Q&A Hero

Q: Issues of autonomy: A. are typically resolved during toddlerhood. B. are typically resolved during adolescence. C. are typically resolved in early adulthood. D. recur throughout the life span.

Q: All of the following are reasons stated in the text to explain why adolescent autonomy has attracted the attention of developmental psychologists, except: A. the physical changes of early adolescence trigger changes in the adolescent's emotional relationships at home. B. puberty sets up a situation of the adolescent's increasing emotional dependence on the family. C. the cognitive changes of adolescence provide the foundation for changes in the adolescent's thinking about social, moral, and ethical problems. D. changes in social roles raise concerns about independence relating to increased responsibility and self-reliance.

Q: Peter is noticing changes in the expression of affection and distribution of power in his relationships with his parents. He is less likely to rush to them with a problem, and is spending more time with his friends. What type of autonomy is developing with Peter? A. behavioral B. emotional C. cognitive D. none of the above

Q: Jane, the adolescent daughter of the local police chief, has recently been hanging out with a rowdy group of youth who have vandalized a number of public buildings. Jane has most likely adopted a: A. false-self behavior. B. negative peer culture. C. negative identity. D. all of the above

Q: Whose research supports Erikson's theory on identity development? A. Phinney B. Harter C. Marcia D. Gilligan

Q: According to Marcia's research, which identity status is associated with healthy development? A. achievement B. foreclosure C. moratorium D. diffusion

Q: Which adolescent would be expected to have the greatest difficulty establishing a sense of identity? A. Jerome, who has many alternatives available to him in many different arenas. B. Gerald, who has a moderate number of alternatives available to him in a few different arenas. C. Guillermo, who has few alternatives available to him and is expected to follow in his father's footsteps. D. All of these adolescents are likely to have difficulty establishing a sense of identity.

Q: According to Erikson, a necessary "time out" for adolescents is called: A. psychosocial moratorium. B. a period of crystallization. C. deindividuation. D. a period of separation.

Q: Bruce, a 2nd-year college student, has switched majors three times. He is still undecided about what he wants to do with his life. Bruce is in: A. a state of psychological confusion. B. a period of crystallization. C. a state of deindividuation. D. a state of psychosocial moratorium.

Q: Dr. Smith argues that adolescence is such a demanding time that adolescents need several years with as few responsibilities as possible so they can sort out their identities. His argument focuses on the idea of: A. individuation. B. separation. C. crystallization. D. psychosocial moratorium.

Q: Since Jerry became an adolescent, he has experimented with different roles and personalities. Jerry's parents are telling all their friends that this is just a "phase" that he's going through. According to Erikson, this "phase" is called: A. identity foreclosure. B. psychosocial moratorium. C. identity confusion. D. negative identity.

Q: Problems in identity development can result when: A. earlier crises have not been resolved. B. an adolescent's environment does not allow for a period of foreclosure. C. the adolescent has many alternatives from which to choose. D. the adolescent has not yet experienced the crisis of generativity.

Q: Identity that is incoherent, disjointed, and characterized by an incomplete sense of self is called: A. false-self behavior. B. moratorium. C. identity diffusion. D. marginal identity.

Q: Alex suffers from identity diffusion. In addition to problems with identity development, problems with identity diffusion are likely to be reflected in the area(s) of: A. autonomy B. intimacy C. sexuality D. all of the above

Q: James has flunked out of high school, has severed all of his ties with family and friends, and has no sense of where he is headed. He also seems to have significant disruptions in his sense of time (some things seem to happen much faster than they really do). According to Erikson, James is experiencing: A. identity diffusion. B. negative identity. C. identity foreclosure. D. psychosocial moratorium.

Q: Sixteen-year-old Mercedes believes that the death penalty is wrong because her parents, friends, and church say so. She has never really thought about the issue, but has accepted this view as her own. What is her identity status? A. achievement B. foreclosure C. diffusion D. moratorium

Q: Identities that are undesirable to parents and community members are referred to by Erikson as: A. negative identities. B. marginal identities. C. false identities. D. offensive identities.

Q: Kurt is 15 and spends most of his energy wondering who he is and what kind of person he will become. Erikson would describe him as facing the crisis called: A. basic trust versus mistrust. B. autonomy versus shame and doubt. C. industry versus inferiority. D. identity versus identity diffusion.

Q: The key to resolving the crisis of identity versus identity diffusion, according to Erikson, is: A. identity achievement. B. family relationships. C. interactions with others. D. peer relationships.

