Deck 15: Peers, Schools, and Society

Question 1

Fourteen-year-old Wayne has a history of aggressive behavior toward other students, and so his classmates have kept their distance from him over the years. But Wayne has worked extensively with the school counselor in recent months, and his interpersonal behavior has improved dramatically. Wayne's teachers must remember, however, that:

A) Other students may continue to reject Wayne unless they can be convinced that he has changed.
B) Wayne's self-esteem regarding his ability to succeed at academic tasks is likely to have decreased in the meantime.
C) Wayne's aggressive behavior is likely to reappear whenever he is placed in a competitive situation.
D) Any improvement is likely to be short-lived.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Three of the following are typical characteristics of youth gangs. Which one is not typical?

A) Criminal activity
B) Strict rules regarding behavior
C) A democratic approach to self-governance
D) Self-proclaimed "ownership" of a particular territory

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Compared to preschoolers, children in the elementary grades are more likely to:

A) Form friendships with children of the opposite sex
B) Be friends with the children of their parents' friends
C) Abandon old friendships and form new ones fairly often
D) Choose friends on the basis of similar characteristics and interests

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Compared to children in the elementary grades, young adolescents:

A) Rarely share their weaknesses and vulnerabilities with close friends
B) Intentionally seek friends who are very different from themselves
C) Rely less on their friends for emotional support
D) Can be fairly possessive about their friends

Question 5

Which of the following would be the least likely way for adults to encourage young people to promote friendly interactions?

A) Ask a child to take notes for a peer with a physical disability.
B) Encourage competitive interactions.
C) Ask a child to use sign language with a child who has a hearing loss.
D) Acknowledge the benefits of a child's helpfulness.

Question 6

Danette and Lorene often spend their Saturday afternoons confiding in each other about their personal problems and brainstorming how they might resolve difficulties in their other interpersonal relationships. Your best guess would be that Danette and Lorene are:

A) 7 years old
B) 10 years old
C) 13 years old
D) 16 years old

Question 7

Julie, a sixth grader, nearly always eats lunch with the same five or six girls. They usually spread out at the table so no other girls can join them. Julie's group appears to be:

A) A gang
B) A clique
C) A subculture
D) A dominance hierarchy

Question 8

Fourteen-year-old Kerrie has several close friends with whom she spends a great deal of time. Three of the following accurately describe the effects that such close friendships are apt to have on her development. Which statement is not accurate?

A) They can help her make sense of confusing situations.
B) They may provide a shoulder to cry on if she's upset or frustrated.
C) She may have greater-than-average difficulty forming a sense of identity.
D) They can give her feedback about certain behaviors that are socially unacceptable.

Question 9

Twelve-year-old Barton listens to a story about two friends who are disagreeing about what to do on a Saturday afternoon. When asked what he would do in that situation, Barton says, "I would try to get my friend to do what I want to do." Based on this information, you might reasonably suspect that Barton:

A) Has fewer friends than other kids his age
B) Has more friends than other kids his age
C) Is one of the most popular kids at school
D) Suffers from low self-esteem

Question 10

Friendships among children have been observed as early as:

A) the first year of life
B) age 2
C) age 2¹/₂ to 3
D) age 4 to 5

Question 11

"Morda", as she is known to her friends, has dyed her hair very dark, dresses all in black, and wears black nail polish and lipstick. All of the people she hangs out are similarly attired and made up. While these teenagers can be quite critical of the "popular crowd," they are very much committed to democratic principles and self-expression. Morda and her friends can best be described as:

A) Neglected students
B) Members of a gang
C) Members of a clique
D) Affiliating with the same subculture

Question 12

Three of the following teenagers may very well be members of a gang. Which one is least likely to be a gang member?

A) Mort greets certain peers in the school corridors with odd hand signals.
B) Randall has just gotten a strange symbol tattooed on the outside of his left wrist.
C) Jason suddenly withdraws from old friends and spends his evenings alone in his room.
D) Sean and his buddies delight in spray-painting graffiti on buildings in certain neighborhoods.

