Deck 15: Middle Adulthood: Personality and Sociocultural Development

Question 1

Suppose you are conducting a study in which you ask middle-aged men and women why they have stayed married to each other. You would expect that the primary reason that men would give would be _________ and the primary reason women would give would be _____________.

A) "my spouse is my best friend"; "for the sake of the children"
B) "for the sake of the children"; "for financial reasons"
C) "my spouse is my best friend"; "my spouse is my best friend"
D) "for sexual reasons"; "for financial reasons"

Answer 1

C

Question 2

According to Erikson, the procreative domain of generativity centers on which of the following?

A) successfully integrating work responsibilities with family life
B) taking care of one's children and guiding them toward good lives
C) increasing cultural potential on a greater scale
D) finding meaning in one's own work

Answer 2

B

Question 3

The text reports the results of a study of friendships among people at four different life stages. In all of these stages of life, which of the following was reported as the most important aspect of friendship?

A) loyalty
B) empathy
C) honesty
D) reciprocity

Answer 3

D

Question 4

In a study that asked adults how their personalities had changed in the previous 6 years, the results shows that _____ reported that their personalities had "stayed the same" and _____ reported that their personalities had "changed a good deal."

A) 33%; 67%
B) 67%; 33%
C) 9%; 53%
D) 53%; 9%

Question 5

If you were to choose the most descriptive words to describe how middle-aged fathers are typically regarded by their children, these words would be:

A) prime time for fathers
B) useless period for fathers
C) most-resented parent
D) least-appreciated parent

Question 6

Which of the following statements about Erik Erikson's view of adult development is FALSE?

A) Adults move through stages of development, each with somewhat different developmental tasks.
B) Earlier life events set the stage for how later development will unfold.
C) Developmental issues from earlier in life reappear from time to time in later stages of development.
D) When major life circumstances change dramatically, we tend to ignore earlier developmental adaptations and strike out in bold new directions.

Question 7

Statistically speaking, which of the following people is likely to be oldest when he or she becomes a grandparent?

A) Ralph, who is an African American man
B) Tim, who is a White man
C) Roberta, who is an African American woman
D) Lynette, who is a White woman

Question 8

According to statistics cited in the text, in the U.S. today, about what percent of "launched" children return home for a period of time?

A) 5%
B) 15%
C) 38%
D) 65%

Question 9

In a study reported in the text, women were asked to report the major transitions in their lives. Which of the following was NOT one of the three transitions that most women reported?

A) the birth of their children
B) menarche
C) when children left home
D) menopause

Question 10

Leonardo finds that as he has reached middle age, his physical stamina has begun to wane, and he has been forced to shift his focus his leisure time interests away from golf and tennis toward reading and going to the theater. Peck would describe Leonardo's adjustment as centering on:

A) socializing versus sexuality
B) valuing wisdom versus valuing physical powers
C) mental flexibility versus mental rigidity
D) cathectic flexibility versus cathectic impoverishment

Question 11

As 45-year-old Brenda's parents age, she helps them with their finances, buys their groceries, and takes care of their house. Which of the following terms best describes this transition in Brenda's and her parents' lives?

A) role conflict
B) stagnation
C) role strain
D) role reversal

Question 12

If personality traits are biologically based, this would imply that they would be established relatively ________ in life and would change ________ across the lifespan.

A) early; a great deal
B) early; little
C) late; a great deal
D) late; little
Applied questions:

Question 13

According to the view proposed by Robert Peck, which of the following periods is most often the critical time for making adjustments that will determine the way people live out the rest of their years?