Q: Adolescents whose parents are not both from the same ethnic or racial group are known as ________ adolescents. A. multilingual B. culture brokering C. maternal-race D. biracial

Q: Among biracial adolescents asked to describe their own ethnic identity, those with one Black parent and one nonBlack parent are more likely to: A. identify themselves as a member of the nonBlack parent's ethnic group. B. identify themselves as Black. C. refuse to answer questions about their own ethnic identity. D. identify themselves as half-Black.

Q: Which of the following is not generally a predictor of self-esteem? A. academic achievement B. parental love C. supportive friends D. religious affiliation

Q: Which of the following adolescents' self-esteem is most likely affected by their academic success? A. Stacey, a White adolescent B. Bill, an Asian-American adolescent C. Henry, a Mexican-American adolescent D. Cathy, a Black adolescent

Q: Which of the following statements about self-esteem in children is true? A. Having high self-esteem boosts achievement. B. High achievement boosts self-esteem. C. High achievement and high self-esteem each boost the other characteristic. D. For the most part, self-esteem and achievement are unrelated characteristics.

Q: Involvement in delinquent activity may lead to ________ in self-esteem. A. an increase B. a decrease C. stability D. no relationship

Q: Erik Erikson believed that ________ is the primary psychosocial crisis of adolescence. A. balancing a sense of trust with a sense of mistrust B. developing a sense of autonomy and the ability to do things for oneself C. establishing a coherent sense of identity D. developing intimate personal relationships

Q: According to Erikson, the major crisis of adolescence is called: A. basic trust versus mistrust. B. autonomy versus shame and doubt. C. industry versus inferiority. D. identity versus identity diffusion.

Q: Which of the following factors is the most important predictor of overall self-esteem? A. athletic ability B. academic ability C. physical self-esteem D. moral conduct

Q: Which adolescent is most vulnerable to disturbances in self-image? A. Carol, a 13-year-old female B. Catherine, an 18-year-old female C. Carl, a 13-year-old male D. Carlton, an 18-year-old male

Q: Overall, which group of adolescents feels least positive about themselves? A. White females B. White males C. Black females D. Black males

Q: Susan, a White adolescent, is more likely to be vulnerable to disturbances in ________ than any other group of youngsters. A. self-concept B. self-image C. false-self behavior D. family relationships

Q: According to the textbook, research indicates which of the following is not a correlate of high self-esteem: A. approval of parents B. approval of peers C. succeeding in school D. involvement in many extracurricular activities

Q: Which of the following is not one of the explanations researchers have presented to answer the question, "Given the prevalence of prejudice in American society and the generally disadvantaged position of Blacks, why do Black adolescents have high self-esteem?" A. Black teenagers benefit from the support and positive feedback of adults in their communities. B. Blacks have learned not to recognize the extent to which American society discriminates against them. C. Adolescents protect their self-esteem by focusing on areas of strength instead of areas of weakness. D. A strong sense of ethnic identity among Black adolescents enhances their self-esteem.

Q: Tony, a Black adolescent, and Vicki, a White adolescent, both attend a predominantly Black school. Studies predict that: A. Tony will have higher self-esteem than Vicki. B. Tony will have lower self-esteem than Vicki. C. both Tony and Vicki will have high self-esteem. D. both Tony and Vicki will have low self-esteem.

Q: Research has shown that racial socialization that results in having positive attitudes about one's ethnic group is associated with: A. having negative attitudes about other ethnic groups. B. faster identity development among adolescents. C. problematic interracial relations. D. positive attitudes about other ethnic groups.

Q: Which of the following statements regarding sex differences in self-esteem is accurate? A. early adolescent girls' self-esteem is higher than same-age boys B. early adolescent girls have lower self-consciousness than same-age boys C. early adolescent boys have a shakier self-image than same-age girls D. early adolescent girls are more likely to say negative things about themselves than same-aged boys

Q: According to the textbook, because _____ girls do not feel as _____ about their appearances as girls of other racial backgrounds, these individuals typically have _____ overall self-esteem. A. White; negatively; higher B. White; insecure; lower C. Black; negatively; higher D. Black; positively; lower

Q: Although research presented in the textbook indicates that physical self-esteem is the best predictor of adolescents' self-esteem: A. adolescents, when asked, say that their physical appearance is one of the least important contributors to how they feel about themselves B. adolescents may be unaware of the degree to which their self-worth is based on their feelings about their appearance C. physical self-esteem is a more important influence on overall self-esteem among girls than among boys and girls' physical self-esteem is on average lower than boys' D. all of the above

Q: According to personality research presented in the textbook, there is evidence that, between adolescence and young adulthood, individuals become: A. more extraverted and less conscientious B. less extraverted and more agreeable C. more emotionally stable and more extraverted D. less agreeable and more emotionally stable

Q: During childhood, Cathy had high self-esteem. As she enters adolescence, Cathy's self-esteem is most likely to: A. increase. B. remain the same or increase. C. remain the same or decrease. D. decrease.

