Chapter 12 Practice Questions

Allison tells her son that if he does not get an A in math he cannot come on the family vacation to an amusement park. Allison's son gets a B in math. Which response is MOST consistent with postformal thought? "My feelings are telling me to let him go on the vacation, but I'm going to ignore them." "I have to show follow through; he cannot go on the vacation. Rules are rules." "I didn't really care about the math grade; he can come on the trip." "I should base my decision on how much effort he put into math and whether it is realistic for him to stay home when we are away."

"I should base my decision on how much effort he put into math and whether it is realistic for him to stay home when we are away."

Maria's fluid intelligence is at its high point. Maria is in her: teens. 20s. 40s. 50s.

20s.

Jennifer is in the 75th percentile for allostatic load while her friend Megan, who is the same age, is in the 25th percentile. On a test of processing speed, Megan's score will make her appear to be about _____ older than Jennifer. one half year 3 years 5 years 6 years

3 years

Rhonda reports, "I am happier now than at any other age." Based on the research, Rhonda is most likely in her: 20s. 30s. 40s. 60s.

60s

In his research on exceptionally generative adults, which ethnic group did McAdams find was overrepresented? Latinos Caucasians women African-Americans

African-Americans

An example of an off-time chronic disease is developing: asthma at age 4. the flu at age 40. Alzheimer's at age 43. cardiac disease at age 75.

Alzheimer's at age 43.

Pick the strategy recommended by the textbook to keep one's IQ fine-tuned with age. Do clearly defined work. Find intrinsically motivating work with people. Channel surf and use the Internet. Find extrinsically motivating work.

Find intrinsically motivating work with people.

Katie is a novelist. Janet is a textbook writer. Who is likely to reach her professional peak at an older age? could be either person Janet Katie both will reach their peak in the 40s

Janet

Which statement reflects the general trend regarding parent care in Japanese culture today? Japanese people take responsibility for parent care but feel burdened by it. Japanese people take responsibility for parent care and are happy to do so. Elderly people in Japan do not require as much parent care compared to elderly Americans. Japanese society has witnessed an increase of nursing homes taking the burden of parent care off adult children.

Japanese society has witnessed an increase of nursing homes taking the burden of parent care off adult children.

Henry finds that ever since he turned 50, he is having problems having sex. He has never had trouble getting an erection until recently, but now feels like less of a man because of his occasional failures to ejaculate. He is becoming increasingly depressed about the situation, and his nervousness is turning into anxiety. He has begun to see a therapist who tells Henry not to be so self-critical since many older men have some form of sexual dysfunction. Which is NOT a reason for these problems? Older men are more likely to lose an erection before ejaculation occurs. Older men need more time to develop an erection. Older men are unable to have another erection for 12 to 24 hours. Men are less responsive to female pheromones after they reach the age of 45.

Men are less responsive to female pheromones after they reach the age of 45.

Carla is 45 years old and married. She has always considered herself a sexual person, but as she gets older she is less and less interested in sex. What might be one explanation for her change in sexual feelings as she ages? It is likely Carla is suffering from an underlying disease. Sexual signals toward women from the outside world decrease as women grow older. Women are naturally less interested in sex compared to men. Because her husband is aging, he is likely to ejaculate early making sex less satisfying for Carla.

Sexual signals toward women from the outside world decrease as women grow older.

Taryn's elderly mother is ill and is no longer able to look after herself. Taryn works long hours so she has moved her mother into her own house to care for her. Taryn has two brothers living in the same city, but their jobs prevent them from providing much help for their mother. What would developmental systems theory predict in this case? Taryn's brothers may develop stress, depression, and poor health. Since Taryn is a female, she is more suited to care for her mother. Taryn may develop stress, depression, and poor health. Taryn may develop feelings of superiority.

Taryn may develop stress, depression, and poor health.

