Q&A Hero

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.

Q: Connie believes that intelligence is fixed. Which of the following is most likely true for Connie? A. Connie is likely to be performance-oriented. B. Connie's school or task performance is not likely to be affected by fluctuations in her confidence. C. Connie is likely to be mastery-oriented. D. Connie is likely to seek opportunities to engage in challenging tasks.

Q: Sonya has scored in the top 1 percentile on an IQ test, yet she gets below average grades in school. What is true about Sonya? A. She doesn't care about school. B. She has low self-esteem. C. She is a delinquent. D. She is an underachiever.

Q: According to the textbook, which of the following is not true in classrooms in which teachers are very performance-oriented? A. Students feel more alienated from the school. B. Students have lower feelings of self-efficacy. C. Students are more likely to engage in self-handicapping behavior. D. Students are likely to actually learn the material.

Q: Which statement about underachievement is false? A. Many underachievers receive far better grades in school that you would expect based on intelligence tests. B. Some students choose to appear uninterested in school to get more respect from their peers. C. Many students want to ensure that they have an "excuse" for poor performance other than a lack of ability. D. Some students use "self-handicapping" strategies to diminish the importance of academics as a response to their poor performance.

Q: Peter, who does exceptionally well in school, is likely to attribute his academic successes and failures to causes such as: A. ability and luck. B. ability and effort. C. effort and task difficulty. D. effort and luck.

Q: Mastery motivation is most similar to: A. intrinsic motivation. B. mastery motivation. C. evaluation anxiety. D. extrinsic motivation.

Q: The text suggests that one set of factors that may differentiate the academically "rich" from the academically "poor" early in the educational setting is _________ and _________. A. motivation to succeed; beliefs about the causes of success and failure B. neighborhood; socioeconomic factors C. genetic inheritance; prejudice against minorities D. parents' level of education; parents' attitudes toward education

Q: What do the most recent models of the psychological process of achievement during adolescence illustrate? A. students' beliefs about their abilities influence their motivation B. students' motivation influences their performance C. students' performance influences their beliefs D. All of the above are true.

Q: Even though Chloe works very hard in school, she gives her classmates the impression that she is uninterested in school in order to have an excuse for her poor performance. What type of behavior is this? A. learned helplessness B. self-handicapping C. need for fulfillment D. need for success

Q: Alice has worked all evening on a psychology assignment that is not being graded. She has a very strong: A. need for approval. B. achievement motivation. C. need for fulfillment. D. need for success.

Q: John and Mary want their children to develop a strong achievement motivation. In addition to using an authoritative parenting style, they also should: A. punish their children's failures. B. encourage their children's successes. C. compare their children to other children who are successful. D. set difficult tasks for their children to accomplish.

Q: Amy gets extremely nervous during exams and never does as well as she should because of these anxious feelings. She has a very strong: A. fear of rejection. B. fear of testing. C. fear of failure. D. fear of evaluation.

Q: The textbook indicates that parents' and adolescents' expectations influence each other over time. What is one area in which parental expectations may play an especially important role? A. mathematics B. science C. writing D. athletics 20. Al's parents expect him to receive all As on his report card, play quarterback for the football team, and win the election for senior class president. When Al came home with a B+ on his report card, his parents grounded him for a month. Al probably will develop: A. a high achievement motivation. B. a fear of failure. C. a mastery type of motivation. D. learned helplessness.

Q: Which one of the following is not a reason that the cognitive changes of adolescence affect achievement? A. The cognitive changes of adolescence allow individuals to engage in longer-term, hypothetical thinking that affects many decisions that high school students will have to make. B. The personal fable inherent in adolescence will make it difficult for older high school students to realize that, if they do not hard try in school, they may not be accepted into their first- or second-choice universities. C. The cognitive changes of adolescence enable individuals to study subjects, such as algebra and other advanced math classes, which require more sophisticated cognitive abilities. D. Adolescents' increased future orientation allows individuals to think about and plan their long-term educational and occupational goals.

