Deck 18: Aging

Question 1

According to some gerontologists,a 68-year-old man would be classified in which of the following categories?

A)young-old
B)middle-old
C)old-old
D)oldest-old

Answer 1

A

Question 2

What do feminist scholars imply when they argue that functional age is subjective for men and women?

A)Women and men age in a similar fashion.
B)Women and men are evaluated differently.
C)Men and women are defined about evenly.
D)Society evaluates men and women using the same standards.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

How does the text define aging?

A)getting older
B)the biological process of growing older
C)the physical aspects of getting old
D)the physical,psychological,and social process of growing older

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Why is a 70-year-old male skateboarder likely to attract media attention?

A)He has a good chance of falling and being severely injured.
B)He is likely to suffer from a psychological disorder.
C)He is defying norms for age-appropriate behaviour in our society.
D)He is obviously on a mission to promote a very worthy cause.

Question 5

What is the number and type of positions available to a specific age level of people within a society?

A)role-specific structure
B)role structure
C)role stratification
D)role differentiation

Question 6

What percentage of Canada's population is made up of older Canadians?

A)5 to 10 percent
B)11 to 15 percent
C)16 to 25 percent
D)over 25 percent

Question 7

Which of the following is a cohort?

A)all women who were born in Canada
B)the members of your high school
C)women who were born during the decade of the 1990s
D)the students at your university

Question 8

According to projections,how much of the population will be 65 years of age or older by the year 2031?

A)5 to 10 percent
B)11 to 15 percent
C)20 to 25 percent
D)over 35 percent

Question 9

According to some gerontologists,an 88-year-old woman would be classified in which of the following categories?

A)young-old
B)middle-old
C)old-old
D)oldest-old

Question 10

What do the categories of tween,preteen,and teen in our society today indicate as compared to divisions of childhood 200 years ago?

A)change in role specification
B)change in role structure
C)change in role stratification
D)change in role specialization

Question 11

What is gerontology?

A)the study of the sociobiological aspects of aging
B)the study of aging and older people
C)the study of the social aspects of aging
D)the study of the physical aspects of aging

Question 12

Which of the following best describes the age pyramid?

A)a pyramid that is very large at the base because of an increase in birth rates
B)a nearly perfect triangle pyramid shape
C)a pyramid that bulges in the middle and is smaller at the base
D)an inverse pyramid that is larger at the top than at the bottom

Question 13

Why is Canada "greying"?

A)because life expectancy has decreased and birth rates have stayed the same
B)because many baby boomers are now middle aged
C)because of an increase in life expectancy and a decrease in birth rates
D)because of better medical technology and care

Question 14

Bill,who is 29,is frustrated that Patricia,63,will not take an early retirement package.Doing so would free up a position that he wants.What does this example demonstrate?

A)role differentiation
B)age competition
C)age stratification
D)role stratification

Question 15

Kay is celebrating her 80th birthday.Which of the following refers to this?

A)objective age
B)functional age
C)chronological age
D)subjective age

Question 16

What do sociologists call the number of persons of each age level within the society?

A)age structure
B)age pyramid
C)age profile
D)age differentiation

Question 17

Amy is a very active 70-year-old.She plays tennis regularly and usually beats her 35-year-old son.which surprises people.This demonstrates that we hold preconceived ideas about what is appropriate behaviour based on which age category?

A)chronological age
B)functional age
C)conspicuous age
D)relative age

Question 18

What term is used to refer to those born between 1965 and 1984?

A)the age pyramid
B)the baby boom
C)the peer sample
D)a cohort

Question 19

Which term refers to observable individual attributes that are used to assign people to age categories?

A)chronological age
B)functional age
C)conspicuous age
D)subjective age

Question 20

Suppose a three-year-old child sees someone with grey hair and wrinkles and says,"Why is he so old,Dad?" This statement is made on the basis of what age category?

A)chronological
B)functional
C)conspicuous
D)subjective

Question 21

According to a General Social Survey of elderly persons living in private households,what percentage of respondents reported experiencing some form of elder abuse by an adult child,caregiver,or spouse?

A)1 to 5 percent
B)6 to 10 percent
C)11 to 20 percent
D)over 20 percent

Question 22

Young Canadians have which of the following concerns?

A)There will be no jobs in 50 years.
B)Our welfare system will go bankrupt.
C)The inheritance laws will change.
D)There will be no room in nursing homes.

Question 23

Much of Canada's social welfare system has been set up to support which of the following groups?

A)the young
B)the poor and the elderly
C)the young and the old
D)the old

Question 24

According to the text,how does retirement affect the lives of Canadians?