Which statement about menopause is true? The physical symptoms of menopause are severe. The physical symptoms of menopause vary from culture to culture. Extreme mood swings are a symptom of menopause. Women feel asexual at menopause.

The physical symptoms of menopause vary from culture to culture.

Beth is taking care of her elderly mother, Marian, who has dementia. Her mother does not recognize Beth anymore and often accuses Beth of kidnapping her. Marian also demands to be taken to her "real" house and repeatedly asks for her husband who has been dead for a decade. Beth has had to cut back on her job and spends hours taking care of her mother every day. As a result, she spends less time with her own family. Beth increasingly resents spending so much time to with Marian when she does not seem to appreciate Beth's efforts. Beth's brother is not supportive and thinks that Marian should be put into a nursing home. According to one study, what is likely to happen next? The situation could escalate to Beth screaming and threatening Marian with putting her into a nursing home. Beth will eventually find that taking care of her mother is a source of fulfillment and a "labor of love." Beth will experience a redemption sequence, giving her the chance to repay a beloved mother for years of care. The stress and tension will eventually dissipate as Beth gradually comes to terms with her mother's condition.

The situation could escalate to Beth screaming and threatening Marian with putting her into a nursing home.

Audrey finds that ever since she went through menopause, she is not as interested in having sex with her husband. She has been married to Frank for 21 years and would like to remain married but her interest in sex seems to have declined markedly. Her therapist tells us this is perfectly normal; many women feel similarly. Which is NOT a reason for a lack of female desire in older women? The thickening of the vaginal walls and lengthening of the vagina both work to decrease the pleasure of sex. Being married for decades tends to erode passion. Modern American society does not easily recognize women as sexual beings. They may be experiencing pain during intercourse.

The thickening of the vaginal walls and lengthening of the vagina both work to decrease the pleasure of sex.

Which statement about American caregiving grandparents is false? They sometimes feel physically drained and depressed. They have full responsibility for raising their grandchildren. Their numbers are decreasing. They feel a generative responsibility to take on the "active" watchdog role full-time.

Their numbers are decreasing.

A researcher compares the IQs of people who are 20, 40, 60, and 80 using the WAIS in 1990. She concludes that people's intelligence declines with age. What is a major flaw in this study? A cross-sectional research design would have been a better approach to use. The WAIS cannot be administered to people over 60. Younger people were probably better educated than the older people. A longitudinal research design is not appropriate for assessing changes in intelligence with age.

Younger people were probably better educated than the older people.

Sixty-year-old Marissa is a highly generative person. She most likely has NOT experienced: nurturing, loving family relationships. redemption sequences; tragic events that turned into growth experiences. a strong sense of personal power. a life history full of successful experiences.

a life history full of successful experiences.

Brenda had a poor relationship with her mother growing up. Now she is responsible for her mother's care. Brenda is grateful for the opportunity to grow close to her mother. This is an example of: a redemption sequence. a commitment script. selective optimization. terminal drop.

a redemption sequence.

The text's author suggests that parent care may yield positive benefits by affording an opportunity for: a commitment script. a redemption sequence. selective optimization. terminal drop.

a redemption sequence.

40-year-old Maria is going through the sexual winding-down period known as perimenopause. She has heard all sorts of information about it from some of her friends and does not know what to believe. When she sees her general practitioner for her annual checkup, she asks her about she can expect. Her doctor tells her that perimenopause and menopause differs depending on the individual. However, in general, Maria should NOT expect: a temporary rise in sexual desire caused by erratic estrogen levels. an upsurge of physical complaints. a minor rise in anxiety and depression. night sweats and hot flashes.

a temporary rise in sexual desire caused by erratic estrogen levels.

Perimenopause is NOT associated with: a temporary rise in sexual desire caused by erratic estrogen levels. a minor rise in anxiety and depression. night sweats and hot flashes. an upsurge of physical complaints.

a temporary rise in sexual desire caused by erratic estrogen levels.

