Chapter 16 Study Questions

Which statement to an adult child is the most likely to promote positive ties? - "Drive carefully on the freeway." - "Let us know if we can help." - "Be sure to wear your sweater—it is cold out there." -"Be sure to drink plenty of water." p. 552

"Let us know if we can help."

According to Vaillant, ________is a major preoccupation of midlife. - redemption - "passing the torch" - becoming androgynous - advancement p. 542

"passing the torch"

Jay, age 50, is finally comfortable with himself. He is more independent, assertive, and committed to his personal values than he was in early adulthood. Jay probably believes that midlife is ________. - a time of upheaval and crisis - a stepping-stone to old age - more stressful than early adulthood - "the prime of life" p. 544-545

- "the prime of life"

Which statement about generativity and stagnation is true? - Childless men score higher in generativity and lower in stagnation than men with children. - Among well-educated women, those with children express greater generative concerns. - Generativity is rare among low-SES fathers with troubled pasts as sons, students, and intimate partners. - Stagnation is associated with more involvement in political activities, including voting and campaigning. p. 539

- Among well-educated women, those with children express greater generative concerns.

___________________ is the strongest predictor of frequent, face-to-face interaction with young grandchildren. - Living nearby - The age of the grandparents - Being the paternal grandparent - The quality of the parent-child relationship p. 553

- Living nearby

Compared with children in divorced, single-parent families, blended families, or foster families, children reared by grandparents ____________ . - fare better in adjustment - are often spoiled and selfish - are more susceptible to physical illness - are more likely to have behavior problems in school p. 554

- fare better in adjustment

Fifty-year-old Hyo initiated a divorce from his wife of 25 years. It is likely that he _______. - will ultimately report losses in happiness - is frustrated with the inequality in the relationship - is already involved romantically with someone else - will experience a reduced standard of living p. 550

- is already involved romantically with someone else

When MIDUS participants were asked to describe "turning points" that had occurred during the past five years, most _________________. - were positive - resembled midlife crises - involved a spiritual shift - were negative p. 542

- were positive

Which statement is true about caring for aging parents? - Nearly half of American working women are caregivers for aging parents who are in poor health. - As adults move from early to later middle age, the sex difference in parental caregiving declines. - Adults who share a household with ill parents experience less stress than those whose parents live elsewhere. - Most middle-aged adults say that caring for an ill or disabled parent is less stressful than parenting a young child. p. 556

As adults move from early to later middle age, the sex difference in parental caregiving declines.

Which statement is true about sibling relationships in middle adulthood? As siblings grow older, good relationships often get worse and poor relationships get better. For most people, sibling contact and support increases steadily from early to middle adulthood. Despite reduced contact, many siblings feel closer in midlife, often in response to major life events. Most adult siblings report getting together or talking on the phone at least weekly. p. 557

Despite reduced contact, many siblings feel closer in midlife, often in response to major life events.

Which employee is the most likely to be assigned to a high-risk, high-visibility leadership role? - Garrett, a European-American man - Nadine, an African-American woman - Carlos, a Hispanic man - Genevieve, a European-American woman p. 561

Garrett, a European-American man

Martin, age 47, is single and has no children. Which of Martin's activities reflects generativity? - He works out at the gym three evenings a week and runs every night. - He attends worship services two times per week and participates in a bible study group. - He volunteers at the YMCA as a coach and as a "big brother" to preadolescent boys - He participates in community theater and starred in a local production of Guys and Dolls. p. 538-539

He volunteers at the YMCA as a coach and as a "big brother" to preadolescent boys

Which statement is true about divorce in midlife? - Middle-aged adults seem to have a much harder time adjusting to divorce than younger people. - Middle-aged adults who divorce report gains in happiness—an outcome stronger among men than women. - In the United States, the divorce rate among adults age 50 and over has doubled in the past two decades. - Divorcing women frequently mention that their emotional inattentiveness played a role in the marital failure. p. 550

In the United States, the divorce rate among adults age 50 and over has doubled in the past two decades.

