Deck 12: Achievement

Question 1

Which of the following statements regarding social roles and achievement is not true?

A) Adolescence is the period when important educational and occupational decisions are made.
B) In most industrialized societies, it is not until adolescence that individuals attain the status necessary to decide whether they will continue or end their formal education.
C) In most industrialized societies, it is not until adolescence that individuals are allowed to enter the labor force in an official capacity.
D) During adolescence, most individuals solidify career choices.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

All of the following are noted in the text as reasons why achievement during the adolescent years merits special attention, except:

A) this is a period when adolescents prepare for and sort themselves into occupational roles.
B) it is during this period that adolescents begin to evaluate their occupational choices in light of their talents, abilities, and opportunities.
C) development in the realm of achievement begins and ends during adolescence.
D) the educational and occupation decisions made during adolescence are more numerous and the consequences of these decisions are more serious than those that take place during childhood.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

One disturbing finding is that there appears to be a drop in students' _____ motivation as they transition from elementary into secondary school; which could be due to the fact that _____.

A) mastery motivation; teachers become more performance-oriented during this time
B) performance motivation; teachers become more mastery-oriented during this time
C) mastery motivation; students have many other things to worry about than school performance
D) performance motivation; peers become much more important than schoolwork at this time

Answer 3

A

Question 4

The transition from school to work is _________ defined transition.

A) an educationally
B) a socially
C) a personally
D) an environmentally

Question 5

According to Mischel's classic study conducted nearly 50 years ago, what would you predict about Evelyn, who, in elementary and high school always scored at the top of her class, and now, as an adult, is a successful executive?

A) It is likely that in preschool, when given the choice between eating one marshmallow now or waiting for two, she was able to negotiate getting two marshmallows without waiting the full 15 minutes.
B) It is likely that Evelyn was securely attached in preschool.
C) It is likely that Evelyn scored relatively high on an IQ test in preschool.
D) When Evelyn was a preschooler, it is likely that, when given the choice between eating one marshmallow now or waiting 15 minutes to get two of them, she was able to wait.

Question 6

What is the main reason that many achievement-related issues take on new significance during adolescence?

A) biological transitions
B) social transitions
C) changes in cognitions
D) achievement-related issues do not take on new significance during adolescence

Question 7

Which of the following adolescents is not likely to develop a performance-orientation?

A) Sheryl, whose parents give her cash when she gets As on her exams
B) Leslie, whose parents ground her when she does not do well in her courses
C) Rachel, whose parents excessively check her homework every night
D) Autumn, whose parents encourage her autonomy

Question 8

Amy gets extremely nervous during exams and never does as well as she should because of these anxious feelings. She has a very strong:

A) fear of rejection.
B) fear of testing.
C) fear of failure.
D) fear of evaluation.

Question 9

Achievement concerns the development of motives, capabilities, interests, and behavior that relate to ______________ in evaluative situations.

A) performance
B) outcomes
C) emotional response
D) None of the above.

Question 10

The text suggests that one set of factors that may differentiate the academically "rich" from the academically "poor" early in the educational setting is _________ and _________.

A) motivation to succeed; beliefs about the causes of success and failure
B) neighborhood; socioeconomic factors
C) genetic inheritance; prejudice against minorities
D) parents' level of education; parents' attitudes toward education

Question 11

Which one of the following is not a reason that the cognitive changes of adolescence affect achievement?

A) The cognitive changes of adolescence allow individuals to engage in longer-term, hypothetical thinking that affects many decisions that high school students will have to make.
B) The personal fable inherent in adolescence will make it difficult for older high school students to realize that, if they do not hard try in school, they may not be accepted into their first- or second-choice universities.
C) The cognitive changes of adolescence enable individuals to study subjects, such as algebra and other advanced math classes, which require more sophisticated cognitive abilities.
D) Adolescents' increased future orientation allows individuals to think about and plan their long-term educational and occupational goals.

Question 12

John and Mary want their children to develop a strong achievement motivation. In addition to using an authoritative parenting style, they also should:

A) punish their children's failures.
B) encourage their children's successes.
C) compare their children to other children who are successful.
D) set difficult tasks for their children to accomplish.

Question 13

The textbook indicates that parents' and adolescents' expectations influence each other over time. What is one area in which parental expectations may play an especially important role?

A) mathematics
B) science
C) writing
D) athletics

Question 14

Industrialized societies place a great deal of emphasis on all of the following, except:

A) cooperation.
B) achievement.
C) competition.
D) success.

