Deck 5: Peer Groups

Question 1

A group of individuals who are born during a particular time period (e.g., the baby boomers) is known as what?

A) a generation X
B) a cohort
C) an age-graded society
D) a census group

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Henry believes that the rise of adolescent peer groups has contributed to the rise of adolescent crime and drug use. Which of the following statements refutes this belief?

A) Even though society has continued to become increasingly age segregated, the rates of many adolescent problem behaviors have fluctuated considerably over the past few decades.
B) Contemporary adolescents spend more time in peer groups than adolescents did in past eras.
C) Today's adolescents are more susceptible to the influence of their friends than adolescents were in past eras.
D) Peers indeed have a universally bad influence on each other.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

The process of grouping individuals within social institutions on the basis of chronological age is called:

A) mainstreaming.
B) tracking.
C) age grading.
D) reference grouping.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Some commentators have proposed that today's youth are so age segregated that problems such as youth unemployment, teenage suicide, juvenile delinquency, and drug and alcohol use have resulted because adolescents:

A) have become alienated from and unfamiliar with the values of adults.
B) have developed a great deal of anger toward adults.
C) look at their country's leaders and see what a low standard has been set in terms of education, so they follow these role models.
D) are not challenged by today's educational curriculum.

Question 5

As a social scientist who works with advocacy groups, it is most likely that Professor Sandburg would be interested in tracking the size of the adolescent population over a period of time for all of the following reasons, except:

A) he wants to see how funds are allocated for such things as social services, education, and health care.
B) he wants to understand the behavior of different cohorts.
C) he wants to see how these groups are influenced by the mass media.
D) he wants to see the degree of political or social influence that given cohorts have.

Question 6

Judy and Jessica hang around people their same age. These people are most accurately described as:

A) friends.
B) buddies.
C) peers.
D) chums.

Question 7

Which of the following writers has been the most vocal proponent of the idea that there is a separate and troublesome "youth culture"?

A) Margaret Mead
B) Eleanor Maccoby
C) Brad Brown
D) James Coleman

Question 8

In comparison with teenagers in previous times, teenagers in contemporary societies spend ________ time with their peers ________ with their parents.

A) more; than
B) less; than
C) as much; as
D) There is too much conflicting data on this issue to give a definitive answer.

Question 9

During the first half of the 21^st century, the adolescent population is expected to:

A) decrease.
B) increase.
C) remain constant.
D) unable to predict.

Question 10

Research about contemporary adolescents is clear that these adolescents ________ than adolescents in previous times.

A) are more susceptible to the influences of their peers
B) are at higher risk for problem behaviors because of peer influence
C) spend more time in peer groups
D) report more positive experiences from their involvement in peer groups

Question 11

In The Adolescent Society, Coleman expressed concern over the finding that adolescents:

A) showed high rates of drug and alcohol abuse.
B) reported frequent periods of loneliness.
C) placed a greater emphasis on good looks, wealth, and athletic ability than academic success.
D) spent more time with their parents than with their peers.

Question 12

All of the following are examples of universalistic norms in American society, except:

A) taking piano lessons.
B) being allowed to vote upon turning 18.
C) stopping at traffic lights when driving.
D) being required to file taxes annually.

Question 13

Natalie's mom believes that peers influence each other to use drugs and spend time partying rather than studying. Given what you know about adolescent peer relationships, is this true?

A) Natalie's mom is wrong-an adolescent's decision to engage in or abstain from illegal drug use is based on her relationship and conversations with her parents, not peers.
B) Natalie's mom is right-peers are overwhelmingly more likely to exert a negative influence, such as encouraging drug use, than a positive influence, such as valuing academic achievement.
C) Natalie's mom is wrong-peers are likely to exert positive, but not negative, influences on each other.
D) Natalie's mom is sort of right-adolescents exert both positive and negative influences on each other.

Question 14

A separate youth culture is said to promote all of the following, except:

A) academics.
B) sports.
C) dating.
D) partying.

Question 15

According to some commentators, teenagers have become separate from adult society to such an extent that they have established their own society, which undermines parents' authority and emphasizes peer deviance. This society is called:

A) the Woodstock generation.
B) the dead poet's society.
C) the lost boys.
D) the youth culture.

