Q&A Hero

Q: Which of the following activities peaks between ages 18 and 25? A)drug and alcohol use B)religious service attendance C)political activism D)marriage

Q: Michael comes from a high-SES American family. He finished high school and, at age 19, is about to start college. Which of the following describes how Michael will probably experience emerging adulthood? A)a time of flourishing in which he solidifies his beliefs and values and forges lasting friendships B)a period of instability marked by academic failure and low self-esteem C)a lack of direction accompanied by loneliness, depression, and poor academic performance D)a form of culture shock that will spark increasingly irrational and inflexible ways of thinking

Q: Of the small number of young people who increase in religiosity during the late teens and early twenties, many are A) Caucasian males. B) women, African American, or Hispanic. C) Jewish, Catholic, or Muslim. D) lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender youths.

Q: Which of the following statements about emerging adults' civic and political commitments is true? A)Emerging adults are more likely than contemporary senior citizens to raise funds for charitable causes. B)More U.S. young people today engage in political party activities than in previous generations. C)Voter turnout for contemporary 18- to 29-year-olds has fluctuated over the past two decades. D)Young people vote in higher numbers than older people in nearly all established democracies.

Q: Tomorrow is Election Day. If Aja is like the majority of other contemporary 18- to 29-year-olds, she will A)vote by absentee ballot. B)vote early. C)vote in person the day of the election. D)not vote.

Q: Compared to her mother at the same age, 20-year-old Rita is __________ likely to __________. A)more; attend regular, formal religious activities B)more; participate in community service C)less; postpone the age of marriage D)less; cohabit before marriage

Q: Research indicates that age-related gains in self-esteem A) are similar across generations. B) are so small as not to be meaningful. C) result entirely from increased egocentrism. D) cannot be applied to past generations.

Q: Chalise is an African-American woman who works at a law firm. She would probably describe her mother as A) a controlling force in her adolescence. B) emotionally withdrawn and distant. C) an inspiring role model who set high standards for her. D) uninvolved in her identity development.

Q: Many ethnic minority young people from low-SES families A)experience a longer period of emerging adulthood than their Caucasian agemates. B)arrive at emerging adulthood with past experiences that compromise their academic preparedness for college. C)complete their college degrees by age 23 and enroll in graduate school shortly thereafter. D)enter careers earlier because they focus on career goals over finding a long-term romantic partner.

Q: Marilyn is pursuing a career in electrical engineering. Which of the following statements about Marilyn is probably true? A) She was appointed a female mentor her first day on the job. B) She displays high achievement orientation and self-reliance. C) Her parents were initially unsupportive of her career choice. D) Her professors viewed her as more capable than her male peers.

Q: Emerging adults' chances of securing a desirable job are affected by A)the overall quality of their college education. B)whether their mentor is a teacher or family member. C)whether they have undergone experience-dependent brain growth. D)their construction of a self-centered worldview.

Q: __________ can act as teachers who enhance the person's career-related skills or serve as guides who acquaint the person with the values and customs of the work setting. A) Bosses B) Parents C) Mentors D) Human resource directors

Q: According to Levinson, 19-year-old Audrey is in the process of constructing a dream. According to Levinson and subsequent investigations, Audrey's dream will likely A) emphasize both marriage and career. B) change significantly by the time she graduates college. C) fluctuate throughout her lifespan. D) not be taken seriously by her professors.

Q: Which of the following couples' cohabiting relationship is most likely to dissolve when problems arise? A) Paul and Whitney, who are deeply religious B) Bryan and Claire, who are politically conservative C) Marshawn and Delia, both of whom are African Americans D) Louis and Meagan, both of whom have divorced parents

Q: Among U.S. young people, __________ is now the preferred mode of entry into a committed relationship, chosen by an estimated 70 percent of romantic partners age 30 and younger. A) Marriage B) Cohabitation C) Courtship D) An "open" relationship

Q: The techniques that matching sites claim to use to pair partners-sophisicated analyses of information that daters provide- A)report greater success rates if the website charges a fee for their services rather than providing a free service. B)have not demonstrated any greater success in bringing compatible partners together than conventional off-line means of introducting people. C)are related to higher rates of risks, such as stalker behavior and unwanted sexual advances. D)have been fine-tuned over recent years to detect when a dater is lying on his or her profile, and remove them from the dating pool.

