more open about their feelings.
D) those who made significant changes in their life structures.

Question 59

Middle-aged women seem to be susceptible to depression and other mental health problems as a result of

A) cardiovascular disease.
B) vicarious stress.
C) selective theory.
D) None of these

Question 60

Miranda's strong desire to spend time with her children and grandchildren supports which of Carstensen's main goals of social interaction?

A) Social interaction is a source of information.
B) Social interaction helps people develop and maintain a sense of self.
C) Social interaction is a source of pleasure and comfort.
D) All of these

Question 61

The empty nest does not signal the end of parenthood; it is a _______________ to a new stage: the relationship between parents and adult children.

A) modification
B) transition
C) trauma
D) crisis

Question 62

Gay men who do not "come out" until midlife often go through a prolonged search for

A) a relationship.
B) acceptance.
C) identity.
D) All of these

Question 63

Cohabitating middle-aged men seem to feel more depressed than married men because they

A) worry about not having care in their elderly years from their mate.
B) cannot determine the quality of the relationship.
C) still feel divorced or single.
D) None of these

Question 64

Edna and Roderick have been married for 25 years.They have built up their financial resources,and their emotional bond has grown over the years.According to the text,Edna and Roderick have considerable

A) marital capital.
B) marital mutuality.
C) marital scaffolding.
D) marital assimilation.

Question 65

Homosexuals who do not come out until middle age may affect other aspects of their development,such as

A) difficulty establishing gay relationships.
B) challenges in experiencing generativity.
C) early establishment of identity.
D) tighter bonds with parents and siblings.

Question 66

Some women find the time when their adolescent children leave home difficult,but they are outnumbered by other mothers who

A) experience increased physical and psychological illness at this time.
B) suffer from severe depression.
C) find the departure of children liberating.
D) experience the beginning stages of a midlife crisis.

Question 67

Middle-age cohabitants may reap the same rewards as married people.This statement is TRUE for

A) men.
B) women.
C) men and women equally.
D) There is no evidence to back up this statement.

Question 68

Margo,who is in her early twenties,is about to marry.If current literature is correct,when might she expect the most stress and unhappiness in her marriage?

A) As a newlywed
B) During the childrearing years
C) After the children leave home
D) In late adulthood

Question 69

Like many other women who get divorced in middle age,Linda reported less depression and hostility,but

A) had more physical illnesses.
B) had more problems with financial security.
C) lost the close relationship she once enjoyed with her grown children.
D) experienced a difficult midlife crisis.

Question 70

Research findings of marital satisfaction in the later years of long-term marriages may in part be due to the fact that

A) children have left home.
B) menopause has eliminated the fear of pregnancy.
C) older samples do not include couples that have already gotten divorced.
D) studies were longitudinal.

Question 71

Which of the following statements about friendships in middle age is TRUE?

A) People tend to have more friendships in middle age than at any other time of life.
B) Middle-aged people often have less time for friendships but they have more quality in their friendships.
C) Friendships are typically most complex during middle age.
D) Age is a very important factor in making friends at this time of life.

Question 72

Married couples are likely to have the most marital satisfaction

A) after the last child enters school.
B) at midlife.
C) after the last child leaves home.
D) after age 70.

Question 73

Which of the following statements about the "empty nest" crisis is TRUE?

A) It is merely a myth.
B) It affects some, but by no means all, mothers.
C) It affects mothers but not fathers.
D) It is hardest on both mothers and fathers who have been deeply involved with their children.

Question 74

Of the following,who is likely to find divorce most traumatic?

A) A young man
B) A young woman
C) A middle-aged man
D) A middle-aged woman

Question 75

Which of the following is TRUE of homosexual couples?

A) They tend to be mostly white and affluent.
B) One member of the pair tends to be more dominant and career-oriented.
C) They tend to be more concerned with sexuality than heterosexual couples.
D) Many are still working out conflicts with parents.

Question 76

Friendships are most important for women in

A) early middle age.
B) late middle age.
C) late young adulthood.
D) early late adulthood.

Question 77

The empty nest is a transition stage.Elaine,like many other women who used the role of motherhood to define themselves,must

A) redefine her relationship with her spouse.
B) find employment outside the house in order to have value.
C) reconnect with her siblings because she feels empty.
D) None of these

Question 78

Middle-aged people show the most adaptability in the face of separation or divorce because they

A) have greater maturity and expertise in handling problems.
B) have a longer time to get accustomed to the idea of divorce.
C) reported greater hostility in their marriages.
D) have more prospects for remarriage.

Question 79

In a longtime marriage,positive aspects of the relationship,such as discussion,cooperation,and shared laughter,tend to

A) decrease.
B) increase.
C) follow a U-shaped curve.
D) peak early and then decrease.

Question 80

Some research suggests that marital satisfaction over a lifetime appears to follow a U-shaped curve; this means that

A) satisfaction is lower in the early years of a marriage and then again in late adulthood.
B) satisfaction is highest in the early years of a marriage and then again in late adulthood.
C) there is a "normal distribution" of satisfaction throughout marriage.
D) most marriages worsen over the years.