Question 1

Which of the following is not a technique used in qualitative research?
A) interviewing individuals using a survey instrument
B) participant observation
C) open-ended interviews
D) observing people in a natural setting

Accepted Answer

Using a survey instrument is a quantitative research technique, not a qualitative one. Qualitative research focuses on gathering detailed information about people's experiences, thoughts, and feelings, typically through techniques such as open-ended interviews, participant observation, and observing people in natural settings.

Question 2

All of the following are characteristics of longitudinal research designs except:
A) they follow a particular group of people over time.
B) they provide data about differences between age cohorts.
C) they are costly.
D) they are factual because all of the same subjects remain in the study.

Accepted Answer

Longitudinal research designs may provide reliable data, but they are not necessarily factual because subjects may drop out or miss data collection appointments over time.

Question 3

According to research, support for gay marriage was lowest among:
A) the Millennials.
B) the Silent Generation.
C) the Echo Boomers.
D) the Swing Generation.

Accepted Answer

The Silent Generation, born between 1925-1945, showed the lowest support for gay marriage in comparison to other generations. This may be explained by their upbringing during a time of greater societal conservatism and less exposure to LGBTQ+ perspectives and rights movements.

Question 4

The _____ refers to middle-aged people who have both dependent children and aging parents.
A) crowded nest
B) social clock
C) swing generation
D) sandwich generation

Accepted Answer

The term used for middle-aged people who have both dependent children and aging parents is the sandwich generation. This is because they are sandwiched between the needs of their children and the needs of their parents, meaning they may have to provide financial, emotional, or physical support for both generations at the same time. Choices A, B, and C do not accurately describe this particular group.

Question 5

An advantage of longitudinal research studies is that they:
A) follow different groups of people at different points in time.
B) do not distinguish age effects from cohort effects.
C) provide data about differences between age cohorts.
D) do not require any investment as they monitor subjects at only one point in time.

Accepted Answer

Longitudinal research studies track the same subjects over a period of time, allowing researchers to observe how individuals or groups change throughout that period. This approach is particularly useful for understanding how certain characteristics or behaviors evolve with age, thereby providing data about differences between age cohorts. Unlike cross-sectional studies, which compare different groups at one point in time, longitudinal studies can more directly assess how individuals change over time.

Question 6

Which of the following is an example of a period effect?
A) the financial crisis of 2007-2008
B) the change in the attitude of the millennials about the baby boomers
C) the changes in the physical appearance of an individual over a period of time
D) the disappearance of the Malaysian Flight 370

Accepted Answer

A period effect refers to a specific event or experience that affects a whole population or group during a particular time period. The financial crisis of 2007-2008 is an example of a period effect because it had a significant impact on the economy and society as a whole during a specific time period. The other options are not examples of period effects as they do not impact a whole population or group in a specific time period.

Question 7

All of the following are characteristics of a trajectory except:
A) it can be a multiple pathway in ordering and timing life events.
B) it ranks individuals hierarchically in a social system.
C) it can consist of distinct gender differences in employment.
D) it has an impact on women's income security in old age.

Accepted Answer

The characteristics listed in options A, C, and D describe aspects of trajectories, such as the multiple pathways individuals can take in ordering and timing life events, the potential for gender differences in employment paths, and how trajectories can impact income security in old age. Option B, however, describes a characteristic of social stratification, not trajectories.

Question 8

The finding that older people are more politically conservative than younger people is an example of:
A) aging effect.
B) cohort effect.
C) period effect.
D) subculture effect.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of a cohort effect, as the age group in question (older people) likely has different life experiences and historical events that shaped their political ideologies compared to younger generations. This effect is specific to the generation or cohort in question, rather than being a universal effect of aging or a period of time.

Question 9

One of the major methodological issues in research on the life course is:
A) collecting data to test various hypotheses.
B) selecting the appropriate sample size.
C) distinguishing among age, period, and cohort effects.
D) distinguishing between abstract and concrete concepts for the study.

Accepted Answer

Distinguishing among age, period, and cohort effects is a major methodological issue in life course research. Age effects refer to changes that occur within individuals as they grow older, period effects refer to historical events that affect all individuals in a given time period, and cohort effects refer to differences in experiences and outcomes between different generational cohorts. It is important for researchers to be able to disentangle these effects to accurately interpret their findings.

Question 10

The term "age timetables" refers to:
A) the number of years spent in each phase of the life cycle.
B) appropriate ages for making various life course transitions.
C) the expected timing or deadline for life events.
D) timetables that order life events.

Accepted Answer

Age timetables refer to the expected timing or deadline for life events, such as getting married, having children, or retiring. It is a societal expectation of when certain events should occur based on age.

Question 11

Which of the following is an example of a cohort effect?
A) the shift in the attitudes of a country's population toward gay marriage from the 1960s till the early 2000s
B) the shift in the average life expectancy of an older cohort from the 1960s till the early 2000s
C) the impact of the civil rights movement on the economy of the United States in the 1970s
D) the impact of the Great Depression on the rich and the poor

Accepted Answer

A cohort effect refers to a variation that occurs in a group over time due to a particular event or experience that is unique to that group. Option A describes a shift in attitudes towards gay marriage that occurred gradually over several decades, which could be attributed to a change in societal norms or generational differences. Option B refers to a general improvement in healthcare and other factors that affect life expectancy, which is not unique to a specific cohort. Option C describes the impact of a social movement on the economy, which is not a cohort effect. Option D refers to the impact of a historical event that affected everyone living during that time, not just a particular cohort.

