Q&A Hero

Q: As he looks back at life, Chris realizes that his work was not as important to him as he believed, and that he lost too much valuable time with his children. If he could do it over again, he would work less and spend more time with his children. According to Erikson, Chris is experiencing some degree of _____. A. social rejection B. apathy C. generativity D.

Q: Saeko has committed herself to the continuation and improvement of society as a whole through her connection and relationship with their children and grandchildren. According to Erikson, she is _____. A. self-absorbed B. generative C. stagnant D.

Q: Erikson proposed that middle-aged adults face a significant issue which he termed _____. A. intimacy versus isolation B. integrity versus despair C. generativity versus stagnation D.

Q: Identify the seventh stage of Erikson's life span theory. A. Intimacy versus isolation B. Integrity versus despair C. Autonomy versus shame and doubt D.

Q: _____ encompasses adults' desire to leave legacies of themselves to the next generation. A. Self-actualization B. Generativity C. Self-absorption D.

Q: In Erik Erikson's theory, adults strive for generativity to achieve a sense of _____. A. immortality B. recognition C. achievement D.

Q: _____ develops when individuals sense that they have done nothing for the next generation. A. Perpetuity B. Generativity C. Self-actualization D.

Q: Define social clock.

Q: Describe the empty nest syndrome. An important event in a family is the launching of a child into adult life. Parents undergo adjustments as a result of the childs absence. Students usually think that their parents suffer from their absence. In fact, parents who live vicariously through their children might experience the empty nest syndrome, which includes a decline in marital satisfaction after children leave the home. For most parents, however, marital satisfaction does not decline after children have left home but rather increases during the years after child rearing (Fingerman & Baker, 2006). With their children gone, marital partners have time to pursue career interests and to spend with each other.

Q: Based on the findings of the Berkeley Longitudinal Studies, what is the major criticism against stage theories? In the Berkeley Longitudinal Studies, more than 500 children and their parents were initially studied in the late 1920s and early 1930s. John Clausen, one of the researchers in the Berkeley Longitudinal Studies, stresses that too much attention has been given to discontinuities for all members of the human species, as exemplified in the adult stage theories. Rather, he considers that some people experience recurrent crises and change a great deal over the life course, whereas others have more stable, continuous lives and change far less.

Q: Describe the three different grandparenting styles. The diversity of grandparenting also was apparent in an early investigation of how grandparents interacted with their grandchildren (Neugarten & Weinstein, 1964). Three styles were dominantformal, fun-seeking, and distant. In the formal style, the grandparent performed what was considered to be a proper and prescribed role. These grandparents showed a strong interest in their grandchildren but were careful not to give child-rearing advice. In the fun-seeking style, the grandparent was informal and playful. Grandchildren were a source of leisure activity; mutual satisfaction was emphasized. A substantial portion of grandparents were distant figures. In the distant-figure style, the grandparent was benevolent but interaction was infrequent. Grandparents who were over the age of 65 were more likely to display a formal style of interaction; those under 65 were more likely to display a fun-seeking style. Because the grandparent role links three generationsgrandparents, parents, and grandchildrenthe grandparent role is often mediated by parents at least until grandchildren become adults.

Q: Why have middle-aged adults been described as the "sandwich" generation? What is an alternative to this view? Middle-aged adults have been described as the "sandwich", "squeezed", or "overload" generation because of the responsibilities they have for their adolescent and young adult children as well as their aging parents. However, an alternative view is that in the United States, a "sandwich" generation, in which the middle generation cares for both grown children and aging parents simultaneously, occurs less often than a "pivot" generation, in which the middle generation alternates attention between the demands of grown children and aging parents.

Q: Identify the term that refers to a decrease in marital satisfaction after children leave home, because parents derive considerable satisfaction from their children.

Q: Identify the term that is applied to young adults who return to their parents' homes to live.

Q: Identify and discuss the seventh stage of Erikson's psychosocial life-span development perspective. Provide examples to illustrate your point. Generativity versus stagnation is the stage that occurs during middle adulthood. Generativity encompasses adults' plans for what they hope to do to leave a legacy of themselves to the next generation. Stagnation develops when individuals sense that they have done nothing for the next generation.