Q: Based on the research findings of Simmons and her colleagues, compared to older adolescents (15 years and older) and preadolescents (8-11 year olds), which of the following statements about young adolescents' self-esteem, self-consciousness, and self-image is false? A. Early adolescents' self-esteem remains stable. B. Early adolescents have lower self-esteem. C. Early adolescents are more self-conscious. D. Early adolescents have a more unstable self-image.

Q: Simmons and her colleagues found that the most marked fluctuations in self-image occur: A. during the transition into adolescence. B. during middle adolescence. C. over the course of adolescence. D. during the transition from adolescence to adulthood.

Q: Rose is transitioning from elementary into junior high school and Sally is transitioning into high school. According to research presented in the textbook, who is more likely to experience disruptions in self-esteem? A. Rose B. Sally C. Rose and Sally are equally likely to experience disruptions in self-esteem D. neither Sally nor Rose is likely to experience disruptions in self-esteem

Q: A. globally B. along several distinct dimensions C. in constant comparison to their peers and their ideal self D. both A and B are correct

Q: According to the textbook, young adolescents with __________ also report high levels of anxiety, tension, psychosomatic symptoms and irritability. A. a volatile self-image B. an aggressive parent C. extremely low self-esteem D. very few close peers

Q: Which of the following is not a reason that early adolescents might experience fluctuations in self-image? A. egocentrism B. they are learning that it is not always possible to tell what people are thinking on the basis of how they act or what they say C. because of the increased importance of peers in early adolescence D. because early adolescents spend most of their time engaging in false-self behavior

Q: According to the textbook, which of the following might make individuals especially vulnerable to the effects of stress? A. volatile self-image B. low sense of self-worth C. egocentrism D. impression management

Q: Jenny has high academic self esteem while Cory has high physical self-esteem. According to the textbook, who will probably have higher overall self-esteem? A. Cory B. Jenny C. Cory and Jenny will most likely have equally high self-esteem D. There is not enough information to answer this question

Q: Tabatha's parents are worried that as she enters adolescence, her self-esteem will greatly decrease. During what time should Tabatha's parents expect the most fluctuations in her self-image? A. When she is 8-11 years old. B. When she is 12-14 years old. C. When she is 15-18 years old. D. When she is 19-21 years old.

Q: Temperament and personality tend to become _________ as we __________. A. stable; take more classes B. unstable; get older C. stable; get older D. unstable; take more classes

Q: How positively or negatively people feel about themselves defines: A. self-regulation B. self-esteem C. self-attribution D. self-idealization

Q: Larry is an adolescent who frequently engages in false-self behavior and also has low self-esteem. One explanation for these two characteristics is that: A. Larry might be low in self-esteem because he knowingly puts on a false front B. Larry might engage in false-self behavior because he is low in self-esteem C. There is no relation between false-self behavior and low self-esteem D. Both A and B are correct

Q: Which of the following is not one of the personality dimensions of the Five-Factor Model? A. Neuroticism B. Openness to Experience C. Agreeableness D. Gender Intensification

Q: What does the Five-Factor Model describe? A. research methodology B. personality dimensions C. false-self behavior D. self-esteem dimensions

Q: Which dimension of the Five-Factor Model measures how organized someone is? A. Extroversion B. Agreeableness C. Neuroticism D. Conscientiousness

Q: Studies of ethnic identity development have shown that, relative to ethnic minorities, Whites are more likely to: A. identify their specific heritage (e.g., German, Irish). B. have a stronger sense of ethnic identity. C. avoid using "panethnic" labels to describe themselves. D. identify themselves as "American" rather than a specific heritage label.

Q: Racial socialization, the process by which parents teach children about their ethnic identity and the experiences they may encounter within society as a result of this identity, is thought to focus on three major themes. Which of the following is not one of these themes? A. getting along in mainstream society B. dealing with racism C. intolerance of the majority culture D. understanding one's own culture

Q: How much do people's personalities differ before and after adolescence? A. They are much different. B. There are a few major changes. C. They remain about the same. D. It's different for everyone.

Q: Mei was an impulsive preschooler. It is likely that, as an adolescent, she will be: A. impulsive. B. shy. C. anxious. D. well-adjusted.

Q: Generally speaking, the parenting style that is associated with the healthiest identity development is: A. warm but not excessively constraining. B. the absence of parental warmth. C. the absence of parental encouragement of individuality. D. warm but discouraging of individuality.