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT an example of life course transition in the family sphere?
A) parenthood
B) grandparenthood
C) entering full-time employment
D) marriage

Accepted Answer

Entering full-time employment is not a life course transition in the family sphere, as it pertains more to the individual's career or professional trajectory, rather than their family relationships or roles. Parenthood, grandparenthood, marriage, and other similar experiences involve changes in familial dynamics and responsibilities.

Question 13

One of the reasons for the "crowded nest" phenomenon is:
A) low wage for young workers.
B) young adults these days are much less independent from their parents than in the past.
C) unavailability of other housing alternatives.
D) parents prefer to have their adult children living with them.

Accepted Answer

Low wages for young workers make it difficult for them to afford independent living, contributing to the "crowded nest" phenomenon where adult children live with their parents.

Question 14

The best research design to distinguish among age, period, and cohort effects is:
A) cross-sectional.
B) longitudinal.
C) secondary data.
D) participant observation.

Accepted Answer

Longitudinal study design is the best choice to distinguish among age, period, and cohort effects. This is because it allows researchers to examine changes in a particular individual or group over time, making it possible to identify cohort effects. It also allows researchers to control for age and period effects, which can be difficult in cross-sectional studies. Secondary data may provide some insights into these effects, but it is limited by the data available and may not provide the specificity needed to distinguish among the three effects. Participant observation, though useful in some research contexts, is not well-suited to distinguishing among these specific effects.

Question 15

A disadvantage of longitudinal research studies is that they:
A) fail to include children and teens in their research.
B) fail to distinguish age effects from cohort effects.
C) have a tendency to be biased as some people drop out over a period of time.
D) can only include people of different age cohorts at a single point in time.

Accepted Answer

Longitudinal research studies can experience bias as some participants may drop out of the study over time, which can skew the results and limit the representativeness of the sample. This can be a significant disadvantage of longitudinal research as it may impact the validity and reliability of the findings.

Question 16

In age-graded systems, _____.
A) people are categorized by the number of siblings in their families
B) each categorized group has the same role or grade
C) people are predominantly categorized by the differences in their ethnicity and race
D) males are ranked in hierarchical order according to their age group

Accepted Answer

In age-graded systems, individuals, particularly males, are ranked in a hierarchical order based on their age group, which often determines their roles and responsibilities within the society.

Question 17

Transitions are:
A) social changes that occur as one cohort replaces the other.
B) the impact of historical events on the entire society.
C) role changes individuals make as they leave school, take a job, marry, have children, or retire.
D) ways of using age as a social category to group people by status.

Accepted Answer

Transitions refer to the changes that individuals undergo as they move from one role to another, such as leaving school, entering the workforce, getting married, having children, and retiring. This choice best captures the essence of transitions and how they affect individuals in their lives. The other options, while related to the broader concept of social change, are not specifically focused on the individual level of analysis that transitions occupy.

Question 18

The longitudinal research design that focuses on the role that social support and personal relationships play in healthy aging is _____.
A) the Health and Retirement Survey
B) the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging
C) the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project
D) the Asset and Health Dynamics among the oldest-old

Accepted Answer

The National Social Life, Health and Aging Project (NSHAP) is a longitudinal study designed to examine the role of social support and personal relationships in healthy aging. The other options listed focus on different aspects of aging research.

Question 19

Which of the following statements is NOT a characteristic of age grade?
A) It occurs in every society.
B) Most societies have more clearly marked age grades for males than for females.
C) Societies may vary in the number of age grades.
D) Individual members of society can select the age grade they want to join.

Accepted Answer

Age grade is a social organization based on age, but individuals do not have a choice in which age grade they belong to. They are automatically placed in an age grade based on their age. Therefore, D is not a characteristic of age grade.

Question 20

The _____ clock orders major life events.
A) biological
B) social
C) time
D) age

Accepted Answer

The social clock refers to the cultural norms and expectations that dictate the timing of major life events, such as marriage, parenthood, and retirement.

Quiz 2: Life Course Transitions

Which of the following is not a technique used in qualitative research?

All of the following are characteristics of longitudinal research designs except:

According to research, support for gay marriage was lowest among:

The _____ refers to middle-aged people who have both dependent children and aging parents.

An advantage of longitudinal research studies is that they:

Which of the following is an example of a period effect?

All of the following are characteristics of a trajectory except:

The finding that older people are more politically conservative than younger people is an example of:

One of the major methodological issues in research on the life course is:

The term "age timetables" refers to:

Which of the following is an example of a cohort effect?

Which of the following is NOT an example of life course transition in the family sphere?

One of the reasons for the "crowded nest" phenomenon is:

The best research design to distinguish among age, period, and cohort effects is:

A disadvantage of longitudinal research studies is that they:

In age-graded systems, _____.

Transitions are:

The longitudinal research design that focuses on the role that social support and personal relationships play in healthy aging is _____.

Which of the following statements is NOT a characteristic of age grade?

The _____ clock orders major life events.