A)Retirement today plays a less important part in people's lives than in the past.
B)Retirement can represent a major transition and potentially threaten quality of life.
C)Retirement does not tend to alter people's identity,lifestyle,or relationships.
D)Retirement usually represents a minimal transition in people's lives.

Question 25

A 69-year-old man is exploited financially by a roofing company,which purports to be replacing faulty shingles that are actually in good working order.How would a sociologist of aging characterize the actions of this company?

A)fraud
B)elder abuse
C)embezzlement
D)corporate crime

Question 26

You and your peers in sociology class are discussing the concept "retirement." On which of the following are you all likely to agree?

A)Retirement is a biological phenomenon.
B)Retirement is a political problem.
C)Retirement is a social construction.
D)Retirement is a psychological state.

Question 27

Gerontologists Cumming and Henry would make which of the following claims about disengagement?

A)Disengagement has short- and long-term implications for elderly people.
B)Disengagement places the elderly in a marginal role.
C)Disengagement can be functional for both the individual and society.
D)Disengagement results in an abrupt change in the statuses and roles of older people.

Question 28

When William C.Levin showed photographs of the same man (disguised to appear as ages 25,52,and 73 in various photos)to a group of college students and asked them to evaluate these apparently different men for employment,what was the result?

A)Many viewed the 25-year-old as the least competent.
B)Many viewed the 52-year-old as the least competent.
C)Many viewed the 73-year-old as the least competent.
D)Many rated all men the same,thus disproving the idea of ageism.

Question 29

According to Mark Novak,older people who accept that the life cycle is inevitable and experience positive dimensions of their lives nearing an end are doing which of the following?

A)coming to terms with death
B)moving beyond despair to integrity
C)successful aging
D)aging disengagement

Question 30

When Patricia Moore,age 27,disguised herself as an 85-year-old woman and went to grocery stores,what did she find?

A)People made her feel important by speaking with her.
B)People made her feel "old" and unimportant.
C)People treated her in about the same way as they treated other people.
D)People were not fooled by her disguise and asked her why she was making fun of older persons.

Question 31

According to the text,what do many older people feel their biggest problem is?

A)lack of pension plans
B)loss of status
C)their own perceptions of their worth and value in society
D)other people's negative views of aging and their capabilities

Question 32

How do the media contribute to ageism?

A)by portraying older people as wrinkled and unintelligent
B)by emphasizing the contributions of older people
C)by showing many more older men on television than older women
D)by stereotyping men and considering them to be "old" at an earlier age than women

Question 33

What theory argues that older persons make a normal and healthy adjustment to aging when they detach themselves from their social roles and prepare for their eventual death?

A)activity
B)disengagement
C)conflict
D)disorganization

Question 34

According to the text's discussion of wealth,which of the following best reflects the relationship between poverty and aging?

A)Only a few older people have meagre incomes or lack savings;the vast majority are financially stable.
B)A significant number of older Canadians are poor or near poor,especially given that the economic situation of older Canadians as a group has declined dramatically.
C)Most Canadians have adequate financial resources for retirement.
D)A significant number of older Canadians are poor or near poor,yet the economic situation of older Canadians as a group has improved dramatically.

Question 35

According to a General Social Survey of seniors living in private households,what was the most common form of abuse reported?

A)financial abuse
B)physical abuse
C)emotional abuse
D)sexual abuse

Question 36

According to the low-income rate,who is most likely to be poor?

A)a married elderly woman
B)a married elderly man
C)an unattached elderly man
D)an unattached elderly woman

Question 37

Suppose that Mary,an 85-year-old woman,is refused service at a nail salon.If you overheard the receptionist say,"We can't treat hands like that," what might you conclude is happening?

A)sexism
B)ageism
C)sex stratification
D)age-based frustration

Question 38

An 11-year-old boy tells his friend,"My Grandpa is so cranky,and I can't stand when my parents make me visit him.He asks me the same questions over and over!" What is this boy demonstrating?

A)compassion for aged persons
B)age-related attitudes
C)ageism
D)accurate images of aging

Question 39

What is the main focus of the functionalist explanation of aging?

A)the connection between personal satisfaction in later years and a high level of activity
B)how aging is especially problematic in contemporary capitalistic societies
C)how older persons adjust to their changing roles in society
D)government programs for older persons that stratify society on the basis of class

Question 40

Between 1981 and 1997,what happened to the income for Canadians aged 65 and over?

A)It increased by 5 percent.
B)It dropped about 12 percent.
C)It rose by 18 percent.
D)It dropped by 25 percent.

Question 41

In a recent study of older persons,gerontologists Melissa A.Hardy and Lawrence E.Hazelrigg found which of the following?

A)Women tend to marry men who are younger than they are.
B)Women have a lower risk of poverty in their later years.
C)Gender is more directly related to poverty than is ethnicity,educational background,or occupational status
D)Ethnicity is more directly related to poverty in older persons than is gender.

