Deck 15: Remarriages and Stepfamilies

Question 1

Women's remarriage rate is __________ men's.

A)considerably lower than
B)the same as
C)slightly higher than
D)almost twice as high as

Answer 1

A

Question 2

The text characterizes the components of a common remarriage courtship pattern. Which of the following is NOT one of these components?

A)male partner spends a few nights per week in the mother's household
B)a brief period of full-time living together
C)an adaptation period allowing for the adjustment of stepchildren
D)remarriage

Answer 2

C

Question 3

The divorce rate has ________ in the last two decades.

A)dramatically increased
B)slightly increased
C)remained stable
D)decreased

Answer 3

D

Question 4

The text observes that today, more and more stepfamilies result from

A)cohabitation.
B)common-law marriages.
C)domestic partnerships.
D)civil unions.

Question 5

Which of the following is one of the reasons offered in the text for the slight decline in remarriage rates?

A)Many divorced persons who would have remarried in the past are now cohabiting in stepfamilies.
B)The divorce rate has decreased dramatically.
C)Economic constraints and uncertainties have discouraged divorced women, but not men.
D)Marriage has clearly lost some of its popularity.

Question 6

Data based on the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study found that more than ______of women who had a child with an unmarried partner formed a married or cohabiting union with a new partner within five years.

A)two-thirds
B)three-fourths
C)one-third
D)one-half

Question 7

Statistics on stepfamilies are difficult to attain, and the statistics we do have are probably

A)overestimates.
B)perfectly accurate.
C)underestimates.
D)completely unreliable.

Question 8

Remarrying women generally benefit __________ more than do remarrying men..

A)parentally
B)socially
C)emotionally
D)financially

Question 9

Today, the vast majority of remarrieds have been

A)widowed.
B)divorced.
C)married multiple times.
D)unfaithful.

Question 10

Today, approximately __________ percent of all marriages involve a remarriage of one or both partners.

A)5
B)15
C)25
D)40

Question 11

Historically, well into the twentieth century, almost all stepfamilies were formed after

A)divorce.
B)legal separation.
C)the death of a spouse.
D)cohabitation.

Question 12

The text points out that choosing a remarriage partner differs from making a marital choice the first time inasmuch as there is a(n)

A)sense of pessimism surrounding the courtship process.
B)atmosphere of fear and doubt.
C)smaller pool of eligibles on any given attribute.
D)feeling of getting "used merchandise."

Question 13

__________ lower the likelihood of remarriage for both men and women.

A)Financial burdens
B)Children
C)Past relationships
D)Emotional scars

Question 14

Most remarried people are _____ with their relationships and lives.

A)disappointed
B)happy
C)depressed
D)unattached

Question 15

According to the latest government statistics available, remarriages have been less _________ than first marriages.

A)heterogamous
B)homogamous
C)exogamous
D)endogamous

Question 16

_____ percent of remarriages formed between 1985 and 1994 ended in separation or divorce within a decade.

A)10
B)25
C)40
D)75

Question 17

Some people divorce, remarry, redivorce, and then marry again. But a majority of remarriages are__________ marriages.

A)first
B)second
C)third
D)fourth

Question 18

Which of the following terms in the textbook refers to the duration of marriage?

A)marital happiness
B)marital satisfaction
C)marital stability
D)marriage tenacity

Question 19

About _____ percent of all children (5.3 million)are living in a married stepfamily with one biological parent and one stepparent.

A)10
B)25
C)40
D)60

Question 20

Compared with other ethnicities, it is much more common for blacks and Hispanics to enter stepfamilies through

A)widowhood and remarriage.
B)divorce and remarriage.
C)the foster care system.
D)nonmarital childbearing and cohabitation.

Question 21

Because of the cultural ambiguity of remarried family relationships, social scientist Andrew Cherlin calls the remarried family a(n)

A)nuclear-family monopoly.
B)incomplete institution.
C)absent cultural script.
D)normless norm.

Question 22

In most states, stepparents are __________ provide contributions.

A)legally required to support their spouses' children financially, and are forced to
B)required to support only the joint biological offspring, to legally
C)not required to support their spouses' children financially, and most do not choose to
D)not required to support their spouses' children financially, although most voluntarily choose to

Question 23

Considerable research shows that remarrieds experience more tension and conflict than do first marrieds, usually on issues related to

A)stepchildren-discipline or distribution of resources to stepchildren.
B)previous marriages, and unresolved in-law ties.
C)new gender roles and sharing household tasks.
D)the possibility of divorce and whether the marriage is "working."

Question 24

Visitation rights (and corresponding support obligation)of stepparents

A)are beginning to be legally clarified.
B)are clearly clarified, but change according to state law.
C)have never been clarified legally.
D)are up to the discretion of the individual family.

Question 25

The text offers several reasons for the lower overall stability of remarriages. Which of the following is NOT one of these?

A)People who divorce in the first place are disproportionately from lower middle- and lower-class groups, which generally have higher divorce rates.
B)People who remarry after divorce are, as a group, more accepting of divorce and may have already demonstrated that they are willing to choose divorce as a way of resolving an unsatisfactory marriage.
C)Remarrieds receive more social support from their families of origin and are generally more integrated with parents and in-laws.
D)Remarriages present special stresses on couples, such as the presence of stepchildren.