A) ages 20 to 30
B) ages 30 to 40
C) ages 40 to 50
D) ages 50 to 60

Question 14

According to the text, in comparison to first marriages, second marriages are more often characterized by all of the following EXCEPT:

A) more open communication
B) greater acceptance of conflict
C) more trust that disagreements can be resolved
D) higher levels of hostility

Question 15

Suppose your friend has just taken a job that is strongly associated with job burnout. To help him cope, you could point out that all of the following pieces of advice help prevent burnout EXCEPT:

A) he should be realistic, rather than optimistic, about how much impact he can have
B) he should try to keep his personal life separate from his work
C) he should try to dedicate his professional life to the people he is trying to help
D) he should develop interests outside of his job

Question 16

According to the text, about what percent of aging parents in the United States today share a home with their middle-aged children?

A) about 40%
B) about 25%
C) about 10%
D) about 2%

Question 17

Which of the following terms refers to something quite different than do the other three terms?

A) blended family
B) stepfamily
C) single-parent family
D) reconstituted family
Applied questions:

Question 18

Which of the following statements about marriage and divorce is TRUE?

A) Having children usually increases marital satisfaction.
B) Married people have more sex and more satisfying sex lives than unmarried couples.
C) Husbands typically make more adjustments to married life than wives do.
D) Children are usually better off with divorced parents than with parents who are unhappily married.

Question 19

Now that her father is a widower, Susan finds herself in middle age hosting the holidays at her home for all of her extended family members. According to the text, which of the following is the word used to describe the role has Susan assumed?

A) arbitrator
B) kinkeeper
C) scapegoat
D) family generator

Question 20

If you were to gather evidence on the age at which divorced adults concluded their divorce, you would most likely find that the average age of divorced men was about _____ and the average age of divorced women was _____.

A) 32; 30
B) 42; 40
C) 32; 25
C) 42; 30

Question 21

Jeannine is 50 years old. Although she has never married, she devotes many hours to her volunteer work at the local "art incubator," where artists can come and work in stress-free environments. She also takes great pleasure in volunteering at the local food pantry and at the free clinic. According to Erikson, Jeannine's development is characterized by investment in:

A) the procreative domain
B) the productive domain
C) the creative domain
D) conditions of worth and merit

Question 22

According to Erikson, what is the central issue facing middle-aged adults?

A) integrity versus despair
B) generativity versus self-absorption
C) intimacy versus isolation
D) industry versus inferiority

Question 23

Which of the following statements about Erik Erikson's view of adult development is FALSE?

A) Adults move through stages of development, each with somewhat different developmental tasks.
B) Earlier life events set the stage for how later development will unfold.
C) Developmental issues from earlier in life reappear from time to time in later stages of development.
D) When major life circumstances change dramatically, we tend to ignore earlier developmental adaptations and strike out in bold new directions.

Question 24

Ramona is a middle-aged woman who finds meaning in her life by devoting herself to raising her children to be "good people." Erikson would most likely emphasize which of the following terms as being most descriptive of Ramona's personality development?

A) creativity
B) self-absorption
C) procreation
D) productivity

Question 25

In middle age, Sue raises her three children and integrates her work with her family life. In doing so, she finds meaning in life, and believes she has made important contributions to her family and career. Erikson would describe Sue's belief as being most reflective of what he referred to as:

A) integrity
B) initiative
C) generativity
D) intimacy

Question 26

According to the text, if a person is not able to develop a sense of generativity, which of the following is most likely to result?

A) a basic sense of mistrust in people
B) an identity crisis
C) boredom
D) a sense of being all alone, with no one to love

Question 27

Judy worked hard to build a successful consulting business because she needs to provide for her children. She chose to work in consulting because she wanted to be at home when her children went off to school and came home from school, and consulting allows her to work flexible hours. Erikson would most likely view Judy's focus on integrating family life and work life successfully as filling needs in which of the following domains?

A) creative domain
B) productive domain
C) recreative domain
D) procreative domain

Question 28

Jack and Sarah find that in their middle-aged years, many of their couple friends have either divorced or moved away, or do not share the same interests any more. Their adjustment illustrates which of Peck's issues of adult development?

