Deck 1: Making Family Choices in a Changing Society

Question 1

The definition of family adopted by the authors of this text includes those who do all of the following EXCEPT

A)form an economic unit and care for any young.
B)consider their identity to be significantly attached to the group.
C)have the same name and background.
D)commit to maintaining that group over time.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

A person who believed in the "family-decline" theory might say the following:

A)"There has been a serious breakdown in marriage and family values."
B)"Family life isn't getting worse, it just adjusts to the times."
C)"Families today are better off than in the past."
D)"There is no marriage crisis."

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Those with a "family change" perspective view the family as ________________.

A)declining rapidly
B)"an adaptable institution"
C)"a rigid institution"
D)slowly and steadily getting worse

Answer 3

B

Question 4

The Census Bureau uses which of the following terms to describe a person or a group of people residing together?

A)family
B)nuclear family
C)extended family
D)household

Question 5

Scholars and advocates with a __________ perspective point to what they see as a negative cultural change accentuated by excessive individualism and self-indulgence.

A)family change
B)boomer fat
C)familistic
D)family decline

Question 6

Family _________ theorists posit that today's family forms need to be seen as historically expected adjustments to changing conditions.

A)decline
B)social
C)change
D)marriage

Question 7

Individuals living alone constitute about ______ percent of American households.

A)6
B)10
C)27
D)45

Question 8

As families have become less traditional, the legal definition of a family has

A)remained the same.
B)become more rigid.
C)narrowed to include only married couples and children.
D)become much more flexible.

Question 9

Traditionally, both law and social science specified that the family consisted of people related by

A)blood, marriage, or adoption.
B)symbolic definition.
C)nuptial contracts.
D)temporary agreement.

Question 10

The _______ family became common in industrial societies because it was better suited for city life.

A)blended
B)nuclear
C)extended
D)modified-extended

Question 11

Scholars and advocates with a __________ perspective argue that we need to view the family from a historical standpoint.

A)family change
B)pessimistic
C)familistic
D)family decline

Question 12

Which of the following is attributed to the U.S. by "family-change" scholars?

A)patriotism as a source of family pride
B)declining values in family matters
C)inadequate support for families
D)rigid traditional ideas of family

Question 13

From interviews and observations, the authors reveal that:

A)"family" is one cohesive unit.
B)most social scientists agree on a definition of "family."
C)there are many definitions given for "family."
D)defining "family" is not vital because there are so many definitions.

Question 14

What is meant by the term postmodern family ?

A)Families today exhibit a multiplicity of forms.
B)Any family formed after 1960.
C)A family which is on the cutting edge of technology and current trends.
D)Families today are more philosophical and reflective.

Question 15

Someone who is a "family-change" advocate might say the following:

A)"Our nation is in a crisis; marriages aren't surviving like they used to."
B)"The family is better than ever at adapting to new challenges."
C)"Times were much better for families in the '50s and '60s."
D)"Before long, marriage won't even be around as an institution."

Question 16

The U.S. Census Bureau defines a family as

A)any heterosexual or homosexual conjugal union and any children.
B)two or more persons sharing a household and who are related by blood, marriage, or adoption.
C)any group of people residing together.
D)parents, children, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins

Question 17

Cohabitation has emerged as a lifestyle

A)that is stigmatized as unhealthy and immoral.
B)that is much more common than marriage.
C)that continues to be illegal.
D)that can be an alternative to marriage.

Question 18

The concept of "household" is broader than that of "family" as it includes

A)pets.
B)material possessions.
C)any person residing in the home.
D)relatives who live far away.

Question 19

Family change is attributed to which of the following influences?

A)declining mental health
B)individuals who do not wish to live in families
C)hopelessness
D)economic trends and cultural changes

Question 20

Which of the following is NOT listed by your text as a major family function?

A)raising children responsibly
B)meeting sexual desires
C)providing members with economic and other practical support
D)offering emotional security

Question 21

The likelihood of divorce declines with _________.

A)lower levels of income
B)fewer economic resources
C)more years of education
D)decreased religiosity

Question 22

A majority of children live in __________ households.

A)divorced
B)single-mother
C)single-father
D)two-parent

Question 23

The text reports that _________ percent of marriages were preceded by cohabitation.

A)less than 10
B)about 15
C)25
D)over 50

Question 24

What is assisted reproductive technology (ART)?

A)a new style of painting that is highly sexualized
B)a counseling course for couples who want to get pregnant
C)helping parents know how to use technology with their future children
D)the manipulation of sperm and/or egg in the absence of sexual intercourse that may involve a third party

Question 25

About __________ percent of all American children are expected to live in a single-parent household at some point in their lives.

