Deck 6: Dating, Single Life, and Mate Selection

Question 1

The classic example of how dating can change one's status is the young man who dates and then marries:

A) a childhood sweetheart.
B) the boss' daughter.
C) an older woman.
D) the girl next door.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Dating offers all of the following benefits EXCEPT:

A) social status.
B) self-knowledge.
C) ego-fulfillment.
D) meretricious rewards.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

The most important element in the open-choice mate selection process is:

A) parental influence.
B) family background.
C) individual attraction.
D) community approval.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Roberto and Juanita are going steady. Their next step on the dating continuum is likely to be:

A) informal commitment.
B) marriage.
C) cohabitation.
D) engagement.

Question 5

In light of the textbook material on the emergence of American dating, it would be reasonable to conclude:

A) the process is still controlled by parents.
B) mate selection was initially an informal process.
C) dating is a fairly recent development.
D) lifestyle changes have made dating less complex.

Question 6

It is difficult to describe a common American dating pattern because young people's interactions have become more:

A) egalitarian.
B) interracial.
C) individualized.
D) interpersonal.

Question 7

Compared to high school dating, college dating is characterized by:

A) fewer rules.
B) less dating diversity.
C) endless gossip.
D) more friend involvement.

Question 8

Most American dating practices developed:

A) during the colonial period.
B) in the late 1800s.
C) after World War I.
D) in the 1960s.

Question 9

In light of the discussion of the dating continuum, we may conclude that:

A) modern dating is becoming more formal.
B) informal commitment causes people to go steady.
C) men receive fewer benefits from dating.
D) mate selection is a gradual process.

Question 10

Cox and Demmitt link the limited opportunity to learn about the opposite sex to:

A) small nuclear families.
B) changing American lifestyles.
C) commitment oriented values.
D) telephone dating services.

Question 11

More traditional, formalized dating is still found in:

A) poor communities.
B) small towns.
C) private schools.
D) the Northeast.

Question 12

The stability of a relationship is accurately predicted by:

A) the couple.
B) parents.
C) children.
D) Tarot cards.

Question 13

American dating has been shaped by all of the following factors EXCEPT:

A) the emancipation of women.
B) arranged marriage systems.
C) mass production of automobiles.
D) rural to urban migration.

Question 14

John dates Amanda because she understands him and makes him feel important. John's involvement with Amanda is based on:

A) ego needs.
B) courtly love.
C) social principles.
D) shared interests.

Question 15

Which of the following examples best demonstrates "hanging out" as opposed to dating among college students?

A) going out to dinner
B) meeting at a coffee shop
C) calling just to talk
D) asking someone to go to a party

Question 16

The dating continuum demonstrates that American dating:

A) is rarely committed and follows no formal process.
B) flows from casual dating of many people to marriage.
C) is too open to have set categories.
D) understands the individual needs in mate selection.

Question 17

With open-choice mate selection, the ensuing marriages are totally subservient to:

A) individual needs and desires.
B) unwanted family influences.
C) changing sexual mores.
D) premarital gender roles.

Question 18

The United States has a large group of older people dating. What is a major contributing factor in this phenomenon?

A) recreational sex
B) high divorce rates
C) changing media images
D) economic prosperity

Question 19

Perhaps the characteristic of mate selection in America that most distinguishes it from the rest of the world is that it is:

A) based on sex and reproduction.
B) supported by religious sentiments.
C) a highly competitive process.
D) run by participants themselves.

Question 20

All of the following statements about high school dating are true EXCEPT:

A) couples usually don't know one another well when they first date.
B) there is a lot of gossip about who is dating whom.
C) friends play a major role in the selection process.
D) the person you are dating can hurt or enhance your reputation.

Question 21

The majority of teenagers who have engaged in premarital intercourse report that:

A) it was against their will.
B) they were in "love."
C) "it just happened."
D) they wanted to experiment.

Question 22

The younger the first sexual experience:

A) the greater the likelihood that the female is older than the male.
B) the less likely it is to occur in a partner's home.
C) the less likely it is to influence future sexual encounters.
D) the greater the likelihood that it is not consensual.