Q: Describe the transition to middle adulthood according to Levinson. According to Levinson, the transition to middle adulthood lasts about five years (ages 40 to 45) and requires the adult male to come to grips with four major conflicts that have existed in his life since adolescence: (1) being young versus being old, (2) being destructive versus being constructive, (3) being masculine versus being feminine, and (4) being attached to others versus being separated from them.

Q: Explain the contemporary life-events approach to development.

Q: Describe how middle-aged adults perceive control over what happens to them. Researchers have found that on average a sense of personal control decreases as adults become older. In one study, approximately 80 percent of the young adults (25 to 39 years of age), 71 percent of the middle-aged adults (40 to 59 years of age), and 62 percent of the older adults (60 to 75 years of age) reported that they were often in control of their lives. However, some aspects of personal control increase with age while others decrease. For example, middle-aged adults feel they have a greater sense of control over their finances, work, and marriage than younger adults but less control over their sex life and their children.

Q: Identify the theorist who conducted the "Grant Study" and suggested that only a minority of adults experience a midlife crisis.

Q: Identify the term that refers to the timetable according to which individuals are expected to accomplish life's tasks, such as getting married, having children, or establishing oneself in a career.

Q: Identify the theorists that studied adult personality by examining stability and change in the Big Five factors of personality.

Q: According to the researchers in the Mills College Study, rather than being in a midlife crisis, identify what the women were experiencing.

Q: Identify the main reason the middle-aged and older men cited for their divorce.

Q: Which of the following statements about intergenerational relations is true? A. Individuals who had conflicts with their parents in adolescence reported greater closeness with their parents in early adulthood. B. Similarity between parents and an adult child is most noticeable in religion and politics. C. Children who spent less time in shared activities with their parents earlier in their lives provided more support to their parents as they became older. D.

Q: According to research by Rossi, which of the following were found to have the closest relationships during their adult years? A. Fathers and sons B. Mothers and sons C. Fathers and daughters D.

Q: Karen Fingerman studied the relationship between mothers and their adult daughters. Which of the following was NOT one of her findings? A. Mothers were less invested in the relationships than the daughters. B. Mothers were more invested in the relationship than the daughters. C. Negative comments were infrequent. D.

Q: Identify the term Erikson assigned to the seventh stage in his life-span theory.

Q: Identify the theorist who proposed that middle-aged adults faced the significant issue of generativity versus stagnation.

Q: According to Erik Erikson, identify the term that refers to an adults desire to leave legacies of themselves to the next generation. Generativity

Q: Which of the following is NOT one of the main reasons that grandparents are thrust back into the "parenting" role they thought they had shed? A. Parental divorce B. Adolescent pregnancies C. Drug use by parents D.

Q: Almost half of the grandchildren who move in with grandparents are raised by: A. both grandparents. B. a single grandmother. C. a single grandfather. D.

Q: Which of the following statements regarding grandparents providing full-time care for their grandchildren is NOT true? A. At least half of the grandparents who move in with their children are immigrants. B. The majority of grandparents who move in with their children and grandchildren are in poverty. C. More grandmothers than grandfathers take care of grandchildren. D.

Q: Middle adulthood is referred to as the sandwich generation because: A. life is very hectic and families rarely have a full meal together. B. people expect middle-aged adults to be both wise and mature as well as young and energetic. C. middle-aged adults are caught in a conflict between caring more for their spouse's parents than their own. D.

Q: According to research on intergenerational relationships, in which of the following ways is an adult child most likely to be similar to his or her parents? A. In politics B. In lifestyle C. In gender roles D.

Q: Three prominent meanings are attached to being a grandparent. Which of the following is NOT one of those meanings? A. Biological reward and continuity B. A remote role C. A financial strain D.

Q: Jaspers grandparents show a strong interest in all their grandchildren but are careful not to give child-rearing advice. They are using the _____ style of grandparenting. A. formal B. remote C. fun-seeking D.

Q: David and Tina have one grandson, Dillon. They see him almost every weekend and make it a point to go to a movie or a park with him. Both Dillon and his grandparents look forward to their time together. According to Neugarten and Weinstein, David and Tina have a(n) _____ style of being grandparents. A. formal B. informal C. fun-seeking D.

Q: Joan has three grandchildren whom she loves dearly but she sees infrequently. Neugarten and Weinstein would classify Joan's grandparent style as _____. A. formal B. informal C. fun-seeking D.

