Deck 9: Parenting During the Middle Childhood Years

Question 1

Which of the following statements best describes findings from the study of siblings and the effects of birth order?

A) Research indicates that intelligence becomes diluted with more children in the family.
B) Robust effects have not been found for sibling differences based solely on birth order.
C) Undeniable data reveal that available resources account for different child outcomes.
D) Evolutionary pressures to survive account for similarity in firstborns and later-borns.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a human rights icon who rebelled against the racial injustices of his time. According to Frank Sulloway, a primary influence on Dr. King was his ______.

A) ethnicity
B) religion
C) genotype
D) birth order

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Parents have a tendency to think about their children as different from one another, based on a combination of objective differences and subjective perceptions. This leads parents to ______.

A) work even harder to treat their children exactly the same
B) act differently toward their children based on the differences
C) ignore the differences to ensure fair treatment of all children
D) enhance the differences to ensure identical treatment

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Ruth has three children between the ages of 5 and 12 years. When the children argue or otherwise show sibling rivalry, Ruth most likely will ______.

A) help their children negotiate the conflict
B) approve of the aggression
C) leave them alone and let them figure it out
D) use withdrawal of privileges to punish the actions

Question 5

Sibling discord can be made worse when children feel that parents do not treat all the family's children equally. Which of the following statements best describes children's perspective on differential treatment?

A) Children do not understand that a parent must respond to the individual needs of each child.
B) Children always retaliate against favored siblings--even when they feel the differential treatment is justified.
C) Children who view differential treatment as fair would not be affected by evolutionary tendencies to compete.
D) Children who view differential treatment by parents as fair have higher self-esteem and fewer problems.

Question 6

Brandon and Jackson are twins and Jillian is their older sister. Which of the statements is TRUE regarding the likelihood of sibling rivalry in this family?

A) Brandon and Jackson will engage in less sibling rivalry than Brandon and Jillian.
B) None of the children will exhibit sibling rivalry if parents address individual needs.
C) Brandon and Jackson will engage in more sibling rivalry than Jackson and Jillian.
D) All three children will experience the same levels of sibling rivalry.

Question 7

Researchers have found that in most American families fathers and mothers differ on the amount of time they spend doing family-related tasks. Despite mothers engaging in significantly more childcare and more frequent interactions with their children, fathers engage more in ______ play.

A) creative
B) rough and tumble
C) cautious
D) sports-influenced

Question 8

Steve is a devoted father who enjoys spending time with his three children. In comparison to his wife, Steve is more likely to ______ his children during the time they spend together.

A) discipline
B) play with
C) read stories to
D) bathe

Question 9

Researchers worldwide have evaluated the effects of parental involvement. Which of the following statements best describes the characteristics or effects of a father's relationship with his child?

A) Children who feel loved and supported by their fathers function better and have fewer problems when maternal relationships are also strong.
B) A father's relationship with his child is undifferentiated from a mother's relationship--the two relationships are "averaged" by the child.
C) Children who feel loved and supported by their fathers function better and have fewer problems, regardless of their maternal relationships.
D) In general, fathers show higher levels of negativity and lower levels of responsiveness than do mothers.

Question 10

Today, the "best" kind of father in the United States is generally thought to be a man who is ______.

A) the financial provider and primary household disciplinarian for the family
B) involved with his children and is an equal partner in parenting tasks
C) involved with his children and sometimes assists his partner with parenting tasks
D) the financial provider, household disciplinarian, and an equal partner in parenting tasks

Question 11

During the middle childhood years, there is a general shift in disciplinary practices from parental regulation to mutual co-regulation and then to self-regulation by the child. This shift in parenting practices is a ______ process, whereby the child must clearly understand and accept their parents' behavioral standards.

A) rapid
B) difficult
C) gradual
D) two-step

Question 12

In a study of 122 low-income families, mothers and their 10-year-old sons were observed while discussing a conflict (Criss, Shaw, & Ingoldsby, 2003). In families with higher levels of ______ compared to other families, boys were less likely to get into trouble.

A) positive synchrony
B) rigid discipline
C) disengagement
D) mismatched affect

Question 13

Each day when Sarah picks her son up from after-school care, she asks him, "What happened at school today?" This query is typically followed by other questions regarding the day (e.g., how he's feeling, what he's reading, etc.). Sarah's questions reveal ______, a practice which will help her effectively manage her son's development.

