Deck 10: Constructing an Adult Life

Question 1

Norms against _____, or living together before marriage, are stronger in southern Europe than in northern Europe.

Answer 1

cohabitation

Question 2

_____ refers to Erik Erikson's life task centering on the challenge of deciding who to be as an adult.

Answer 2

Identity

Question 3

Discuss your experiences with social media, paying special attention to the research in the text and whether you personally think social media sites are a plus or minus in romantic life.

Answer 3

These responses are up to the student, but in writing this essay, the student should make reference to the hot in developmental science discussion regarding Facebook research in the text.

Question 4

Being totally absorbed in a challenging activity while working at top capacity and feeling "the hours pass like minutes" is called _____.

Question 5

In what ways do you feel you have changed since you entered college? To get credit for this question, you must make reference to SPECIFIC material in the text.

Question 6

Describe a recent "flow" experience, making reference to your feelings during this activity. Explain why this task was tailor made to produce flow.

Question 7

Understanding that marriage for life is elusive, a culture that prizes self-exploration, the need for higher education, and gains in _____ are forces that helped to create "emerging adulthood."

Question 8

Emerging adulthood lasts from age 18 to _____.

Question 9

Analyze a current (or a former) romantic relationship, making reference to the specific qualities discussed in the text that make for success in love.

Question 10

Miguel is trying to come to terms with his unique identity as a Latino and also his firm commitment to being an American. Miguel is struggling with his _____ identity.

Question 11

Describe Murstein's value-comparison phase and role phase of mate selection. Relate each phase to a real-life example based on your own relationships or those of someone you know.

Question 12

_____ refers to being paralyzed emotionally and unable to choose between different possible identities.

Question 13

Discuss the ways mate selection has been changing in recent decades. Then offer at least one example that applies to your own life experience or that of a friend.

Question 14

According to Marcia's identity-status framework, people in identity _____ drift aimlessly without any adult goals.

Question 15

Describe your own path toward achieving social-clock milestones such as financial independence, nest-leaving, relationships, and career. If you are or were backsliding, how does that feel? What are (or were) your social-clock priorities for getting married or having a career? If you are a nontraditional returning student, do you now feel off time for your age? If you are living in the nest, how does that feel? To get credit for this question, your discussion must SPECIFICALLY refer to studies and concrete examples cited in the text.

Question 16

A woman who worries, "I should be married now that I'm 35," is feeling _____ in her social clock.

Question 17

Outline the three different attachment styles and offer real-life examples of people who fit each category.

Question 18

Compare the transition to adulthood in the United States with Mediterranean and northern European emerging-adult paths (or, if you know emerging adults from other cultures, compare the U.S. pattern to those societies).

Question 19

Today, a college degree has become _____ important to constructing a secure middle-class life.

Question 20

Outline the four identity statuses and then describe people you know who fit into two of these categories. Make reference to each person's emotions and feelings. (You can also discuss your own identity status, if you wish.)

Question 21

In selecting a mate, people are looking for their _____, someone they feel is better than them in important ways.

Question 22

A Greek emerging adult, compared to his German counterpart, is more likely to:

A) live in the nest.
B) happily explore life.
C) support himself.
D) cohabit with a significant other.

Question 23

Someone who is excessively clingy and jealous has a(n) _____ attachment style.

Question 24

What is NOT a core characteristic of emerging adulthood?

A) being at one's physical peak
B) raising children
C) making one's own independent decisions
D) taking different life paths

Question 25

Emerging adulthood is a life stage uniquely defined by:

A) totally changing one's life.
B) learning about the world.
C) relating to friends.
D) getting married and having children.

Question 26

In Murstein's theory of mate selection, during the _____ phase, people make initial judgments about a potential partner based on external characteristics.

Question 27

Students who get to personally know their professors, do internships and independent studies, and become involved in campus activities are MORE likely to have a(n) _____ experience in college.

Question 28

Which is NOT a statement that people might expect to hear from emerging adults?

A) "I want to test out different relationships before I marry."
B) "I don't feel like a child, but I also don't feel quite adult."
C) "I'm 17 years old and now I can drive."
D) "I'd like to explore the world before I settle down."