Question 13

Andrew, Geoffrey, Kathrine, Cassie, and Justine often do things as a group on weekends. Considering general developmental trends in youngsters' social development and without knowing anything else about these five young people, we would guess that they are probably:

A) In kindergarten or first grade
B) In third or fourth grade
C) In fifth or sixth grade
D) In high school

Question 14

Four children with disabilities are described below. Of which child should a teacher be aware that her nondisabled students are least likely to accept in the classroom?

A) Adam is blind.
B) Beth is hyperactive and often disruptive.
C) Chris can no longer walk because of a car accident.
D) David is totally deaf and communicates primarily through sign language.

Question 15

Peer relationships, like parent-child relationships, are essential to a child's development. Which one of the following is not one of the ways that peer relationships influence a developing child?

A) Peers can be a source of emotional support during difficult times.
B) Peers are the first individuals to whom a child becomes truly attached.
C) Peer relationships provide opportunities to develop and practice social skills.
D) Peers provide information about which behaviors are desirable and which are not.

Question 16

Friendships are especially important in children's and adolescents' social development because youngsters:

A) Can practice cooperation and conflict resolution skills with people of equal status
B) Can acquire guilt and shame only within the context of close friendships
C) Develop high self-esteem only if they participate in enjoyable recreational activities at least twice a week (on average)
D) Develop internal standards for behavior only when friends reinforce such standards

Question 17

The upsurge in romantic interest seen in adolescence is due, in part, to three of the following factors. Which one is not a factor affecting adolescents' romantic interests?

A) Decreasing closeness of adolescent friendships
B) Multitude of romantic images in the media
C) Biological changes associated with puberty
D) Increasing social pressure to date and engage in sexual activity

Question 18

Most days Marnie keeps to herself at school, and her classmates don't even seem to be aware that she is nearby. Marnie can best be described as a(n):

A) rejected child
B) neglected child
C) androgynous child
D) controversial child

Question 19

When asked which peers they would most like to do things with, most children choose peers who:

A) Are the best athletes
B) Enjoy making fun of others
C) Always like to be in charge
D) Are well-liked, kind, and trustworthy

Question 20

When children in a sixth-grade class are asked whom they would and would not like to do things with, they often mention Willow as someone they don't want to spend time with. In the language of developmental researchers, Willow is a(n):

A) average child
B) rejected child
C) neglected child
D) controversial child

Question 21

Which one of the following is the best example of a hidden curriculum as educators typically use the term?

A) To make each week's spelling words more interesting, a third-grade teacher always adds a few "seasonal" words (e.g., Halloween, Thanksgiving, valentine) to the words identified as "Grade 3 words" in the school district's spelling curriculum.
B) A social studies teacher encourages his students to read the newspaper every night. He tells his students, "To do well in this class, you can't just study your textbook. You also have to be aware of current events in your local community and around the world."
C) A science teacher gives tests that focus largely on defining scientific terms, and she gives credit only for definitions that are identical to those in the textbook. In doing these things, her students begin to think that "learning" means memorizing things word-for-word.
D) When students in a math class work on complex word problems, their teacher insists that they show the steps they use to arrive at their answers. She tells them, "That's the only way I can see whether you're thinking about these problems in the same way a mathematician might."

Question 22

Three of the following teachers are socializing their students in the ways that schools typically do. Which teacher is not socializing students in a typical fashion?

A) Ms. Allen insists that her students complete their independent seatwork before they go to recess.
B) Ms. Bernetti has her students go to lunch by rows, letting the quietest rows go first.
C) Ms. Castanza does not permit her students to talk back to her in a disrespectful fashion.
D) Ms. Dobson suggests that Sean bang his fist on his desk a few times whenever he gets frustrated.

Question 23

A community of learners can best be described as:

A) A classroom in which a cooperative spirit of helping one another learn prevails
B) A small group of students who choose a special topic they want to pursue together
C) A classroom with an elected "government council" that directs learning activities
D) A classroom in which students learn almost exclusively through individual and group experimentation

Question 24

Three of the following are examples of sexual harassment. Which one is typically not considered to be sexual harassment?

A) A boy grabs and snaps a female classmate's bra strap.
B) Two boys write "Sandy G puts out!" on a restroom wall.
C) A health teacher describes the serious side effects of sexually transmitted diseases.
D) Two girls tease a classmate about her "big jugs" but then assure her that they were only kidding.