Q: Grandparents under 65 are more likely to display a _____ style. A. formal B. remote C. fun-seeking D.

Q: The majority of sibling relationships in adulthood are _____. A. close B. neutral C. apathetic D.

Q: Which of the following is true of middle-aged and older adults who had poor sibling relationships in childhood? A. Men were more likely to develop depression by age 50. B. Women were more likely to develop depression by 40. C. Both men and women tended to re-bond with their siblings during middle-age. D.

Q: Which of the following statements about sibling relationships is true? A. Siblings who were psychologically distant from each other in childhood tended to become close in adulthood. B. The majority of sibling relationships in adulthood are apathetic. C. Sibling relationships rarely persist over the entire life span for most adults. D.

Q: Gerard and his sister were never close growing up. Now that they are adults, it is most likely that their relationship is _____. A. neutral B. close C. distant D.

Q: Which of the following is a factor that could undermine the influence of increases in longevity on the nature of grandparenting? A. Changing gender roles in childrearing B. Early marriage and childbirth C. Single-parenting and same-sex parents D.

Q: Trevor and Michelle's last child has just left home to attend college. According to a research conducted by Gorchoff, John, and Helson in 2008, this will most likely be a time when: A. Trevor and Michelle will grow more emotionally distant. B. Michelle will feel depressed, but Trevor will not. C. they will spend less time together as they both pursue outside interests. D.

Q: A common complaint voiced by both adult children and their parents when adult children return home is a(n): A. lack of social interaction. B. lack of career development. C. increased strain on finances. D.

Q: Matt and Sandra are not letting go of their children even though the children have become adults and are earning enough to live on their own. Matt and Sandra are engaging in _____. A. bulldozer parenting B. helicopter parenting C. boomerang parenting D.

Q: Karen, aged 21, is a senior in college but her mother calls her five or six times a day to "check in" and to ask Karen what she is doing, what she had for lunch, and so on. This type of parenting has been called _____ parenting. A. pathological B. helicopter C. boomerang D.

Q: Children who leave college and return to live home with their parents are on the cusp of _____. A. young adulthood B. adolescence C. middle adulthood D.

Q: In a survey conducted by AARP (2004), divorced adults reported that they had generally stayed in their marriages and postponed their divorces because of: A. their children. B. financial problems. C. religious beliefs. D.

Q: In a survey conducted by AARP (2004), _____ percent of the divorced women said they initiated the divorce compared with only _____ percent of the divorced men. A. 66; 41 B. 35; 55 C. 27; 35 D.

Q: In a survey conducted by AARP (2004), the primary reason middle-aged and older women cited for wanting a divorce was: A. verbal, physical, or emotional abuse. B. alcohol or drug abuse. C. cheating. D.

Q: In a survey conducted by AARP (2004), the primary reason middle-aged and older men cited for wanting a divorce was: A. cheating. B. different values and lifestyles. C. alcohol or drug abuse. D.

Q: Angelo and his wife just had their last child move out of the house. He and his wife had lived vicariously through their children, letting their sports activities and various achievements dominate their lives. Now they may experience _____, which includes a decline in marital satisfaction after children leave the home. A. meaning of life dilemma B. chronic discontent C. the empty nest syndrome D.

Q: Which of the following statements about the empty nest syndrome is TRUE? A. Parents who live vicariously with their children do not experience it. B. It is more common for middle-aged men than for middle-aged women. C. It is a common, though minor, problem for most middle-aged adults. D.

Q: What are the two major forms of love? A. Passionate and intimate B. Companionate and consummate C. Romantic and affectionate D.

Q: Cathy and Miguel have been dating for six months. Which of the following is likely to be LEAST important in their relationship considering that both are in early adulthood? A. Passion B. Loyalty C. Physical attraction D.

Q: Don and Ellie have been married for over 30 years. Which of the following is likely to be MOST important in their relationship? A. Romance B. Passion C. Physical attraction D.

Q: Middle-age partners are more likely to view their marriage as positive if they: A. have a satisfying sexual relationship. B. feel a high level of physical attraction toward their partner. C. engage in mutual activities. D.

Q: As per the study conducted by Sakraida in 2005, it was found that women who initiated a divorce in midlife were characterized by _____ than were women whose husbands initiated the divorce. A. more self-focused growth and optimism B. higher levels of depression and trauma C. introversion and lack of socialization D.