Which statement is true about the "big five" personality traits? - Agreeableness decreases slightly from adolescence through middle age. - They take into account motivations, preferred tasks, and coping styles. - Individual differences in the "big five" traits are large and highly stable. - They consider how certain aspects of personality are integrated. p. 548-549

Individual differences in the "big five" traits are large and highly stable.

Which young adult is likely to move out of the parental home at the youngest age? Juno from Greece Alejandro from Spain Lalia from Italy Kevin from the United States p. 551

Kevin from the United States

Which middle-aged adult siblings are most likely to report closer bonds? - Lupe and her younger brother, Rodrigo - Jermaine and his younger sister, Latricia - Karl and his younger brother, Vincent - Ladonna and her younger sister, Myra p. 558

Ladonna and her younger sister, Myra

_________________parents give more overall support to their grown children. -Highly educated -Middle-SES -Low-SES -Less-educated p. 551

Low-SES

Which statement is true about friendships during midlife? - The number of friends increases with from middle to late adulthood. - Many midlifers connect regularly with friends through social media. - Older adults work harder to initiate new friendships than younger adults. - Middle-aged adults attach less value to friendship than younger adults. p. 559

Many midlifers connect regularly with friends through social media.

Which statement is true about launching children and moving on? - Most parents adjust well to their children's departure from the home. - The age at which midlifers experience their children's departure is typically 40 to 45. - Parents who have a greater difficulty have more positive relationships with their grown children. - A strong home orientation, especially, predicts gains in life satisfaction after children leave home. p. 551

Most parents adjust well to their children's departure from the home.

Nat is 42. His sister, Kiana, is 25. Which statement is the most likely to be true based solely on their ages? - Kiana is more likely than Nat to identify the positive side of difficult situations. - Nat is more likely than Kiana to anticipate and plan ways to handle future discomforts. - Nat is more likely than Kiana to act quickly rather than taking time to evaluate alternatives. - Kiana is more likely than Nat to use humor to express ideas and feelings without offending others. p. 545

Nat is more likely than Kiana to anticipate and plan ways to handle future discomforts.

Which parent is most likely to be generative? Harlan, who is authoritarian Liberty, who is uninvolved Princess, who is authoritative Seth, who is permissive p. 539

Princess, who is authoritative

Which statement is true about grandparents? - Grandparents who take full responsibility for young children rarely experience emotional strain. - Relationships with daughters- or sons-in-law strongly affect the closeness of grandchild ties. - In higher-income families, grandparents are more likely to perform essential activities. - Grandfathers report higher satisfaction with the grandparent role than grandmothers. p. 553

Relationships with daughters- or sons-in-law strongly affect the closeness of grandchild ties.

Which statement is true about psychological well-being in midlife? - High life adversity is strongly associated with favorable psychological well-being in middle adulthood. - The role of marriage in mental health increases with age, becoming a powerful predictor by late midlife. - While exercise is personally gratifying, the social side of going to the gym is linked to poorer mental health. - As role involvement increases, both men and women report less positive emotion and environmental mastery. p. 546-547

The role of marriage in mental health increases with age, becoming a powerful predictor by late midlife.

Which statement is true about people who flexibly modify their identities in response to age-related changes yet maintain a sense of self-continuity? - They are higher in self-esteem. - They are lower in life satisfaction. - Their personalities undergo drastic revision. -They are less aware of their own thoughts and feelings. p. 542

They are higher in self-esteem.

Which statement is true about grandparents who take full responsibility for raising their grandchildren? - They are usually financially well-off. - Because of the generation gap, they lack effective child-rearing skills. - The family arrangement is unique to certain minority groups. - They often experience considerable emotional and financial strain. p. 553

They often experience considerable emotional and financial strain.