A) examination
B) inquiry
C) monitoring
D) internalization

Question 14

Which of the following is included in effective monitoring during the middle-childhood years?

A) Parents are occasionally involved in the child's everyday life.
B) Parents have little interest in the child's welfare.
C) Parents must frequently examine the contents of the child's room.
D) Children must be willing to disclose information to the parents.

Question 15

Children in middle school sometimes experience difficulty controlling their behavior. ______ is the best neurological explanation for this lack of control.

A) An imbalance within the limbic system
B) An immature frontal cortex
C) Deficits in the motor cortex
D) The rapid growth of the cerebellum

Question 16

Some childhood disorders generally emerge during the first 5 years; others emerge later during adolescence. When an individual has two or more disorders, they are referred to as being ______.

A) discordant
B) analogous
C) compounding
D) comorbid

Question 17

The most widely used instrument for documenting children's problems is the ______.

A) LBPC (Learning and Behavior Problem Checklist)
B) CBCL (Child Behavior Checklist)
C) DBRS (Disruptive Behavior Rating Scale)
D) DBS (Disruptive Behavior Scale)

Question 18

Joel is a teenager who appears to lack empathy. He has been reprimanded repeatedly at home and at school for violating the rights of his siblings and peers. If diagnosed, Joel's psychological disorder would most likely be ______.

A) ADHD
B) conduct disorder
C) depression
D) anxiety disorder

Question 19

Regina provides affectionate and responsive guidance to her children and does not use coercive discipline. These characteristics of her parenting behaviors indicate a reduced likelihood her children will exhibit behavior problems. However, high levels of parental affection, along with high levels of ______, have been shown to increase children's risk for internalizing or externalizing problems.

A) conduct monitoring
B) psychological control
C) behavioral synchrony
D) empathetic agreement

Question 20

Which of the following is a way in which marital conflict negatively affects children?

A) Children ignore negative behaviors they observe.
B) Marital conflicts are contained from into the parent-child relationship.
C) Children's emotional security is threatened.
D) Marital conflict results in less authoritative parenting.

Question 21

Joel and Megan have a very busy life which sometimes leads to arguments. They have a house rule that no one goes to sleep while angry with another family member. As a result, they usually come to an agreement or agree to disagree before the end of the day. Which of the following statements best describes the potential effects of marital conflict?

A) Ongoing conflict will ultimately affect children in many negative ways.
B) When marital conflicts are successfully resolved, children show few ill effects.
C) Children's positive appraisal of interpersonal conflict at home inoculates them from negative effects.
D) An amicable agreement to disagree does not reduce the negative impact of marital conflict.

Question 22

Aida and Jamaal were experiencing high levels of marital conflict which was very upsetting to their children. After an angry argument, they agreed to come up with rules for "fair fighting." Which of the following should they be sure to exclude?

A) They will speak to each other (and the children) in respectful ways.
B) They will keep intense anger to a minimum.
C) They will not blame the children for any marital discord.
D) They will withdraw from each other at the first sign of conflict.

Question 23

After a divorce, mothers are typically ______.

A) the custodial parent
B) more likely to use psychological control with their children
C) less likely to use harsh punishment
D) unaffected by the aftermath

Question 24

Brian and Robyn are having mild marital conflict and are contemplating divorcing. In light of the fact that they consider their partnership to be "good enough," which of the following would likely provide the best outcome for their children?

A) proceed with getting a divorce
B) stay married but ignore each other to prevent further conflict
C) separate from each other
D) stay together and be involved with their children

Question 25

Up to 25% of children who experience divorce react with high levels of behavior problems. This is in comparison to about ______ of children who exhibit high levels of behavior problems from intact families.

A) 2%
B) 5%
C) 10%
D) 20%

Question 26

Through ______ children learn about their true strengths and weaknesses during middle childhood.

A) objective evaluations from parents
B) social comparisons with peers
C) social interactions with peers
D) evaluations provided by siblings

Question 27

The ______ nature of peer relationships is qualitatively different than relationships with parents.

A) linear
B) parallel
C) horizontal
D) vertical

Question 28

Randy and his mother have a secure parent-child relationship. His relationship with his mother likely will lead to ______.

