Deck 36: The Stuff at Moms House and the Stuff at Dads House: the Material Consumption of Divorce for Adolescents

Question 1

Collins and Janning report that objects and spaces in our homes ______.

A) are less important than the relationships of its inhabitants
B) are static conduits for meaning, relaying the same message through time
C) detract from the impact of personal experiences on our identities
D) are markers of stability and identity for its inhabitants

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Children of divorce often choose to decorate and personalize their rooms ______.

A) in ways that reflect the identity of each parent
B) only once they are at college and out of either parent's house
C) at one parent's home and not the other
D) at both parents' houses equally

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Describe the ways that technology was important in determining how much time the teens spent at each parent's house and how parents used technology in different ways as a tool for their relationships with their children.

Answer 3

Varies. May include the following:
-Houses that did not vary in amount or quality of technology were not compared by the participants. If there was a difference, the teens noticed.
-Technology was often a reason to be at one parent's house over the other's, but was also sometimes used as a distraction and way to avoid a parent by being consumed by technology.
-Technology was also a factor in wanting to show other kids the "better" or "nicer" house.
-Parents sometimes used technology to incentivize children to spend time at their house.

Question 4

Define consumption. Then, describe how the adolescents in Collins and Janning's study used objects and spaces to "reflect" their identities.

Question 5

Research on divorce's effect on children and adolescents ______.

A) demonstrates that divorce leads to negative outcomes
B) varies dramatically, with some studies indicating negative effects and others indicating positive outcomes
C) demonstrates that divorce leads to positive outcomes
D) is scant, meaning researchers cannot make any conclusions about its effect

Question 6

The houses described by respondents as "fun" were characterized as ______.

A) having few rules and restrictions
B) more siblings and neighbors close in age
C) having more and better technology
D) more active, outdoor parents

Question 7

Collins and Janning recommend that ______.

A) parents have transparent, ongoing conversations with children about why there might be discrepancies in material possessions between houses
B) ex-partners work carefully and closely together so that there are not discrepancies in material possessions between houses
C) adolescents work to make both of their homes feel comfortable
D) adolescents spend less time connecting via technology because it is getting in the way of relationships

Question 8

Respondents were more likely to compare their parents' houses against one another if ______.

A) there was a stepparent involved in either house
B) there was a discrepancy in the amount or types of technology
C) they spent a disparate amount of time at the houses
D) their parents had a more contentious divorce

Question 9

Why do the authors argue that it is important to study the rooms and spaces of adolescents and children?

A) Adolescent patterns of consumption and culture allow them to question adult claims about what their self-identities are supposed to be.
B) Understanding adolescent consumption allows marketing and advertising companies to more accurately target objects at this age group.
C) Adolescents have many public spaces that they call theirs in contemporary society and knowing how adolescents distinguish between these spaces provides deeper understanding of their psyche.
D) Consumption does not take place in a void and studying these rooms and places allows us to see what parenting and family styles contribute to different consumption patterns.

Question 10

Which of the following is NOT a limitation of Collins and Janning's study?

A) They did not discuss parents' income or racial identities.
B) They cannot make conclusions about causality.
C) They did not consider sibling impact on desire to spend time at one house over another.
D) They did not ask about participants' favorite possessions.