Question 25

Which one of the following statements most accurately reflects what researchers have learned about sexual orientation in adolescents and adults?

A) Sexual orientation is rarely something that an individual chooses.
B) Sexual orientation is almost entirely the result of a person's genetic heritage.
C) Homosexuality is usually the result of traumatic heterosexual encounters earlier in life.
D) Homosexuality is a matter of choice for gay males but is largely hereditary for lesbian females.

Question 26

Effective schools create a general sense of community among their students. Which one of the following strategies is most likely to establish a sense of community as educators typically use the term?

A) Establishing an honor roll for high-achieving students
B) Getting all students actively involved in schoolwide activities
C) Identifying a common set of rules shared by classrooms throughout the school building
D) Having two or three teachers regularly combine their classes and teach school subject matter in an interdisciplinary format

Question 27

A fifth grade teacher has noticed that her students are not including Maria, who is deaf, in games and other free-choice activities. Which one of the following would be the most effective thing that Maria's teacher can do to encourage social interaction between all of her students?

A) Let the students decide on their own when they want to include Maria
B) Teach some sign language to the whole class
C) Write a note home to all of the families about the situation
D) Lecture her students on the importance of including Maria in games

Question 28

As four students eat their lunch in the cafeteria, they are talking about their new teachers. Which student is describing the most effective classroom climate?

A) Adele says, "My teacher is really cool. He pretty much lets us do our own thing. He doesn't pressure us if we don't feel like paying attention. In fact, one chick was crying in the corner the other day, and he didn't say a word to her."
B) Brandon says, "My teacher is a little scary at times. When Harry came in late one day, she looked over her reading glasses at him until he crawled into his seat, and she suggested that if he was late again, he might as well not show up."
C) Chelsey says, "My teacher makes class really fun. He tells lots of jokes to make us laugh. If we don't get anything done one day, we just try to do twice as much the next day."
D) Darren says, "Marianne came in late yesterday looking really upset. My teacher stopped for a minute to talk quietly with her but didn't give her too much static about being late for class."

Question 29

In which one of the following situations does a teacher's behavior reflect low expectations for a student's classroom performance?

A) Mr. Oya gives René positive feedback when she performs well.
B) Ms. Ingalls rarely interacts with Joseph.
C) Mr. Montoya often asks Mei-Yau thought-provoking questions.
D) Ms. Littlefield assigns Owen a difficult math problem.

Question 30

Mr. Richardson does not expect much of his students from a poor, inner-city neighborhood. Given what we know about the effects of teacher expectations, which outcome is most likely?

A) His students are likely to study very hard in order to please him.
B) His students are likely to develop more positive self-esteem than they would otherwise.
C) His students are more likely to develop a realistic understanding of their own strengths and weaknesses than they would otherwise.
D) His students are likely to achieve at a lower level than they would otherwise.

Question 31

Many of the students at Buchanan Junior High know that John and Sara have been "going out" for the past two months. Given what we know about young people's early dating habits, it is most likely that John and Sara:

A) Have confided in each other about very personal and private matters
B) Have many of the same interests and greatly enjoy each other's company
C) Find each other attractive but don't know each other very well
D) Have begun to experiment in sexually intimate ways

Question 32

Researchers look at a variety of factors when they evaluate the quality of child care centers. Which one of the following are they least likely to look at?

A) The adult-child ratio at the center
B) The training and experience of the staff
C) The ethnic and racial makeup of the children
D) The use of developmentally appropriate activities

Question 33

Which one of the following best describes the hidden curriculum as educators usually use the term?

A) Teachers' unstated expectations for behavior and underlying beliefs about learning
B) A general atmosphere of prejudice and discrimination that many students of color face on a daily basis
C) Locally or federally mandated curriculum standards that are hard to assess with paper-pencil tests
D) Teachers' overt attempts to build moral "character" as well as teach academic subject matter

Question 34

For a variety of reasons, researchers have had a difficult time determining the percentage of people in Western societies who are gay, lesbian, or bisexual. Which one of the following reflects their best estimates at the present time?