Q: A survey of 4,000 Americans found that 22 percent of couples had met A) through friends. B) in the workplace. C) at a social gathering. D) on the Internet.

Q: Ray and his girlfriend, Amy, do not have similar attitudes, personalities, or political beliefs. They subscribe to the popular belief that "opposites attract." Which of the following statements about Ray and Amy is most likely true? A)They will be more satisfied with their relationship than with previous relationships. B)They are less likely to stay together than two people who are similar to each other. C)They are just as likely to stay together as are two similar people. D)They are more likely to choose marriage over cohabitation.

Q: Which of the following statements about romantic ties in emerging adulthood is true? A)Married couples are disadvantaged in physical and mental health but are more financially secure. B)Emerging adults in ongoing relationships report less satisfying than those who engage in emotionally uninvolved, casual sex. C)Emotionally indifferent sexual relationships tend to be associated with other forms of risk-taking. D)The majority of emerging adults have more than one sexual partner over the course of a year.

Q: Which of the following 21-year-olds is most likely to report low self-esteem and depressed mood? A) Henry, who has been in a committed relationship for two years B) Patrick, who just started dating a girl from his biology class C) Lucy, who has a "friends with benefits" relationship with her roommate D) Camille, who has a friend who brags to her about her various "hookups"

Q: By age 25, A)U.S. young adults have typically given up Internet dating. B) there is a marked increase in uncommitted sexual encounters. C)most American men, but not women, are sexually active. D)nearly all U.S. young people have become sexually active.

Q: When forging a committed relationship, emerging adults A) often rely on feedback from friends regarding romantic partners. B) take their time, as many say they do not feel ready to make this choice. C) choose mates who their families and friends would not approve. D) are relunctant to "date around," as many say they feel pressure to marry quickly.

Q: In emerging adulthood, advances in identity occur in which three main domains? A)love, work, and worldview B)career, financial security, and love C)job security, financial security, and marital status D)religiosity, spirituality, and work

Q: Which of the following statements about identity development in emerging adulthood is true? A)Young people usually explore in depth, but not in breadth. B)Young people usually explore in breadth, but not in depth. C)Young people usually explore possibilities in breadth and then in depth. D)Most college students make commitments but fail to evaluate them.

Q: Exposure to multiple viewpoints during emerging adulthood A)often confuses young people, thereby delaying commitment to life goals. B)encourages young people to adopt rigid values and beliefs passed down from their parents. C)often causes young people to construct an internal working model of themselves as flexible and supportive. D)encourages young people to look more closely at themselves, thereby developing a more complex self-concept.

Q: When college students tackle challenging, ill-structured problems, A)it is best if the professor leads students through the problem step-by-step. B)interaction among individuals who are roughly equal in authority and knowledge is beneficial. C)students do their best work alone so they can focus on understanding the purpose of the problem. D)the most successful solutions are developed by groups headed by a student expert.

Q: Advances in epistemic cognition depend on further gains in A) metacognition, which are likely to occur in situations that challenge young people's perspectives. B) executive function, which becomes increasingly rarer as the individual ages. C) experience, particularly personal experiences such as relationship and career development. D) postformal thought, which is seldom achieved by most individuals in industrialized nations.

Q: Which of the following individuals is most likely to have achieved commitment within relativistic thinking? A) Aisling, who earned her GED at age 20 B) Jessica, who earned an associate's degree C) Deondre, who just graduated with a bachelor's degree D) Martin, who is pursuing a PhD degree

Q: Attainment of commitment within relativistic thinking occurs more often among young people who A)view college as a "developmental testing ground." B)pursue advanced graduate education. C)understand the importance of globalization. D)commit to finishing college.

Q: Relativistic thinking leads to the realization that A)there are infallible authorities in every subject taught at universities. B)a universal "truth" can be discovered with enough education. C)a more satisfying perspective will not choose between opposing views. D)one's own beliefs are often subjective and each person creates his or her own "truth."