Who would be MOST concerned about changes in information processing causing poorer job performance in their 50s? a CEO a professor an author an air traffic controller

an air traffic controller

Graham is an elderly man charged in caring for his chronically ill wife Marg. Graham and Marg have been happily married for 44 years. Graham is likely to view caring for his wife: as a burden. as a labor of love. as a hassle. with indifference.

as a labor of love.

part b

b

Donna just turned 50, and she feels as if she is not making any real contributions in the career she has chosen. She is starting to believe that her life is meaningless and that it has had no purpose. Based on Erikson's theory, it is likely that Donna will: develop a sense of despair. experience growing isolation. develop feelings of generativity. become stagnated.

become stagnated.

Which term is MOST likely to be used when a person describes parent care? joy burden relief fulfillment

burden

Jung said that we can't live life's afternoon: by the program of life's evening. like our grandparents did. by the program of life's morning. by the seat of our pants.

by the program of life's morning.

Aaron is a child who shows good executive functions, which means he: has attention that wanders to the next task before he finishes the task he is working on. can think through actions and modulate his emotions. has a perfect memory. wants to work in business when he grows up.

can think through actions and modulate his emotions.

Velma takes full responsibility for raising her three granddaughters. Velma is a(n) _____ grandparent. generative watchdog caregiving intergenerational

caregiving

Diane has taken full responsibility for raising her grandson Alex. Diane is a: family watchdog. paternal grandmother. maternal grandmother. caregiving grandparent.

caregiving grandparent.

Alicia begins her life story by stating that charity has always been important to her. As a child, she ran lemonade stands and donated the proceeds. Alicia seems to be describing a(n): commitment script. hedonic life. optimization with compensation. redemption sequence.

commitment script.

Adults who are _____ have more stable marriages and tend to be affluent or middle class. conscientious introverted agreeable open to new experiences

conscientious

Joshua can think through actions and modulate his emotions. This suggests that he is: open to new experiences. conscientious. extraverted. agreeable.

conscientious.

Jason's mother sometimes jokes that Jason was born late and has been running late ever since. Jason also tends to be irresponsible and undependable. Jason probably ranks low on the Big Five personality dimension called: neuroticism. extraversion. conscientiousness. agreeableness.

conscientiousness.

When friends and family are asked to describe 28-year-old Tracy, they say she is hardworking, self-disciplined, and reliable. On the Big Five, Tracy ranks high on: neuroticism. extraversion. conscientiousness. openness.

conscientiousness.

Jody is completing a test in which she has to name as many state capitals as she can; Aditi is trying to complete analogies between pairs of abstract diagrams. Jody is taking a test of _____ intelligence; Aditi, a test of _____. crystallized intelligence; fluid intelligence crystallized intelligence; semantic intelligence fluid intelligence; crystallized intelligence semantic intelligence; fluid intelligence

crystallized intelligence; fluid intelligence

Dr. Gupta believes that true happiness stems from "giving back" and helping others. Dr. Gupta endorses the value of ______ happiness. fluid eudaimonic generative redemptive

eudaimonic

Erikson argued that generativity is the key to happiness in midlife. Erikson's statement emphasizes the importance of _____ happiness. fluid hedonic redemptive eudaimonic

eudaimonic

Dr. Frey asserts that menopause developed to provide a corps of "assistant mothers." Unburdened by their own parental obligations, these women help their daughters ensure the survival of grandchildren. With respect to her theoretical perspective, Dr. Frey has a(n) _____ approach to developmental science. behavioristic cognitive psychodynamic evolutionary

evolutionary

Mrs. Allen calls to check in with her daughter often. Mrs. Allen is interested in how her grandchildren are doing. Last summer, she stayed with her grandchildren while her daughter recovered from surgery. Because she looks out for her grandchildren and sometimes steps in, Mrs. Allen exemplifies the _____ role that grandparents often play. family watchdog intergenerational solidarity custodial caregiving

family watchdog

Fran ranks high on neuroticism on the Big Five. Fran will have a tendency to: live longer. be a risk-taker. be responsible. feel stressed out.

feel stressed out.