Question 42

What percentage of older women live in nursing homes and other special-care facilities?

A)less than 1 percent
B)approximately 5 percent
C)approximately 10 percent
D)approximately 20 percent

Question 43

Which of the following is an assumption of the conflict perspective on aging?

A)Under a capitalist system,the family and private sector are the agents responsible for care of the elderly.
B)Poverty in the elderly is caused by failures in the government and social safety net.
C)Everyone has equal access to the means of gaining wealth and power.
D)There is very little diversity in the older population.

Question 44

How is care for older people typically structured in the home?

A)It is provided by nurses and other professionally trained medical staff.
B)It is provided by friends and relatives.
C)It is provided by paid caregivers through a government-sponsored support system.
D)It is provided by government-sponsored outreach nurses paid for by the government.

Question 45

Recreation programs geared toward seniors follow the same assumption as which of the following theories?

A)activity theory
B)disengagement theory
C)functionalist theory
D)conflict theory

Question 46

Which of the following scenarios is most likely?

A)Young women today will be more equipped to deal with financial pressures of old age than women who are over 65 at present.
B)Young women today will be less equipped to deal with financial pressure of old age than women who are over 65 at present.
C)Young women today will face the same circumstances in old age as women who are over 65 at present.
D)Young women today will begin to experience some of the same pressures before they reach old age.

Question 47

The Leymans enjoy going on cruises,visiting their grandchildren,and playing golf together.Their experience can best be understood by applying what theory?

A)labelling theory
B)disengagement theory
C)status neutralization theory
D)activity theory

Question 48

Suppose you argued that identity is a social construct such that how our culture thinks about aging can be changed.What theory would you be using?

A)conflict theory
B)postmodern theory
C)feminist theory
D)interactionist theory

Question 49

What percentage of older men live in nursing homes and other special-care facilities?

A)less than 1 percent
B)approximately 5 percent
C)approximately 10 percent
D)approximately 20 percent

Question 50

According to the feminist perspective,what does the future hold for young women,in terms of the financial pressures of old age?

A)They will be worse off than before because of the economic problems of the 1980s and 1990s.
B)They will be in the same position as before since now they work and care for children.
C)They will be better equipped because they have begun to enter male-dominated professions and more of them belong to private pension plans.
D)Even fewer of them will belong to private pension plans.

Question 51

How would a symbolic interactionist theorist understand former marathon runner Stella as she grapples with turning 80?

A)Stella's identity as an athlete is blurred with coming to terms with living in the body of an 80-year-old.
B)Stella will make a positive adjustment to aging when she puts her running days behind her.
C)Stella has less power now than she did when her success as a marathon runner brought rewards and wealth.
D)Stella will be happiest when she invests her energies in other pursuits and maintains her fitness in less strenuous ways.

Question 52

According to a feminist perspective,which of the following is characteristic of the lives of today's cohort of older women?

A)financial self-sufficiency
B)economic marginalization
C)personal security
D)high social status

Question 53

Which of the following does conflict analysis draw attention to?

A)the older population's diversity
B)the older population's tensions
C)the older population's difficulties
D)the older population's abuse experiences

Question 54

How does the poverty rate for older women compare to the rate for older men?

A)Women have double the poverty rate of men.
B)Women have three times the poverty rate of men.
C)Women have one half the poverty rate of men.
D)Women have the same poverty rate as men.

Question 55

What does a conflict approach neglect?

A)the number of older people who live on their own
B)the inability of older persons to do regular household chores
C)the abuse that older persons often face
D)the enhanced longevity and quality of life for many older persons

Question 56

What perspective suggests that contemporary society has eroded the framework that helps older people to confirm who they are?

A)conflict theory
B)postmodern theory
C)feminist theory
D)interactionist theory

Question 57

What assists older individuals to cope with the problems in their day-to-day care?

A)hospitals
B)support services
C)nursing homes
D)extended care facilities

Question 58

Who,typically,is a caregiver?

A)women who are employed outside the home
B)women who are still raising a family
C)men who work for government homecare agencies
D)women who rely on their husbands for financial support

Question 59

How would a postmodern approach understand former marathon runner Stella as she grapples with turning 80?

A)Stella's identity as an athlete is blurred with coming to terms with living in the body of an 80-year-old.
B)Stella will make a positive adjustment to aging when she puts her running days behind her.
C)Stella has less power now than she did when her success as a marathon runner brought rewards and wealth.
D)Stella will be happiest when she invests her energies in other pursuits and maintains her fitness in less strenuous ways.

Question 60

If you were to apply disengagement theory,how would you define the process of retirement?