Question 23

The dramatic increase in the number of people living alone has been attributed to:

A) deep-seated commitment and extended singleness.
B) high divorce rates and extended singleness.
C) courtly love and extended singleness.
D) formal engagements and extended singleness.

Question 24

Marrying late in life has been linked to:

A) marital success.
B) economic problems.
C) sexual infidelity.
D) the halo effect.

Question 25

Despite social changes in singleness:

A) the idea of marriage remains strong in America.
B) young adults who do not graduate college marry younger.
C) men want to keep independence and do not push commitment.
D) remaining single has little social appeal.

Question 26

A female's first sexual experience is likely to take place with a male who is:

A) about the same age.
B) three years younger.
C) less than one year older.
D) several years older.

Question 27

For most Americans, singleness is:

A) a mark of disgrace.
B) a period of sexual abstinence.
C) a transitory state.
D) better than remarriage.

Question 28

For many college men and women, dating is synonymous with a relationship defined as a sex-without-commitment interaction known as:

A) "joined at the hip."
B) "going steady."
C) "hooking up."
D) "going together."

Question 29

Cox and Demmitt argue that much of the music listened to by American teenagers tends to romanticize:

A) going steady.
B) violence.
C) puberty.
D) teen pregnancy.

Question 30

According to research presented in the text, the primary reason a majority of adolescents regret engaging in sexual activity is that it:

A) resulted in pregnancy.
B) resulted in a sexually transmitted disease.
C) was inconsistent with their moral views.
D) led to the breakup of the relationship.

Question 31

Public acceptance of singleness has been fueled by all of the following factors EXCEPT:

A) greater educational opportunity.
B) the women's movement.
C) homogamous mate selection.
D) changing attitudes toward premarital sex.

Question 32

Cox and Demmitt believe that the best way to teach young people responsible sexual behavior is to:

A) provide them with good information.
B) encourage them to "just say no."
C) limit contact with members of the opposite sex.
D) return to the values of the 1950s.

Question 33

What is the impact of changing sexual mores on women?

A) The double standard has been reinforced.
B) They opened women up to extramarital affairs and no repercussions.
C) They lessened her control of sexual interactions by indicating sexual behavior is acceptable.
D) They increased the acceptance of acquaintance rape.

Question 34

A teenager's first sexual experience is most likely to occur:

A) at the beginning of the summer.
B) in the home of one of the partners.
C) at a party where alcohol is present.
D) in a car owned by parents.

Question 35

Cox and Demmitt believe that the most attractive feature of the single life is the fact that it offers people:

A) sexual variety.
B) a sense of freedom.
C) financial security.
D) commitment opportunities.

Question 36

Older couples who marry after a long period of singleness may discover that:

A) their chances of marital success are significantly reduced.
B) the endogamy rule only applies to young couples.
C) it is difficult to make marital compromises.
D) reciprocity generally leads to self-disclosure.

Question 37

John and Beth are a college couple involved in a fast-moving, highly committed relationship. They often spend every waking minute together when they are not in class, but rarely go on a "date." John and Beth are:

A) "joined at the hip."
B) "going steady."
C) "hooking up."
D) engaged.

Question 38

A father warns his daughter about premarital sex, but tells his son that he is becoming a "real" man when he finds out that he is sexually active. This is an example of:

A) homogamy.
B) endogamy.
C) the double standard.
D) complementary needs.

Question 39

The historical double standard is:

A) the central focus of dating.
B) unfair to young men.
C) a new sexual norm.
D) gradually disappearing.

Question 40

One of the main benefits of group dating is that it:

A) provides premarital couple training.
B) reduces the chances of unwanted sexual contact.
C) fosters a higher degree of commitment than casual dating.
D) exposes students to formal dating rules.

Question 41

Date rape drugs have been used to sedate a person so that their date can have sex with them unknowingly. This type of drug also causes:

A) weight loss.
B) sleeplessness.
C) short-term memory loss.
D) hormonal imbalance.

