Q&A Hero

Q: Tina smoked cigarettes, drank alcohol, and used drugs moderately in early adolescence, then quickly increased her use between early and middle adolescence, and continued to increase her use throughout high school and late adolescence. Tina is a: A. low escalator. B. early starter. C. high escalator. D. delinquent.

Q: Of the following adolescents, who will be the most well-adjusted? A. Mavis, who is a frequent drug user B. Jennifer, who irrationally and obsessively abstains from drugs and alcohol C. Vicki, who has experimented with alcohol D. None of the above.

Q: At age 17, Cherise is a frequent drug user. According to one team of researchers who followed a sample of individuals from preschool into young adulthood, it is possible that: A. she had psychological disturbance before the age of 7. B. her problem behavior began a few months ago. C. her problem behavior began by age 15. D. it is her peer group, not her early family relations, that has directed her into using drugs.

Q: Which is not considered a risk factor for substance abuse in adolescence? A. psychological factors B. familial factors C. contextual factors D. educational factors

Q: Which of the following statements about adolescent cigarette use is true? A. The huge increase in the price of cigarettes over the last couple decades has led to a sharp decrease in the percentage of smoking adolescents. B. Antismoking campaigns have contributed to the steady decline of cigarette use among adolescents. C. The most effective way to reduce adolescent smoking has been to enforce laws that restrict sales of cigarettes to minors. D. Despite changes in tobacco industry policies, the percentage of smoking adolescents has remained stable over two decades.

Q: Researchers believe that changes in rates of adolescent drug use: A. are in opposition to messages they receive from parents and teachers. B. are in opposition to messages they receive from the media. C. may relate to their perceptions of how harmful and disapproved of the drug is. D. show a consistent gap in drug use between males and females.

Q: Which statement is most likely true about American adolescents today? A. Adolescents are experimenting with drugs at later ages. B. Marijuana is the only substance used by a substantial number of high school seniors daily. C. Experimentation with drugs is less common among younger teens than it had been in the past D. A large proportion of adolescents use hard drugs.

Q: Corrina is concerned because she learned that her 13-year-old son, Henry, and her 17-year-old son, Hector, were caught drinking. Are either of these teenagers likely to become addicted to alcohol? A. Yes, Hector is likely to be addicted to alcohol as an adult. B. Yes, Henry is likely to be addicted to alcohol as an adult. C. Both boys will be addicted and continue drug use into adulthood. D. Neither boy; these are both cases of adolescent experimentation.

Q: The neurotransmitter associated with the experience of pleasure that is implicated in substance abuse problems is known as: A. serotonin. B. dopamine. C. acetylcholine. D. norepinephrine.

Q: Which list correctly ranks substances used by high school seniors from most to least popular? A. alcohol, marijuana, cigarettes, inhalants B. cigarettes, alcohol, cocaine, marijuana C. alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana, cocaine D. cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, inhalants

Q: According to recent surveys, which drug is used most on a daily basis by high school students? A. marijuana B. alcohol C. tobacco D. cocaine

Q: For which age group are these statistics accurate: One-third of these individuals have tried alcohol; one in six has tried marijuana, and one in six has been drunk at least once. A. high school seniors B. eighth graders C. college students D. high school sophomores

Q: Eduardo was caught binge drinking on Saturday night. This means that he: A. drinks alcohol every day. B. drinks alcohol every weekend. C. has had more than five alcoholic drinks in a row. D. has had enough alcohol within the past year to cause him to black out.

Q: Studies of adolescent drug use suggest that: A. a large majority of adolescents have serious drug dependence problems. B. a large majority of adolescents use hard drugs. C. drug and alcohol use are the underlying cause of many adolescents' problems. D. the drug of choice among adolescents is alcohol.

Q: Which of the following has not been supported by research addressing drug use by adolescents? A. Almost half of adolescents have experimented with alcohol and marijuana. B. Many adolescents use alcohol or marijuana regularly. C. Marijuana is the drug most used by adolescents. D. Most adolescents have not experimented with hard drugs.

Q: Research on problem behaviors suggests that: A. most delinquents are serious drug users. B. risky behaviors cluster together in different ways for different adolescents. C. the problem behaviors that adults disapprove of are considered by adolescents to be normative, not problematic. D. risky behaviors are more likely to be noticed as clustering together in studies of children than in studies of adolescents.

