chapter 12

In the United States, old age has typically been regarded as beginning at ______ years of age.

65

Which of the following statements regarding the phases of retirement is accurate?

A particular person may not experience all the phases of retirement.

Groups or initiatives representing the interests of elderly people as a whole, or specific segments of the elderly population, include which of the following? select all that apply: a. AARP b. Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) c. Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders d. National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare e. AARP Minority Affairs Initiative f. American Automobile Association (AAA) g. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)

AARP Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare AARP Minority Affairs Initiative

______ theorists focus on the potential contributions of older people to the maintenance of society.

Activity

Members of racial and ethnic minority groups, especially ______, are more likely to exit the paid labor force through disability than through retirement.

African Americans

Which of the following statements regarding the influence of demographic factors on retirement are correct? select all that apply: a. African Americans are more likely than Whites to exit the paid labor force through disability than planned retirement. b. Anticipatory socialization for retirement is most systematic among White females. c. Black males are the most likely to participate in a formal retirement preparation program. d. Whites are just as likely to work after retirement as members of racial and ethnic minorities are. e. Members of racial and ethnic minority groups are more likely to work after retirement than Whites are. f. African Americans are more likely than Whites to plan and prepare for retirement. g. White males are the most likely to participate in a formal retirement preparation program. h. Anticipatory socialization for retirement is most systematic among White males.

African Americans are more likely than Whites to exit the paid labor force through disability than planned retirement. Members of racial and ethnic minority groups are more likely to work after retirement than Whites are. White males are the most likely to participate in a formal retirement preparation program. Anticipatory socialization for retirement is most systematic among White males.

Which of the following was a major piece of federal legislation adopted in 1968 to protect workers 40 years of age and older from age discrimination on the job?

Age Discrimination and Employment Act (ADEA)

Which of the following statements regarding wealth and income among the elderly is correct?

Among the sources of wealth for the nation's elderly are homeownership, private pensions, and Social Security benefits.

Which of the following does not accurately explain the observation that in the United States 70 is the new 60, whereas in Russia 50 is the new 60?

Cultural differences influence differing interpretations of the real value of numbers.

Which of the following statements regarding the gender makeup of the elderly population in the United States is incorrect?

Differences in death rates for males and females tend to disappear after age 100.

Which of the following best explains the differences between the Sherpa of Nepal, who idealize old age, and the Fulani of Africa, who require older people to sleep over their own graves?

Different cultures have differing views on aging.

Which of the following statements best characterizes the impact of the transition from agricultural to industrial economies on elderly people in developing nations?

Economic progress has improved health and longevity but eroded traditional roles for the elderly in developing countries.

Which of the following statements best characterizes the effect of the fatal 1995 heat wave on elderly residents of Chicago?

Elderly Hispanics and Asian Americans had a lower death rate, most likely due to the strong social networks within their communities.

The publication of On Death and Dying by the psychologist ______ in 1969 greatly encouraged open discussion of the process of dying.

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

What is the stressful period of self-evaluation during which men and women realize they have not achieved basic goals and ambitions and have little time left to do so?

Midlife crisis

Which of the following statements regarding naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs) is not true?

NORCs are constructed by applying the most advanced theories in social science.

Which of the following statements regarding the ethnic makeup of the elderly population is correct?

Non-Hispanic Whites constitute the vast majority of the elderly, though this situation is expected to change over time.

Which of the following statements regarding the experience of romantic love among the elderly is incorrect?

Older people tend to regard love as a noncommittal game or a possessive, dependent obsession.

Which of the following statements regarding the five-stage theory of death and dying is correct?

People experience the approach of death in their own ways, which may not be consistent with the five-step approach.

Which of the following statements regarding the AARP are correct? select all that apply: a. The AARP dropped its original full name: American Association of Retired Persons. b. The AARP offers discounts and insurance to its members and engages in lobbying activities. c. The age requirement for membership in the AARP is age 65 years and older. d. The AARP is the third-largest voluntary association in the United States.

The AARP dropped its original full name: American Association of Retired Persons. The AARP offers discounts and insurance to its members and engages in lobbying activities. The AARP is the third-largest voluntary association in the United States.

Which of the following statements regarding the trend toward an aging world population is not accurate?

The aging of the world's population reflects the fact that AIDS, drugs, and violence are killing young people at a faster rate.

Which of the following best characterizes trends in the average age at retirement for Americans since 1950?

The average retirement age decreased until the mid-1990s but has gradually increased since then.

Challengers to the five-stage theory of dying point to which of the following? select all that apply: a. The five-stage theory was developed during a time when death was openly accepted and discussed. b. The five-stage theory does not take into consideration differing cultures. c. Because each person tends to decline in his or her own way, one should not expect a person to approach death in any particular way. d. Dying tends to be a much longer process now than it was when the five-stage theory was developed.

The five-stage theory does not take into consideration differing cultures. Because each person tends to decline in his or her own way, one should not expect a person to approach death in any particular way. Dying tends to be a much longer process now than it was when the five-stage theory was developed.