Q: Adolescents who have more complex self-conceptions are less likely: A. to be depressed. B. to achieve more in school. C. to have lots of friends. D. to be foreclosed.

Q: An important aspect of having a healthy self-concept and more socially appropriate behavior is to be able to balance one's ______ self with one's ______ self. A. actual; ideal B. actual; feared C. ideal; feared D. ideal; other

Q: Amy, a 16-year-old girl, is shy around boys though she would really like to be more outgoing. This reflects: A. the drive toward positive self-esteem. B. the discrepancy between her ideal and actual selves. C. a false sense of self-concept. D. all of the above.

Q: Adolescents are most likely to exhibit false-self behavior with their: A. friends. B. parents. C. dates. D. siblings.

Q: Adolescents are most likely to behave __________ in romantic situations and with a classmate, and they are least likely to engage in ___________ with parents. A. falsely; inauthentic behavior B. authentically; inauthentic behavior C. inauthentically; false-self behavior D. authentically; true-self behavior

Q: Which of the following adolescents is least likely to engage in false-self behavior? A. Kassim, who has low self-esteem B. Emily, who has high support from her parents C. Joy, who has problems with depression D. Eddie, who has a sense of hopelessness

Q: Someone who engages in false-self behavior most likely: A. reports less emotional support from parents and peers. B. has low self-esteem. C. is depressed. D. all of the above

Q: Kikko hates country music but told Keith, who is a big Garth Brooks fan and her latest love interest, that she adored country music and would love to go with him to see Garth in concert. This type of behavior is called: A. the negative identity. B. code switching. C. identity confusion. D. the false-self.

Q: When asked to describe himself, Aaron stated, "Most of my friends think I don't care about school, but I really study a lot at night because school is important to me." This is an example of how adolescent self-conceptions become more: A. detailed. B. logical. C. differentiated. D. intensified.

Q: Which of the following is one of the characteristics that distinguish between the adolescent's and the child's self-concept? A. Adolescents tend to view the self as involving more dimensions than do children. B. Adolescents distinguish among actual, ideal, and feared selves. C. The adolescent's self varies over time and across situations. D. all of the above.

Q: As you join some friends for coffee they are discussing a group of other students you know who seem to have a problem with their identity developmentsome seem to have a rather incoherent, disjointed, incomplete sense of who they are; one seems to have made no exploration at all in any areas of his development and just does what his parents tell him, which he says is fine with him; and a couple of others behave in ways that are obviously contrary to social norms and mores. They turn to you to ask if there are classifications to describe these behaviors and how they might have developed. What do you tell them?

Q: All of the following are defining characteristics of agency, except: A. feeling in control of one's own decisions. B. having confidence that obstacles can be overcome. C. blaming other people for one's problems. D. taking responsibility for one's self.

Q: Researchers are particularly interested in the identity changes that occur in adolescence for all of the following reasons, except: A. this is the first substantial reorganization and restructuring of the sense of self at a time when an individual can fully appreciate the significance of the changes. B. the physical changes of puberty may prompt fluctuations in self-image. C. adolescents are capable of thinking in systematic ways about hypothetical and future events. D. adolescents are now capable of thinking in concrete terms about who they are and where they are going.

Q: Adolescents increase their ability and tendency to consider the long-term consequences of their decisions, which is one aspect of: A. imagining their possible selves. B. future orientation. C. self-concept. D. identity formation.

Q: Identity formation is best seen as a: A. series of interrelated developments. B. single developmental issue. C. discrete quantitative switch. D. movement into a new and different person.

Q: Researchers have identified all of the following factors as critical components of the development of identity during adolescence, except: A. self-esteem. B. sense of identity. C. self-conception. D. self-regulation.

Q: Maria sees herself as an only child, as a person who likes art and music, who is shy, and who likes to read. Maria's description fits best with the idea of: A. self-conception. B. self-esteem. C. self-attribution. D. self-control.

Q: Gwen has recently been preoccupied with trying to understand what kind of person she is. As an exercise, she writes out a list of 20 traits that she thinks best describe her. According to the text, Gwen is focusing on her: A. identity. B. self-conception. C. self-esteem. D. socialization.

Q: As adolescents develop, their self-conceptions become more: A. negative. B. optimistic. C. disorganized. D. differentiated.

Q: Which of the following statements about self-conception is most likely to be made by a child rather than by an adolescent? A. "I am not a classifiable person." B. "Most people think I'm very secure, but really I'm pretty shy." C. "I am a girl; I have two brothers; I like to read." D. "I am honest; I am helpful; I am friendly."