Deck 13: Middle Adulthood: Cognitive, personality, and Social Development

Question 1

Which of the following assumptions distinguishes life span developmental approaches to human development from other developmental approaches?

A)Development is shaped by the interplay of nature and nurture.
B)Cultural influences are more important in adult development than in child development.
C)Development across the life span is primarily a process of unfolding maturation.
D)Developmental processes are not completed when a person reaches adulthood.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Genaro is a 55-year-old truck driver who has developed anxiety attacks after a recent accident that left him with a serious back injury.Because of his anxiety,he has stopped going to physical therapy.He is considering whether he can return to truck driving,whether he can afford to retire,or if he will need to explore other options for a new career.Which of the following would be an example of regulating loss in adapting to his circumstances?

A)Returning to physical therapy so that he can go back to his job as a truck driver.
B)Coming to terms with his injury and the loss of his job and income.
C)Making financial decisions that will allow him to retire early.
D)Starting a support group for others suffering from anxiety in his church community.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

The "Big Five" personality traits are

A)conscientiousness,agreeableness,aggressiveness,neuroticism and introversion.
B)warmth,neuroticism,conscientiouness,introversion and extroversion.
C)sociability,openness,neuroticism,agreeableness and aggressiveness.
D)agreeableness,neuroticism,openness,extraversion and conscientiousness.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Fluid intelligence is to ____________ as crystallized intelligence is to ____________.

A)working memory / metacognition.
B)pragmatics / mechanics.
C)metacognition / working memory.
D)mechanics / pragmatics.

Question 5

Sonya is a successful therapist with three adult children.She is 50 years old and in relatively good health.Sonya has some minor aches and stiff joints,mostly stemming from an old knee injury she suffered while playing sports in college.She and her husband reside on the West coast near Sonya's elderly father.Her younger daughter is still in middle school.Her two older children live in different states,and her oldest son has been diagnosed with HIV.Sonya tries to bring the family together as often as she can,but it is usually only once or twice a year.She is involved in her community and is a generous donor to programs that support research on AIDS.Which of the following could be considered a nonnormative event in Sonya's life?

A)Her children's move to other states.
B)Her son's diagnosis of HIV.
C)Her physical limitations.
D)Her generation's approach to community involvement.

Question 6

What can you reliably predict about normal age-related changes in cognitive functioning in middle adulthood?

A)Most people will have difficulty remembering events in their past life.
B)Most people will have difficulty paying attention to work tasks.
C)Most people need to take a little more time when solving complex problems.
D)Most people become more impulsive when it comes to decision-making.

Question 7

Which of the following is the most likely physical change that most adults will experience in their 40s ?

A)For many,it will take longer for eyes to adapt to changes in light than before.
B)Many will acquire a serious disability.
C)For most people the ability to hear normal speech sounds will noticeably decline.
D)For most people their body will produce more elastin as they age.

Question 8

Sonya is a successful therapist with three adult children.She is 50 years old and in relatively good health.Sonya has some minor aches and stiff joints,mostly stemming from an old knee injury she suffered while playing sports in college.She and her husband reside on the West coast near Sonya's elderly father.Her younger daughter is still in middle school.Her two older children live in different states,and her oldest son has been diagnosed with HIV.Sonya tries to bring the family together as often as she can,but it is usually only once or twice a year.She is involved in her community and is a generous donor to programs that support research on AIDS.Which of the following describes Sonya or her life stage?

A)She is in the second honeymoon stage.
B)She is in the sandwich generation.
C)She is in the ego-integration stage.
D)She is in the individualistic stage.

Question 9

According to Erikson and Vaillant,which of the following statements best captures the psychological state that is typical of midlife ?

A)Feeling content with a career niche that provides economic security.
B)Striving to find a way to use one's talent to give meaning to life and to the lives of other people.
C)A focus on maintaining a sense of self-esteem by achieving recognition for our work.
D)Struggling with intimacy as one becomes a marital partner or parent.

Question 10

Peggy,a 62-year-old woman,has been unable to work for the past year because of a back injury that she sustained at her job as a cafeteria worker.Her adult son,Brian,lives close enough for her to babysit his two young children on a regular basis.Peggy's daughter,Linda,lives in another part of the state and recently had a new baby boy named Luke.Linda has asked her mother to move in with her to help care for her newborn.Based upon the life span development model,for which of the following individuals is maintenance the most characteristic mode of adaptation?

A)Peggy.
B)Linda.
C)Matt.
D)Luke.

Question 11

Cross-cultural research findings indicate that

A)age-related changes in personality traits differ across different cultural groups.
B)age-related changes in personality traits are consistent across different cultural groups.
C)age-graded changes in personality traits do not exist in more collectivistic cultures.
D)age-graded changes in personality traits do not exist in more individualistic cultures.