Question 16

Following the end of World War II, many parents wanted to have children as soon as possible, creating what has come to be called the postwar:

A) baby boom.
B) depression.
C) infantile fixation.
D) cohort effect.

Question 17

The world is arguably a more stressful place to grow up in now than it was in the past for all of the following reasons, except:

A) divorce is more commonplace.
B) families move residences every few years.
C) adolescents experience pressure from the mass media.
D) adolescents are now more susceptible to their peers than were other generations.

Question 18

When researchers evaluated the social climate of today's schools to see just how much had changed since the Adolescent Society was published, what did they find?

A) The researchers replicated the findings of the Adolescent Society.
B) In contrast to the findings presented in the Adolescent Society, researchers found that academic achievement was strongly valued among today's adolescents.
C) The researchers concluded that there were both similarities and differences between the climate of today's "adolescent society" and the society described 60 years ago.
D) In contrast to the society described 60 years ago, today's adolescents placed a greater emphasis on attractiveness, wealth, and athletic ability.

Question 19

What generalization can you make about the nature of peer influence in adolescence?

A) Girls are more susceptible to the influences of their peers than boys.
B) Peers are more likely to encourage adolescents to behave in ways that adults disapprove than to encourage each other to engage in activities that adults approve, such as school.
C) It is unwise to generalize about the nature of peer influence; peers can exert both positive and negative influences.
D) The majority of peers encourage each other to value academic achievement.

Question 20

All of the following contributed to the rise of age segregation in contemporary society, except:

A) tougher child labor laws.
B) rise of secondary education.
C) decrease in family values.
D) increase of extracurricular activities.

Question 21

All of the following are significant changes in peer groups that occur during adolescence, except:

A) an increase in the amount of time adolescents spend with their friends.
B) a decrease in the amount of adult supervision.
C) an increase in contacts with opposite sex friends.
D) a decrease in the size of their peer groups.

Question 22

Professor Gates is studying large groups of adolescents to learn about their particular mini-cultures. Professor Gates is most likely studying:

A) peer collectives.
B) cliques.
C) crowds.
D) subcultures.

Question 23

Which type of crowd would probably not be found in European schools?

A) populars
B) druggies
C) metalheads
D) jocks

Question 24

_____ are settings for intimate interactions and friendships, whereas _____ are based on reputation, rather than on actual social interaction.

A) Cliques; crowds
B) Crowds; reference groups
C) Reference groups; cliques
D) Crowds; cliques

Question 25

Which of the following is most characteristic of childhood peer groups?

A) mixed-sex groups
B) less adult supervision
C) sex segregation
D) the emergence of peer "crowds"

Question 26

Research on the structure of cliques during high school has suggested that adolescents can fall into any of the following categories, except:

A) liaisons.
B) isolates.
C) clique members.
D) clique avoiders.

Question 27

A large, nationally representative sample of adolescents found that adolescents' friendship groups fell into one of four profiles. Which was the group that consisted of friends who were engaged in school, achieved decent grates, and neither abstained from nor abused alcohol?

A) disengaged
B) engaged
C) high functioning
D) maladjusted

Question 28

"Druggies," "jocks," and "nerds" are examples of:

A) crowds.
B) cliques.
C) youth cultures.
D) gangs.

Question 29

A large, nationally representative sample of adolescents found that adolescents' friendship groups fell into one of four profiles. Which was the group that consisted of a network of high-achieving friends who were involved in school-based extracurricular activities and who reported low use of alcohol and few symptoms of depression?

A) disengaged
B) engaged
C) high functioning
D) maladjusted

Question 30

Mitch organizes a party for about 20 of his classmates who are all interested in theater, and they all watch a tape of the musical The Phantom of the Opera. This group of teenagers, who don't always hang out together, but share common interests, would most appropriately be labeled:

A) a gang.
B) a reference group.
C) a crowd.
D) a clique.

Question 31

Steve eats lunch with Jeff, Hans, and Mike every day. After school, they play computer games and talk about girls. This group of boys is called:

A) a crowd.
B) a clique.
C) a reference group.
D) a youth culture.

Question 32

Which of the following is not a way that adolescents' behavior is affected by their crowd membership?