Question 15

What do the most recent models of the psychological process of achievement during adolescence illustrate?

A) students' beliefs about their abilities influence their motivation
B) students' motivation influences their performance
C) students' performance influences their beliefs
D) All of the above are true.

Question 16

According to the textbook, how is puberty connected to achievement?

A) To the extent that puberty changes what's important for maintaining status in the peer group, it may lead adolescents to worry about whether trying too hard to do well will make them less attractive to their classmates.
B) Puberty intensifies differences between males and females, and one impact of this is to make individuals think about what is "appropriate" achievement-related behavior for each of the sexes.
C) Biological (hormonal) changes of puberty are directly related to achievement and motivation in high school.
D) Both A and B are correct.

Question 17

Alice has worked all evening on a psychology assignment that is not being graded. She has a very strong:

A) need for approval.
B) achievement motivation.
C) need for fulfillment.
D) need for success.

Question 18

The extent to which an individual strives for success is referred to as:

A) mood composition.
B) achievement motivation.
C) personality structure.
D) self-orientation.

Question 19

Even though Chloe works very hard in school, she gives her classmates the impression that she is uninterested in school in order to have an excuse for her poor performance. What type of behavior is this?

A) learned helplessness
B) self-handicapping
C) need for fulfillment
D) need for success

Question 20

Al's parents expect him to receive all As on his report card, play quarterback for the football team, and win the election for senior class president. When Al came home with a B+ on his report card, his parents grounded him for a month. Al probably will develop:

A) a high achievement motivation.
B) a fear of failure.
C) a mastery type of motivation.
D) learned helplessness.

Question 21

Adolescents who come from family environments in which parents have set unrealistically high standards for their children's achievement and react very negatively to failure are most likely to develop:

A) mastery motivation.
B) a fear of failure.
C) Type-A personality characteristics.
D) a high achievement motivation.

Question 22

According to the textbook, which of the following is not true in classrooms in which teachers are very performance-oriented?

A) Students feel more alienated from the school.
B) Students have lower feelings of self-efficacy.
C) Students are more likely to engage in self-handicapping behavior.
D) Students are likely to actually learn the material.

Question 23

Whitney's present goal is to get good enough at spelling to earn the school's spelling trophy. Whitney's ambition is an example of:

A) intrinsic motivation.
B) mastery motivation.
C) self-regulation.
D) performance motivation.

Question 24

Margie sees herself as competent and genuinely enjoys learning. Manny experiences a great deal of anxiety and hesitation when facing a challenge because he doubts his abilities. All he wants to do is receive high grades so his parents won't punish him. Both are A students. Margie is most likely ________ motivated and Manny is most likely ________ motivated.

A) mastery; intrinsically
B) mastery; performance
C) extrinsically; intrinsically
D) performance; extrinsically

Question 25

Sonya has scored in the top 1 percentile on an IQ test, yet she gets below average grades in school. What is true about Sonya?

A) She doesn't care about school.
B) She has low self-esteem.
C) She is a delinquent.
D) She is an underachiever.

Question 26

Janelle is told that, no matter how hard she tries, she will likely not pass the exam. As a result, she believes that failure is inevitable and stops "wasting" her time studying. What has Janelle developed?

A) scapegoating
B) inflated self-efficacy
C) fear of failure
D) learned helplessness

Question 27

Peter, who does exceptionally well in school, is likely to attribute his academic successes and failures to causes such as:

A) ability and luck.
B) ability and effort.
C) effort and task difficulty.
D) effort and luck.

Question 28

Which statement about underachievement is false?

A) Many underachievers receive far better grades in school that you would expect based on intelligence tests.
B) Some students choose to appear uninterested in school to get more respect from their peers.
C) Many students want to ensure that they have an "excuse" for poor performance other than a lack of ability.
D) Some students use "self-handicapping" strategies to diminish the importance of academics as a response to their poor performance.

Question 29

Alicia has trouble persisting at tasks and fears failure. Her grades are far lower than one would expect based on her intellectual ability. She is a(n):

A) failure.
B) underachiever.
C) delinquent.
D) normal adolescent.

Question 30

Connie believes that intelligence is fixed. Which of the following is most likely true for Connie?

A) Connie is likely to be performance-oriented.
B) Connie's school or task performance is not likely to be affected by fluctuations in her confidence.
C) Connie is likely to be mastery-oriented.
D) Connie is likely to seek opportunities to engage in challenging tasks.