Q: The common factor with respect to comorbidity in internalizing disorders is: A. the subjective state of distress. B. acting-out behaviors. C. depression. D. withdrawal.

Q: Externalizing problems are hypothesized to reflect an antisocial syndrome just as internalizing problems are hypothesized to reflect the common underlying factor of: A. negative emotionality. B. social control. C. risk-taking behaviors. D. comorbidity.

Q: Which of the following is considered an "internalizing disorder"? A. drug abuse B. anxiety C. truancy D. delinquency

Q: Research shows that the enormous sums of money spent by tobacco companies on marketing cigarettes to teenagers are: A. pretty much a waste because the marketing strategies have little effect on adolescents. B. unnecessary because adolescents would smoke even without the extensive advertising. C. does not cause adolescents to start smoking; tobacco advertising is mainly effective at brand recognition. D. important in getting adolescents to stop smoking because these companies now are required to sponsor antismoking ads.

Q: Which of the following is not one of the popular stereotypes of contemporary adolescents? A. They use and abuse drugs more than their counterparts did in previous generations. B. The main reason adolescents use drugs is peer pressure. C. The "epidemic" of substance use by American adolescents underlies many of the other problems associated with adolescents. D. Although not supported by research, all of the above are popular stereotypes of contemporary adolescents.

Q: Which substance is most commonly used and abused by adolescents? A. alcohol B. marijuana C. nicotine D. cocaine

Q: Alcohol is the commonly used and abused substance in terms of: A. prevalence B. recency of use. C. Both A and B. D. Neither A nor B.

Q: Approximately what percent of high school seniors have tried alcohol? What about marijuana? A. Approximately 70% of adolescents have tried alcohol and approximately 46% of high school seniors have tried marijuana. B. Approximately 40% of adolescents have tried alcohol and approximately 66% of high school seniors have tried marijuana. C. Approximately 90% of adolescents have tried alcohol and approximately 56% of high school seniors have tried marijuana. D. Approximately 30% of adolescents have tried alcohol and approximately 16% of high school seniors have tried marijuana.

Q: Jim and his mom are in an argument because his mom found out that Jim has smoked marijuana. Jim's defense is, "Half the senior class is doing it!" How accurate is Jim's statement? A. It is very inaccurateonly 10% of high school seniors have tried marijuana. B. It is inaccuratehalf of Americans have tried marijuana, not half of high school seniors. C. It is almost accurateabout 46% of all high school seniors have tried marijuana. D. Statistics about marijuana use are too inconsistent to know.

Q: The most worrisome alcohol related issues presented in the textbook is that: A. about 20% of high school seniors have had more than five drinks at one time and about 14% of high school seniors report having driven a car after drinking at least once in the past month. B. the majority of adolescents who use alcohol before their senior year of high school are likely to be alcoholics by the time they are 30 years old. C. about 93% of unwanted pregnancies among teenagers are caused by binge drinking. D. about 93% of rape cases between two adolescents occur when at least one of the two individuals is intoxicated.

Q: Which of the following statement about comorbidity is not true? A. co-occurring internalizing and externalizing problems are more prevalent among females than among males B. some experts question whether it makes sense to draw distinctions between anxiety and depression because rates of comorbidity are so high C. there is hardly any comorbidity among different psychosocial problems during adolescence within or across the broad categories (i.e., internalizing disorders, externalizing disorders, substance abuse) D. substance abuse problems are likely to be comorbid with both externalizing and internalizing problems

Q: When two problems occur together, such as substance abuse and depression, it is referred to as: A. comorbidity. B. coexisting. C. coterminous disorder. D. parallel diagnoses.

Q: Researchers have found all of the following with regard to problem behavior in adolescence, except: A. adolescents often exhibit one specific problem, such as depression, without exhibiting any others. B. adolescents may exhibit more than one problem within the same general category, such as depression and anxiety. C. adolescents may exhibit both internalizing and externalizing problems, such as depression and delinquency. D. adolescents with severe behavior problems are likely to have followed similar pathways to deviance, most typically with similar family problems.