Q: What is the main reason that many achievement-related issues take on new significance during adolescence? A. biological transitions B. social transitions C. changes in cognitions D. achievement-related issues do not take on new significance during adolescence

Q: According to Mischel's classic study conducted nearly 50 years ago, what would you predict about Evelyn, who, in elementary and high school always scored at the top of her class, and now, as an adult, is a successful executive? A. It is likely that in preschool, when given the choice between eating one marshmallow now or waiting for two, she was able to negotiate getting two marshmallows without waiting the full 15 minutes. B. It is likely that Evelyn was securely attached in preschool. C. It is likely that Evelyn scored relatively high on an IQ test in preschool. D. When Evelyn was a preschooler, it is likely that, when given the choice between eating one marshmallow now or waiting 15 minutes to get two of them, she was able to wait.

Q: Which of the following statements regarding social roles and achievement is not true? A. Adolescence is the period when important educational and occupational decisions are made. B. In most industrialized societies, it is not until adolescence that individuals attain the status necessary to decide whether they will continue or end their formal education. C. In most industrialized societies, it is not until adolescence that individuals are allowed to enter the labor force in an official capacity. D. During adolescence, most individuals solidify career choices.

Q: One disturbing finding is that there appears to be a drop in students' _____ motivation as they transition from elementary into secondary school; which could be due to the fact that _____. A. mastery motivation; teachers become more performance-oriented during this time B. performance motivation; teachers become more mastery-oriented during this time C. mastery motivation; students have many other things to worry about than school performance D. performance motivation; peers become much more important than schoolwork at this time

Q: Which of the following adolescents is not likely to develop a performance-orientation? A. Sheryl, whose parents give her cash when she gets As on her exams B. Leslie, whose parents ground her when she does not do well in her courses C. Rachel, whose parents excessively check her homework every night D. Autumn, whose parents encourage her autonomy

Q: Achievement concerns the development of motives, capabilities, interests, and behavior that relate to ______________ in evaluative situations. A. performance B. outcomes C. emotional response D. None of the above.

Q: The extent to which an individual strives for success is referred to as: A. mood composition. B. achievement motivation. C. personality structure. D. self-orientation.

Q: Industrialized societies place a great deal of emphasis on all of the following, except: A. cooperation. B. achievement. C. competition. D. success.

Q: All of the following are noted in the text as reasons why achievement during the adolescent years merits special attention, except: A. this is a period when adolescents prepare for and sort themselves into occupational roles. B. it is during this period that adolescents begin to evaluate their occupational choices in light of their talents, abilities, and opportunities. C. development in the realm of achievement begins and ends during adolescence. D. the educational and occupation decisions made during adolescence are more numerous and the consequences of these decisions are more serious than those that take place during childhood.

Q: The transition from school to work is _________ defined transition. A. an educationally B. a socially C. a personally D. an environmentally

Q: According to the textbook, how is puberty connected to achievement? A. To the extent that puberty changes what's important for maintaining status in the peer group, it may lead adolescents to worry about whether trying too hard to do well will make them less attractive to their classmates. B. Puberty intensifies differences between males and females, and one impact of this is to make individuals think about what is "appropriate" achievement-related behavior for each of the sexes. C. Biological (hormonal) changes of puberty are directly related to achievement and motivation in high school. D. Both A and B are correct.

Q: Which work values are most likely to remain strong over the course of young adulthood, as other work values decline? A. extrinsic B. altruistic C. intrinsic rewards and job security D. social rewards of the job

Q: Which work values decline most dramatically with age? A. extrinsic, altruistic, and social rewards B. intrinsic, leisure, and job security C. extrinsic, social rewards, job security D. altruistic, influence, and intrinsic

Q: How do male and female adolescents differ when they rate the importance of various work values? A. Girls are more likely to value leisure rewards in a future job. B. Boys are more likely to value extrinsic rewards in a future job. C. There are significant sex differences in the extent to which individuals value power and altruistic rewards in future jobs. D. There are significant sex differences in the extent to which individuals value social and intrinsic rewards in future jobs.

Q: Which of the following explanations for the effect of parents on adolescents' occupational ambitions and subsequent success is not true? A. Working-class families are less likely to raise their children to value attributes such as obedience and conformity, which affects the types of jobs that are appealing to these adolescents. B. Middle-class and upper-class adolescents are likely to have important family connections that are less available in poorer families. C. Parents and siblings serve as models for adolescents' occupational choices. D. Parents indirectly and directly encourage (and discourage) certain occupational values.