A) her restriction of his peer network to a small size
B) competent social relations with friends at school
C) criticisms from peers that he is a "mama's boy"
D) a reduction in the number of groups he joins

Question 29

When Sharon was in middle school, her mother refused to let her play with a girl who lived on her street. Her mom said the girl was too mature and was not supervised appropriately. In this instance, Sharon's mom was acting as a ______ in the peer-relation process.

A) social broker
B) gatekeeper
C) police officer
D) social coach

Question 30

Which of the following roles should parents not play in the peer-relation process?

A) social broker
B) gatekeeper
C) mediator
D) bystander

Question 31

Physical aggression includes ______, and relational aggression includes ______.

A) slapping; pinching
B) gossiping; hitting
C) punching; excluding
D) kicking; pinching

Question 32

The most direct way that parents are involved with their children's schooling is by ______.

A) selecting the school they will attend
B) volunteering in the classroom
C) helping with homework
D) setting high expectations

Question 33

Allison's daughter, Jenna, is in elementary school. Allison always tells Jenna how smart she is when she does well in school. Why does researcher Carol Dweck think this is a bad idea?

A) If Jenna associates doing well with being smart, she will understand the association between effort and achievement.
B) If Jenna associates doing well with being smart, she will focus on grades rather than on learning or being challenged.
C) If Jenna associates doing well with being smart, she will be never be content.
D) If Jenna thinks she's smart, she will be more likely to look down on other students.

Question 34

When Barbara and her young daughter go to the grocery store, they consistently argue about what they will buy. Barbara's daughter is determined to buy the sugary breakfast cereals depicted on television commercials. If Barbara wants to diminish the effects of the advertising, she should avoid ______.

A) limiting her daughter's viewing time of commercial programming
B) restricting her daughter's viewing to DVDs that do not contain advertisements
C) co-viewing programs with her daughter and discuss the advertisements
D) allowing her daughter to watch commercial programming as often as desired

Question 35

Jerry likes to play video games on his big-screen television and his young children love to watch him play. Some of Jerry's games are "first-person shooter" games that include sound and visual effects that induce physiological arousal. By definition, this genre of games also includes a great deal of violence. Which of the following statements describe the possible effects for young children who consistently view (or play) these types of video games?

A) Frequent depictions of violence will not affect children's sense of what is acceptable.
B) After viewing frequent depictions of violence children become desensitized to it.
C) Glamorized violence, as long as there are consequences, is a good viewing option for children.
D) The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that middle-school children limit play of these types of games to 2 hr per day.

Question 36

All of the following are terms used to describe the middle childhood years EXCEPT ______.

A) concrete operations stage
B) latency phase
C) mid-developmental stage
D) golden age of childhood

Question 37

Researchers have focused on three dimensions of parenting during middle childhood: support, behavioral control, and psychological control. While the first two are intended to promote the child's development, the third ______.

A) is intended to manipulate the child's thoughts, emotions, and feelings
B) is independent on how it is administered
C) is an effective way to discipline the child
D) all of these

Question 38

Which of the following correctly matches the birth order theory with its description?

A) resource dilution model-- amount of resources available is consistent across children
B) confluence theory--intelligence increases in larger families
C) Sulloway's theory--later-born children are less likely to be reformers
D) none of these

Question 39

Russell and Radojevic (1992) identified five types of fathers. All of the following are a part of the classification scheme EXCEPT ______.

A) uninterested and unavailable
B) workaholic
C) traditional
D) assistant

Question 40

Which of the following disciplinary practices is commonly used by parents during middle childhood.

A) distraction
B) deny privileges
C) giving treats
D) financial deprivation

Question 41

Eight-year-old Justine lies, is easily distracted, and destroys her classmates' things. According to the ______ model, her externalizing problems are likely to ______ her academic achievement.

A) adjustment-erosion; have little impact on
B) adjustment-erosion; undermine
C) academic incompetence; undermine
D) academic incompetence; have little impact on

Question 42

Patricia Kerig's (1998) investigation into how middle childhood children reacted to marital conflict found that child's appraisal had what kind of link between exposure to conflict and the child's adjustment?

A) mediating; it had a direct influence
B) moderating; it influenced the degree or direction of influence
C) variable; it influenced the degree or direction of influence
D) gatekeeping; it prevented all influence

Question 43

In which of the following cases would opting for a divorce be beneficial for the children?