A) socializing versus sexuality
B) ego differentiation versus work-role preoccupation
C) cathectic flexibility versus cathectic impoverishment
D) mental flexibility versus mental rigidity

Question 29

In the generative stage, Erikson suggests that people act within all of the following domains EXCEPT:

A) a humanistic one
B) a procreative one
C) a productive one
D) a creative one

Question 30

A researcher is interested in studying how traditional women react in midlife. If his goal were to identify predictable relationships between adjustment and life events, he would most likely want to focus on how women experience:

A) their career cycle, noting when they begin working and when they retire
B) the stages of moral development they use in evaluating moral dilemmas
C) the major events that define their family's life cycle
D) their 40^th, 50^th, and 60^th birthdays

Question 31

According to the text, during the period of middle adulthood, most adults think less about __________ and more about ________________.

A) how long they've lived; how much time they have left
B) how much time they have left; how long they've lived
C) money; love
D) love; money

Question 32

Which of the following conflicts of adult development was proposed by Robert Peck?

A) generativity versus stagnation
B) integrity versus despair
C) trust versus mistrust
D) valuing wisdom versus valuing physical powers

Question 33

According to the view proposed by Robert Peck, which of the following periods is most often the critical time for making adjustments that will determine the way people live out the rest of their years?

A) ages 20 to 30
B) ages 30 to 40
C) ages 40 to 50
D) ages 50 to 60

Question 34

Larry is almost 60 years old, and feels that he has not lived the life he had hoped. He believes he accomplished little in his job, and that his children don't respect him. According to Erik Erikson, Larry's life is characterized by:

A) generativity
B) self-absorption
C) unconditional negative regard
D) few conditions of worth

Question 35

Leonardo finds that as he has reached middle age, his physical stamina has begun to wane, and he has been forced to shift his focus his leisure time interests away from golf and tennis toward reading and going to the theater. Peck would describe Leonardo's adjustment as centering on:

A) socializing versus sexuality
B) valuing wisdom versus valuing physical powers
C) mental flexibility versus mental rigidity
D) cathectic flexibility versus cathectic impoverishment

Question 36

According to Erikson, the procreative domain of generativity centers on which of the following?

A) successfully integrating work responsibilities with family life
B) taking care of one's children and guiding them toward good lives
C) increasing cultural potential on a greater scale
D) finding meaning in one's own work

Question 37

According to the text, which of the following is Robert Peck's main criticism of Erikson's stages of development?

A) Erikson's stages ignore the first 20 to 25 years of life.
B) Erikson's stages ignore the final years of life.
C) Erikson's stages place too much emphasis on childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood.
D) Erikson's stages place too much emphasis on the final years of life.

Question 38

Frank tends to let his past experiences and old judgments dominate his current decisions. For instance, Frank says he has always disapproved of women in the armed services, and is not changing his mind now. This best illustrates which of Peck's conflicts of adult development?

A) ego differentiation versus work-role preoccupation
B) mental flexibility versus mental rigidity
C) cathectic flexibility versus cathectic impoverishment
D) valuing wisdom versus valuing physical powers

Question 39

During middle adulthood, how do men's roles typically change with regard to parenting?

A) Children become more dependent on their mother and less dependent on their father for advice, so fathers' roles diminish in importance.
B) Children become more resentful of their fathers, so fathers' roles diminish in importance.
C) Children become distant from fathers, either emotionally or geographically, so fathers' roles diminish in importance.
D) Children are more influenced by their fathers, so fathers' roles in midlife become more important.

Question 40

Erik Erikson's view of middle adulthood is one in which individuals deal with the issue of ________ vs. self-absorption.

A) despair
B) role identity
C) intimacy
D) generativity

Question 41

According to the text, when adolescents are launched most parents:

A) enjoy increased freedom, privacy, and discretionary income
B) experience a sense of loss, especially with respect to emotional connectedness
C) become more self-absorbed
D) experience greater role strain

Question 42

Max, who is middle-aged, has assumed the task of maintaining his family's rituals by keeping his family history alive and reaching out to family members who live far away. Max has now taken on the role of family:

A) kinkeeper
B) caregiver
C) overseer
D) mentor

Question 43

Now that her father is a widower, Susan finds herself in middle age hosting the holidays at her home for all of her extended family members. According to the text, which of the following is the word used to describe the role has Susan assumed?