Q: Greg suffers from depression. His friend, Matthew, also suffers from depression as well as conduct disorder. Which boy probably had worse family experiences? A. Chris B. Matthew C. both Chris and Matthew D. Neither boy; these problems cannot be attributed to the family,

Q: Which behavior would not be seen as a manifestation of lack of impulse control? A. truancy B. depression C. defiance D. academic difficulties

Q: The term "______ syndrome" refers to covariation among various types of externalizing disorders that results from an underlying trait of unconventionality found in the adolescent's personality and social environment. A. problem behavior B. biological risk C. social control D. gateway

Q: Which of the following individuals is most likely to engage in risk-taking behaviors? A. Marco, who is tolerant of deviance B. Karen, who is not highly connected to school or to a religious institution C. Patrick, who is very liberal in his social views D. all of these individuals are likely to engage in risky behaviors.

Q: Denise Kandel is most likely to argue that: A. a predisposition toward deviance may be inherited. B. biologically based differences account for differences in arousal and sensation-seeking. C. defiance develops in deviance-prone children who are reared in hostile environments. D. involvement in a given problem behavior may lead to involvement in other problem behaviors.

Q: According to social control theory, delinquency is caused by: A. unconventionality in the adolescent's personality. B. an inherited predisposition toward deviance. C. biologically based differences in arousal and sensation-seeking. D. a lack of bonds to the family, the school, or the workplace.

Q: What would a social control theorist say about an adolescent who engages in risk-taking behavior? A. They have a biological predisposition toward risky behavior. B. They are inherently unconventional. C. They have a weak attachment to society. D. They have authoritarian parents.

Q: Alice has a substance abuse problem. Which of the following problems is she also likely to have? A. internalizing disorder B. externalizing disorder C. internalizing and externalizing disorders are both likely to accompany substance use problems D. None of the above.

Q: Alcohol and tobacco use among adolescents is more common ______; however, illicit drug use (mainly marijuana) is more common _____. A. in most European countries than in the United States; in the United States than in European countries B. in the United States than in European countries; in most European countries than in the United States C. among males; among females D. among females; among males

Q: Christi suffers from depression. She also gets in fights at school to express her anger and sadness. Christi's problems fall into which category? A. internalizing disorder B. externalizing disorder C. Christi has comorbid disorders D. substance abuse

Q: Approximately how many of high school seniors have used steroids? A. almost all male high school athletes B. just less than half C. very few (about 2%) D. about 25%

Q: Approximately how many high school seniors have taken prescription drugs, like Percocet or Vicodin for recreational use? A. almost 80% B. just less than half C. not very many (about 7%) D. about 65%

Q: Dara suffers from depression. What type of disorder does depression reflect? A. an externalizing disorder B. a psychosomatic disorder C. an internalizing disorder D. a personality disorder

Q: One recent international study found that which type of countries are likely to have adolescents whose alcohol use is not predictive of violence? A. poor countries B. countries with large income disparities C. countries that have relatively few adolescents compared to other generations D. countries where adolescents are more likely to drink in settings were adults are present

Q: Theodore has been referred to as an "acting-out" adolescent. He engages in delinquent behavior. Theodore is most likely exhibiting: A. externalizing symptomatology. B. psychosomatic symptomatology. C. internalizing symptomatology. D. psychopathological symptomatology.

Q: _______________ is an example of an internalizing disorder; _______________ is an example of an externalizing disorder. A. Depression; psychosomatic disturbance B. Anxiety; delinquency C. Drug and alcohol abuse; delinquency D. Truancy; psychosomatic disturbance

Q: Shawn is told by his teacher that the task he is working on is too difficult for him. Therefore, Shawn believes that failure is inevitable. He is likely to develop: A. learned helplessness. B. attribution biases. C. achievement attributions. D. None of the above.

Q: The belief or expectation that one cannot control the forces in one's environment is called: A. underachievement. B. fear of failure. C. learned helplessness. D. temperament.

Q: Which scenario best represents adolescent alcohol use in today's society? A. Dahlia started using alcohol at age 17 and by age 19 had stopped drinking completely. B. Brian first tried alcohol at the beginning of high school and now, at 17, uses it only occasionally. C. Julia, a high school senior, has never tried alcohol. D. Michael, a 13-year-old, drinks alcohol almost every day with his friends.

Q: Since 1991, a survey assessing eighth-graders', tenth-graders', and high school seniors' use and abuse of a variety of drugs has been distributed to a nationwide sample every year. The name of this survey is: A. Examining the Future. B. Monitoring Tomorrow. C. Monitoring the Future. D. Focus on the Future.