Q: Maribeth views all knowledge as embedded in a framework of thought. She believes that each person, in arriving at a position, creates her own "truth." Maribeth is using A)dualistic thinking. B)cognitive dissonance. C)relativistic thinking. D)epistemic cognition.

Q: Jermaine, a college sophomore, was asked, "If two people disagree on the interpretation of a poem, how would you decide which one is right?" He replied, "You'd have to ask the poet. It's his poem." Jermaine is displaying A)dualistic thinking. B)cognitive dissonance. C)relativistic thinking. D)epistemic cognition.

Q: Our reflections on how we arrived at facts, beliefs, and ideas are called A)dualistic thinking. B)cognitive dissonance. C)relativistic thinking. D)epistemic cognition.

Q: The work of __________ provided the starting point for an expanding research literature on the development of epistemic cognition. A) Jean Piaget B) Lev Vygotsky C) William Perry D) Robert Sternberg

Q: Dr. Thayer's research shows that college students make impressive strides in cognition. She focuses on cognitive development beyond Piaget's formal operational stage. Dr. Thayer studies A)preoperational thought. B)postformal thought. C)epistemic cognition. D)postoperational thought.

Q: Which of the following statements about cognitive changes in emerging adulthood is true? A)Pruning of synapses and myelination of stimulated neural fibers continue at a faster pace than in adolescence. B)Fine-tuning of the prefrontal cognitive control network is complete by age 20 to 22. C)As young people become increasingly proficient in a chosen field of endeavor, the cerebral cortex undergoes further experience-dependent brain growth. D)Structural changes in the brain occur as greater knowledge and refinement of skills results in less cortical tissue devoted to the task.

Q: Some researchers predict that emerging adulthood will become increasingly common as __________ accelerates. A)epistemic cognition B)experience-dependent brain growth C)pluralistic orientation D)globalization

Q: A favorable emerging adulthood depends on whether A)individuals move back to their parents' homes to get their bearings. B)it is used to acquire competencies essential for contemporary living. C)graduates' delayed leap into adult roles is filled with anxiety and frustration. D)young adults find a job and stick to it regardless of how rewarding they find the job.

Q: Critics of emerging adulthood believe that if __________ were plentiful, emerging adults would choose not postpone their adult responsibilities. A)affordable housing B)opportunities to relocate C)satisfying work enabling financial independence D)college scholarships

Q: One criticism of the concept of emerging adulthood is that A)it fails to describe the experiences of most young people in industrialized nations. B)research on emerging adulthood largely emphasizes its societal benefits. C)at no time has adulthood in complex societies been attained at a distinct moment. D)it is rapidly expanding in developing nations.

Q: Nineteen-year-old Chloe is likely to say __________ is a marker of adulthood. A)becoming financially independent B)rebelling against societal norms C)rejecting all one's own personal beliefs and values D)psychologically distancing oneself from parents

Q: The overwhelming majority of young people in traditional, non-Western countries A)experience a prolonged emerging adulthood. B)enter marriage late. C)enter lifelong work late. D)have no emerging adulthood.

Q: Which of the following young adults is most likely to experience emerging adulthood? A)Indira, who comes from a low-SES family in India B)Estevan, who comes from a low-SES family in Mexico C)Isabel, who comes from a middle-income family in Brazil D)Mai Ling, who comes from a wealthy family in China

Q: Dramatic gains in __________ in prosperous nations have contributed to emerging adulthood. A)birth rates B)intelligence scores C)life expectancy D)state-run universities

Q: Among African-American, Hispanic, and Native-American groups, __________ and __________ lead to lower rates of leaving home. A)instability; an extended period of emerging adulthood B)poverty; a cultural tradition of extended-family living C)personal desires; enrollment in college courses D)self-sufficiency; an equal relationship with parents

Q: Which of the following young adults is most likely to live independently? A)Alan, who is middle-SES B)Isaiah, who is low-SES C)Jesus, who is Hispanic D)Tommy, who is Native American

Q: Just over half of American 18- to 25-year olds A)do not qualify for enough private or federal financial aid to attend college. B)enter graduate school within three years of earning their bachelor's degree. C)return to their parents' home for brief periods after first leaving. D)view marriage and parenthood as crucial markers of adult status.