A)10
B)25
C)50
D)90

Question 26

Which of the following is true about the age at marriage today?

A)It is the highest recorded since the 1890 census.
B)Age at marriage is declining to 1970s levels.
C)Male's age at marriage has increased, but female's remains lower.
D)It has remained virtually the same since 1890.

Question 27

The child population of the U.S. is ________ racially and ethnically diverse than the adult population.

A)equally
B)more
C)less
D)far less

Question 28

Today, only about __________ percent of American households fit the 1950s nuclear family ideal of a married couple with children, where only the husband is employed.

A)5
B)10
C)25
D)33

Question 29

In the 1950s, the nonmarital pregnancy rate was __________ in comparison with today.

A)higher
B)slightly lower
C)much lower
D)the same

Question 30

Over the past several decades,

A)the divorce rate has declined somewhat.
B)the rate of nonmarital childbearing has increased.
C)there has been a dramatic increase in teen birth rates.
D)changes in the family have basically accelerated.

Question 31

Many households containing grandparents are __________ family households, which include other relatives besides parents and children.

A)modern
B)nuclear
C)extended
D)blended

Question 32

Compared to 50 years ago, marriage is not as __________ to Americans.

A)important
B)unimportant
C)unusual
D)unreal

Question 33

Particularly among college educated women, parenthood is _________.

A)not an option
B)postponed
C)embraced early in life
D)doubled

Question 34

Same-sex couple households increased by _____ percent between 2000 and 2010.

A)40
B)80
C)95
D)50

Question 35

Many employers have redefined family

A)to disallow same sex couples.
B)in an effort to keep traditional definitions.
C)with respect to employee benefit packages.
D)to prevent economic uncertainty.

Question 36

Over the past five decades, fertility in the United States has

A)stayed about the same.
B)increased dramatically.
C)declined.
D)fluctuated substantially.

Question 37

In 1957, the total fertility rate was about 3.6 children per woman. For the last 25 years, it has been __________ child/children per woman.

A)less than one
B)one
C)around two
D)about three

Question 38

The divorce rate

A)has been in decline since 1980.
B)continues to increase over time.
C)will probably never level off.
D)will always remain at 50 percent of first marriages.

Question 39

Children are __________ likely than the general population or the elderly to be living in poverty.

A)more
B)far less
C)somewhat less
D)equally

Question 40

Compared to the recent past, children are __________ likely to live with a grandparent today.

A)somewhat less
B)far less
C)equally
D)more

Question 41

Children learn social roles by imitating the behaviors of parents, siblings, and family members through a type of play called ___________.

A)externalization.
B)mocking caregivers.
C)secondary education.
D)role-taking.

Question 42

Through the lens of social scientific research, individual choices are shaped by

A)unknown forces.
B)deep, inner drives.
C)social factors.
D)schooling.

Question 43

People are influenced by the society around them. Societal or structural conditions can negatively limit or positively__________ our options.

A)dismiss
B)expand
C)destroy
D)belittle

Question 44

What is the impact of communication technologies like e-mail, Skype, and GPS on families?

A)Technologies force themselves on families.
B)The impact is unknown at this time.
C)Communication technologies change the way families interact.
D)Technology increases the amount of face-to-face time together.

Question 45

Sometimes we _______ into a decision rather than making a conscious one.

A)"opt"
B)"crawl"
C)"slide"
D)"grow"

Question 46

If you wanted to make a knowledgeable decision about choosing which class to take,

A)take the first class which is open and will fit your schedule.
B)find out what your friends are taking, and do the same.
C)wait until the last possible minute, and then let your advisor find a class.
D)look through the catalog at all the possibilities, consider what will benefit you in the future, and register early to get the class you consider best.

Question 47

According to the text, over time, cohabitation has become

A)"mainstream."
B)"secondary."
C)"prohibited."
D)"unlikely."

Question 48

The emotional dimension of decision making is referred to in the text as the

A)craziness gene.
B)gut factor.
C)ga-ga principle.
D)no-think dimension.

Question 49

Deciding about, rather than sliding into, a situation involves looking at the alternatives, not just picking the ________ choice.

A)acceptable
B)easiest
C)basic
D)difficult

Question 50

Which of the following is NOT one of the steps involved with making knowledgeable choices?

A)Try to avoid making a decision if possible.
B)Recognize the social pressures that may influence personal choices.
C)Consider the consequences of each alternative.
D)Attempt to clarify your own values.

Question 51

Every time people make important decisions, they ______________ for that time or permanently.