Studies of changes in intelligence as a function of aging suggest that: both fluid and crystallized intelligence decline rapidly with age in adults. crystallized intelligence declines more rapidly with age than fluid intelligence does. neither fluid nor crystallized intelligence declines with age in adults. fluid intelligence declines more rapidly with age than crystallized intelligence does.

fluid intelligence declines more rapidly with age than crystallized intelligence does.

Drake is middle-aged. In Erikson's view, Drake is probably immersed in the task of: identity. generativity. intimacy. integrity.

generativity.

The grandparent role may help individuals rise to Erikson's midlife challenge of: intimacy. integrity. generativity. identity.

generativity.

Mei-Ling lives in China. Which grandparent is likely to be the MOST involved in her life? her father's father her mother's mother her mother's father her father's mother

her father's mother

Ava is four years old. Statistically speaking it is MOST likely that: her paternal grandparents are most involved in her life. neither her paternal nor her maternal grandparents are involved in her life. both her paternal and maternal grandparents are equally involved in her life. her maternal grandparents are most involved in her life.

her maternal grandparents are most involved in her life.

Richard is 55 years old. As compared to when he was 20, he is likely to report that: he is more able to have another erection for 12 to 24 hours after sex. his ejaculations are less intense. he needs less time to develop an erection. he is less likely to lose an erection before ejaculation occurs.

his ejaculations are less intense.

Andrew lives in the United States. Which grandparent is likely to be the MOST involved in his life? his mother's mother his mother's father his father's mother his father's father

his mother's mother

According to Jung, midlife is the: late afternoon of life. long afternoon of life. long evening of life. late morning of life.

long afternoon of life.

Deborah's menstrual cycle has permanently stopped. She has entered: menopause. perimenopause. amenorrhea. menarche.

menopause.

If Mike is struggling to achieve generativity rather than stagnation, he is probably: an adolescent. a young adult. middle-aged. an older adult.

middle-aged.

Donna is a new grandparent. She is likely to be _____ in providing child care than her grandmother was five decades ago. no more and no less hands-on more strict less hands-on more hands-on

more hands-on

Grandparents today tend to be _____ in providing child care compared to what they were several decades ago. more strict no more and no less hands-on less hands-on more hands-on

more hands-on

If middle-aged adults view parent care as a family obligation, they experience: just as much stress when they provide the care themselves than when they relegate the care to a nursing home. more stress when they provide the care themselves than when they relegate the care to a nursing home. much less stress when they provide the care themselves than when they relegate the care to a nursing home. somewhat less stress when they provide the care themselves than when they relegate the care to a nursing home.

more stress when they provide the care themselves than when they relegate the care to a nursing home.

An anthropologist and a developmental psychologist conduct a correlational study in sub-Saharan Africa. Over a period of several years, they assess grandparental involvement in a sample of families. They also track infant mortality rates in these families. Based on the textbook's discussion, the researchers should expect a _____ correlation between grandparental involvement scores and infant mortality rates. perfect positive negative zero

negative

Kevin is anxious, unstable, and psychologically disturbed. On the Big Five, Kevin ranks high in: extraversion. openness. conscientiousness. neuroticism.

neuroticism.

Marilese is high-strung and chronically anxious. Marilese is probably high on the Big Five dimension called: conscientiousness. neuroticism. psychoticism. agreeableness.

neuroticism.

Tim is low-key and laid back. Tim is probably low on the Big Five dimension called: psychoticism. conscientiousness. agreeableness. neuroticism.

neuroticism.

"Women whose menstrual cycles have stopped for 12 consecutive months are considered to have entered menopause." This statement offers a(n) ______ definition of menopause by specifying how to measure it. descriptive experimental conceptual operational

operational

Jackie is a caregiving grandparent. She is MOST likely to be: poor. wealthy. farmers. middle-class.

poor.