Question 31

Motivation based on the rewards one will receive for successful performance is called:

A) performance motivation.
B) reward-punishment theory.
C) extraneous achievement.
D) mastery motivation.

Question 32

Performance motivation is most similar to:

A) intrinsic motivation.
B) mastery motivation.
C) evaluation anxiety.
D) extrinsic motivation.

Question 33

Jason is an intelligent youngster who avoids challenging situations because of his intense fear of failure. Despite his innate ability, he gets low grades and has trouble persisting even with easy tasks. Jason is:

A) a failure.
B) an underachiever.
C) bored.
D) a loader.

Question 34

Mastery motivation is most similar to:

A) intrinsic motivation.
B) mastery motivation.
C) evaluation anxiety.
D) extrinsic motivation.

Question 35

Bill approaches new tasks with the attitude that he can master them, and he tries to do so because he wants to gain new skills. Bill is motivated by:

A) a mastery orientation.
B) extrinsic forces.
C) fear of failure.
D) learned helplessness.

Question 36

Every time that Frank receives an A on his report card, his grandmother gives him $50. However, if Frank receives a C, he is grounded for 2 weeks. Frank will probably develop:

A) a high achievement motivation.
B) mastery motivation.
C) performance motivation.
D) Type-A behavior.

Question 37

Leroy plays video games not because he will win anything by doing well, or because anyone approves of his increasing skill, but because he enjoys getting better at the games. His behavior is an example of:

A) mastery motivation.
B) temperament.
C) learned helplessness.
D) extrinsic motivation.

Question 38

Professor Stein wants to test the stereotype threat effect. What is the most likely scenario if this effect does, in fact, occur?

A) Professor Stein tells participants in the experimental group that members of their ethnic group perform poorly on the type of task that he is asking them to perform, and these participants actually perform better than participants in the control group.
B) Professor Stein tells participants in the experimental group that members of their ethnic group perform poorly on the type of task that he is asking them to perform, and these participants perform more poorly than participants in the control group.
C) Professor Stein tells participants in the experimental group that members of their ethnic group perform extremely well on the type of task that he is asking them to perform, and these participants perform more poorly than participants in the control group.
D) Professor Stein tells participants in the experimental group that participants in the control group do not like them because of their ethnic background, so the experimental group members act aggressively toward members of the control group.

Question 39

Marty's main concern in playing soccer is whether his performance will be good enough to win his father's attention and approval. Marty's behavior is being motivated by:

A) intrinsic forces.
B) a performance orientation.
C) temperament.
D) crystallization.

Question 40

Motivation based on the pleasure one will experience from mastering a task is called:

A) extrinsic motivation.
B) mastery motivation.
C) intuitive motivation.
D) performance motivation.

Question 41

To the extent individuals believe widely held stereotypes about ethnic or sex differences in ability, the ________ suggests that their performance will be affected, depending on how they expect to perform.

A) stereotype threat effect
B) gender differences effect
C) general expectations theory
D) self-efficacy hypothesis

Question 42

Which type of parenting is linked to school success during adolescence?

A) authoritarian
B) authoritative
C) indulgent
D) neglectful

Question 43

Ivan, who believes that intelligence is a malleable trait, is enrolled in several advanced placement classes. Mastering the subject material is more important to him than getting good grades. Ivan probably emphasizes:

A) performance goals.
B) learning goals.
C) self-regulatory goals.
D) evaluation goals.

Question 44

Jacob and Stephen just got a project back from their teacher that they had worked on together. They received a D on the project. Jacob said that it was because the project was too hard. Stephen said it was because they hadn't worked hard enough on the project. Which adolescent is most likely to try harder on future projects?

A) Stephen
B) Jacob
C) Both boys will try harder next time.
D) Neither boy will try hard next time because they failed this time.

Question 45

Current research addressing sex differences in achievement suggests that:

A) girls still lag far behind boys on science and math.
B) if differences in math and science are found today, they are very slight.
C) girls have closed the math/science gap and have now become better in these subjects than boys.
D) there were so many methodological flaws in the earlier research that the differences in boys' and girls' math and science abilities were unduly exaggerated.

Question 46

The belief or expectation that one cannot control the forces in one's environment is called:

A) underachievement.
B) fear of failure.
C) learned helplessness.
D) temperament.