Question 26

The text indicates that perhaps the most significant factor in the comparative instability of remarriages is

A)the presence of stepchildren.
B)the abrasive nature of the partners.
C)the pessimism of the partners.
D)economic hardship.

Question 27

Family systems theory emphasizes __________ in family relationships.

A)interdependence
B)discrepancy between expectations and reality
C)love and respect
D)cultural identity

Question 28

Society offers members of stepfamilies an underdeveloped __________, or set of socially prescribed and understood guidelines, for relating to each other or for defining responsibilities and obligations.

A)gender role understanding
B)stepfamily moral code
C)family law
D)cultural script

Question 29

White and Booth found that marital quality does not vary greatly between first marriages and single or double remarriages; it is __________ that is generally affected.

A)satisfaction with family life
B)the anger level in the relationship
C)the stress level in the relationship
D)occupational stability

Question 30

Even within marriage, most states consider stepparents and stepchildren

A)fictive kin.
B)legal strangers.
C)ambiguous relatives.
D)intimate outsiders.

Question 31

When neither spouse enters a remarriage with children, the couple's union is usually

A)incredibly unstable.
B)not taken seriously.
C)very similar to cohabiting couples.
D)very much like a first marriage.

Question 32

Cohabiting stepfamilies are more likely to experience __________ than are remarried stepfamilies.

A)multi-layer role confusion
B)gender mistrust
C)unequal division of labor
D)boundary ambiguity

Question 33

Considerable research has shown that on average, in comparison with children in first-marriage families, stepchildren of all ages

A)do equally well in school.
B)experience an equal amount of family conflict.
C)are somewhat less well-adjusted.
D)are less likely to become juvenile delinquents.

Question 34

The text points out that remarriages dissolve at higher rates than first marriages, especially for remarried couples who have

A)no biological children.
B)stepchildren.
C)no stepchildren.
D)biological children of their own.

Question 35

Interviews with stepfamily members reveal that definitions of family between parents and children and between siblings

A)often differ.
B)are usually consistent.
C)are perfectly consistent.
D)cannot be compared.

Question 36

Some religions, such as Catholicism, do not recognize a remarriage after divorce unless

A)the ex-spouse has died since the divorce.
B)both partners are re-baptized.
C)neither partner was Catholic until after they were married.
D)the first marriage has been annulled.

Question 37

The text explores three areas in which the stepfamily is likely to seem an incomplete institution, with ambiguous norms. Which of the following is NOT one of these areas?

A)gender roles
B)boundary ambiguity
C)relationships with kin
D)family law

Question 38

"When family members are uncertain in their perception of who is in or out of the family or who is performing what roles and tasks within the family system," this is a state called

A)multi-layer role confusion.
B)gender mistrust.
C)unequal division of labor.
D)family boundary ambiguity.

Question 39

The text points out that as family members separate and then join new families formed by remarriage, the new kin do not so much replace as __________ kin from the first marriage.

A)subtract from
B)add to
C)compensate for
D)substitute for

Question 40

Postdivorce cohabitation is positively associated with

A)adultery.
B)remarital instability.
C)remarital happiness.
D)multiple marriages.

Question 41

Research shows that both stepmothers and stepfathers play their roles with more __________ than do biological parents-more like friends than monitoring parents.

A)distance
B)playfulness
C)strictness
D)informality

Question 42

Research on communication patterns in stepfamilies reveals several different communication patterns. In which pattern do the child and the biological/adoptive parent maintain interaction, but the stepparent remains pretty much irrelevant to the child's life?

A)outsider triad
B)linked triad
C)adult-coalition triad
D)complete triad

Question 43

Research on communication patterns in stepfamilies reveals several different communication patterns. In which pattern does communication flow freely, involving all members of the stepfamily equally?

A)outsider triad
B)linked triad
C)adult-coalition triad
D)complete triad

Question 44

The text points out that the particular challenges that characterize remarriages often begin with the

A)courtship process.
B)childhoods of the partners involved.
C)previous divorce.
D)parenting process.

Question 45

Because it seems almost an impossible job, the stepmother role has been described as the "stepmother ________."

A)shift
B)chore
C)duty
D)trap

Question 46

Relatively low role ambiguity has been associated with

A)higher remarital satisfaction, especially for wives.
B)lower remarital satisfaction, especially for stepfathers.
C)divorce, especially for men.
D)divorce, especially for women.

Question 47

The extent to which stepfathers see their stepchildren as biological children is called

A)paternal claiming.
B)role ambiguity.
C)the dripolator effect.
D)the percolator effect.

Question 48

Originally, the text points out, the term stepparent applied to

A)an acquired quasi-kin who becomes an additional parent.
B)a person who replaces a dead parent.
C)people who only assist in parenting.
D)childcare workers.

Question 49

Which statement about the well-being of stepparents is accurate?