In many college courses students are encouraged to adopt multiple perspectives on the material and to focus on asking interesting questions rather than finding right answers. Such courses seem to promote _____ thought, a key element in adult cognition. nonconventional postformal postconventional sensorimotor

postformal

The older Dionne gets, the more he believes that there are no black-and-white answers: It's all a matter of perspective. It seems that Dionne has gone beyond Piaget's sequence and entered a stage defined by _____ thought. postoperational postformal sensorimotor postconventional

postformal

Which produces the LEAST stressful parent care? not sharing parent care responsibilities with siblings providing minimal care when a person has no work responsibilities providing parent care and grandparenting care at the same time viewing parent care as a family obligation

providing minimal care when a person has no work responsibilities

"That terribly upsetting event turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me." This person is describing a(n): redemption sequence. commitment script. hedonic life. optimization with compensation.

redemption sequence.

Anna is raising her granddaughter Kira. Anna feels that Kira is her second chance at motherhood and that she is fortunate for the opportunity. Anna is describing: selective optimization with compensation. redemption sequence. being the family watchdog. a commitment script.

redemption sequence.

Maria makes an effort not to criticize her children's parenting skills in order to maintain access to her grandchildren. Maria is demonstrating substantial skill in emotional: attribution. regulation. appraisal. management

regulation.

As people age, ____ tends to increase and ____ tends to decrease. neuroticism; resiliency resiliency; self-criticism self-criticism; agreeableness neuroticism; self-criticism

resiliency; self-criticism

Geneva's daughter Alexis has asked her to care for her son 40 hours a week. Geneva doesn't want to disappoint her daughter, but she wants her own life. Geneva is likely experiencing a: family watchdog. terminal drop. role conflict. redemption sequence.

role conflict.

Patty is 55 years old, and she has some concerns about how she looks now compared to how she looked ten years ago. According to the text, if she is a typical woman, what is Patty LEAST likely to do? appreciate her body's abilities take inventory of the signs of aging seriously consider cosmetic surgery use creams and dyes

seriously consider cosmetic surgery

Paula is reading a diary she kept 30 years ago when she was 25. When she reads about her sexual encounters back then she is MOST likely to conclude that: sex is less intimate now than when she was younger. sexual communication with her partner is worse than it was when she was younger. sex is less authentic than it was when she was younger. sex is better now than it was when she was younger.

sex is better now than it was when she was younger.

Mrs. Big Buffalo is quoted in the text regarding the role of grandparents. She explains that the Lakota grandparent role is to raise the firstborn grandchild because they have more experience teaching children. The quote illustrates that the grandparent role is shaped by: evolution and society. evolution. genetics. society.

society.

Which is NOT a common role of grandparents in American culture? the mediator the cheerleader the banker the watchdog

the banker

Dorothy is a grandparent who has taken on the job of monitoring the well-being of younger family members and intervening if there is a crisis. Dorothy's role is referred to as: fluid intelligence. providing parent care. a caregiving grandparent. the family watchdog.

the family watchdog.

Which factor is NOT likely to have an impact in how involved a grandparent is with their grandchild? the grandparent's gender the physical proximity of the grandchild the age of the grandchild the grandparent's political views

the grandparent's political views

Peter completed the WAIS when he was 25 and is doing it again now that he is 45. He can expect ______ to have declined with age. the verbal scale the performance scale neither the verbal nor the performance scale both the verbal and the performance scale

the performance scale

Marjorie is a 58-year-old woman who finds sexual intercourse painful. Marjorie might consider: taking Viagra. ordering hormone replacement supplements from the internet. finding a partner who considers her a sexual human being. using a lubricant.

using a lubricant.

Crystallized intelligence declines in old age because: we are slower when we are older. tests of crystallized intelligence are biased. most people develop dementia in old age. we lose memories faster than we can gain new memories.

we lose memories faster than we can gain new memories.