Q: Denise has just been caught vandalizing public property for the fourth time this year. What is probably true of her early home and school life? A. Her problems have emerged only during adolescence. B. Her early home and school life were average. C. She probably had problems at home and school at an early age. D. Home and school life have not been shown to be connected to delinquency.

Q: Approximately how many teenagers develop drinking problems or permit alcohol to adversely affect their schooling or personal relationships? A. a reasonable amount B. relatively few C. a large proportion D. none

Q: Which of the following adolescent problems is likely to be resolved by adulthood? A. substance use B. delinquency C. unemployment D. All of the above.

Q: According to a study of more than 10,000 American adolescents, approximately _____ of all teenagers report having an anxiety disorder by age 18 and ______ of these individuals developed an anxiety disorder before turning 12. A. 60%; 2% B. one-third; almost all C. 50%; over 90% D. 15%; just over half

Q: The textbook indicates that some risk taking behaviors may have: A. been evolutionarily adaptive. B. biological underpinnings. C. Both A and B are true. D. Neither A nor B is true.

Q: Peter's parents caught him drinking alcohol with a couple of his friends and now they're worried. They think his alcohol use might turn into a long-term problem. Which of the following best illustrates the nature of adolescent drug use? A. Many adolescents experiment with alcohol in high school without growing into adult alcoholics. B. Adolescent alcohol use is the first sign of long-term problems with drugs. C. Adolescent alcohol use is a clear indication of permissive parenting techniques. D. None of the above is true.

Q: Carol has just learned that her son, Mike, has been caught shoplifting for the fifth time. Carol told the police that Mike is just reacting to the stress of going through puberty. How accurate is Carol's idea? A. Carol is probably correct; adolescence is a very confusing time. B. Adolescent stress can only be part of the problem. There must be some problems at home as well. C. Carol is incorrect. Problem behavior is virtually never a direct consequence of going through the normative adolescent changes. D. Mike's problem behavior is difficult to trace to just one cause.

Q: Which of the following is the best explanation of serious problem behavior during adolescence? A. Problem behavior is the result of the hormonal changes that accompany puberty. B. Problem behavior is a manifestation of an inherent need to rebel against authority that is common during adolescence. C. Problem behavior results from having an identity crisis. D. Problem behavior is likely to be a sign that something is wrong.

Q: Current research addressing sex differences in achievement suggests that: A. girls still lag far behind boys on science and math. B. if differences in math and science are found today, they are very slight. C. girls have closed the math/science gap and have now become better in these subjects than boys. D. there were so many methodological flaws in the earlier research that the differences in boys' and girls' math and science abilities were unduly exaggerated.

Q: Antonio is very confident about his abilities; he has a strong sense of: A. academic success. B. self-efficacy. C. self-awareness. D. social desirability.

Q: Tory is performance motivated and believes that intelligence is a fixed trait. Based on this combination, Tory probably focuses on: A. external rewards. B. learning goals. C. self-regulatory goals. D. mastery goals.

Q: Ivan, who believes that intelligence is a malleable trait, is enrolled in several advanced placement classes. Mastering the subject material is more important to him than getting good grades. Ivan probably emphasizes: A. performance goals. B. learning goals. C. self-regulatory goals. D. evaluation goals.

Q: Which of the following is not likely to predict students' achievement-related behavior? A. whether the student has experienced a failure B. whether the student believes intelligence is fixed or malleable C. whether the student is mastery or performance motivated D. whether the student is confident in his/her abilities

Q: Professor Umbridge takes pleasure in making her students look foolish. She stresses the importance of grades more than mastery of the course material. Her students are likely to demonstrate all of the following, except: A. insecurity about their abilities. B. hesitation about challenging themselves. C. reluctance to ask her for help. D. a need to outperform their classmates.

Q: Students' motivation and school performance _______ when they enter into secondary school. A. remain the same B. increase C. decrease D. increase sharply and then plateau

Q: An explanation of why students' motivation and school achievement drop as they transition into secondary school is that: A. the subject matter becomes more difficult. B. teachers focus on grades (performance goals) rather than mastery of the material. C. they are intimidated by the older students. D. there is a decline in their use of self-handicapping strategies.