Question 29

In Murstein's theory of mate selection, the final phase in which committed partners work out their future lives is the _____ phase.

Question 30

Which of the following is a benchmark of becoming an adult in the United States?

A) being financially dependent on parents
B) accepting adult responsibilities
C) caring about one's family
D) consulting parents about life decisions

Question 31

Why did the life stage called emerging adulthood develop?

A) life-expectancy decreases
B) the need for less education
C) valuing personal exploration
D) less strict parental discipline

Question 32

Who is grappling with an issue specific to emerging adulthood?

A) Lamar, who needs to take responsibility for directing his life
B) Bhava, who needs to learn how to relate to her family
C) Cailida, who needs to do well in school
D) Donovan, who needs to control his emotions

Question 33

Emerging adulthood refers to:

A) late adolescence when teens emerge from the house.
B) the time from the end of high school to the late twenties when people construct an adult life.
C) the delayed development of twenty-somethings who should already be mature.
D) when the body is changing from its childhood to its adult form.

Question 34

_____ refers to the basic mate-selection principle that people choose similar partners.

Question 35

Which 23-year-old does not fit the classic emerging-adult pattern?

A) Donalt, who is married, working, and has a child
B) Dongmei, who is in college and dating different guys
C) Damian, who is exploring different career possibilities
D) Dagny, who is trying to figure out the kind of man she wants to marry

Question 36

Relationships that progress _____ are more likely to last.

Question 37

Which of the following is a classic challenge of emerging adulthood?

A) taking on adult roles with ease
B) raising children
C) needing to financially support oneself
D) getting along with a spouse

Question 38

Harriet has many interests, shifted college majors several times, and ended up with a sociology degree. Now, at age 23, she is selling cologne in a department store and trying to figure out what she wants to be when she grows up. Today, Harriet's life path is:

A) abnormal.
B) fairly normal.
C) a sign of immaturity.
D) condemned by our culture.

Question 39

Who is most likely to be unemployed and still live with their parents?

A) Mario, who lives in Norway
B) Sophie, who lives in Spain
C) Longwei, who isn't married and lives in Denmark
D) Dolly, who is from the United States

Question 40

More widespread acceptance of same-sex relationships, later average age for marriage, and using on-line sites for _____ are three recent mating trends.

Question 41

Miguel is a first-generation Mexican American. Helen is European American. Helgard is Swedish. Statistically speaking, who is apt to feel BEST about living at home during the emerging adult years?

A) Miguel
B) Helen
C) Helgard
D) Predictions are impossible.

Question 42

Twenty-two-year-old Liza lives in the United States. She has just moved out of the nest and is renting her first apartment. Based on the research, how are Liza's parents MOST likely to feel?

A) excited to see their baby growing up
B) terribly upset that their baby has left the nest
C) more emotionally distant from Liza than before
D) angry and hurt

Question 43

Which emerging adult is MOST likely to stay in the nest to help his or her family?

A) a European American young person
B) a Latino young person
C) a young person from Sweden
D) a young person from the southern United States

Question 44

When Sam, an emerging adult in the United States, moves out of his parent's house, he might expect:

A) to be treated less like an adult.
B) a worse relationship with his parents.
C) continued close contact with his parents.
D) more distant and angry feelings from his parents.

Question 45

Which is NOT a bottom-line message of the chapter's nest-leaving discussion?

A) Staying in the nest is always poisonous for parents and children.
B) People (especially women) stay emotionally close to their parents when they leave the nest.
C) People may stay in the nest to help their parents, especially if they are minority youth.
D) Nest-leaving often depends on a nation's economy.

Question 46

The MAIN reason why today's U.S. emerging adults stay in the nest is:

A) financial; they cannot afford to move out.
B) anxiety; they are more stressed out.
C) dependency; they are too attached to their parents.
D) shifting norms; society now feels that leaving home is wrong.

Question 47

A 26-year-old says, "I'm living with my parents." According to the text, which is the correct conclusion to make about this statement?

A) This person is immature.
B) It's a sign of having close family relationships.
C) It's a sign of being unhappy.
D) Nothing, as there are many different reasons why people stay in the nest.

