Chapter 15: The Family
1. The family systems approach to understanding families suggests that
a.
the larger the family network, the lower the quality of interaction between parent and child.
b.
the mother is the central influence on a child’s development.
c.
every relationship within the system has an impact on every other individual in the system.
d.
families function in a similar manner from one culture to the next.
2. Because families may consist of configurations other than mother-father-child(ren), some have suggested that the term
_____ be used.
a.
alternative
b.
immediate
c.
nontraditional
d.
nuclear
3. Madison lives with her dad, mother, grandmother, aunt, and brother, Austin. Madison’s family is best termed a(n) ___
family household.
a.
b.
c.
d.
4. The conceptualization of a “family as a system” best matches the _____ approach to psychology.
a.
bioecological
b.
classical conditioning
c.
psychodynamic
d.
Gestalt
5. Which of the following changes in the nature of the American family is true?
a.
Family size (number of offspring) is on the rise.
b.
The number of working moms is declining.
c.
The age of marriage has been delayed.
d.
The number of children living in poverty has decreased.
6. Madalena and Roberto are getting married. It is a first marriage for both of them. Based on recent research, which is
true?
a.
Madalena and Roberto are younger than their parents were when they got married.
b.
There is a 60% probability that Madalena and Roberto will get divorced.
c.
Madalena is more likely than her mother was to work outside of the home.
d.
Madalena and Roberto are likely to have more children than their parents did.
7. Concerning modern trends in family life,
a.
today’s two wage-earner families are financially worse off than families with one wage earner.
b.
most adults now view marriage as an unimportant institution.
c.
more children today have relationships with their grandparents than in generations past.
d.
the nuclear family continues to be the dominant family type in the United States.
8. Which statement is true with regard to the nature of early parent-child interactions?
a.
As the result of genetic factors, fathers have been shown to be incapable of sensitive parenting.
b.
Mothers are far more sensitive to infants’ cues during feeding.
c.
Fathers are more likely to engage in “playful interactions” (e.g., tickling, bouncing) with their children.
d.
Fathers are significantly less effective at feeding infants.
9. Fathers are most likely to adopt a “motherlike” caregiver role if they
a.
are the primary caregiver.
b.
work outside the home.
c.
hold traditional gender values.
d.
are in a blended family.
10. The fact that through their interactions with each other, spouses may influence the behavior of a child, even when the
child does not experience these interactions, underlies the concept of
a.
caregiver burden.
b.
indirect effects.
c.
autonomy.
d.
spillover effects.
11. While Gao never shouts at his wife, Fumi, when their young daughter Kim is present, the shouting does make Kim
upset as it sometimes results in Fumi being verbally aggressive with her daughter. This description demonstrates the
a.
impact of indirect effects within a family system.
b.
power of hereditary factors in determining behavior.
c.
main flaw in the family systems approach.
d.
role of classical conditioning in social cognitive development.
12. Seika’s attitude towards parenting is best described as “a lot of praise, a lot of affection, and feedback for negative
behavior that is designed to teach but not belittle.” This description indicates that Seika is best classified as being high on
the _____ dimension of childrearing.
a.
acceptance-responsiveness
b.
responsiveness-demandingness
c.
demandingness-control
d.
control-acceptance
13. Michal’s parenting style is summarized with the statement, “It’s my way or the highway.” This description indicates
that Michael is best classified as being high on the _____ dimension of childrearing.
a.
acceptance-responsiveness
b.
responsiveness-demandingness
c.
demandingness-control
d.
control-acceptance
14. The authoritarian parenting approach is characterized by _____ acceptance-responsiveness and _____ demandingness-
control.
a.
high; high
b.
high; low
c.
low; high
d.
low; low
15. Julie wants special permission to stay out on a date past her normal curfew. Her parents, who are authoritarian parents,
are most likely to respond
a.
“Why should we let you do this?”
b.
“No, you are not allowed to extend curfew.”
c.
“You can make that choice and suffer the consequences.”
d.
“It doesn’t matter to us what you do.”
16. Ralph’s parents have very clear rules about what is okay to do and what is not. They are very careful to enforce the
rules. However, they are willing to listen to Ralph’s side of the story and explain why rules are important. They even
consider changing rules that don’t seem to be working well. Ralph’s parents are best described as having which sort of
childrearing pattern?
a.
Neglectful
b.
Authoritative
c.
Authoritarian
d.
Permissive
17. Sixteen-year-old Tanisha wants to go on a weekend camping trip with a group of her friends (some of whom are
male). She brings up the idea with her parents. As they tend to be authoritative parents, their most likely response is to
say,
a.
“Absolutely not. Case closed.”
b.
“Do as you please. It’s your life!”
c.
“Let’s see if we can figure out a solution together.”
d.