Question 42

Research demonstrates that there may be miscommunications around sexual intent because:

A) women do not listen to men when they talk.
B) men appear to confuse friendly behavior with sexual interest.
C) females view males in more sexual terms than males view females.
D) there is a fear of talking about sex.

Question 43

In a recent survey of community college students, 90% of the respondents who were against premarital sex indicated that their beliefs were influenced by:

A) social principles.
B) psychological principles.
C) religious principles.
D) personal principles.

Question 44

All of the following statements about date rapists are true EXCEPT:

A) they feel great sexual deprivation.
B) most of them view women as property.
C) they are nontraditional in their sexual values.
D) most of them place a high value on sexuality.

Question 45

In the nineteenth century, most states legally recognized cohabiting couples as married after they had lived together for:

A) one year.
B) three years.
C) five years.
D) seven years.

Question 46

Many couples dismiss minor aggression as a sign of:

A) changing mores.
B) homogamy.
C) stress.
D) sexual repression.

Question 47

Chris abstains from premarital sex because he feels uncomfortable about breaking society's rules. His behavior is based on:

A) psychological principles.
B) social principles.
C) religious principles.
D) personal principles.

Question 48

Mary believes that premarital sex will make it difficult to enjoy sex after marriage. Her belief about premarital sexuality is based on:

A) social principles.
B) religious principles.
C) personal principles.
D) psychological principles.

Question 49

In short-duration sexual encounters where communication is less open, there is a greater likelihood of:

A) unwanted pregnancy.
B) premature ejaculation.
C) sexually transmitted diseases.
D) the halo effect.

Question 50

The increasing incidence of heterosexual cohabitation is, in part, directly related to the increase in:

A) conservative sexual mores.
B) the single lifestyle.
C) interracial marriages.
D) marriages of complementary needs.

Question 51

Teenage pregnancy has:

A) risen sharply.
B) risen slightly.
C) remained the same.
D) dropped significantly.

Question 52

The term used to describe a situation where a couple lives together without being married is:

A) engagement.
B) cohabitation.
C) miscegenation.
D) exogamy.

Question 53

Most young women report that their first sexual experience was:

A) very romantic.
B) an act of rebellion.
C) a prelude to marriage.
D) not very enjoyable.

Question 54

All of the following are reasons for an increase in cohabitation EXCEPT:

A) society's increased tolerance for nonmarital sexual relations.
B) the decline in divorce makes people less wary of marriage.
C) increasing urbanization that leads to anonymity.
D) higher education and increasing entry of women into the workforce decreases women's dependence on marriage.

Question 55

Cox and Demmitt prefer the term acquaintance violence because it is:

A) less stigmatizing than the term date rape.
B) a much broader term than date rape.
C) the official government term for date rape.
D) widely used by feminist scholars.

Question 56

Cox and Demmitt argue that as an unmarried couple considers sexual intercourse, the difficult principles to uncover are:

A) personal.
B) psychological.
C) religious.
D) social.

Question 57

Nonmarital sex for the young in our culture is often poor quality because:

A) it is met with parental disapproval.
B) it typically ends with an unwanted pregnancy.
C) of the environment and sexual ignorance.
D) it makes later sexual experiences seem worse in comparison.

Question 58

Misunderstandings about sex tend to be more common when:

A) drugs and alcohol are involved.
B) couples get married.
C) people practice homogamy.
D) men ignore the halo effect.

Question 59

All of the following are problems with sexual intercourse "just happening" with adolescents EXCEPT:

A) not being able to contemplate the principles involved in engaging in intercourse.
B) regretting the experience at some point.
C) overcoming the historical double standard.
D) lack of protection and exposure to teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

Question 60

Which of the following questions is consistent with the authors' description of personal principles?

A) Do I think that there is a conflict between the sexual attitudes of my church and society?
B) What kind of sexual behavior do I believe would make the best kind of society?
C) Is my behavior going to harm the other person or myself, either physically or psychologically?
D) Can I handle the guilt feelings that may result from premarital sex?