A) arbitrator
B) kinkeeper
C) scapegoat
D) family generator

Question 44

According to the text

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

Question 45

In a study reported in the text, women were asked to report the major transitions in their lives. Which of the following was the major life transition that the largest proportion of the women identified?

A) the birth of their children
B) when their own mother died
C) when children left home
D) menopause

Question 46

According to the text, _______ associate their sexual satisfaction with emotional aspects of their relationships and _______ associate their sexual satisfaction with physical pleasure they experience.

A) men; women
B) women; men
C) both men and women; both men and women
D) women, both men and women

Question 47

According to the text, when adolescents are launched, the overall reaction from parents is usually _________, and __________ are generally better at letting go of their children.

A) positive; fathers
B) positive; mothers
C) negative; fathers
D) negative; mothers

Question 48

According to the text

A) late adolescents
B) young adults
C) middle-aged adults
D) elderly adults

Question 49

Martha is a secretary for a prestigious company, and experiences an overload of demands from various executives. She finds that she is incapable of satisfying any of their needs. Martha's problem is best considered to be an example of role:

A) conflict
B) strain
C) crisis
D) overload

Question 50

According to research cited in the text, which of the following 25-year-old adults would be most likely to move back home with their parents following graduation from college:

A) Alan, a White young adult
B) Ben, a Black young adult
C) Juan, a Hispanic young adult
D) Alan, Ben, and Juan are equally likely to move back home

Question 51

In a study reported in the text, women were asked to report the major transitions in their lives. Which of the following was NOT one of the three transitions that most women reported?

A) the birth of their children
B) menarche
C) when children left home
D) menopause

Question 52

According to the text, during midlife

A) similar; men
B) similar; women
C) different; men
D) different; women

Question 53

Grace has chosen to stay at home and raise her three young children, but feels incapable of giving all three the attention they want from her. Which of the following terms best describes Grace's dilemma?

A) dual roles
B) role strain
C) role conflict
D) role reversal

Question 54

The percent of young adults who lived with their parents was lowest during which of the following years?

A) 1940
B) 1960
C) 1980
D) 2010

Question 55

According to the text, when men and women are engaged in multiple roles, such as having a career, raising children, and caring for parents, and these roles frequently involve stress and an overload of multiple responsibilities, they are likely to experience:

A) role conflict
B) self-absorption
C) the empty nest phenomenon
D) role strain

Question 56

An overload of demands within the same role is called a:

A) role strain
B) role reversal
C) role burnout
D) role conflict

Question 57

The term "boomerang generation" refers to the finding that today:

A) young adults are likely to move back in with their parents
B) family incomes are declining rather than rising
C) marriages are occurring at older average ages
D) parents are less likely to pay for their children's college expenses

Question 58

In a study reported in the text, women were asked to report the major transitions in their lives. Which of the following was one of the three transitions that most women reported?

A) when they got married
B) menarche
C) when children left home
D) when their own mother died

Question 59

If you were to choose the most descriptive words to describe how middle-aged fathers are typically regarded by their children, these words would be:

A) prime time for fathers
B) useless period for fathers
C) most-resented parent
D) least-appreciated parent

Question 60

According to statistics cited in the text, in the U.S. today, about what percent of "launched" children return home for a period of time?

A) 5%
B) 15%
C) 38%
D) 65%

Question 61

Today the difference in life expectancy between men and women is about years, and generally live longer.

A) 2; women
B) 5; women
C) 8; women
D) 2; men

Question 62

Adult children are LEAST likely to return home to live with their parents in which of the following cultures or settings?