A) Adolescents often imitate the behavior of crowd leaders.
B) Crowds establish social norms, values, and expectations that members strive to follow.
C) When crowd members behave in ways that are consistent with the crowd norms, they are reinforced for doing so.
D) All of these statements are ways that adolescents' behavior is affected by their crowd membership.

Question 33

A more sophisticated understanding of social relationships leads adolescents to gather in crowds. This is an example of which adolescent transition?

A) biological
B) cognitive
C) social
D) All of the above

Question 34

In contrast to crowds, cliques:

A) are settings for adolescents' intimate interactions.
B) help adolescents locate themselves within the social structure of their school.
C) channel adolescents into associations with some peers and away from others.
D) provide contexts that reward certain lifestyles and disparage others.

Question 35

Jamie is a preadolescent. Her friendship circle is largely comprised of other young girls. Based on this information, what has Jamie's social life been influenced by?

A) age-grading
B) sex segregation
C) cliques
D) the baby boom

Question 36

Eric, a fourth-grader, spends a lot of time with his peers and is more likely to engage in which of the following activities?

A) Little League baseball
B) going to the mall with his friends
C) hanging out at his friend's house unsupervised
D) girl-watching

Question 37

According to Brown's (2004) study of crowds in high school, what fraction of adolescents do not fit clearly into any crowd?

A) one-sixth
B) one-half
C) two-thirds
D) one-third

Question 38

During childhood, boys typically associate with boys, while girls primarily associate with other girls. This separation of boys and girls has been referred to as:

A) brother-sister avoidance.
B) sex segregation.
C) youth culture.
D) sex grading.

Question 39

Research studying adolescent friendship networks over a 1-year period has found all of the following, except:

A) more than half of the adolescents in any given school are members of cliques.
B) girls are more likely than boys to be members of cliques.
C) boys are more likely than girls to be considered "isolates."
D) adolescents' positions in their schools' social network are relatively stable over time.

Question 40

Which adolescent is most likely to have a decrease in time spent with parents and a dramatic increase in the amount of time spent with peers?

A) Maya, a White female
B) Rosalia, a Hispanic-American female
C) Hillary, a Black female
D) Mike, an Asian-American male

Question 41

A group against which an individual compares himself or herself is called:

A) a clique.
B) a reference group.
C) a crowd.
D) a youth culture.

Question 42

Tony belongs to a peer culture called "the toughs." We would expect that Tony is:

A) involved with sports.
B) well liked by most of his peers.
C) respected as someone who looks out for others.
D) possibly a gang member.

Question 43

Dr. Whitney wanted to study the structure of adolescents' peer groups. She pretended to be a newcomer to the community and attended the local high school. She met a group of students and eventually joined their group. This type of observation is called:

A) naturalistic observation.
B) an ethnographic approach.
C) a demographic approach.
D) participant observation.

Question 44

According to Kinney's research, youngsters who were "nerds" in middle school:

A) were automatically labeled "dweebs" in high school.
B) were the "popular" group in high school.
C) could never become part of another crowd.
D) had opportunities to shift status in high school.

Question 45

All of the following changes typically occur during adolescence, except:

A) peer groups disintegrate.
B) pairs of dating adolescents split off from the larger group.
C) larger groups are replaced by smaller cliques.
D) couples become the focus of social activity.

Question 46

A research technique in which the researcher "infiltrates" a group of individuals in order to study their behavior and relationships is called:

A) naturalistic observation.
B) a longitudinal approach.
C) a demographic approach.
D) participant observation.

Question 47

Dorion is a jock. Consequently, we would expect him to be involved in:

A) his peer culture and in institutions valued by adults.
B) institutions valued by adults, but not involved in his peer culture.
C) his peer culture, but not involved in institutions valued by adults.
D) neither his peer culture nor institutions valued by adults.

Question 48

A(n) _____ is an individual that has few or no links to others in the social network and a(n) _____ is an individual who interacts with two or more adolescents who are members of cliques, but who themselves are not part of a clique.