Question 48

Which emerging adult is MOST likely to move in and out of a parent's house?

A) Ned, who lives in New York City
B) Elof, who lives in Scandinavia
C) Adonis, who lives in Athens
D) Mario, who lives in Madrid

Question 49

Which of the following is NOT a good suggestion for parents if their children must move back home after college?

A) "Don't micromanage or hover; give the child freedom."
B) "Talk openly about your mutual concerns."
C) "Perhaps set up shared, agreed-upon rules."
D) "Take total charge of the child's finances."

Question 50

U.S. nest-leaving by emerging adults is MOST apt to:

A) improve family relationships.
B) make people very anxious.
C) make parent-child relations more distant.
D) promote homesickness in young people.

Question 51

To determine the Western nation where reaching adulthood is MOST stressful, which question should Paula ask?

A) What is that nation's economic situation?
B) How religious is that nation?
C) How multicultural is that nation?
D) How much does that nation care about family ties?

Question 52

Statistically speaking, which contemporary emerging adult has the MOST difficulty becoming financially independent?

A) Nicoleta, who lives in Greece
B) Sven, who lives in Denmark
C) Steven, who lives in Sweden
D) Wilma, who lives in Norway

Question 53

Paulino is a Portuguese emerging adult. Statistically speaking, Paulino is MOST likely to live:

A) with his parents.
B) with a girlfriend.
C) with his wife and kids.
D) independently.

Question 54

Which description does NOT fit the transition to adulthood in the United States?

A) colliding conceptions
B) varies by social class
C) anxiety provoking
D) smooth and easy

Question 55

Today, Swedish emerging adults:

A) typically marry young.
B) get free government-funded university attendance.
C) have difficulty supporting themselves.
D) live in the nest.

Question 56

Which phrase BEST describes the typical path of U.S. emerging adults?

A) smoothly and consistently moving toward full adulthood
B) becoming adult at a young age
C) encourages independence, but makes it difficult to finance an adult life
D) never fully becoming adult

Question 57

Which nation best fosters young people's transition to adult life?

A) Sweden
B) Italy
C) Spain
D) the United States

Question 58

In which nation do young people face the MOST barriers to reaching full adulthood?

A) Norway
B) Portugal
C) Germany
D) Denmark

Question 59

Which is common among today's U.S. emerging adults?

A) leaving the nest around age 25
B) staying in the nest to avoid work
C) moving in and out of the nest
D) getting married in the early twenties

Question 60

Name the country that BEST fits the following emerging adult life paths: (1) often lives with parents until the early thirties; (2) lives independently with government help; (3) encourages independence but doesn't offer help with financing college and finding a career.

A) (1) Greece; (2) Sweden; (3) United States
B) (1) United States; (2) Sweden; (3) Greece
C) (1) Sweden; (2) Greece; (3) United States
D) (1) United States; (2) Greece; (3) Sweden

Question 61

Thao is artistically talented and would like to be a professional painter, but realizes this field is competitive and that artists rarely make a living wage. After considering several possibilities, Thao has decided to become an art teacher, since she also likes children. According to the identity statuses framework, Thao is in identity _____.

A) foreclosure
B) diffusion
C) moratorium
D) achievement

Question 62

Ogun has no interest in anything and feels totally blocked. According to the identity status framework, Ogun is in _____.

A) diffusion
B) achievement
C) foreclosure
D) moratorium

Question 63

Which is not a feeling typical of Erikson's role confusion?

A) being blocked and unable to move ahead
B) feeling sad and depressed
C) being anxious and feeling at loose ends
D) looking forward to the future

Question 64

Ramon's parents have decided to enroll him in technical school. Ramon has not really thought about the issue and decides to passively go along. Marcia might label Ramon as in identity:

A) diffusion, because he is still unclear about his future.
B) foreclosure, because he is uncritically accepting his parents' decision.
C) moratorium, because he is putting off any thoughts of the future.
D) achievement, because he now has a life plan.

Question 65

Erikson's adolescent life task involves deciding:

A) who to trust as an adult.
B) what kind of person to be as an adult.
C) how hard to work toward one's goals.
D) how to best nurture others.

Question 66

Which is NOT a criticism of Marcia's identity status framework?