A) in Italy
B) in Asian families
C) in urban areas in the United States
D) in rural areas in the United States

Question 63

In 2009, Ron and Betty both celebrated their 40^th birthday. Based on life expectancy data for people born the same year as this couple, Ron should assume he could expect to live another ____ years, and Betty could expect to live another ____ years.

A) 36; 40
B) 42; 38
C) 28; 32
D) 32; 28

Question 64

The text cites statistics that indicate that in 1900 about ____ of children experienced the loss of a parent before age 15; in 2000, this percentage was about ____.

A) 50%; 5%
B) 40%; 5%
C) 25%; 5%
D) 40%; 10%

Question 65

When Susan gave birth to triplets after already having two children, her parents' presence was calming, and provided an anchor to both the grandchildren and parents. According to research conducted by Bengtson, which of the following best describes the role that Susan's parents serve?

A) arbitrator
B) family national guard
C) being there
D) maintaining the family's biography

Question 66

If you asked 1,000 people who were between ages 35 and 64 whether or not they had cared for a relative or friend in the last year, you should expect about how many of them to answer "yes"?

A) 50
B) 200
C) 500
D) 650

Question 67

If you conducted a survey of women who were providing care to elderly relatives, you should expect that about ____ of them would report that they feel guilty about not doing enough.

A) 2%
B) 10%
C) 33%
D) 60%

Question 68

According to the text, about what percent of aging parents in the United States today share a home with their middle-aged children?

A) about 40%
B) about 25%
C) about 10%
D) about 2%

Question 69

Suppose you conduct a study investigating which family members are most likely to provide caregiving support to aging parents. Generalizing from research described in the text, you should expect that which of the following groups would be MOST likely to provide this support?

A) sons
B) daughters
C) granddaughters
D) sisters

Question 70

Suppose you are a sociologist studying patterns of how young adults return home to live with their parents. Generalizing from previous research, which of the following young adults would you expect to be LEAST likely to live with his parents?

A) Michael, who lives in Italy
B) Ngyuen, who is Asian and whose family lives in California
C) Bob, whose family lives on a farm in Iowa
D) Ted, whose family lives in an apartment in New York City

Question 71

If current trends hold into the future, you would estimate that a person's chances of being cared for in a nursing home are about 1 in:

A) 2
B) 3
C) 4
D) 10

Question 72

Tommy depends on his parents to pay his college tuition and in return he helps out on weekends at the family business. The word the text uses to capture the sense of give-and-take between Tommy and his parents is:

A) identify
B) autonomy
C) integrity
D) reciprocity

Question 73

The period in the family life cycle that occurs after the last child has left home is called:

A) role resolution
B) empty nest
C) generativity
D) transition

Question 74

Tim and Ann have just sent their last child off to college. What period in the family life cycle are they now experiencing?

A) generativity
B) empty nest
C) kinkeeper
D) boomerang generation

Question 75

Generally speaking, today most U.S. parents experience the "empty nest" as:

A) traumatic
B) confusing
C) sad
D) positive

Question 76

According to the text, which of the following people are MOST likely to provide care for elderly family members?

A) daughters and sons
B) daughters and daughters-in-law
C) sons and sons-in-law
D) granddaughters and grandsons

Question 77

As 45-year-old Brenda's parents age, she helps them with their finances, buys their groceries, and takes care of their house. Which of the following terms best describes this transition in Brenda's and her parents' lives?

A) role conflict
B) stagnation
C) role strain
D) role reversal

Question 78

According to the text, the primary reason why adult children and their parents share a household is:

A) one or both parents have lost a job
B) the adult child has lost a job
C) the adult parents have become disabled and need assistance
D) living expenses are too high for parents and children to afford two households

Question 79

According to the text, about what percent of aging adults are cared for by their adult children in a home environment, either by providing the necessary assistance so the parent can live independently, or by having the parent live with their families?

A) about 40%
B) about 55%
C) about 70%
D) about 85%

Question 80

When the middle-aged become the generation "in charge" of their aging parents, what has occurred?

A) role overload
B) role strain
C) role conflict
D) role reversal