Q: According to the textbook, which of the following is a reason that career counselors (especially on college campuses) have come to play an increasingly important role individuals' career decision making? A. The labor market is changing so quickly that it is difficult for adolescents to obtain accurate information about careers from their families. B. New government-subsidized programs that require career counselors to do so. C. Adolescents have become apathetic about career choices and want others to decide their careers for them. D. None of the above. According to the textbook, career counselors are useless.

Q: Which of the following is not a problem that young adults face as they crystallize their occupational plans? A. obtaining accurate information about the labor market needs of the future B. obtaining accurate information about the appropriate means of pursuing positions in various fields C. forming educational plans that are consistent with the educational requirements of the jobs they hope to enter D. being overly pessimistic about their chances for success in the labor market

Q: Adolescents' occupational plans are influenced by: A. adolescents' social background B. adolescents' perceptions of the labor market C. adolescents' work values D. All of the these factors influence adolescents' occupational plans.

Q: Which of the following has not been identified as a factor in determining the likelihood of dropping out of high school? A. socioeconomic status B. repeating a grade C. achievement test scores D. whether the individual is a male or female

Q: The most effective strategy for keeping students from dropping out of high school has been: A. involving at-risk students in service learning and guided discussions of their life options. B. providing remedial classes for at-risk students. C. making courses easier. D. offering guidance counseling for at-risk students to help them academically.

Q: High school dropout rates would be expected to be highest: A. in schools that emphasize academic achievement. B. in large schools that group students according to ability and that fail a relatively high proportion of students in the early years of high school. C. when students who are having difficulties are allowed to change schools. D. when students are promoted from one grade to the next based on age rather than achievement.

Q: Who is most likely to attain the most occupational success? A. Francesca, who earned good grades in college B. Luke, who received a high score on the SAT C. Karen, who has a Master's degree D. Ruben, who has a high IQ

Q: Which of the following statements regarding work values is not true for adolescents? A. Adolescents tend to rate almost all work rewards very highly. B. Adolescents optimistically believe that they can find jobs that satisfy multiple rewards simultaneously. C. Adolescents are able to focus on what they want from a job and identify a few rewards that are most important to them. D. Adolescents typically believe that they can "have it all" from future occupational choices.

Q: Which of the following is most likely to influence (both directly and indirectly) a teenager's occupational choice? A. parents B. part-time work C. courses in school D. peers

Q: According to the textbook, all of the following are reasons that adolescents' ambitions are consistent with the socioeconomic status of those around them, except: A. occupational attainment depends strongly on educational attainment and educational attainment is greatly influenced by socioeconomic status. B. middle-class parents are more likely to raise their children in ways that foster the development of strong achievement orientation and career exploration. C. parents, siblings, and other important sources of influence serve as models for adolescents' occupational choices. D. many employers won't higher people from certain SES groups.

Q: Based on the definition used by the U.S. Department of Education (the proportion of individuals aged 16 to 24 who are not enrolled in school and who have not earned a high school diploma or GED), the dropout rate has _____ steadily over the past half-century, to about _____. A. increased; 24% B. declined; 8% C. increased; 19% D. declined; 14%

Q: High school dropout rates are highest among _____ adolescents. A. Black B. American-born Hispanic C. White D. foreign-born Hispanic

Q: Which ethnic group, on average, has the highest level of educational achievement? A. Black adolescents B. Asian Americans C. White adolescents D. Hispanic American

Q: Asian American students are likely to have higher academic achievement than White or ethnic minority youth because: A. they believe in the value of school success. B. they are very anxious about negative repercussions of not doing well in school. C. they spend more time studying than White or other ethnic minority students. D. All of the above.

Q: According to the text, Asian children tend to attribute success to: A. external causes. B. hard work. C. inherited intelligence. D. luck.

Q: Across all ethnic groups, studies indicate that which of the following measures helps students to achieve? A. a sense of belonging to the school B. a perceived connection between academic accomplishment and future success C. parental monitoring of behavior and schooling D. All of the above.