A) Because people shift paths and goals throughout life, identity achievement isn't final in the twenties.
B) Many people in identity diffusion are happy.
C) Moratorium isn't necessarily a healthy state, because a person in ruminative moratorium can be highly distressed.
D) People may not need to sample many different paths in order to construct a secure identity.

Question 67

Which label for identity status fits each of the following students? (1) Jasmin is having trouble deciding on a career because she has so many interests; (2) Carol is going to be a nurse because her family decided that was best; (3) Ariesa doesn't have any interests and is frightened about the idea of being an adult.

A) (1) foreclosure; (2) moratorium; (3) diffusion
B) (1) diffusion; (2) moratorium; (3) foreclosure
C) (1) moratorium; (2) diffusion; (3) foreclosure
D) (1) moratorium; (2) foreclosure; (3) diffusion

Question 68

Who is most likely to feel worried about being "off time" in his social clock?

A) Pete, age 21, who changed his major and so won't graduate for an additional year
B) Jaime, who graduated from college at age 23
C) Li, age 40, who decides to change careers and go to medical school
D) Faron, who is marrying Freda right after grad school, at age 28

Question 69

The psychological state LEAST characteristic of emerging adulthood is _____.

A) optimism
B) anxiety
C) serenity
D) exhilaration

Question 70

If an emerging adult believes he or she is "off time" in his or her social clock, how is this person most likely to feel?

A) worried and anxious
B) joyful and exuberant
C) calm and serene
D) No predictions are possible.

Question 71

Which emerging adult fits Marcia's identity foreclosure status?

A) After exploring different paths, a person knows where she wants to go in life.
B) A person slowly develops a sense of where she wants to go in life.
C) A person automatically accepts his parents' ideas of what to do in life.
D) A person immediately knows what he wants in life.

Question 72

Which student is in identity diffusion?

A) Akin, who has no idea what he wants to do for a living but feels confident that he will figure it out
B) Mai, who always assumed she would be a nurse, but is now questioning that goal
C) Coty, who says he can't imagine himself as an adult
D) Farah, who flits from major to major because she is interested in so many fields

Question 73

Based on the research, who will have the youngest (or earliest) social-clock timetable for becoming a full adult?

A) Hailey, who can't wait to graduate from school
B) Casey, whose main priority is getting married and having children
C) Iara, who wants to go to dental school
D) Kikpo, who is living at home

Question 74

Which 20-year-old is suffering from role confusion?

A) Kenji, who is confused because he has so many interests and plans
B) Jasha, who doesn't believe he can have an adult future
C) Goma, who doesn't know exactly what the future holds
D) Jennifer, who is debating whether to be a psychologist or nurse

Question 75

Lashonda is totally torn between going to medical school, becoming an artist, and getting a degree in pharmacy, and cannot make any decisions. Lashonda fits which identity status?

A) diffusion
B) ruminative moratorium
C) productive moratorium
D) unfocused moratorium

Question 76

Marcia's _____ identity status corresponds to Erikson's concept of role confusion.

A) foreclosure
B) achievement
C) moratorium
D) diffusion

Question 77

Which description best characterizes emerging adulthood?

A) exhilarating and frightening
B) stress-free and peaceful
C) simple and easy
D) stable and predictable

Question 78

What is the BEST critique of Marcia's concept of identity achievement?

A) Because people shift goals throughout life, identity achievement isn't final in the twenties.
B) Identity achievement occurs at a younger age than Marcia believed.
C) Identity achievement takes place in a person's forties, not in the twenties.
D) This state rarely occurs in a person's life, even for a short time.

Question 79

Peggy is 20 years old and a junior in college. First, she declared her major in early childhood education. Last month, she told her mother she was going to change her major to psychology. This morning, she announced that she wants to major in criminal justice. Marcia would label Peggy as in identity _____.

A) foreclosure
B) diffusion
C) moratorium
D) achievement

Question 80

Who is coping with a social-clock issue?

A) Renato, who repeatedly misses appointments
B) Jun, who is 35 and worried that she is getting too old to marry and have kids
C) Anton, who is always late to class
D) Arnie, who is getting married next year at age 28