Q: Dr. Worthy studies achievement attributions. According to the textbook, she would be assessing the ways in which individuals attribute their performance to a combination of all of the following factors, except: A. ability and effort. B. task difficulty. C. luck. D. motivation.

Q: Jacob and Stephen just got a project back from their teacher that they had worked on together. They received a D on the project. Jacob said that it was because the project was too hard. Stephen said it was because they hadn't worked hard enough on the project. Which adolescent is most likely to try harder on future projects? A. Stephen B. Jacob C. Both boys will try harder next time. D. Neither boy will try hard next time because they failed this time.

Q: Bill approaches new tasks with the attitude that he can master them, and he tries to do so because he wants to gain new skills. Bill is motivated by: A. a mastery orientation. B. extrinsic forces. C. fear of failure. D. learned helplessness.

Q: Janelle is told that, no matter how hard she tries, she will likely not pass the exam. As a result, she believes that failure is inevitable and stops "wasting" her time studying. What has Janelle developed? A. scapegoating B. inflated self-efficacy C. fear of failure D. learned helplessness

Q: Every time that Frank receives an A on his report card, his grandmother gives him $50. However, if Frank receives a C, he is grounded for 2 weeks. Frank will probably develop: A. a high achievement motivation. B. mastery motivation. C. performance motivation. D. Type-A behavior.

Q: Marty's main concern in playing soccer is whether his performance will be good enough to win his father's attention and approval. Marty's behavior is being motivated by: A. intrinsic forces. B. a performance orientation. C. temperament. D. crystallization.

Q: Professor Stein wants to test the stereotype threat effect. What is the most likely scenario if this effect does, in fact, occur? A. Professor Stein tells participants in the experimental group that members of their ethnic group perform poorly on the type of task that he is asking them to perform, and these participants actually perform better than participants in the control group. B. Professor Stein tells participants in the experimental group that members of their ethnic group perform poorly on the type of task that he is asking them to perform, and these participants perform more poorly than participants in the control group. C. Professor Stein tells participants in the experimental group that members of their ethnic group perform extremely well on the type of task that he is asking them to perform, and these participants perform more poorly than participants in the control group. D. Professor Stein tells participants in the experimental group that participants in the control group do not like them because of their ethnic background, so the experimental group members act aggressively toward members of the control group.

Q: To the extent individuals believe widely held stereotypes about ethnic or sex differences in ability, the ________ suggests that their performance will be affected, depending on how they expect to perform. A. stereotype threat effect B. gender differences effect C. general expectations theory D. self-efficacy hypothesis

Q: Leroy plays video games not because he will win anything by doing well, or because anyone approves of his increasing skill, but because he enjoys getting better at the games. His behavior is an example of: A. mastery motivation. B. temperament. C. learned helplessness. D. extrinsic motivation.

Q: Motivation based on the rewards one will receive for successful performance is called: A. performance motivation. B. reward-punishment theory. C. extraneous achievement. D. mastery motivation.

Q: Whitney's present goal is to get good enough at spelling to earn the school's spelling trophy. Whitney's ambition is an example of: A. intrinsic motivation. B. mastery motivation. C. self-regulation. D. performance motivation.

Q: Margie sees herself as competent and genuinely enjoys learning. Manny experiences a great deal of anxiety and hesitation when facing a challenge because he doubts his abilities. All he wants to do is receive high grades so his parents won't punish him. Both are A students. Margie is most likely ________ motivated and Manny is most likely ________ motivated. A. mastery; intrinsically B. mastery; performance C. extrinsically; intrinsically D. performance; extrinsically

Q: Adolescents who come from family environments in which parents have set unrealistically high standards for their children's achievement and react very negatively to failure are most likely to develop: A. mastery motivation. B. a fear of failure. C. Type-A personality characteristics. D. a high achievement motivation.

Q: Jason is an intelligent youngster who avoids challenging situations because of his intense fear of failure. Despite his innate ability, he gets low grades and has trouble persisting even with easy tasks. Jason is: A. a failure. B. an underachiever. C. bored. D. a loader.

Q: Alicia has trouble persisting at tasks and fears failure. Her grades are far lower than one would expect based on her intellectual ability. She is a(n): A. failure. B. underachiever. C. delinquent. D. normal adolescent.