Which statement is true about research regarding the midlife crisis? -Vaillant saw many examples of substantial inner turmoil in midlife. - Levinson's work showed little evidence of a midlife crisis. - Current evidence supports the view of middle age as a turbulent time. - Vaillant saw examples of a slow and steady change, rather than a crisis. p. 542

Vaillant saw examples of a slow and steady change, rather than a crisis.

Which individual likely provides the most direct care and financial support to aging parents? - Beth, a wealthy European-American woman - Luther, a low-income African-American man - Veronica, a middle-income African-American woman - Rex, a low-income European-American man p. 556

Veronica, a middle-income African-American woman

___________ have become the majority of the adult population living in poverty, regardless of age and ethnic group. - Unemployed men - Unemployed women - Men who support themselves or their families - Women who support themselves or their families p. 550

Women who support themselves or their families

Typically, when a middle-aged worker experiences an extreme career shift, the reason is ______. - a personal crisis - a desire for early retirement - pressure from a spouse or partner - a personality conflict with an employer p. 562

a personal crisis

Childless middle-aged adults______________ . - become generative as mentors in the workplace, community volunteers, or in family relationships - become stagnant because the primary means of realizing generativity is through parenting a child - are likely to become stagnant because they are not making contributions that will survive death - are likely to become generative because they have time to focus on what they can get from others p. 538-539

become generative as mentors in the workplace, community volunteers, or in family relationships

Meerab has been teaching middle school for 22 years. As the new school year approaches, she feels mentally exhausted and unsure if she is making any impact in her students' lives. Meerab is experiencing ______^^^. - burnout - a life regret - a midlife crisis - vocational depression p. 560

burnout

Compared with younger people, middle-aged adults see themselves as __________<<_ . - more concerned about others' expectations and evaluations - capable of effectively managing a complex array of tasks - less concerned with following self-chosen standards - less content with themselves and life p. 544

capable of effectively managing a complex array of tasks

Throughout adulthood, the personality traits people assign to their current selves show ______ . - lofty idealism - considerable stability - great variability - an ideal self p. 544

considerable stability

The majority of MIDUS participants who reported experiencing a midlife crisis ___________ . -attributed it to age rather than challenging life events - defined such events much more loosely than researchers do - reported suffering from serious depression and anxiety attacks - claimed that it occurred between the ages of 40 and 50 p. 542

defined such events much more loosely than researchers do

As Angelo approaches age 50, he feels increasingly disheartened about his poor relationship with his two sons. At work, he volunteers to mentor a young new hire about the age of his oldest boy. According to Levinson, Angelo is confronting which developmental task? - young-old - destruction-creation - masculinity-femininity - engagement-separateness p. 541

destruction-creation

Guy is reserved, quiet, passive, sober, and emotionally unreactive. He is low in which "big five" personality trait? - conscientiousness - extroversion - agreeableness - openness to experience p. 548

extroversion

Women who quit work in order to take care of an ill aging parent . - report feeling somewhat guilty but more positive in mood - report feeling less stressed and more upbeat than employed caregivers - fare especially poorly in adjustment, probably due to social isolation - tend to fare better physically than those who try to juggle both tasks p. 557

fare especially poorly in adjustment, probably due to social isolation

Negative turning points described by MIDUS participants ___________. - resembled midlife crises - usually involved work-related issues - generally led to personal growth - focused on the physical changes of aging p. 542

generally led to personal growth

The average age of retirement declined over the twentieth century in the United States because of __________. - the steady increase in lifespan - the steady improvements in health care - government-sponsored retirement benefits - the negative impact of economic recessions p. 562-563

government-sponsored retirement benefits

In her first relationship following her divorce, 48-year-old Edwina reevaluated what she considered important in a healthy relationship. She most likely places ________________ . - greater weight on passionate love - greater weight on equal friendship - less emphasis on communication - less emphasis on friendship p. 550-551