A) liaison; isolate
B) hopper; loner
C) isolate; liaison
D) isolate; mixer

Question 49

According to the research, conformity to peer pressure:

A) peaks in adolescence and remains high into adulthood.
B) peaks in adolescence relative to childhood and adulthood.
C) shows a linear increase from childhood into adulthood.
D) shows a linear decrease from childhood into adulthood.

Question 50

In early adolescence, _____ friendships are most common, and in late adolescence, _____ friendships are common.

A) same sex; opposite sex
B) same sex; same sex
C) opposite sex; same sex
D) opposite sex; opposite sex

Question 51

By the end of high school, crowds:

A) have become a defining influence in the adolescent's life.
B) increasingly gain in importance for an adolescent's identity.
C) become less important to adolescents.
D) peak in their importance to adolescents.

Question 52

Mixed-sex cliques start becoming more prevalent during:

A) childhood.
B) preadolescence.
C) middle adolescence.
D) late adolescence.

Question 53

Adolescent peer groups fall along two dimensions:

A) intelligence level; sociability
B) adult orientation; peer orientation
C) maturity; identity
D) demandingness; responsiveness

Question 54

Greg is the star quarterback of the football team and hangs out with Larry, who is the star pitcher of the baseball team. Ben also hangs out with Larry and Greg. When classmates refer to Ben, they call him a member of the "jocks." The crowd with which Ben associates serves as:

A) a reference group.
B) a clique.
C) a youth culture.
D) a fraternity.

Question 55

Andrea, a 15-year-old, is most likely to learn social skills in a ________ and develop her sense of identity in a ________.

A) crowd; crowd
B) crowd; clique
C) clique; crowd
D) clique; clique

Question 56

In middle school, Carlos was involved in many school plays and musicals. Being part of the drama crowd was important for Carlos in what way?

A) identity development
B) dating opportunities
C) occupied his free time
D) improved relationships with parents

Question 57

Self-esteem is _____ among students who are identified with peer groups that have relatively high status in their school.

A) lower
B) the same
C) higher
D) Self-esteem varies from person to person.

Question 58

Tommy values education and works hard in school but also enjoys hanging out with his friends on the weekend. Which peer crowd is Tommy most likely to belong to?

A) "nerds"
B) "populars"
C) "partyers"
D) "toughs"

Question 59

Compared to jocks, adolescents from which of the following crowds experience more peer pressure to misbehave?

A) "nerds"
B) "populars"
C) "druggies"
D) "normals"

Question 60

Over the course of adolescence, which of the following is not true of changes that take place in crowds?

A) their structure becomes less hierarchical
B) their structure becomes more permeable
C) their descriptions become more concrete (e.g., the "preppy" group becomes "the Playstation crowd")
D) their structure becomes more differentiated

Question 61

Why is it so hard to teach adolescents to "just say no" to things adults disapprove, such as drinking, smoking, and having risky sex?

A) Unfortunately, these behaviors are typically associated with being popular.
B) Unfortunately, adolescents are unwilling (or unable) to resist peer influence.
C) Neither A nor B is true.
D) Both A and B are true.

Question 62

Justin's parents try extremely hard (almost excessively) to control his choice of friends. What effect is this style of parenting likely to have on Justin?

A) Justin is likely to become a rejected and withdrawn student at school.
B) Justin will gain more respect for his parents.
C) Justin will be less likely to be involved in drug use and delinquent activity.
D) Justin may become closer to the "forbidden" peers.

Question 63

Chuck is a member of a higher status crowd at his school. According to the textbook, which of the following statements is true?

A) Chuck likely has high self-esteem.
B) Chuck likely feels a lot of pressure to be "cool."
C) Chuck likely holds quite a few misconceptions about his peers.
D) Chuck likely has a diffused identity status.

Question 64

The Anytown town council developed a program to curb delinquent behavior among the town's adolescents. The program had an iatrogenic effect, meaning:

A) the program was successful and delinquent behavior was reduced.
B) the program backfired and delinquent behavior increased.
C) there were no effects on delinquent behavior, either positive or negative.
D) some problem behaviors increased and others decreased.

Question 65

Which of the following statements about friendship stability is true?

A) Opposite-sex friendships tend to be more stable than same-sex friendships.
B) Girls' friendships tend to be more stable than boys' friendships.
C) Well-adjusted adolescents tend to have friendships that don't last very long.
D) Only half of all reciprocated best friendships that exist at the beginning of the school year exist at the end.

