Deck 16: Social and Personality Development in Middle Adulthood

Question 1

Individuals caught in the "sandwich generation" are giving assistance to both younger and older family members.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Middle-aged adults are in the seventh stage of Erikson's theory, the generativity versus stagnation stage.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Canadian men don't experience the empty nest syndrome.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

A substantial body of research indicates that the developmental tasks of mid-life create a crisis by exceeding an individual's ability to cope.

Question 5

The term "mid-life crisis" was first introduced in the mid-1960s to describe a time of life that was relatively lockstep and predictable, especially for men.

Question 6

Research suggests that middle-aged women are far less able to cope with divorce than younger women.

Question 7

Research shows that the Big Five personality traits remain relatively stable in individuals from childhood through to middle age but change significantly in older adulthood.

Question 8

An essential step in the stage of generativity requires the individual to reflect and conduct a personal evaluation to unearth her difficulties so she can begin to make a positive contribution to society.

Question 9

Marital stability and satisfaction typically fall in mid-life as a result of rising tensions over retirement and children leaving home.

Question 10

Men tend to feel depressed when the nest is empty, especially if they feel they are losing their central role as a father.

Question 11

Richard, an adult child demonstrating the pattern called "the revolving door," reports a warm, joyful, and positive reunion with his parents upon his return to his childhood home.

Question 12

The practice of skilled diplomacy involves avoiding confrontation with one's partner and, instead, waiting for an appropriate time to solve the issue.

Question 13

According to the categories developed by behavioural scientists, the most common grandparent relationship is the involved grandparent.

Question 14

Generativity is the personal belief that one is making a valuable contribution to society.

Question 15

Research has demonstrated that remote-relationship grandparents and companionate grandparents are equally influential in the daily lives of their grandchildren, thanks to technology.

Question 16

Middle-aged partners' identification of successful problem-solving strategies contributes to the sense that they have control over their relationship.

Question 17

According to research into personality continuity in aging, agreeableness appears to decrease with age.

Question 18

Neuroticism is the personality trait associated with the need for order in the environment.

Question 19

Researchers have coined the term "the revolving door" to describe a pattern in which adult children return to live in their parent's home.

Question 20

Marital stability and satisfaction increase in mid-life.

Question 21

Voluntary career changers tend to change careers because their present job is not satisfying the needs or certain aspects of their personality.

Question 22

Adults who provide a high level of assistance to the daily needs of a parent who is disabled, frail, or demented tend to have lower marital satisfaction.

Question 23

When a grandparent plays an active role in the everyday rearing of their grandchild, most likely due to the fact that they live within the household, this is known as a companionate relationship.

Question 24

A mid-life crisis is less about mid-life and more about responding to life events, such as the loss of a job or the death of a close friend or relative.

Question 25

Recent research findings dispute Erikson's theory that generativity concerns develop in middle age and find instead that generativity concerns actually develop in old age.

Question 26

Vaillant argued that the name of one of Erikson's stages should be changed from "generativity" to "the keeper of meaning."

Question 27

Canadian policy-makers are interested in age-related applications of stem cell research.

Question 28

Adults who provide a significant level of care to aging family members typically develop symptoms of clinical depression.

Question 29

Coping skills have a direct impact on the effect of an involuntary career change.

Question 30

Middle-aged adults are less likely to divorce than those who are younger.

Question 31

Researcher and psychiatrist George Vaillant suggests that Erikson's stage of middle adulthood is too broadly defined and that it needs to be revised to include a separate new additional stage called "career consolidation."

Question 32

Many middle-aged adults may begin to prepare for retirement, by taking actions such as gradually reducing their workload, as early as 15 years before their anticipated retirement date.

Question 33

The Baby Boomers are projected to be the healthiest, best educated, and longest living retirees in history.

Question 34

Research suggests that generativity is a more prominent theme in the lives of middle-aged women than in the lives of middle-aged men.

Question 35

Researcher and psychiatrist George Vaillant argued that there should be a stage between intimacy and generativity called "the keeper of meaning."

Question 36

Both men and women in mid-life have a greater sense of control over their work lives than younger adults do.

Question 37

Voluntary career changers tend to experience increasing levels of mental health disorders, such as anxiety, depression, and substance abuse, more so than involuntary career changers.

Question 38

The Baby Boomers' expected retirement period of 20 years or more is far longer than the retirement periods of earlier generations.