Question 61

Ron grew up in the South. He is so proud of his Southern heritage that he wants his daughter to marry a Southerner. Ron's behavior illustrates the principle of:

A) complementary needs.
B) availability.
C) endogamy.
D) cognitive compatibility.

Question 62

Couples who view cohabiting as a permanent alternative to marriage usually argue that marriage is characterized by:

A) boredom and conflict.
B) jealousy and possessiveness.
C) too many legal constraints.
D) massive economic pressures.

Question 63

Elite colleges and universities tend to promote:

A) cognitive compatibility.
B) miscegenation.
C) complementary needs.
D) endogamy.

Question 64

Choosing to be with people who are similar to ourselves is called:

A) endogamy.
B) homogamy.
C) exogamy.
D) propinquity.

Question 65

James and Nicole were initially attracted to each other because they both enjoy photography, rock climbing, and organic gardening. The available evidence suggests that their relationship is based on:

A) propinquity.
B) endogamy.
C) miscegenation.
D) homogamy.

Question 66

The inclination or necessity to marry within a particular group is called:

A) endogamy.
B) miscegenation.
C) exogamy.
D) propinquity.

Question 67

The term palimony was coined to describe:

A) engagements lasting more than two years.
B) sexual intercourse between close relatives.
C) settlements made to an nonmarried live-in partner.
D) the tendency to marry people with opposite characteristics.

Question 68

James is attracted to two women in his biology class. He is also interested in dating two women that he met at work. The term Cox and Demmitt used to describe these women is:

A) "potentials"
B) "desirables"
C) "compatibles"
D) "availables"

Question 69

Men are most apt to cohabit for:

A) companionship.
B) emotional security.
C) sex.
D) practical reasons.

Question 70

All of the following are reasons for cohabiting EXCEPT:

A) a trial marriage.
B) reducing the likelihood of divorce.
C) a permanent alternative to marriage.
D) a short-lived sexual fling.

Question 71

____ is one of the strongest endogamic factors.

A) Attractiveness
B) Education
C) Geography
D) Occupation

Question 72

When asked why they are cohabiting, most elderly and/or retired cohabitants said that it allows them to:

A) have a sexual outlet.
B) stay mentally alert.
C) save money.
D) start a second family.

Question 73

Vance met and married Amanda while they were both stationed at Robbins Air Force Base. Their marriage illustrates the principle of:

A) propinquity.
B) exogamy.
C) inconclusiveness.
D) heterogamy.

Question 74

A researcher discovers that most of the married couples in a moderate-sized Southern city grew up within a 10-mile radius. Her findings illustrate the principle of

A) exogamy.
B) complementary needs.
C) extended singleness.
D) propinquity.

Question 75

A significantly larger proportion of cohabiting women than noncohabiting women want to:

A) get married.
B) go to college.
C) enter the workforce.
D) abort unwanted pregnancies.

Question 76

Cox and Demmitt use the term "field of desirables" to describe:

A) individuals who have stable personality traits.
B) people to whom we are attracted.
C) women who are single and have never had children.
D) single people who are free to engage in a relationship.

Question 77

Divorced individuals who cohabitate prior to remarriage report:

A) higher levels of marital satisfaction but also higher rates of marital instability.
B) lower levels of marital satisfaction and higher rates of marital instability.
C) higher levels of marital satisfaction and lower levels of marital instability.
D) lower levels of marital satisfaction and lower levels of marital instability.

Question 78

Cox and Demmitt use the term "availables" to describe:

A) women who are guided by social principles.
B) couples who are not committed to their marriage.
C) people who are unmarried and not in love with anyone.
D) adults who desperately want to marry but can't.

Question 79

When compared to noncohabiting couples, couples who cohabit before marriage tend to have:

A) more children.
B) higher marital commitment.
C) higher divorce rates.
D) fewer arguments.

Question 80

Our American social system has an impact on love and marriage in that:

A) we are increasingly seeing exogamous marriages.
B) our marriages are arranged by our parents who want homogamy.
C) we are free to love and marry who we choose.
D) we don't fall in love with just anyone; our marriages tend toward homogamy.