A) When mild disagreement between parents is present.
B) When a child is being maltreated by one of the parents.
C) When a parent has depression.
D) When parents are in debt.

Question 44

Samuel makes an effort to present teachable moments to his 7-year-old daughter, Angela. At the park, he notices a plastic bottle on the ground and teaches Angela the value in keeping the park clean by picking up the bottle and putting it in the recycle bin. Samuel is helping to socialize his daughter in which of the following domains?

A) reciprocity
B) guided learning
C) group participation
D) control

Question 45

When asked about her day at school, Kate discloses to her mom that Sarah, a girl in the grade above her, was calling her rude names. Kate's mom immediately reports this to the school administrators, however, the principal rejects the notion that this qualifies as bullying since ______.

A) it was intentional
B) Sarah did not make any online threats
C) this has not been a repeated occurrence
D) Sarah is older than Kate

Question 46

Parents engage in a constellation of behaviors to promote school success through academic socialization. Which of the following forms of parental involvement correlate to greater academic success?

A) spending more time helping with homework
B) monitoring the child's meals
C) watching documentaries at home
D) isolating the child for more study time

Question 47

In an investigation into electronic screen time and its effect on preteen children, fMRIs showed that screen time was related to lower functional connectivity in the brain, while ______ was related to more connectivity in several parts of the brain.

A) video games
B) co-viewing
C) reading
D) podcasts

Question 48

Termed e-discipline, parents of middle childhood children limit access to screens as a form of discipline in almost 65% of girls and ______ of boys.

A) 50%
B) 55%
C) 75%
D) 90%

Question 49

According to an ESPN study, the five most popular organized sports for 11-year-old youth are (in order from most to least popular) ______.

A) basketball, baseball, soccer, football, volleyball
B) volleyball, football, soccer, baseball, basketball
C) basketball, baseball, football, soccer, volleyball
D) basketball, football, soccer, baseball, volleyball

Question 50

Parents Jack and Jana are adamant about enrolling their child in a basketball league as soon as she is eligible. Which of the following is a likely consideration of the parents?

A) the child's height
B) opportunity for a college scholarship
C) being in a cooperative, team environment
D) the time commitment required

Question 51

Siblings Ryan and Justin frequently get into fights. Their parents believe that the cause of this is simply that they are young and lack the maturity or social skills to get along in such close proximity. Their parents' explanation would be categorized as using a social interaction perspective.

Question 52

Elissa, an elementary school child, is asked to write an essay to nominate their mother or father for the Parent of the Year award. In the essay, she describes said parent with phrases such as is "helps with my homework" and "buys me things." Elissa most likely has nominated her father for the award.

Question 53

Parenting at later ages is mostly dependent on how well parents are able to punish their children.

Question 54

SMU is running a study comparing child behavior problems across different countries. If their study aligns with previous research results, the researchers are likely to find that while the types of problems are similar, the total number of problems will differ.

Question 55

Siblings Taylor and Kyle overhear their parents fighting about Taylor's poor academic performance. Since Kyle is not the topic of conflict, he is likely to maintain feeling secure in his well-being and unaffected by the fight.

Question 56

Children are surprisingly resilient. There is no clear relationship between the number of parental separations/divorces in childhood and negative partner relations later in life.

Question 57

According to statistics, one in four middle school children across the globe will experience bullying.

Question 58

Familiarity with letters and numbers is more important of a predictor of school success than a child's self-regulation.

Question 59

The American Academy of Pediatrics advised that televisions in middle childhood children's bedrooms is permissible so long as the parents monitor and structure their child's viewing activity.

Question 60

Twins Roger and Ryan are starting the sixth grade. Roger decides to join the volleyball team, while Ryan does not. One could assume that Roger likely has a decreased incidence of problems.

Question 61

What is the evolutionary perspective on sibling rivalry?

Question 62

Identify the four classes of variables associated with children's behavior problems and describe a child with behavioral problems from two of the four categories.

Question 63

Are all children negatively affected by marital conflict? What are some of the variables that reduce or exacerbate the effects on children?

Question 64

Identify the three categories of bullying participants and discuss the negative impact bullying has on middle childhood children. How does parenting relate to bullying?

Question 65

Compare the potential benefits and risk factors of electronic media in the middle childhood years. In addition, give examples of ways parents mediate their children's screen time.