Question 12

Most men can expect some changes in testosterone levels and possibly in their sexual function in their 40s.Which of the following changes is most likely?

A)Older men produce less seminal fluid during ejaculation than when they were younger.
B)Most men's sexual response time will be decreased compared to when they were younger.
C)Most older men are much less likely to engage in frequent sexual activity.
D)Men maintain muscle mass and bone density at their youthful levels.

Question 13

Sonya is a successful therapist with three adult children.She is 50 years old and in relatively good health.Sonya has some minor aches and stiff joints,mostly stemming from an old knee injury she suffered while playing sports in college.She and her husband reside on the West coast near Sonya's elderly father.Her younger daughter is still in middle school.Her two older children live in different states,and her oldest son has been diagnosed with HIV.Sonya tries to bring the family together as often as she can,but it is usually only once or twice a year.She is involved in her community and is a generous donor to programs that support research on AIDS.What is the best example of a change that is influenced by Sonya's life course or life task development?

A)Sonya promotes the welfare of individuals with AIDS.
B)Sonya must accommodate her exercise routine to accommodate her physical limitations.
C)Sonya strives for economic stability for her family.
D)Sonya plans family reunions once or twice a year so that the generations can spend time together.

Question 14

Genaro is a 55-year-old truck driver who has developed anxiety attacks after a recent accident that left him with a serious back injury.Because of his anxiety,he has stopped going to physical therapy.He is considering whether he can return to truck driving,whether he can afford to retire,or if he will need to explore other options for a new career.Which of the following would be an example of growth in adapting to these circumstances?

A)Returning to physical therapy so that he can go back to his job as a truck driver.
B)Coming to terms with his injury and adjusting to his limitations.
C)Returning directly to his job as a truck driver.
D)Seeking out counseling to help him deal with his anxiety and learn about his options for a new career.

Question 15

Research indicates a history-graded effect for cohorts of children and adolescents growing up in the United States today.Which of these is the best description of this effect?

A)Children and adolescents develop an identity sooner than individuals in previous generations.
B)Children and adolescents experience higher levels of anxiety than individuals in previous generations.
C)Children and adolescents progress through the stages of the family life cycle more quickly than individuals in previous generations.
D)Children and adolescents experience more economic uncertainty than individuals in previous generations.

Question 16

Peggy,a 62-year-old woman,has been unable to work for the past year because of a back injury that she sustained at her job as a cafeteria worker.Her adult son,Brian,lives close enough for her to babysit his two young children on a regular basis.Peggy's daughter,Linda,lives in another part of the state and recently had a new baby boy named Luke.Linda has asked her mother to move in with her to help care for her newborn.Based upon the life span development model,for which of the following individuals is regulation of loss the primary mode of adaptation?

A)Peggy.
B)Luke.
C)Brian.
D)Linda.

Question 17

Peggy,a 62-year-old woman,has been unable to work for the past year because of a back injury that she sustained at her job as a cafeteria worker.Her adult son,Brian,lives close enough for her to babysit his two young children on a regular basis.Peggy's daughter,Linda,lives in another part of the state and recently had a new baby boy named Luke.Linda has asked her mother to move in with her to help cares for her newborn.Based upon the life span development model,for which of the following individuals is growth the most characteristic mode of adaptation?

A)Peggy.
B)Brian.
C)Linda.
D)Luke.

Question 18

Mark,a 47-year-old man,is very shy.He has difficulty interacting with others because he feels awkward and does not easily express his thoughts and feelings.He is a relatively successful artist who lives alone in a rural Southern state.Mark also remembers being very shy as a child.Which of the following is not a likely explanation for the continuity of Mark's personality over his life span?

A)Mark's early temperamental shyness was influenced by his genes.
B)Mark's parents did not try to make him more outgoing.
C)Mark selected a job which reinforced his temperamental characteristics.
D)Mark's early temperament and his later personality traits are moderately correlated.

Question 19

According to Erikson's theory,which developmental task is central to the middle adulthood stage of life?

A)Ego integrity.
B)Intimacy.
C)Autonomy.
D)Generativity.

Question 20

Genaro is a 55-year-old truck driver who has developed anxiety attacks after a recent accident that left him with a serious back injury.Because of his anxiety,he has stopped going to physical therapy.He is considering whether he can return to truck driving,whether he can afford to retire,or if he will need to explore other options for a new career.Which of the following would be an example of maintenance in adapting to his circumstances?

A)Returning to physical therapy so that he can go back to his job as a truck driver.
B)Coming to terms with his injury and the loss of his job and income.
C)Reading books on late-life career changes so that he can understand his options.
D)Starting a business from home so that he can earn enough money to supplement a limited pension income.

Question 21

According to Carter and McGoldrick,one of the second-order changes in the family in the launching period is

A)differentiating the self from one's family of origin.
B)maintaining couple functioning in the face of physiological decline.
C)opening up the boundaries to allow adolescent children to move in and out of the system.
D)renegotiating the marital system as a dyad.