Question 39

Research reveals that the social networks of middle-aged adults are larger and less intimate than the social networks of younger adults.

Question 40

Canadians who provide care to their aging parents have a reduced quality of life in terms of cancelled holiday plans, reduction in social activities, and less time for their own families.

Question 41

Which of the following applies to middle adulthood marriages?

A) more dissatisfied compared to those of young adults
B) more passionate compared to those of young adults
C) less conflicted than those of young adults
D) more distant compared to those of young adults

Question 42

A mid-life crisis is less about responding to life events, such as the loss of a job or the death of a friend, and more about the losses due to physical changes and declines.

Question 43

Psychiatrist George Vaillant proposed several amendments to Erikson's life stage theory. Vaillant suggested the inclusion of a new stage called "career consolidation." In this new stage, what does the term "career" mean?

A) It means an adult's "primary" work only and the meaning, satisfaction, and commitment derived from it.
B) It means an adult's primary work and other options such as parental leave, sabbaticals, paid vacations, etc.
C) It means an adult's primary work and the social network that stems from that work.
D) It has a broad definition of choices as long as a social network is created that helps an individual to meet their psychosocial needs.

Question 44

Which of the following is the best example of a sandwich generation?

A) When Bill was in college he lived with his grandfather who had begun to experience failing health.
B) Vermajit Punjab is a successful investment counsellor whose career obligations and responsibilities conflict with his desire to spend more time with his young children.
C) Elena Martinez would like to quit her present job and start her own restaurant, but she is afraid that such a financial risk might jeopardize her ability to provide for her children.
D) In addition to working full-time, Mr. and Mrs. Ross take care of a grandchild while the child's parent works, and they also provide a home for Mrs. Ross's mother who has arthritis and diabetes.

Question 45

How did Erikson characterize the developmental task of middle adulthood?

A) intimacy versus isolation
B) generativity versus stagnation
C) dialectical thought versus problem-finding
D) ego integrity versus despair

Question 46

Which of the following is LEAST likely to prompt mid-life crisis?

A) adapting to major changes in one's roles
B) purchasing a new home
C) accepting one's own mortality
D) recognizing new physical limitations and health risks

Question 47

What does the term "sandwich generation" refer to?

A) mid-life childless couples whose career demands conflict with their desire to spend time with their family
B) middle-aged adults who provide assistance to both their children and their aging parents
C) middle-aged workers who find themselves trapped between dissatisfaction with their job and financial obligations to their family
D) two-income families where the family members' busy schedules mean that meals are seldom eaten together as a family

Question 48

To offset any cognitive or physical declines in work performance due to aging, the selective optimization with compensation theory suggests that middle adults have their job descriptions modified to include only the duties and tasks that they remain good at.

Question 49

Which of the following is most illustrative of the "skilled diplomacy" used by many middle-aged couples to maintain the stability of their relationship?

A) Mr. and Mrs. Shin agree that their marriage cannot withstand conflict, therefore disagreements or differences of opinion are never voiced.
B) Mr. and Mrs. MacGregor rely on the wisdom, humour, and the practical advice of their religious advisor when a problem arises in their marriage.
C) If a problem occurs in the Mutta marriage, Mrs. Mutta first confronts Mr. Mutta with the issue and then she works to bring peace to their relationship.
D) When Mr. and Mrs. Smith are having a marital conflict, Mrs. Smith asks one of their children to discuss the issue with Mr. Smith.

Question 50

Psychiatrist George Vaillant proposed an amendment to Erikson's life stage theory to include a new stage or psychosocial task called "career consolidation." At what stage in the lifespan does career consolidation belong?

A) in early adulthood between the identity and intimacy psychosocial goals
B) in early adulthood paired with intimacy as the dual goals (career and intimacy) of this stage
C) in middle adulthood between the psychosocial goals of intimacy and generativity
D) in middle adulthood between the psychosocial goals of generativity and ego integrity

Question 51

Which of the following best summarizes the conclusions of research that has attempted to confirm the existence of a mid-life crisis?

A) Serious psychological problems are experienced by most individuals at mid-life.
B) There is little evidence that the stresses and tasks of mid-life are more overwhelming than those of any other age.
C) At mid-life most men experience high levels of inner turmoil, marital or job dissatisfaction, or sense of failure.
D) Most women experience some form of major depression in their 30s or 40s.