Question 47

An explanation of why students' motivation and school achievement drop as they transition into secondary school is that:

A) the subject matter becomes more difficult.
B) teachers focus on grades (performance goals) rather than mastery of the material.
C) they are intimidated by the older students.
D) there is a decline in their use of self-handicapping strategies.

Question 48

Mrs. Kumin wants to help her lower-achieving students. She should:

A) acknowledge that they do not have the ability to achieve and stop pressuring them.
B) help them learn to attribute their performance to factors that are under their control.
C) have them placed into special education classes.
D) provide them with remedial education and have them keep trying.

Question 49

Students' motivation and school performance _______ when they enter into secondary school.

A) remain the same
B) increase
C) decrease
D) increase sharply and then plateau

Question 50

Which of the following is not identified in the textbook as one of the factors that researchers study in connection with how home environment influences adolescents' level of achievement?

A) parents' values and expectations
B) parenting practices
C) cultural factors
D) quality of home environment

Question 51

Which adolescent is least likely to exhibit high academic achievement?

A) Barney, whose parents set high scholastic standards and expect him to go to college
B) Bernie, whose parents go to all of his school programs and help him select his classes
C) Benny, whose parents do not want to pressure him, but argue with his teachers about his grades
D) Bob, whose parents join together with other parents who stay involved in school activities

Question 52

Professor Umbridge takes pleasure in making her students look foolish. She stresses the importance of grades more than mastery of the course material. Her students are likely to demonstrate all of the following, except:

A) insecurity about their abilities.
B) hesitation about challenging themselves.
C) reluctance to ask her for help.
D) a need to outperform their classmates.

Question 53

Dr. Worthy studies achievement attributions. According to the textbook, she would be assessing the ways in which individuals attribute their performance to a combination of all of the following factors, except:

A) ability and effort.
B) task difficulty.
C) luck.
D) motivation.

Question 54

Antonio is very confident about his abilities; he has a strong sense of:

A) academic success.
B) self-efficacy.
C) self-awareness.
D) social desirability.

Question 55

According to the textbook, which of the following is not an effective form of parental involvement?

A) helping with homework
B) encouraging achievement in school
C) expecting achievement in school
D) being involved in school-based activities

Question 56

Shawn is told by his teacher that the task he is working on is too difficult for him. Therefore, Shawn believes that failure is inevitable. He is likely to develop:

A) learned helplessness.
B) attribution biases.
C) achievement attributions.
D) None of the above.

Question 57

Which of the following parenting styles is associated with adolescents' development of mastery motivation and academic achievement?

A) permissive
B) authoritative
C) authoritarian
D) demonstrative

Question 58

Paul won't even try to learn how to swim because when he has tried before, he has not done very well and he is now convinced that no matter what he does, he will never learn to swim. Paul's situation is an example of:

A) ego deflation.
B) Type-A behavior.
C) learned helplessness.
D) temperament.

Question 59

Tory is performance motivated and believes that intelligence is a fixed trait. Based on this combination, Tory probably focuses on:

A) external rewards.
B) learning goals.
C) self-regulatory goals.
D) mastery goals.

Question 60

Which of the following is not likely to predict students' achievement-related behavior?

A) whether the student has experienced a failure
B) whether the student believes intelligence is fixed or malleable
C) whether the student is mastery or performance motivated
D) whether the student is confident in his/her abilities

Question 61

Which of the following is the best example of cultural capital?

A) Art's father takes him to museums during the summer.
B) Chip's parents bought him a computer.
C) Henry's mother has a Master's degree in Shakespearean drama.
D) Crystal's parents buy her expensive earrings.

Question 62

During the school year, Titus's parents took him to the theater and the opera. In addition, they bought him an encyclopedia for his birthday. The treatment Titus is receiving is an example of:

A) special education.
B) social cultivation.
C) artistic refinement.
D) cultural capital.

Question 63

Which of the following is not a finding of Witkow's recent study that investigated the ways in which adolescents use their time?

A) Students who earn higher grades than their peers spend more time studying, both on weekdays and on weekends.
B) High-achieving students spend less time with their friends than do low-achieving students on weekdays, but not on weekends.
C) Study results suggest that high-achieving students are able to maintain an active social life by allocating time more judiciously during the week.
D) High-achieving students spend equal time with their friends than do low-achieving students on weekdays.

Question 64

Which of the following is an example of school performance?

