Deck 12: The Successful Journey

Question 1

Which of the following best describes the findings on the relationship between social involvement and life satisfaction among adults aged 20-39?

A) The least socially active adults are typically the happiest.
B) Those who lack friendships have more depressive symptoms.
C) Adults with moderate levels of social activity are the happiest.
D) There is no relationship between social activity and happiness.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

In a normative adult life pattern, the stage of the family life cycle that is most likely to correspond to peak job satisfaction is _______.

A) unmarried
B) married, no children
C) married, children are adolescents
D) postparental

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the following is likely to coincide with the birth of the first child in an adult following a normative sequence?

A) initial loss of skill on tasks demanding fluid abilities
B) a plateau in job advancement
C) focus turns away from other relationships and toward parenting
D) Erikson's stage of ego integrity

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Which of the following pairs of characteristics is most likely to occur together (that is, at roughly the same age) in a normative adult pattern?

A) low marital satisfaction and significant loss of cognitive skill
B) increased individuality and a high level of sex role differentiation
C) the task of generativity and retirement
D) peak physical functioning and care of aging parents

Question 5

In the majority of studies, there is a drop in ____ in young adulthood.

A) work satisfaction
B) marital satisfaction
C) family income
D) health

Question 6

High levels of marital satisfaction and peak years of career success are most likely to go together in which age period?

A) 20-39
B) 40--64
C) 65-74
D) 75+

Question 7

Which of the following best describes our current knowledge about the existence of a midlife crisis?

A) Virtually all adults experience a crisis at midlife.
B) Some adults experience a crisis, but it they are in the minority.
C) More adults experience a crisis at midlife than at any other age.
D) There is no evidence that any adults experience a crisis at midlife.

Question 8

Which of the following pairs of characteristics or events is most likely to occur together (that is, in the same age period) in a normative adult life?

A) maximum number of new roles acquired and high rates of loneliness
B) maximum number of new roles acquired and least gender role differentiation
C) maximum gender role differentiation and loss of visual acuity
D) initial loss of visual acuity and initial loss of crystallized intellectual skills

Question 9

Which of the following pairs of characteristics or events is most likely to occur together (that is, in the same age period) in a normative adult life?

A) peak physical functioning and Erikson's stage of generativity
B) Erikson's stage of intimacy and low rates of loneliness
C) noticeable physical decline and fewer but more intense friendships
D) maximum division of gender roles and the postparental stage of the family life cycle

Question 10

Among older adults, high life satisfaction is associated with ________.

A) structured reminiscence
B) high openness to self
C) high achievement motivation
D) success in a career

Question 11

Which of the following sequences of changes observed over the adult years appears to be the least maturational or "developmental"?

A) changes in the physical body
B) changes in mental ability or performance
C) changes in family roles
D) changes in personality

Question 12

According to the model proposed in the final chapter of the text, what is the relationship between the occurrence of stable life structures and age?

A) There is an approximate link; adults who follow a modal sequence of family and work roles will share the rough timing of stable periods.
B) The linkage is very strong; virtually all adults experience periods of disequilibrium at the same ages.
C) The linkage is generally weak, but is stronger for those in the working class than those in the middle class.
D) There is no relationship at all between age and the occurrence of stable structures and disequilibrium.

Question 13

In a normative adult life pattern, the stage of the family life cycle that is most likely to correspond to peak job satisfaction is _______.

A) unmarried
B) married, no children
C) married, children are adolescents
D) postparental

Question 14

Which of the following is likely to coincide with a high level of marital satisfaction in an adult following a normative sequence?

A) birth of the first child
B) high work satisfaction
C) disengagement from non-family social roles
D) rapid work advancement

Question 15

Which of the following pairs of characteristics or events is most likely to occur together (that is, in the same age period) in a normative adult life?

A) peak physical functioning and Erikson's stage of generativity
B) Erikson's stage of intimacy and low rates of loneliness
C) noticeable physical decline and fewer but more intense friendships
D) maximum division of gender roles and the postparental stage of the family life cycle

Question 16

Which of the following pairs of characteristics or events is most likely to occur together (that is, in the same age period) in a normative adult life?