Which of the following statements on cultural views of aging is incorrect?

The role of the elderly is virtually the same in all developing countries.

Which of the following statements regarding the economic status of elderly women and members of minority groups in the United States is not correct?

The vast majority of elderly people, regardless of gender or ethnicity, live below the poverty line.

Which of the following best defines members of the sandwich generation?

They are adults who try to meet the competing needs of their parents and their children.

Compared with older Whites, why are other racial and ethnic groups more often forced to work intermittently after retirement? select all that apply: a. They are likely to have lower incomes. b. They are likely to hold higher occupational status. c. They are likely to have a shorter near phase. d. They are likely to have smaller savings.

They are likely to have lower incomes. They are likely to have smaller savings.

True or false: Physical education is among the areas of knowledge important to the sociological field of gerontology.

True

True or false: Playing the Nintendo Wii system has become a popular form of pastime for residents at retirement homes.

True

Which of the following is an example of a naturally occurring retirement community?

a neighborhood whose residents are aging together

Which of the following is not likely to be an employment trend in future years?

a workplace in which elderly people outnumber those in their 40s

The term __, refers to prejudice or discrimination that is based on a person's age.

ageism

After learning that a housing development near his home barred the elderly, the physician Robert Butler coined the term

ageism.

Which of the following are notable factors that contribute to improved health and increased longevity among the elderly in recent decades? select all that apply: a. globalization of trade and improved communications b. books and movies about aging such as Tuesdays with Morrie c. an emphasis on exercise d. greater control of infectious diseases e. reduction in fatal strokes and heart attacks f. the availability of better medical care

an emphasis on exercise greater control of infectious diseases reduction in fatal strokes and heart attacks the availability of better medical care

Sociologists who emphasize the impact of social structure on aging patterns are known as ______ theorists.

conflict

Many women of middle age and younger find themselves on the "______ track," as their time and attention is diverted by the needs of their aging parents.

daughter

Since 2008 growth in sales of which two items has been greatest among elderly consumers? select all that apply: a. digital cameras b. televisions c. cell phones d. computers e. stereos

digital cameras computers

Introduced by Elaine Cumming and William Henry in 1961, __ theory maintains that the approach of death forces people to drop most of their social roles and functions, which are taken on by younger people.

disengagement

According to activity theorists, aging citizens will feel satisfied only when they can be useful and productive in society's terms, which is primarily by

doing meaningful work for which they are paid.

Whereas people over 65 years of age constituted nearly 7% of the global population in 2009, by 2045 that number is expected to

double.

Even though it is a violation of federal law to fire people simply because they are elderly, courts have upheld the right to lay off older workers for ______ reasons.

economic

As a society's production methods change, the traditionally valued role of older people tends to

erode.

All the following identify the elderly as a subordinate or minority group in U.S. society except for the fact that

everyone who lives long enough will eventually become an older person.

On Death and Dying identified how many stages of the process of dying?

five

In 2002 more older people were working ______ than ______.

full-time; part-time

Disengagement theory is associated with the ______ approach to sociology.

functionalist

The scientific study of the sociological and psychological aspects of aging and the problems of the aged is known as

gerontology.

Introduced in England in 1967, the practice __ of care seeks to provide a dying person with a comfortable, home-like environment

hospice

Activity theory is associated with the sociological approach known as

interactionism.

Sociologists who focus on the way reality is constructed through our culture and social interactions are known as ______ theorists.

labeling

With increases in , __ __ writers have begun to distinguish the "young old" from the "old old," or people in their eighties and beyond.

life expectancy

After about the age of 40, men and women often experience a stressful period, known as the __ __ , in which they recognize that they are running out of time to achieve their goals and ambitions.

midlife crisis

Like people differentiated by race, religion, or sexual orientation, the elderly constitute a ______ group that may be subject to negative stereotypes and discrimination.

minority

According to labeling theory, old age should be defined

not in terms of age but in terms of life expectancy.

Which of the following characteristics might be a legitimate reason to designate an elderly person as unqualified for a particular job?

physical strength

Like graduating from school or getting married, retirement is a ______ that marks a critical transition from one life phase to another.

rite of passage

In what way is older people's experiences with romantic love similar to that of younger people?

shared rapid growth in reliance on dating websites

Conflict theorists have criticized both disengagement and activity theorists for failing to consider the impact of ______ on the lives of elderly people.

social class

All societies have some system of age __ or differentiation that associates certain social roles with distinct periods of life.

stratification

Maria is married and has two children who live at home. Her aging parents have serious health problems and demand a considerable amount of time and money from Maria. This situation describes

the sandwich generation.

Which type of occupational activities do older adults most often engage in?

unpaid volunteer activities

Which of the following does not help explain the higher proportion of Whites in the elderly population than the population as a whole?

widespread emigration of Whites to other countries

Medical research shows that mental deterioration is most rapid among those who

withdraw from social relationships and activity.