Question 52

Research into the characteristics of the generativity stage of adult development has produced inconsistent results. However, one common agreed upon point among researchers regarding this stage is that

A) generativity is a more prominent theme in the lives of middle-aged women than in the lives of middle-aged men.
B) generativity is related to mental health among middle-aged adults.
C) generativity concerns are just as important to older adults age 66 and up as to middle adults.
D) among the Baby Boomer cohort, generativity concerns are disappearing and being replaced with personal growth and vitality concerns.

Question 53

The pattern of adult children leaving the parental home but returning again to live with parents is a social phenomenon known as

A) the cramped nest.
B) Peter Paning.
C) the revolving door.
D) boomeranging.

Question 54

According to research, what happens to marital satisfaction and stability at mid-life?

A) It is at its lowest point.
B) It continues to steadily decrease.
C) It increases as conflicts over child-rearing and other matters decline.
D) It is dependent upon the frequency of sexual interaction.

Question 55

In Canada, approximately 50% of adult children between the ages of 20 and 34 live at home with their parents. Which statement is most accurate regarding the reasons for these living arrangements?

A) Prolonged adolescence and minimal parental expectations are the primary reasons.
B) With current life expectancies rising, parents need greater support from their resident adult children to assist with caring for aging grandparents.
C) Financial difficulties, unemployment, extended post-secondary schooling, and delayed marriage are several of the most relevant contributing factors.
D) Due to smaller family sizes and life pressures, there is an emerging trend toward returning to traditional family values and multigenerational living.

Question 56

Which of the following is consistent with the expression of generativity, as described by Erikson?

A) serving as a mentor to a younger co-worker
B) choosing not to have children
C) organizing a garage sale to get rid of extra junk
D) making substantial profits through innovative business deals

Question 57

The behaviours and characteristics expected of a person in a social position, such as mother, student, or retired person, constitute the ________ of the person filling the position.

A) personality
B) role
C) operations
D) goals

Question 58

According to Erikson, what is required for the expression of generativity?

A) optimum use of one's intelligence
B) communicating effectively
C) caring for others
D) obeying the law

Question 59

George feels that he is making a valuable contribution to society by bringing up his children to the best of his ability as well as by volunteering as a Big Brother to kids in his community. George feels he has acquired

A) a mid-life crisis.
B) generativity.
C) his role a parent.
D) a sense of role transitions.

Question 60

Which of the following is most consistent with ideas about development at mid-life?

A) The developmental tasks of mid-life are likely to cause a crisis when an individual's ability to cope is overwhelmed.
B) Individuals whose life transitions are congruent with the social clock are able to more effectively adapt to the challenges of mid-life.
C) There is little variation in the personality characteristics of an individual at the age of 25, 50, 75, or 100.
D) A primary task of adulthood is to assist the next generation in developing into mature and competent individuals.

Question 61

According to research from the University of British Columbia, when a family is faced with a need to provide regular care to an aging family member, who most typically takes on the task?

A) the family member with the most resources
B) daughters or daughters-in-law
C) the family member with medical or health care training
D) sons and their spouses

Question 62

According to recent research, which statement is most accurate regarding women and the empty nest?

A) Men experience empty nest syndrome in equal rates to and with equal degrees of distress as women.
B) Most women's identities are heavily focused on the role of mother, resulting in stress and higher rates of depression during this transition phase.
C) When the last child leaves, the majority of women are more likely to describe the event as positive rather than negative.
D) High rates of depression decline for women in middle adulthood after the children have left home.

Question 63

When Mrs. and Mrs. O'Neill retired from their careers in Toronto, they moved to Vancouver. Once a year they return to Toronto to visit their grandchildren and to be brought up to date on the children's activities and progress in school. According to the categories developed by behavioural scientists, this situation most closely resembles the ________ type of grandparent.

A) remote
B) uninvested
C) aloof
D) devitalized

Question 64

Recent Canadian research regarding the empty nest stage indicates that

A) empty nest syndrome is specific to females with few males reporting difficulty with this life transition.
B) women in the 21st century are experiencing a shorter empty nest period.
C) the empty-nest period has increased in length for women in the 21st century.
D) the empty nest stage no longer exists.

Question 65

Which of the following best describes the nature of friendship in middle adulthood?

A) The social circle is smaller, but the friendships are as intimate and close as at earlier ages.
B) Adults have more friends in mid-life than at any other point in adulthood.
C) The increased role strain and role conflict of middle adulthood require additional emotional support from friends outside the family.
D) The need for a social network increases across mid-life.