Question 66

Even though it was clear that another student, Raul, accidentally pushed Noah, he insisted that the Raul did it on purpose. What phenomenon is this?

A) hostile attributional bias
B) status bias
C) in-group vs. out-group
D) iatrogenic effect

Question 67

Some researchers have tried to teach adolescents to use nonviolent forms of conflict resolution. Are these programs effective?

A) Yes, these programs are typically very successful.
B) No, such nonviolent behaviors can make adolescents appear weak.
C) The textbook indicates that these programs have produced conflicting findings.
D) Yes, but only in urban neighborhoods with a high proportion of Black adolescents.

Question 68

Principal McGonagall has been watching his students for several years as they move through adolescence. Which groups are most likely to exhibit favorable patterns of achievement over time?

A) jocks and brains
B) jocks and populars
C) brains and populars
D) populars and normals

Question 69

The chief determinant of popularity in high school is:

A) physical attractiveness.
B) academic achievement.
C) being good at sports.
D) social competence.

Question 70

Which of the following statements about cliques is false?

A) Cliques are typically more emotionally salient for adolescents involved in antisocial behavior.
B) Cliques are typically composed of adolescents from the same socioeconomic background.
C) Cliques are typically composed of friends with similar interests and attitudes.
D) Cliques rarely have members who differ in age.

Question 71

Felicia has a problematic relationship with her parents. All of the following negative effects are likely to occur for Felicia, except:

A) development of an antisocial disposition.
B) active school involvement.
C) school failure.
D) rejection by classmates.

Question 72

Adolescents who join antisocial peer groups are likely to have:

A) been coerced by their peers to join.
B) had problematic parent-child relationships in childhood.
C) been involved in drugs and alcohol.
D) reported high levels of sensation-seeking behavior.

Question 73

The determinants of sociometric popularity are ______, though the determinants of perceived popularity are _____.

A) highly variable; things like social skills, friendliness, and sense of humor
B) things like social skills, friendliness, and sense of humor; highly variable
C) good looks and wealth; athletic ability and school achievement
D) athletic ability and school achievement; unknown

Question 74

Dawn has always enjoyed school and excelled in her classes. In middle school, she has connected with a group of friends who also enjoy school and her grades have continued to improve. They often spend time studying together. This is an example of:

A) selection.
B) socialization.
C) Both a and b
D) None of the above

Question 75

Who is most likely to have cross-ethnic friendships?

A) Audrey, who attends a large multiethnic school
B) Brandy, who attends a school where one ethnic group predominates
C) Candice, who is involved in athletics
D) Deborah, who is home-schooled

Question 76

According to an example provided in the textbook, a crowd member that has less social capitol who is a really nice, thoughtful, and funny person may be high in _____ popularity but low in _____ popularity.

A) sociometric; perceived
B) perceived; sociometric
C) status popularity; opposite-sex
D) adult oriented; peer-oriented

Question 77

Eleanor Maccoby states all of the following reasons that adolescents separate themselves into same-sex cliques, except:

A) cliques are formed on the basis of shared activities and interests.
B) adolescents' increasing concerns about sex roles.
C) adolescents' concerns about being ostracized by their friends for engaging in cross-sex activities.
D) parents' fears that cross-sex cliques will lead to early sexual activity.

Question 78

According to the textbook and in regard to gangs, all of the following are true except:

A) gang members tend to have more emotional and behavioral problems than other adolescents who are involved in antisocial activity but who are not gang members
B) gangs are usually identified by name and common symbols
C) gang members tend to be more isolated from their families
D) gang members have better self-conceptions than other adolescents who are involved in antisocial activity but who are not gang members.

Question 79

By middle to late adolescence, cliques are often segregated by race. All of the following are possible explanations for this phenomenon, except:

A) differential abilities in athletics.
B) socioeconomic influences.
C) differential levels of academic achievement.
D) attitudes toward other races.

Question 80

Similarity in ________ is most likely to serve as a basis for cross-ethnic group friendships.

A) attitudes toward school achievement
B) musical taste
C) patterns of substance use
D) sports ability