Q: Levels of educational attainment in America have _____ over the past six decades. A. risen B. remained stable C. declined dramatically D. declined slightly

Q: Compared with their counterparts from previous decades, today's adolescents have __________levels of educational attainment and ___________ levels of academic achievement. A. lower; lower B. lower; higher C. higher; higher D. higher; lower

Q: Compared with students in other countries, U.S. elementary school students_______ students in other countries, and high school students in the United States _______ than their peers in other countries (especially in science and math). A. perform as well as; perform as well B. perform better than; perform better C. perform as well as; perform more poorly D. perform more poorly than; perform better

Q: All of the following have been cited as possible explanations for low achievement scores among American students, except: A. teachers do not spend enough time on basic instruction, and very little time is spent on writing. B. students do not take advanced courses when they are offered. C. parents do not encourage academic pursuits at home. D. students spend too much time involved in extracurricular activities.

Q: Compared to how her grandmother felt when she was an adolescent 50 years ago, how does Femina most likely feel about work? A. Femina is more likely to see work as a central part of her life than her grandmother did. B. Compared to her adolescent grandmother, Femina is less likely to say that if she had enough money, she would not work. C. Compared to her adolescent grandmother, Femina is more likely to work overtime to make sure her job is done well. D. Femina is more likely to say that it is important to have a job that allows sufficient time for leisure than her grandmother would have said.

Q: Which of the following is the best predictor of occupational success? A. school performance B. educational attainment C. academic achievement D. motivation

Q: High school dropouts are more likely than high school graduates to do all of the following, except: A. experience poverty and unemployment. B. become pregnant. C. begin working earlier. D. be involved in criminal activity.

Q: In a study on the effect of early intensive education on later school performance among children in poverty, which intervention had the greatest impact on performance in high school? A. the preschool intervention B. the elementary school intervention C. each intervention was equally effective D. neither intervention affected high school performance

Q: Studies show that disadvantaged youth perform more poorly in school than their advantaged counterparts. Which of the following reasons best accounts for this disparity? A. Poor adolescents begin school at a distinct academic disadvantage. B. Poor adolescents have more stress. C. Parents from higher social classes are more involved in the school. D. All of the above.

Q: Mary comes from an economically disadvantaged household. Her mother went to the school counselor to find out what could be done to help Mary overcome her disadvantage. What did the counselor suggest would help? A. positive relations at home B. extra tutoring C. an after-school job D. special education classes

Q: Which term refers to achievement that is measured by standardized tests? A. school performance B. academic achievement C. educational attainment D. social promotion

Q: Which type of educational achievement has the most important implications for subsequent earnings? A. school performance B. academic achievement C. educational attainment D. All of the above.

Q: The gap between American students' performance and that of students from other countries _____ as they move from elementary to middle to high school. A. widens B. shrinks C. stays the same D. there is no gap between American students' performance and that of students from other countries

Q: The practice of advancing adolescents to the next grade level in school based on age rather than their successful completion of the grade level is known as: A. peer group promotion. B. age mate promotion. C. social promotion. D. upward social comparison.

Q: Harry has failed ninth grade this year and has not learned the material he needs to go on to higher grade levels. However, his teachers are debating letting him go on to tenth grade next year so that he does not feel left behind or lose touch with his same-age friends. This practice is called: A. disengagement promotion. B. teacher-based social support. C. achiever dropout prevention. D. social promotion.

Q: Work values are the different types of rewards that individuals expect to receive from their chosen occupation. The textbook discussed all but which of the following values? A. influence B. social rewards C. leverage D. leisure

Q: In the United States today, the peer group is most likely to have _______ influence on an adolescent's academic achievement. A. a positive B. a negative C. little D. both a positive and a negative

Q: Which of the following is not a way that an individual's grades are related their peers' grades? A. Students with best friends who achieve high grades in school are more likely to show improvements in their own grades than are students who begin at similar levels of achievement but whose friends are not high achievers. B. When adolescents' grades improve, they tend to befriend more high-achieving classmates. C. When adolescents' grades drop, they tend to befriend lower-achieving classmates. D. All of these are ways that students' grades change in relation to the grades of their friends.