A) peak physical functioning and major family roles acquired
B) marriage and maximum work satisfaction
C) plateau in career advancement and peak of physical functioning
D) first signs of loss of cognitive skill in fluid abilities and low marital satisfaction

Question 17

Which of the following sequences of changes observed over the adult years appears to be the least maturational or "developmental"?

A) changes in the physical body
B) changes in mental ability or performance
C) changes in family roles
D) changes in personality

Question 18

The term now frequently used by gerontologists to describe adults over the age of 75 is_______.

A) young old
B) disengaged
C) decrepit
D) late adulthood

Question 19

Which of the following is likely to coincide with the first need for bifocals in an adult following a normative sequence?

A) Erikson's stage of intimacy
B) lowest level of job satisfaction
C) high inferiority
D) menopause for women

Question 20

Which of the following is likely to coincide with the period of peak work satisfaction in an adult following a normative sequence?

A) birth of the first child
B) accelerated physical declines
C) increase in spirituality for women
D) peak physical functioning

Question 21

Maximum levels of external stress and peak physical condition go together in which age period?

A) 20-39
B) 40-64
C) 65-74
D) 75+

Question 22

The term now frequently used by gerontologists to describe adults over the age of 75 is _______.

A) young old
B) disengaged
C) decrepit
D) in late adulthood

Question 23

In which period of adulthood does reaction time slow significantly?

A) 20-39
B) 40-64
C) 65-74
D) 75+

Question 24

Which of the following best describes our current knowledge about the existence of a midlife crisis?

A) Virtually all adults experience a crisis at midlife.
B) Some adults experience a crisis, but they are in the minority.
C) More adults experience a crisis at midlife than at any other age.
D) There is no evidence that any adults experience a crisis at midlife.

Question 25

Coping with the deaths of loved ones and experiencing a significant decline in crystallized intellectual skills are most likely to go together in which age period?

A) 20-39
B) 40-64
C) 65-74
D) 75+

Question 26

In which age period are the following 3 things likely to occur: high rate of job change, conformist worldview, and high marital satisfaction?

A) 20-39
B) 40-64
C) 65-74
D) 75+

Question 27

According to Costa & McCrae (1984), people experience upheaval at what point in life?

A) at any time
B) young adulthood
C) late adulthood
D) middle adulthood

Question 28

High levels of marital satisfaction and peak years of career success are most likely to go together in which age period?

A) 20-39
B) 40-64
C) 65-74
D) 75+

Question 29

Which of the following best describes the findings on the relationship between social involvement and life satisfaction among adults aged 20-39?

A) The least socially active adults are typically the happiest.
B) Those who lack friendships have more depressive symptoms.
C) Adults with moderate levels of social activity are the happiest.
D) There is no relationship between social activity and happiness.

Question 30

In the late 20s and 30s we find several characteristics. Which is NOT a characteristic of this age range?

A) great achievement at work
B) rapid advancement at work
C) children being born and reared
D) The biological clock is strong.

Question 31

During what typical age period are most adults still locked into a conformist view, seeing things in black-and-white terms, looking to outside authority to tell them the rules. This would be a time of maximal tribalization, defining themselves by tribe and place in the tribe.

A) 18-24
B) 25-39
C) 40-64 d 65-74

Question 32

What term did Cumming and Henry use to describe the shrinkage of social contacts and social roles in old age?

A) interiority
B) introversion
C) disengagement
D) role decline

Question 33

In the 40-64 age range we find several characteristics. Which is NOT a characteristic of this age range?

A) increase in the centrality of work
B) detribalization
C) The social clock is less significant.
D) The biological clock begins to be audible.

Question 34

Which of the following is not an element of Balte's (1990) selective optimism?

A) optimization
B) compensation
C) selection
D) disengagement

Question 35

Which of the following best describes our current conclusions regarding the role of life review or reminiscence in the mental health of the elderly?