A) Kelly received a C on her report card.
B) Naomi received a 1200 on the SATs.
C) Mel has been in school for 7 years.
D) Vinny has an IQ of 105.

Question 65

Which of the following is an example of academic achievement?

A) Kelly received a C on her report card.
B) Naomi received a 1200 on the SATs.
C) Mel has been in school for 7 years.
D) Vinny has 3.7 GPA.

Question 66

Two characteristics of authoritative parents that positively influence their children's school performance are ______ and ______.

A) healthy beliefs about the child's achievement; less tendency to be over-controlling
B) healthy beliefs about the child's achievement; greater tendency to be over-controlling
C) exaggerated beliefs about their child's achievement; involvement in their child's academic pursuits
D) a tendency to push their child to succeed; the ability to let their child make his or her own decisions

Question 67

Research on the interaction of the influence of parents and peers suggests all of the following, except:

A) family environment affects adolescents' choice of friends.
B) friends who value school can positively affect adolescents' school achievement even if the adolescent does not come from an authoritative home.
C) peers and parents have a stronger influence on adolescents' school achievement in countries in which schools serve heterogeneous groups of students.
D) peers have a significantly stronger influence on adolescents than families in countries where students are placed in different schools depending on their long-term educational aspirations and occupational plans.

Question 68

Lydia's family is always going to art shows, concerts, and poetry readings. They have a large amount of:

A) societal influence.
B) social capital.
C) cultural capital.
D) monetary success.

Question 69

The impact of friends on adolescents' school performance depends on:

A) the academic orientation of the peer group.
B) the number of extracurricular activities in which they participate.
C) the size of the peer group.
D) All of the above.

Question 70

In the United States today, the peer group is most likely to have _______ influence on an adolescent's academic achievement.

A) a positive
B) a negative
C) little
D) both a positive and a negative

Question 71

The resources provided within a family allowing the exposure of the adolescent to art, music, and literature are called:

A) special education.
B) social cultivation.
C) artistic refinement.
D) cultural capital.

Question 72

Although Miguel and Luis both consider themselves to be Hispanic, Miguel's parents were born in Mexico while Luis's family has been in the United States for three generations. What do you predict about these youths' school engagement and performance?

A) Miguel is more likely to drop out of high school.
B) Miguel is likely to achieve more in school than Luis.
C) Miguel's stronger sense of family obligation will contribute to his school success.
D) All of the above are true.

Question 73

Which type of educational achievement has the most important implications for subsequent earnings?

A) school performance
B) academic achievement
C) educational attainment
D) All of the above.

Question 74

The textbook states that peers are important for all of the following reasons, except:

A) students whose friends are more engaged in school are themselves more engaged.
B) students with best friends who achieve high grades in school are more likely to show improvements in their own grades than are students who begin at similar levels of achievement but whose friends are not high achievers.
C) peers play an especially important role in girls' decisions to take math and science classes.
D) adolescents with an extremely high orientation toward peers tend to perform better in school.

Question 75

Which term refers to achievement that is measured by standardized tests?

A) school performance
B) academic achievement
C) educational attainment
D) social promotion

Question 76

Who is probably most likely to drop out of high school?

A) Luanne, whose parents are consistently authoritative
B) Dierdre, whose parents are consistently authoritarian
C) Bobby Jo, whose parents are inconsistent
D) Sally, whose parents are consistently permissive

Question 77

Although this theory has not been supported empirically, it was once believed that Black students in the inner city who do well in school:

A) may be criticized by their peers who say they are "acting White."
B) are likely to be respected by the White students but not by their Black peers.
C) are usually respected by the other high-achieving students.
D) are more likely than their White counterparts to attend college.

Question 78

Which term refers to the number of years of schooling completed by an individual?

A) school performance
B) academic achievement
C) educational attainment
D) social promotion

Question 79

Which of the following is not a way that an individual's grades are related their peers' grades?

A) Students with best friends who achieve high grades in school are more likely to show improvements in their own grades than are students who begin at similar levels of achievement but whose friends are not high achievers.
B) When adolescents' grades improve, they tend to befriend more high-achieving classmates.
C) When adolescents' grades drop, they tend to befriend lower-achieving classmates.
D) All of these are ways that students' grades change in relation to the grades of their friends.

Question 80

Jane's community does a lot to support and encourage adolescents' success in school. This community has a large amount of:

A) societal influence.
B) social capital.
C) cultural capital.
D) monetary success.