Q: Extended education, delayed career entry, and later marriage lead to __________ for those in emerging adulthood. A)great residential instability B)a global identity C)long-term career stability D)a great sense of security

Q: Which of the following statements regarding marriage attitudes in emerging adulthood is true? A)The overwhelming majority of contemporary urban adults in their twenties and thirties say that marriage should be spontaneous. B)Many contemporary emerging adults continue to view marriage as a socially expected step to become a "true adult." C)The overwhelming majority of contemporary urban adults in their twenties and thirties say that marriage should occur before personal goals for career are attained. D)The view of marriage as a crucial marker of adult status and as a socially expected outcome of an enduring courtship persists in rural America.

Q: It is __________ to make general statements about development during emerging adulthood __________ for any other period. A) harder; than B) easier; than C) as easy; as D) less paradoxical; than

Q: Which of the following statements about emerging adulthood is true? A)It is primarily found in low-SES ethnic minority groups. B)Emerging adults are actually adolescents who take on adult responsibilities. C)Emerging adulthood is a time of great challenge and uncertainty. D)Adult milestones are highly consistent in time and order across individuals.

Q: Emerging adulthood is A)experienced between ages 16 to 18 exclusively in industrialized nations. B)a new transitional period extending from the late teens to the mid- to late twenties. C)evident in nonindustrialized countries at the same rates as it is in industrialized nations. D)a time of certainty and focus seen in approximately 85 percent of the world's twenty-somethings.

Q: Lincoln, a 20-year-old American woman, is asked: "Do you consider yourself to have reached adulthood?" Lincoln probably responds A)"I haven't really thought about it." B)"No, I'm not a true adult." C)"Yes and no. It depends." D)"Yes, I am truly an adult."

Q: Which adolescents are at greatest risk for becoming delinquent? What are some suggestions for prevention of delinquency?

Q: You have been asked to give a talk on preventing adolescent suicide at a local high school. Using research from the text as a guide, what will you say in your lecture?

Q: Explain the relationship between adolescent friendships and psychological adjustment. Identify four ways that friendship contributes to many aspects of psychological health and competence into early adulthood.

Q: Meghan is approaching early adolescence. How will Meghan's gender-typed behavior likely change as she moves through adolescence? What factors will likely contribute to these changes?

Q: What types of moral dilemmas do people face in real life, and how do they resolve them? How does this compare to their approach to hypothetical problems like Kohlberg's "Heinz dilemma"?

Q: Explain why students from ethnic minority backgrounds face difficulties in developing an identity, and give suggestions on how to help minority adolescents resolve identity conflicts constructively.

Q: Describe the four identity statuses described by James Marcia, and cite factors that promote identity development.

Q: Which of the following resources are shown to facilitate resilience in adolescents? A)working a full-time job B)early dating C)parental monitoring D)other-sex friendships

Q: Most teenagers A)engage in serious antisocial acts, although they are rarely caught or prosecuted. B)do not show serious depression, suicidal tendencies, or persistent antisocial behavior. C)experience severe bouts of depression, especially those in industrialized nations. D)seriously consider suicide, although few actually make an attempt.

Q: The mayor of Central City wants to reduce its youth crime rate. Based on research findings, which of the following would you recommend? A)Start school earlier in the day and end it later in the day. B)Work with law enforcement to lengthen prison sentences for juvenile offenders . C)Establish a strict zero tolerance policy which severely punishes all disruptive behavior. D)Promote high-quality teaching in schools and create work-study vocational education programs.

Q: Because delinquency has roots in childhood and results from events in several contexts, A)only significant economic improvements will be able to decrease delinquency. B)teaching parents to be supportive and monitor their child's behavior is useless. C)only police involvement and increasing arrests can decrease delinquency. D)prevention must start early and take place at multiple levels.

Q: Rick has overly high self-esteem, despite his academic difficulties and status as a social outcast. When another student challenges his arrogant behavior, Rick is likely to A)withdraw and become depressed. B)lash out in anger. C)respond with relational aggression. D)ignore the student.