A) Less than 1%
B) About 5% to 10%
C) About 2% to 3%
D) More than 20%

Question 35

Three of the following strategies should facilitate students' transition to middle school or junior high. Which one is unlikely to do so?

A) Divide a school of 500 students into four or five smaller groups in which students have the same teachers, some of the same classes, and numerous opportunities to get to know one another.
B) Remind students that learning to compete with peers will be important for success in the adult world.
C) Schedule one-on-one meetings with each student to find out what his or her interests, needs, and concerns might be.
D) Provide a rough outline that students can use when they take notes in class.

Question 36

In fifth grade last year, Elena was a happy, easygoing student. Now that she's moved to junior high school and begun sixth grade, she's becoming increasingly anxious and uptight. Three of the following are probable reasons for her growing anxiety. Which one is least likely to be true?

A) It's harder to get the good grades she was used to getting in elementary school.
B) Her junior high school teachers want to know more about her than her fifth-grade teacher ever did.
C) She's uncomfortable with the many ways that her body is changing now that she's reached puberty.
D) She is finding that she has to compete with her peers, both for grades and for a place on the girls' basketball team.

Question 37

When adults in mainstream Western culture bring up the topic of human sexuality with teenagers, they are most likely to do it in discussions about:

A) Various species of mammals
B) What actions are and are not legal
C) "Saving" oneself for that "special someone"
D) Sexually transmitted diseases or unwanted pregnancy

Question 38

Three of the following statements accurately describe the effects of professional child care programs on children's development. Which one is inaccurate?

A) They have positive influences on children's social development.
B) They have positive influences on children's cognitive development.
C) Some studies have found them to foster slight increases in aggression.
D) Children rarely become attached to their professional child care providers.

Question 39

All of the following situations involve "romance" in one form or another. Which one is most typical for the age-group?

A) Didi, a third grader, feels as if she's the only girl in her class without a boyfriend.
B) Jake, a fifth grader, has taken Andrea to the movies several times and thinks about her constantly.
C) Sonia, a seventh grader, has a crush on her science teacher and giggles with her friends whenever he walks by.
D) Sally, an eighth grader, has a sexually intimate relationship with her boyfriend Brad.

Question 40

When adolescents find themselves being more attracted to same-gender individuals than to opposite-gender individuals, they are initially likely to:

A) Try to ignore or rationalize such feelings
B) Express their confusion to a few close friends
C) Immediately accept their homosexuality as a central part of their identity
D) Feel relieved that they now understand why they have been feeling so "different"

Question 41

Which one of the following situations is the best example of parallel play?

A) John and Joey sit next to each other beside a pile of blocks. Each one is building a tower and occasionally watching what the other is doing.
B) As Paige and Penny make valentine cards for their parents, they agree to share the markers and glue they will need for their creations.
C) Tammy and Tabitha are playing house. Each girl contributes to the unfolding story, picking up on the cues of the other.
D) Wendy watches in fascination as Wade paints with finger paints. She is mesmerized by the way the paint moves under his hands.

Question 42

Imagine that you are a teacher or other professional working with a particular age-group. One of the girls with whom you are working, Alyssa, rarely interacts with her peers. She is obviously quite lonely but apparently has no confidence in her ability to make friends. In three paragraphs, describe three different strategies you might use to help Alyssa acquire good relationships with her peers. For each strategy, describe what you might do in explicit, concrete terms.

Question 43

Researchers have observed that students' achievement often declines after they make the transition from elementary school to secondary school. Describe four challenges that students making the transition typically face and the possible impact that each of these challenges may have.

Question 44

You have recently been hired to develop and supervise a new child care center in your community. You have been given a generous budget to develop a center that will definitely enhance the cognitive and social development of the infants, toddlers, and preschoolers who will be in the center's care. Describe at least five different characteristics that you will make sure your center has. The characteristics you identify should be consistent with research findings regarding effective out-of-home child care and/or early intervention programs.
Developmental Trends Table
The table linked below describes social behaviors of children and adolescents at five different age levels. For each example, the table presents one or more relevant developmental principles, offers an implication for working with youngsters in that age group, or does both. Apply what you've learned about children's relationships with peers to fill in the empty cells in the table.
Fostering Children's Acceptance by Peers

Question 45

Three of the following are benefits of sociodramatic play. Which one is not necessarily a benefit?