A) Reminiscence is consistently linked to better mental health.
B) Reminiscence is associated with better mental health only among those over the age of 80 or within a few years of death.
C) Some studies show reminiscence linked to better mental health; most do not.
D) Extensive research shows no connection between reminiscence and mental health at any age.

Question 36

Choosing a career and maximum gender role differentiation are most likely to go together in which age period?

A) 20-39
B) 40-64
C) 65-74
D) 75+

Question 37

In which age period are the social clock and the biological clock most equal in their influence?

A) 20-39
B) 40-64
C) 65-74
D) 75+

Question 38

In which age period do adults have to come to terms with the myth that "if I just follow the rules, I will be rewarded"?

A) 20-39
B) 40-64
C) 65-74
D) 75+

Question 39

The demarcation point between older adulthood and the late adulthood is determined by _______.

A) the ability to drive
B) health
C) turning 75
D) attitude

Question 40

In which period of adulthood does the biological clock begin to be audible?

A) 20-39
B) 40-64
C) 65-74
D) 75+

Question 41

Which of the following is NOT a predictor of higher marital satisfaction?

A) older adulthood
B) middle adulthood
C) empty nest
D) having children

Question 42

Which of the below is the best predictor of marital satisfaction?

A) satisfaction with work
B) income
C) launching the children
D) personality

Question 43

Which of the following is NOT a personal quality associated with higher life satisfaction?

A) social involvement
B) high neuroticism
C) psychological health
D) reminiscence

Question 44

Why is there little knowledge or research concerning the age group termed "late adulthood"?

A) The group is a relatively recent phenomenon.
B) Data has not been complied on this specific age group.
C) Census bureau reporting was inadequate.
D) All of the above are valid reasons.

Question 45

Which of the following is NOT a source of disequilibrium?

A) role changes
B) asynchrony of timing
C) major life changes
D) a change in the epigenetic landscape

Question 46

Among older adults, high life satisfaction is associated with _______.

A) structured reminiscence
B) high openness to self
C) high achievement motivation
D) success in a career

Question 47

In middle adulthood the importance of the social clock ____ while the biological clock ______.

A) increases; decreases
B) increases; stays steady
C) decreases; stays steady
D) decreases; increases

Question 48

According to research by Costa and McCrae, which of the following personality or temperament qualities is associated with higher life satisfaction?

A) conscientiousness
B) less egocentric
C) extraversion
D) high openness to self

Question 49

In the majority of studies, there is a drop in ____ in young adulthood.

A) work satisfaction
B) marital satisfaction
C) family income
D) health

Question 50

According to Vaillant's studies of the Grant sample, measures of childhood family environment, or of a young adult's personal resources (such as personality or cognitive skills), are predictive of subsequent psychological adjustment _____.

A) at every age throughout the adult age range
B) in old age, but not at midlife
C) at midlife, but not in old age
D) at no age in adulthood

Question 51

According to Vaillant's longitudinal studies of the Grant sample, which characteristic of the men in middle age was most predictive of psychological health or ill health at age 63?

A) trust in early childhood
B) the stability of the man's marriage
C) the man's satisfaction with his work
D) the quality of the man's relationship with his children

Question 52

According to the model proposed in the final chapter of the text, what is the relationship between the occurrence of stable life structures and age?

A) There is an approximate link; adults who follow a modal sequence of family and work roles will share the rough timing of stable periods.
B) The linkage is very strong; virtually all adults experience periods of disequilibrium at the same ages.
C) The linkage is generally weak, but is stronger for those in the working class than those in the middle class.
D) There is no relationship at all between age and the occurrence of stable structures and disequilibrium.

Question 53

For older adults, ________ is a cause of higher overall life satisfaction.

A) marriage
B) personality
C) social involvement
D) work

Question 54

According to the model presented in the final chapter in the text, which of the following experiences is likely to create disequilibrium in the psychological system and thus lead to some change or development?