Q: Although this theory has not been supported empirically, it was once believed that Black students in the inner city who do well in school: A. may be criticized by their peers who say they are "acting White." B. are likely to be respected by the White students but not by their Black peers. C. are usually respected by the other high-achieving students. D. are more likely than their White counterparts to attend college.

Q: The textbook states that peers are important for all of the following reasons, except: A. students whose friends are more engaged in school are themselves more engaged. B. students with best friends who achieve high grades in school are more likely to show improvements in their own grades than are students who begin at similar levels of achievement but whose friends are not high achievers. C. peers play an especially important role in girls' decisions to take math and science classes. D. adolescents with an extremely high orientation toward peers tend to perform better in school.

Q: Which of the following is not a finding of Witkow's recent study that investigated the ways in which adolescents use their time? A. Students who earn higher grades than their peers spend more time studying, both on weekdays and on weekends. B. High-achieving students spend less time with their friends than do low-achieving students on weekdays, but not on weekends. C. Study results suggest that high-achieving students are able to maintain an active social life by allocating time more judiciously during the week. D. High-achieving students spend equal time with their friends than do low-achieving students on weekdays.

Q: Research on the interaction of the influence of parents and peers suggests all of the following, except: A. family environment affects adolescents' choice of friends. B. friends who value school can positively affect adolescents' school achievement even if the adolescent does not come from an authoritative home. C. peers and parents have a stronger influence on adolescents' school achievement in countries in which schools serve heterogeneous groups of students. D. peers have a significantly stronger influence on adolescents than families in countries where students are placed in different schools depending on their long-term educational aspirations and occupational plans.

Q: Although Miguel and Luis both consider themselves to be Hispanic, Miguel's parents were born in Mexico while Luis's family has been in the United States for three generations. What do you predict about these youths' school engagement and performance? A. Miguel is more likely to drop out of high school. B. Miguel is likely to achieve more in school than Luis. C. Miguel's stronger sense of family obligation will contribute to his school success. D. All of the above are true.

Q: Which of the following is an example of school performance? A. Kelly received a C on her report card. B. Naomi received a 1200 on the SATs. C. Mel has been in school for 7 years. D. Vinny has an IQ of 105.

Q: Which of the following is an example of academic achievement? A. Kelly received a C on her report card. B. Naomi received a 1200 on the SATs. C. Mel has been in school for 7 years. D. Vinny has 3.7 GPA.

Q: Which term refers to the number of years of schooling completed by an individual? A. school performance B. academic achievement C. educational attainment D. social promotion

Q: The impact of friends on adolescents' school performance depends on: A. the academic orientation of the peer group. B. the number of extracurricular activities in which they participate. C. the size of the peer group. D. All of the above.

Q: Two characteristics of authoritative parents that positively influence their children's school performance are ______ and ______. A. healthy beliefs about the child's achievement; less tendency to be over-controlling B. healthy beliefs about the child's achievement; greater tendency to be over-controlling C. exaggerated beliefs about their child's achievement; involvement in their child's academic pursuits D. a tendency to push their child to succeed; the ability to let their child make his or her own decisions

Q: Lydia's family is always going to art shows, concerts, and poetry readings. They have a large amount of: A. societal influence. B. social capital. C. cultural capital. D. monetary success.

Q: The resources provided within a family allowing the exposure of the adolescent to art, music, and literature are called: A. special education. B. social cultivation. C. artistic refinement. D. cultural capital.

Q: During the school year, Titus's parents took him to the theater and the opera. In addition, they bought him an encyclopedia for his birthday. The treatment Titus is receiving is an example of: A. special education. B. social cultivation. C. artistic refinement. D. cultural capital.

Q: Which of the following is the best example of cultural capital? A. Art's father takes him to museums during the summer. B. Chip's parents bought him a computer. C. Henry's mother has a Master's degree in Shakespearean drama. D. Crystal's parents buy her expensive earrings.

Q: Jane's community does a lot to support and encourage adolescents' success in school. This community has a large amount of: A. societal influence. B. social capital. C. cultural capital. D. monetary success.