Question 22

Compare and contrast Erikson's view of midlife with that of Vaillant.,

Question 23

In his approach to couples therapy,Gottman encourages couples to recognize relationship problems that are the result of differences in temperament and attitudes

A)growth
B)maintenance or resilience
C)regulation of loss
D)the steady-state model
E)g.,different approaches to money)as chronic and inevitable,much like chronic physical ailments that come on as we get older.This approach is similar to ____________,one of the adaptive mechanisms described by life span developmental theorists.

Question 24

Gottman described several core strategies that clinicians can teach couples in marital therapy to foster relational well-being.Describe four of these strategies.Discuss in detail how you would approach teaching one of these strategies to a client couple.Page 518)

Question 25

Geraldo and Rose have been dating since high school.Rose has spoken to Geraldo about getting engaged,but Geraldo is hesitant.He feels close to Rose and shares his feelings and concerns with her,but he no longer feels very sexually attracted to her.He says he feels more like a brother to Rose than a lover.According to Steinberg,what type of love does Geraldo feel for Rose?

A)Infatuation.
B)Companionate.
C)Nonlove.
D)Liking.

Question 26

Describe the factors that promote stability in adult life and those that promote change.,

Question 27

Joe,a 52-year-old,lost his job when the plant he managed was closed,and his overall life satisfaction plummeted.After 9 months out of work,Joe was fortunate to find another,similar position.What can we expect for Joe now?

A)Joe's overall life satisfaction will now return to the baseline he experienced before the job loss.
B)Joe's overall life satisfaction will rise,but will not return to baseline.
C)Joe's overall life satisfaction will continue to fall.
D)Joe's overall life satisfaction will not change in relation to job loss or reemployment.

Question 28

In Gottman's 1999)research,which of the following "four horsemen of the apocalypse" behaviors is most predictive of relationship failure?

A)Criticism.
B)Defensiveness.
C)Contempt.
D)Stonewalling.

Question 29

Women and men play multiple roles in their lives.What are some examples of these roles? Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of taking on the responsibilities of multiple roles,and provide clear examples of these advantages and disadvantages.Include a discussion of role buffering.,

Question 30

Individuals who are "off-time" with regard to the social clock

A)are retired.
B)are uncertain about when to make major changes in their lives,such as when to retire.
C)have not met their major life goals at a time consistent with their expectations.
D)are obsessive about being on time.
Chapter 13 Essay Questions
See answer key or potential essay answers)

Question 31

Based on research,which adolescent and early adult characteristics are most strongly related to high levels of generativity in middle adulthood?

A)Extraversion and agreeableness.
B)Agreeableness and openness.
C)Affiliation and power needs.
D)Introversion and agreeableness.

Question 32

Chen and Anne come to counseling because they are on the brink of a divorce.After five years of marriage,Anne sees Chen as a highly controlling individual who micromanages their bank account.She's tired of her husband always nagging about money,and says she doesn't feel like she's getting anything positive out of her relationship.Chen considers Anne's spending extravagant.He blames her family background for creating her lack of responsibility.From Anne's perspective,what theory about marriage would explain the relationship failure?

A)Intrapersonal theory.
B)Steady state theory.
C)Social exchange theory.
D)Homeostatic theory.

Question 33

Janine is a 45-year-old accountant who has considerable experience in working as a consultant with firms who are undergoing mergers and acquisitions.Recently one of the firms she successfully helped through a difficult acquisition has offered her a position as Vice Presidenct.She has never managed a major corporate division before.Based on what you know about women leaders,what would you predict about her leadership style?

A)She will probably be agentic
B)She will probably be agentic and autocratic.
C)She will probably have difficulty being agentic,but will be democratic.
D)Leadership style is unrelated to gender.
E)g.,assertive,task oriented)and also democratic.

Question 34

Chen and Anne come to counseling because they are on the brink of a divorce.After five years of marriage,Anne sees Chen as a highly controlling individual who micromanages their bank account.She's tired of her husband always nagging about money,and says she doesn't feel like she's getting anything positive out of her relationship.Chen considers Anne's spending extravagant.He blames her family background for creating her lack of responsibility.From Chen's perspective,what theory about marriage would explain the relationship failure?

A)Intrapersonal theory.
B)Steady state theory.
C)Social-exchange theory.
D)Homeostatic theory.

Question 35

Based upon research about marital relationships conducted by Gottman,what feature of a relationship best predicts the demise of a relationship?

A)Homeostatic steady state.
B)Negative affect reciprocity.
C)Disillusionment.
D)Childlessness.

Question 36

Research on mate selection indicates that people choose mates on the basis of all of the following characteristics,except for

A)physical attractiveness.
B)homogomy.
C)compatibility.
D)agency.