A)widen their options
B)remove responsibility
C)rule out alternatives
D)create emotional stability

Question 52

Which is the phrase used to describe economic and social forces that limit personal choices?

A)media overload
B)mass confusion
C)structural constraints
D)cultural baggage

Question 53

Which of the following is a path young adults took in response to the recession?

A)Dropped out of school.
B)Opted to have children sooner.
C)Held out for a higher salary.
D)Postponed marriage.

Question 54

Individuals' choices depend largely on the  ________ that exist in their social environment.

A)alternatives
B)defaults
C)decisions
D)people

Question 55

According to the text, which of the following is NOT a current societal trend impacting families?

A)new communication and reproductive technologies
B)changes in America's race/ethnic composition
C)a great increase in the number of pets in the family
D)economic uncertainty

Question 56

Economic uncertainty caused by _________________ is a current societal trend impacting families.

A)global warming
B)assisted reproductive technologies
C)the recession that began in 2007
D)increased immigration during the last decade

Question 57

Parents, siblings and other relatives are usually highly influential in developing a child's _____________, or that child's sense of worth and value.

A)self-concept
B)genetic code
C)nickname
D)temperament

Question 58

What factor may cause a father to make choices about his family by "sliding" into a decision?

A)Careful consideration of family needs and personal time.
B)Strong day-to-day pressures on the job cutting into time at home.
C)Remembering how important his wife and children are to him, and acting on it.
D)Ignoring the phone, television, and computer in order to talk at the dinner table.

Question 59

The text concludes that the best way to make decisions about our personal lives is to make them

A)by default.
B)knowledgeably.
C)unconsciously.
D)by following the path of least resistance.

Question 60

According to the text's discussion of how social factors influence people's personal choices,

A)it is always more difficult to make the common choice.
B)social factors can limit people's options.
C)social factors never limit people's options.
D)some people do not make choices.

Question 61

As families have become less rigidly structured, people have made fewer choices "once and for all."

Question 62

Functional definitions of the family refer to what the family is , while structural definitions emphasize what the family does .

Question 63

Which of the following is NOT one of the four themes of the textbook?

A)Personal decisions must be made throughout the life course.
B)People are influenced by the society around them.
C)We live in a society characterized by considerable change.
D)Personal decision making has little impact on society.

Question 64

People have been postponing marriage in recent years.

Question 65

Single-person households now represent a quarter of American households.

Question 66

The more common infertility interventions involve prescription drugs and microscopic surgical procedures to repair a female's fallopian tubes or a male's sperm ducts.

Question 67

According to the text, married life is far more complex and difficult than the traditional image commonly portrayed.

Question 68

Only 50 percent of Americans approve of black-white marriages.

Question 69

Life in American families reflects a tension in American culture between family solidarity and

A)individual freedom.
B)the prenuptial contract.
C)divorce.
D)childlessness.

Question 70

Family togetherness, stability, and loyalty are all examples of

A)proscriptive norms.
B)familistic (communal)values.
C)self-fulfillment values.
D)outdated norms.

Question 71

The most common household type today is that of married couples without children.

Question 72

Maintaining a family requires both commitment and knowledge of what you're doing.

Question 73

Today, about 40 percent of families fit the 1950s ideal of intact marriage, children, and husband-breadwinner and wife-homemaker.

Question 74

Valuing personal happiness and goals and the development of distinct identity is a(n)________ value.

A)familistic
B)kinship orientation
C)structural
D)individualistic

Question 75

When persons think in terms of seeking primarily personal-as opposed to communal or group-happiness and goals, this reflects which orientation?

A)familistic
B)individualistic
C)kinship
D)negotiated

Question 76

The text points out that the social institutions of marriage and the family have become _________________ since the mid-twentieth century.

A)more predictable
B)more functional
C)less predictable
D)less functional

Question 77

We live in a society characterized by ________________ change, including increased ethnic, economic, and family diversity.

A)little
B)slight
C)considerable
D)negligible

Question 78

________________ is made up of the ideas and feelings about the uniqueness and value of one's family unit, which often emerges in family traditions, rituals and celebrations.

A)Individualism
B)A knowledgeable decision
C)Family identity
D)DNA pool

Question 79

Family diversity has progressed to the point that there is

A)a breakdown in communal values and family bonds.
B)ethnic differences in most family members.
C)no typical family form today.
D)confusion and distress among sociologists about what to study.

Question 80

Which of the following reflects the relationship between personal decision making and society?

A)Personal decisions are impacted by, but also influence, society.
B)Society impacts personal decisions, but rarely do our decisions impact society.
C)One has no real impact on the other.
D)The relationship is too difficult to study.