A)as punishment for being old in a society that values youth
B)as a recognition for years of service
C)as an abnormal adjustment,forced upon powerless members of society
D)as an attempt to maintain self-esteem and lifelong practices

Question 61

Iman was born in 1983.What age cohort is Iman part of?

A)generation Y
B)baby busters
C)generation X
D)children of baby boomers

Question 62

Which of the following statements is NOT an accurate description of retirement in Canada?

A)Many people like to work past the normal retirement age of 65.
B)Women are less likely than men to retire.
C)Retirement is a relatively recent phenomenon.
D)Public pension plans have contributed to increasing rates of retirement.

Question 63

Margaret is 79 years old and still enjoys bike rides.What does this represent?

A)her acceptance of the physical limitations associated with aging
B)her challenging traditional views on aging
C)her refusal to accept she is turning 80
D)her fighting growing old by trying to look younger

Question 64

How can the negative effects of nursing homes be minimized?

A)by reducing the number of admissions to nursing homes by providing higher levels of support
B)by making life outside nursing homes more appealing
C)by restricting freedom of choice within nursing homes
D)by increasing administrative staff

Question 65

A researcher who interviewed Margaret and Henry about their experiences of aging would most likely draw on which of the following theoretical perspectives?

A)postmodern
B)feminist
C)functionalist
D)symbolic interactionist

Question 66

What philosophy holds that Barinder,who has terminal cancer,should participate in her own care and have control over as many decisions pertaining to her life as possible?

A)nursing home
B)life care
C)hospice
D)humanitarian

Question 67

What percentage of organic mental disorders in the older population is caused by Alzheimer's?

A)under 35 percent
B)about 55 percent
C)approximately 60 percent
D)nearly 70 percent

Question 68

What is the life expectancy for a male born in 2008?

A)77 years
B)79 years
C)81 years
D)83 years

Question 69

Which of the following does the text cite as a consequence of population aging?

A)more age segregation
B)less age segregation
C)more ageism
D)less ageism

Question 70

Which of the following is NOT listed in the textbook as a reason why life expectancy has steadily increased since the 20th century?

A)better water and sewage systems
B)the rise of nursing homes
C)improved nutrition
D)advances in medical science

Question 71

By 2011,what percentage of the Canadian population was over age 65?

A)over 20 percent
B)about 18 percent
C)approximately 15 percent
D)between 5 and 10 percent

Question 72

Compared to institutional care,which statement best describes support services?

A)Support services are less costly than institutional care.
B)Support services are better than institutional care.
C)Support services are worse than institutional care.
D)Support services are more expensive than institutional care.

Question 73

Melanie was born in 1960.What age cohort is Melanie part of?

A)parents of baby boomers
B)baby boomers
C)lower-middle income
D)low income

Question 74

Marvin is using disengagement theory to explain aging.Which of the following statements best exemplifies his views?

A)Individuals find different ways of dealing with aging depending on the cultural context.
B)Women's incomes decline significantly following the death of their husbands.
C)Retirement provides employment opportunities for younger people.
D)Marketers of consumer products portray an ageless image of older people.

Question 75

How may the cultural expectation of women's role as caregiver influence aging in the future?

A)Family members in the future may be less willing or able to serve as caregivers.
B)With fewer older persons to care for,women are more likely to take on different kinds of caregiving roles.
C)Life expectancy will unlikely change the ways women define retirement and age.
D)Women,faced with triple workdays,may reach their breaking point.

Question 76

What is the life expectancy for a female born in 2008?

A)87 years
B)83 years
C)79 years
D)77 years

Question 77

Why do people live in nursing homes?

A)Major physical and/or cognitive problems or a lack of family caregivers prevent them from living in other arrangements.
B)It is less expensive to live in a nursing home than to rely on support services.
C)They have available caregivers in the family,but choose not to live with them.
D)It is less restrictive to live in a nursing home than to rely on support services.

Question 78

Which of the following statements does the text make about nursing homes?

A)They are the most economical environment for older persons.
B)They are the most restrictive environment for older persons.
C)They do not provide adequate care for older persons.
D)They are best able to provide care for those without family support.

Question 79

What did the case of Sue Rodriguez,a British Columbia woman suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease,demonstrate?

A)People have the right to take their own life.
B)People do not have the right to take their own life.
C)Only doctors have the right to take a person's life.
D)Physician-assisted suicide in Canada is legal,but only under certain circumstances.

Question 80

According to the textbook,which of the following reasons explains the substantial increase in life expectancy that occurred between 1981 and 2001?

A)More people were living longer.
B)Parents of the baby boomers moved into middle age.
C)The rate was artificially inflated due to new definitions of the greying of Canada.
D)Baby busters moved into middle age