A) role changes
B) asynchrony of timing of developmental sequences
C) poor match between personality and role demands
D) any of the above

Question 55

Which of the following best describes the pattern of change or stability in life satisfaction over the adult years?

A) Life satisfaction declines steadily over adulthood.
B) Life satisfaction rises steadily over adulthood.
C) Life satisfaction peaks at late midlife.
D) Life satisfaction shows no systematic change with age.

Question 56

Less disengagement is a more significant ingredient in overall life satisfaction among adults in which age group?

A) young adults
B) middle-aged adults
C) older adults
D) later adulthood

Question 57

Marital and work satisfaction ______ in the years of middle adulthood.

A) rise
B) drop
C) remain stable
D) have an inverse relationship

Question 58

Which pair below includes only maturation sequences that occur in the journey through adulthood?

A) physical, cognitive
B) cognitive, roles
C) physical, relationships
D) tasks, relationships

Question 59

According to Vaillant's studies of the Grant sample, measures of early family experiences are predictive of subsequent difficulties _____.

A) throughout the adult age range
B) in old age
C) in the first few decades of adulthood
D) at no age in adulthood

Question 60

When an adult responds adaptively to a period of disequilibrium-with personal growth, or with an improvement in health habits or the like-what effect does such a change have on personal happiness?

A) Adaptive change is consistently associated with increased happiness.
B) Adaptive change shows no consistent link with happiness.
C) Adaptive change increases happiness in about three-quarters of adults.
D) Adaptive change increases happiness in women but not in men.

Question 61

Describe the period in adulthood from age twenty-five to forty. What are its key features? What makes this period different from those that come before or after?

Question 62

According to the model proposed in the final chapter of Bee's text, what combination of characteristics or circumstances is most likely to lead an individual to emerge from a period of disequilibrium with some kind of personal growth or development?

Question 63

List eight different factors that influence life satisfaction, indicating the direction of the effect in each case.

Question 64

List and describe briefly the five different potential sources of disequilibrium as outlined in the final chapter of Bee's text.

Question 65

Describe the "disengagement" hypothesis offered by Cumming and Henry. Which parts of the hypothesis have been supported and which have not?

Question 66

In terms of life satisfaction, all of the following are considered maladaptive changes except _____.

A) depression *
B) achievement
C) high ego development
D) illness

Question 67

"In modern American society, virtually all adults go through some kind of significant personal crisis in the years of middle adulthood-roughly ages forty-five to fifty." Evaluate this statement.

Question 68

Describe the period of adulthood from age seventy-five onward. What are its key features? What makes this period different from those that come before?

Question 69

Describe Bradburn's (1969) concept of affect balance. What effect does affect balance have on life satisfaction?

Question 70

Describe the period of adulthood from age forty to age sixty-five. What are its key features? What makes this period different from those that come before or after?

Question 71

Butler (1963) argued that in old age we all go through a "life review." Define what he meant by this term and discuss whether his argument is valid or not.

Question 72

What is meant by the "social clock" and the "biological clock"? How do these two processes interact across the adult years?

Question 73

Define and discuss the terms tribalization and detribalization.

Question 74

Briefly list and describe the effects of demographic factors on life satisfaction.

Question 75

In the final chapter of your text, the author proposes a four-proposition model of adult growth. Briefly list and define the four propositions of the model. Do you think this is a good model of adult development? Why or why not?

Question 76

Describe the period of adulthood from age sixty-five to seventy-five. What are its key features? What makes this period different from those that come before or after?

Question 77

In terms of life satisfaction, all of the following are considered adaptive changes except _____.

A) achievement *
B) altruism
C) less egocentrism
D) substance abuse

Question 78

Describe the period of young adulthood, from age eighteen to twenty-five. What are the key features of this period?

Question 79

Describe the evidence suggesting that high levels of social support are linked to better prognoses or longer survival times for those with serious diseases.

Question 80

Describe the three elements of Balte's selective optimization with compensation.