A) Children develop skills in negotiation.
B) Children acquire greater competence in recursive thinking.
C) Children gain practice in taking turns with someone else.
D) Children must coordinate their own perspectives with those of another.

Question 46

Regular interaction with computers and the Internet can have both positive and negative effects on children's and adolescents' development. Three of the following accurately describe some of these effects. Which statement is not accurate?

A) By conversing with peers online, shy youngsters may acquire new social skills.
B) The Internet provides a way for youngsters to find peers who share their interests.
C) In their search for identity, adolescents may experiment with a variety of temporary "identities" online.
D) Computer-based instructional software is usually too depersonalized to have much of an impact on youngsters' learning.

Question 47

Three of the following statements are true about children's and adolescents' participation in after-school activities. Which one is false?

A) Youngsters' academic achievement is slightly lower, apparently as a result of less time for studying.
B) Youngsters who participate in structured after-school programs are better behaved in the classroom.
C) High school students who participate in extracurricular activities are less likely to abuse alcohol or drugs.
D) High school students who are actively involved in their school's extracurricular activities are more likely to graduate.

Question 48

Three of the following statements describe possible effects of television viewing on children's development. Which statement is not necessarily true?

A) Many television shows convey unrealistic standards of feminine beauty.
B) Watching television more than five hours per week has a negative impact on IQ.
C) Many television shows perpetuate stereotypes of particular genders and racial groups.
D) Children can learn either prosocial or aggressive behavior from watching television.

Question 49

Only one of the following statements about adolescents' part-time employment is true. Which one?

A) Part-time jobs are most beneficial when they involve at least 20 hours of work each week.
B) Teenagers who have part-time jobs often gain valuable practice in important work skills.
C) Working more than 4 or 5 hours each week has a negative impact on adolescents' school achievement.
D) Part-time employment in the high school years increases the likelihood that adolescents will smoke cigarettes or abuse alcoholic beverages.

Question 50

Three of the following statements describe possible effects of playing video games. Which one is least likely to be an outcome of playing video games?

A) Children acquire increasing empathy for the victims of violence.
B) Children learn to pay close attention.
C) Children get less physical exercise.
D) Children gain better visual-spatial skills.

Question 51

Which one of the following boys is likely to watch the most television?

A) Harry, age 3
B) Garrett, age 7
C) Greg, age 12
D) Hollis, age 17

Question 52

If you wanted to develop an effective after-school program for elementary school students, you would be least likely to:

A) Engage children in public service activities in the outside community
B) Convey a message of respect for diverse cultural beliefs and practices
C) Build activities exclusively around topics children are studying in school
D) Include children in discussions about appropriate restrictions on their behavior

Question 53

Three of the following adults are acting in ways consistent with the textbook's recommendations regarding television and interactive media. Which one is not?

A) Mr. Gregorian asks children to speculate on possible reasons why violence is so common in prime-time television programs.
B) Mr. Edwards warns children of the many sexual predators on the Internet and urges them not to go online until they are at least sixteen.
C) Ms. Ferraro points out how television commercials are intentionally designed to entice children to purchase certain foods, toys, and clothing.
D) During a unit on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice in her high school English class, Ms. Ingalls shows students excerpts from a recent movie based on the book.

Question 54

Imagine that you are teaching at a school that serves students from diverse ethnic backgrounds. The students tend to congregate in groups along ethnic lines, to the point where they are quite "clique-ish" and exclusive, and hostilities are building up among the groups. Using guidelines presented in the textbook, describe three strategies that you and your fellow teachers might use to foster positive interaction and friendships across the groups. Describe each strategy in a separate paragraph, and be specific about what you might do.

Question 55

Many public schools severely limit the amount of information about sexuality that teachers and other school personnel can include in the formal curriculum, even at the middle school and high school levels. An unfortunate result is that many adolescents learn about human sexuality from other, potentially unreliable sources. In three separate paragraphs, describe three different things that schools can do to help adolescents obtain accurate information about sexuality.