greater weight on equal friendship

The term "empty nest" is no longer used to refer to the middle adulthood phase of the family life cycle because _______ . - so many middle-aged adults in the United States are raising at least one grandchild - it implies a negative transition, especially for women who have stayed at home - the baby boomers are less financially secure and as a result often return home to "the nest" - the majority of middle-aged people in the United States live alone in an "empty nest" p. 549

it implies a negative transition, especially for women who have stayed at home

Marcus, age 53, is spending a lot of time caring for his young grandson. His subordinates at work have noticed that he has become a kinder, more compassionate boss. According to Levinson, Marcus is engaged in which developmental task? - young-old - destruction-creation - masculinity-femininity - engagement-separateness p. 541

masculinity-femininity

Compared with younger workers, laid-off middle-aged workers are____________ . - less likely to perceive the layoff as highly traumatic - less likely to suffer substantial income loss - more likely to experience a sense of freedom and relief - more likely to be "off-time" in terms of the social clock p. 562

more likely to be "off-time" in terms of the social clock

Less is known about long-term adjustment following divorce among middle-aged men, perhaps because ________. - so few men divorce in middle adulthood - they often die within 5 to 10 years after divorce - they often die within 5 to 10 years after divorce - most enter new relationships and remarry within a short time p. 551

most enter new relationships and remarry within a short time

Burnout is linked to __________. - improved memory - increased attention - on-the-job injuries - reasonable workloads p. 560

on-the-job injuries

Nora is imaginative, creative, original, curious, and liberal. She is high in which "big five" personality trait? - neuroticism - extroversion - openness to experience - agreeableness p. 548

openness to experience

Darlene, who spent her early adulthood devoted to child rearing, is engaged in Levinson's engagement-separation task. Consequently, Darlene will probably focus on ____________." - being more generative - controlling the physical changes of aging - pursuing a long-desired ambition - greater openness to autonomy and assertiveness p. 541

pursuing a long-desired ambition

Unemployed middle-aged workers ___________ than younger job-seekers. - remain jobless longer - receive more job offers - show less decline in physical health - show less decline in mental health p. 562

remain jobless longer

People who lose their jobs in midlife_____________. - are more generative than those who remain steadily employed - seldom duplicate the status and pay of their previous position - are typically underqualified for many job openings - rarely encounter true age discrimination p. 562

seldom duplicate the status and pay of their previous position

Cate, age 49, acknowledges that she has both good and bad qualities, yet she feels positively about herself and life. Cate exhibits ___________. - self-acceptance - autonomy - stagnation - expertise p. 544

self-acceptance

The negative outcome of Erikson's midlife stage, stagnation, focuses on __________. - role confusion - selflessness - self-indulgence - guilt and shame p. 539

self-indulgence

Deangelo, age 52, has been unemployed for 18 months. Having spent his entire life living below the poverty line, Deangelo often felt like he never found a respected place in society. Deangelo is probably directing his energies toward . - survival - creation - generativity - engagement p. 542

survival

Adults with a sense of stagnation may express their self-absorption through ________. - a focus on what they can give to others - taking little interest in being productive at work - a focus on their own children and grandchildren - taking interest in young people in their community p. 539

taking little interest in being productive at work

Possible selves are the __________ dimension of self-concept. - positive - negative - temporal - social p. 544

temporal

According to Levinson, middle adulthood begins with a _______. - transitional period - stable period - significant crisis - dream p. 541

transitional period

Middle-aged employees more often . - complain about trivial issues - try to improve group performance - fall victim to workplace accidents - report low productivity numbers p. 559

try to improve group performance

Highly generative people appear especially ___________. - high in anxiety - low in autonomy - low in self-acceptance - well-adjusted p. 539

well-adjusted

Betty just celebrated her fiftieth birthday. She marked the occasion by taking hang-gliding lessons and purchasing a more mature wardrobe. According to Levinson, Betty is engaged in which developmental task? - young-old - destruction-creation - masculinity-femininity - engagement-separateness p. 541

young-old