Question 66

Which of the following is NOT an accurate statement about employment and work satisfaction at mid-life?

A) Women and men cite similar sources of job satisfaction in middle age: time pressure, boring work, and concern about job security.
B) Women who return to full-time employment in middle adulthood typically do so because of divorce or widowhood.
C) For most adults, job satisfaction and sense of power or job clout are much lower in mid-life than in young adulthood.
D) Middle-aged men begin to disengage from work as a source of personal fulfillment or satisfaction.

Question 67

When all of the children leave the home and just the parent(s) remain, it is called

A) an empty nest.
B) the sandwich generation.
C) mid-life crisis.
D) life-course marker.

Question 68

The Green family household consists of Mr. and Mrs. Green, three daughters who are widowed or divorced, and five grandchildren ranging in age from 5 to 15 years. While the daughters work and go to college, Mr. and Mrs. Green have full responsibility for rearing their grandchildren. According to the categories developed by behavioural scientists, this situation most closely resembles the ________ type of grandparent.

A) engrossed
B) involved
C) invested
D) companionate

Question 69

According to research on grandparent-grandchild relationships, what is the most common explanation for a remote relationship between grandparents and their grandchildren?

A) interference by parents
B) physical distance
C) disinterest on the part of either or both parties
D) absence of emotional bonds or affectional ties

Question 70

Which statement is most accurate regarding the empty nest stage among women born in the late 1800s?

A) Their entire identity was derived from parenting, making the empty nest phase a very emotionally difficult stage.
B) Multigenerational family living negated an empty nest transition in family life.
C) Women began bearing children in their early teens and moved into grandparenting in their 30s, bypassing the empty nest phase.
D) Women bore children into their 40s but died on average before these children left home, bypassing the empty nest phase.

Question 71

Which of the following is NOT an accurate statement about grandparenthood?

A) In recent years, the incidence of custodial grandparenting has increased in all ethnic and socioeconomic groups.
B) The role of grandmother is broader and more intimate than the role of grandfather.
C) Most grandparents see or talk to their grandchildren regularly, and most describe their relationships as warm and loving.
D) Grandparents express high levels of satisfaction with the role of grandparenting.

Question 72

According to Canadian researchers, which of the following statements is true regarding women, depression rates, and the empty-nest syndrome?

A) Depression leading to suicide is associated with empty nest syndrome in women over 55.
B) Only a small number of women experience depression due to the empty nest syndrome.
C) Women have more stress related depression when children are still at home.
D) The majority of women experience some depression due to the identity loss associated with the empty nest syndrome.

Question 73

Which of the following is NOT an accurate statement about job performance in middle adulthood?

A) In middle adulthood, job performance may begin to decline in occupations such as truck driver or professional athlete, where physical strength or speedy reaction time is critical.
B) As workers get older, compensatory processes become increasingly essential to ensure job performance.
C) The majority of middle-aged adults who work in occupations requiring high levels of cognitive skills begin to experience significant deficits in the quality of their work performance.
D) Many adults who recognize erosions of their physical or cognitive skills use selective optimization with compensation in order to maintain their job performance.

Question 74

According to research on grandparent-grandchild relationships, what is the most common grandparent relationship?

A) involved
B) remote
C) devitalized
D) companionate

Question 75

According to the categories developed by behavioural scientists, grandparents in the ________ category see their grandchildren infrequently and have little direct influence over their lives.

A) remote
B) devitalized
C) aloof
D) uninvested

Question 76

According to the categories developed by behavioural scientists, grandparents in the ________ category create warm, pleasurable relationships with their grandchildren.

A) harmonious
B) involved
C) co-parental
D) companionate

Question 77

Devon has a very close relationship with his grandparents; they helped raise him and continue to play an active role in his life. This is referred to as a(n)

A) remote relationship.
B) companionate relationship.
C) involved relationship.
D) involuntary relationship.

Question 78

The cumulative negative effects of caregiving experienced by the caregiver, such as more frequent illness or impaired immune system function, may be collectively termed

A) caregiver burden
B) generational inequity
C) mid-life squeeze
D) caregiver burnout

Question 79

Canadians who experience involuntary career changes suffer all of the following EXCEPT

A) suicide.
B) depression.
C) anxiety.
D) substance abuse.

Question 80

According to the classification system of voluntary and involuntary career changers, an involuntary career changer is in transition for ________ reasons.

A) internal
B) external
C) ambiguous
D) normative