A)Parenting stepchildren is generally more satisfying than parenting biological children.
B)Stepmothers have worse mental health than biological mothers.
C)Stepchildren generally "substitute" for biological children.
D)Parents feel equal obligation to help their adult stepchildren than their biological children.

Question 50

According to the text, the nuclear-family model

A)does not work well for most remarried families.
B)is most appropriate for remarried families.
C)applies to some remarried families.
D)is irrelevant to remarried families.

Question 51

Another challenge to remarried families is that roles of stepchild and stepparent are

A)too well defined.
B)clearly understood.
C)fully agreed upon.
D)rather uncertain.

Question 52

Research on communication patterns in stepfamilies reveals several different communication patterns. In which pattern is the child's interaction with the stepparent accomplished through the child's biological or adoptive parent?

A)outsider triad
B)linked triad
C)adult-coalition triad
D)complete triad

Question 53

A small study cited in the text asked 265 stepmothers about their expectations of the stepmother role. The researchers found that

A)stepmothers usually see themselves as replacing the stepchild's mother.
B)stepmothers expect to be included in stepfamily activities.
C)the less time a stepmother spent with her stepchildren, the more she expected to be included in stepfamily functions and decisions.
D)a clear majority of stepmothers behaved as a "friend," rather than as a "concerned parent."

Question 54

One stepfamily scholar (Papernow)has suggested a seven-stage model of stepfamily development. Which of the following is NOT one of the stages in this model?

A)fantasy
B)immersion
C)rebellion
D)awareness

Question 55

The text urges consideration of various points in easing the transition from single-parent to stepfamily status. Which of the following is NOT one of these?

A)Try as best you can to replace a lost parent.
B)Let your relationship with stepchildren develop gradually.
C)Expect to deal with confusing feelings.
D)Recognize that you may be compared with the absent partner.

Question 56

Adults who form stepfamilies expect a smooth and quick adjustment while children expect that the stepparent will disappear and their parents will be reunited. This is known as the _________ stage in Papernow's seven-stage model of stepfamily development.

A)awareness
B)fantasy
C)immersion
D)resolution

Question 57

Folktales like Snow White , Cinderella , and Hansel and Gretel reflect the view of stepmothers as

A)hovering, overly concerned parents.
B)best friends with their stepchildren.
C)cruel, vain, selfish, competitive, and even abusive.
D)unemotional participants in the parenting process.

Question 58

Many stepparent-stepchild relationships _____ over time.

A)see increased stress
B)remain stable
C)result in mental instability
D)improve

Question 59

In comparison with teens in intact families, older teenage and young adult children in stepfamilies leave home

A)at about the same age.
B)when they are significantly older.
C)at significantly lower ages.
D)when they are slightly older.

Question 60

Family structure (whether the family is first-marriage, cohabiting, divorced, or remarried)is not as important to stepchildren's well-being or future outcomes as is

A)the parenting style used in the family.
B)the gender roles taken on by the parents.
C)time spent in discipline matters.
D)the quality of the communication and relationships among family members.

Question 61

Remarriages are less stable than first marriages.

Question 62

According to the __________, the first-marriage family is the "real" model for family living, with all other family forms seen as deficient alternatives.

Question 63

During the 1950s, both the divorce rate and the remarriage rate increased dramatically and remained high until the 1960s, when these rates declined slightly.

Question 64

When neither spouse enters a remarriage with children, the couple's union is usually very much like a first marriage.

Question 65

In the ________, economic resources are pooled and distributed according to need regardless of biological relatedness.

Question 66

__________ are marriages in which at least one partner had previously been divorced or widowed.

Question 67

The stepmother's role and relationships with stepchildren are usually less problematic than those of stepfathers.

Question 68

Relatively low role ambiguity has been associated with higher remarital satisfaction.

Question 69

Our society offers members of remarried families no __________, or set of socially prescribed and understood guidelines, for relating to each other or for defining responsibilities and obligations.

Question 70

Stepparents and children raised in stepfamilies, on average, have fewer financial resources and lower levels of socioemotional well-being.

Question 71

Gays and lesbians who together adopt or bear a child (who is biologically or legally related to just one partner)are considered a stepfamily.

Question 72

Until well into the twentieth century, almost all remarriages followed widowhood.

Question 73

Considerable research has found that, on average, stepchildren of all ages have the same rates of juvenile delinquency in comparison with their counterparts in first-marriage families.

Question 74

Children lower the likelihood of remarriage for both men and women, but the impact of children is greater on men's probability of remarriage.

Question 75

All in all, 42 percent of adults have at least one step-relative.

Question 76

In general, research shows little difference in spouses' overall well-being or in marital happiness between first and later unions.

Question 77

Research shows that both stepmothers and stepfathers play their roles with more distance than do biological parents-more like friends than monitoring parents.

Question 78

Eventually, a stepfamily might achieve integration and appreciate its unique identity. This is known as the _________ stage in Papernow's seven-stage model of stepfamily development.

A)awareness
B)fantasy
C)immersion
D)resolution

Question 79

The term stepparent originally meant an additional parent figure, not a person who replaces a dead parent.

Question 80

Marital happiness (or satisfaction)and marital stability are essentially the same.