Q: Why do delinquent youths tend to stick together? A)to avoid social isolation and bolster their fragile self-esteem B)to more effectively commit crimes C)because larger groups tend to gain more status and respect D)because they have similar interests and values

Q: Chronic delinquents typically A)experience peer rejection in childhood. B)show few academic problems in childhood. C)behave rebelliously despite good parental discipline. D)are unresponsive to pressures of the peer group.

Q: On Halloween, four teenagers separately set out to smash pumpkins. Which one is most likely to get arrested? A)Pete, a low-SES Caucasian-American male B)Dani, a high-SES Caucasian-American female C)Jace, an African-American male D)Keisha, an Asian-American female

Q: Johnson County officials are considering four options to help late-onset adolescent delinquents. Based on research findings, which of the following proposals would you recommend? A)Proposal 1: Implement longer prison terms for repeat offenders. B)Proposal 2: Eliminate juvenile court and prosecute teenagers in adult court. C)Proposal 3: Hold parents of delinquent youths legally accountable for their children's behavior. D)Proposal 4: Keep the delinquent youths in school and help them form positive, close relationships.

Q: Compared to their early-onset counterparts, late-onset delinquent teenagers A)are more socially isolated and tend to be more violent. B)often show subtle deficits in cognitive functioning. C)are much more likely to demonstrate continued criminal behavior into adulthood. D)have conduct problems that arise from the peer context of early adolescence.

Q: Serious antisocial activity is most likely among teenagers who A)express sadness and feeling low. B)engage in corumination with their friends. C)are withdrawn and unable to meet their own standards. D)combine physical and relational hostility.

Q: Which of the following statements about adolescent delinquency is true? A)Early-onset delinquency is far more likely to lead to a life-course pattern of aggression and criminality. B)Late-onset delinquency is far more likely to lead to a life-course pattern of aggression and criminality. C)Early relational aggression is not linked to adolescent conduct problems. D)The longer antisocial young people spend in prison, the less likely they are to sustain a life of crime.

Q: Delinquency usually __________ over early and middle adolescence and then __________. A)declines; rises B)rises; rises further C)declines; declines further D)rises; declines

Q: When teenagers are asked directly and confidentially about lawbreaking, __________ admit to having committed some sort of offense. A)almost none B)about half C)almost all D)mostly boys

Q: Penelope says, "I hate my life and I just want to die. Besides, everyone would be better off without me-better if I had never been born." You should A)try to take her mind off her problems by taking her to a movie or some other activity. B)agree with her initially. If she thinks you are on her side by not opposing her plan, she is more likely to be convinced by you later. C)make her get professional help right away. Do not try to talk with her yourself, as untrained counseling can actually increase the risk of suicide. D)empathize with Penelope's feelings and ask if she has a plan for killing herself. If she has a specific plan involving a method and a time, the risk of suicide is high.

Q: Which of the following statements about factors related to adolescent suicide is true? A)Suicidal adolescents typically do not have a family history of suicide. B)The majority of adolescents who attempt suicide are solitary and withdrawn. C)Most, if not all, successful suicides are sudden and impulsive. D)A prior suicide attempt is the strongest predictor of suicide completion.

Q: Grant's parents have noticed that he seems to be putting his personal affairs in order-smoothing over troubled relationships and giving away treasured possessions. This indicates that Grant may A)be contemplating suicide. B)be entering Erikson's stage of identity confusion. C)have recently experienced a friend's suicide. D)be about to run away from home.

Q: Events such as parental blaming for family problems, the breakup of an important peer relationship, or the humiliation of being caught engaging in irresponsible or antisocial acts are all A)stressors that can foster depression, but typically do not lead to a suicide attempt. B)triggers that result in more delinquent acts. C)contributing factors to the imaginary audience and the personal fable. D)stressors that can trigger a suicide attempt.

Q: Lesbian, gay, and bisexual youths who attempt suicide are more likely to report A)warm, supportive romantic relationships. B)family conflict over their gender-atypical behavior. C)strong ties to peers. D)meeting their partners on the Internet.

Q: Which of the following young people is at highest risk for suicide? A)Jennifer, who is Asian American B)Claire, who is Native American C)Alyssia, who is African American D)Leah, who is Caucasian American