Q: According to George Vaillant's longitudinal studies, _____ in middle age was more strongly related than intimacy to whether individuals would have an enduring and happy marriage at 75 to 80 years of age. A. generativity B. stagnation C. autonomy D.

Q: Vaillant's research showed that at age 50, the best predictors of who would be dead at 75 to 80 years of age were: A. chronic depression and cardiovascular disease. B. diabetes and depression. C. alcohol abuse and smoking. D.

Q: Factors at age 50 that were linked with being in the "happy-well" group at age 75 to 80 years of age included all of the following EXCEPT: A. being well-educated. B. being wealthy. C. having a stable marriage. D.

Q: The _____ model of personality development states that with time and age people become more adept at interacting with their environment in ways that promote increased stability in personality. A. conditioning B. cumulative personality C. reciprocity D.

Q: Middle-aged Americans agree that a major component of their well-being involves: A. physical health. B. positive relationships. C. recovery from midlife crisis. D.

Q: What is John Clausen's (one of the researchers in the Berkeley Longitudinal Studies) criticism about the adult stage theories? A. Too much attention has been given to the discontinuities in life. B. Most people actually have stable, continuous lives with little change. C. Personality is actually characterized by change, not stability. D.

Q: Which of the following is NOT one of the groups distinguished by Helson and her colleagues in the Mills College Study? A. Women without children who pursued only low-level work. B. Women who were career-oriented. C. Women who were single mothers and had aged, dependent parents. D.

Q: The researchers in the Mills College Study concluded that rather than being in a midlife crisis, the women were experiencing _____. A. perimenopausal agitation B. midlife consciousness C. the empty nest syndrome D.

Q: Which of the following statement is true about George Vaillant's longitudinal studies of adulthood and aging? A. Factors such as having good coping skills and being thankful were linked with happy-well category. B. Only individuals with normal weight were more likely to be alive and happy at 75 to 80 years of age. C. Intimacy in middle age was more strongly related than generativity whether individuals would have an enduring and happy marriage at 75 to 80 years of age. D.

Q: According to Helson's Mills College Study, women who did not commit themselves to one of the lifestyle patterns (family-oriented, career-oriented, and those who followed neither path): A. were more prone to depression than those who followed one of these. B. had a history of insecure attachment in childhood. C. faced fewer challenges and did not develop as fully as the other women. D.

Q: In the Berkeley Longitudinal Studies, which of the following characteristics generally changed the most across time for an adult? A. Intellectual orientation B. Nurturance or hostility C. Openness to experience D.

Q: Across a 10-year period, which of the following Big Five personality factors did NOT predict health outcomes involving physical health, blood pressure, and number of days limited at work or home due to physical health factors? A. Agreeableness B. Extraversion C. Openness D.

Q: A study by Sharp and others revealed that _____ was related to superior cognitive functioning and IQ across the life span. A. agreeableness B. openness C. extraversion D.

Q: A meta-analysis conducted by Zhao, Seibert, and Lumpkin in 2010 revealed that _____ was linked to pursuing entrepreneurial goals such as starting a new business, and to success in those pursuits. A. agreeableness B. neuroticism C. extraversion D.

Q: According to research by Donnellan, Larsen-Rife, and Conger, individuals high on _____ were more likely to have satisfying romantic relationships. A. agreeableness B. neuroticism C. extraversion D.

Q: In the Berkeley Longitudinal Studies, which of the following characteristics was generally stable across time for an adult? A. Nurturance B. Hostility C. Self-control D.

Q: Identify the supertrait that encompasses traits such as soft-hearted, trusting, and helpful, according to the Big Five factors of personality. A. Conscientiousness B. Openness to experience C. Agreeableness D.

Q: According to the Big Five factors of personality, which of the following personality supertrait describes a person as either helpful or uncooperative? A. Conscientiousness B. Agreeableness C. Openness D.

Q: According to the Big Five factors of personality, which of the following personality supertrait describes whether an individual is either secure or insecure? A. Neuroticism B. Agreeableness C. Openness D.

Q: Which of the following Big Five personality factors describes an individual as either self-satisfied or self-pitying? A. Openness B. Agreeableness C. Neuroticism D.