“We don’t approve, but if you insist…”
18. When asked to describe her parenting style, Mercedes says, “I can sum it up in a single word: indulgent!” This
description indicates that Mercedes is best classified as being a(n) _____ parent.
a.
authoritarian
b.
authoritative
c.
moderate
d.
permissive
19. The neglectful parenting approach is characterized by _____ acceptance-responsiveness and _____ demandingness-
control.
a.
high; high
b.
high; low
c.
low; low
d.
low; high
20. Jacob is a member of a teenage gang. He’s doing drugs and is into petty crime. On the rare days he shows up at school,
he invariably ends up in a fight and leaves early. Jacob’s behavior is most typical of children raised by parents who are
a.
authoritative.
b.
authoritarian.
c.
permissive.
d.
neglectful.
21. Kathy and Laura want their children to grow up to be self-reliant, cooperative, and achievement-oriented. Based on
research by Baumrind, the couple should
a.
tell their children that school is really not that important.
b.
set firm limits and enforce them consistently.
c.
place few restrictions on their children’s behavior.
d.
severely punish the children if they receive a bad grade.
22. Which parenting style is best associated with children who are unhappy, relatively aimless, and unpleasant to be
around?
a.
Permissive
b.
Neglectful
c.
Authoritarian
d.
Authoritative
23. Which statement concerning parenting styles and culture is true?
a.
Parents in collectivist cultures stress the importance of childhood autonomy.
b.
Native-American parents feel that it is a parent’s place to force children to do what they feel is right.
c.
African-American children view coercive parenting as a sign of care and not hostility.
d.
Children in individualistic cultures tend to have more authoritarian parents.
24. Explanations on socioeconomic differences in parenting have focused on all of the following EXCEPT
a.
genetic differences.
b.
poverty-related stressors.
c.
limited educational resources.
d.
authoritative parenting methods.
25. Mahmoud is a highly-paid executive of a major technology firm. How is Mahmoud’s position most likely to impact
how he raises his son Ahmad?
a.
He will emphasize the importance of obedience to authority.
b.
He will become significantly more authoritarian.
c.
He will downplay the importance of education.
d.
He will attempt to foster initiative and creativity skills.
26. The _____ family systems model would be most accepting of the notion,
“It’s always mommy’s fault!”
a.
social learning model
b.
indirect effects model
c.
transactional model
d.
parents effects model
27. The fact that infants elicit more sensitive care from adults than teens is best explained by
a.
the parent effects model.
b.
caregiver burden.
c.
the child effects model.
d.
permissive parenting.
28. Rudy just turned 17 and has begun to hang with a bad crowd who take drugs and cause mayhem. His parents react by
taking away his cell phone and treating him in a less supportive manner. Which family systems model is best exemplified
by Rudy’s parent’s reaction?
a.
Social learning
b.
Parent effects
c.
Indirect effect
d.
Child effects
29. When attempting to explain why his son is so violent, Cedrick says, “He seems to have a natural tendency toward
violence, and my spanking him has just made the situation worse.” Cedrick’s explanation best exemplifies the _____
model of family influence.
a.
parent effects
b.
child effects
c.
transactional
d.
indirect
30. The arrival of a new baby in the family is most likely to
a.
increase feelings of marital satisfaction for the parents.
b.
promote feelings of resentment and dependency behaviors in existing firstborn children.
c.
result in parents overcompensating by paying more attention to older siblings than the newborn.
d.
enhance an older sibling’s feelings of competence and self-reliance.
31. Cross-cultural research has shown that older siblings serve as principal caregivers for infants and toddlers in _____ of
the cultures studied.
a.
27%
b.
37%
c.
47%
d.
57%
32. Which is true regarding parent-adolescent relationships?
a.
Interactions in childhood have no impact on an adolescent’s relationship with his or her parents.
b.
The conflict level between teens and parents has grown dramatically during the past few decades.
c.
Parent-child relationships from the teen years through middle age is marked by dramatic highs and lows.
d.
Most adolescents respect their parents.
33. Results from cross-cultural studies have shown that
a.
Mexican-Americans teens are more likely than European-Americans teens to disagree with their parents.
b.
Japanese teens are socialized to be highly autonomous.
c.
Chinese-American teens expect more freedom to date than do European-American teens.
d.
In collectivist Asian cultures, parents tend to impose a great number of rules.
34. If Margo and Ray want their adolescent daughter Tina to “make it” as an independent adult, they should
a.
exert strong control over Tina’s behavior during the adolescent years.
b.
distance themselves from Tina, to weaken their attachment relationship.
c.
let Tina make her own choices and withhold their own opinions, because they won’t be around to help their
child forever.
d.
gradually relinquish power and control so that Tina gains experience in making wise choices.
35. Which parenting style is most likely to promote psychological autonomy in adolescents?
a.
Authoritative
b.
Authoritarian
c.
Permissive
d.
Neglecting
36. In general, marital satisfaction tends to
a.
increase steadily over the first two to three years of marriage.
b.
decrease somewhat over the first year of marriage.
c.
remain stable for most couples until the “seven-year itch.”
d.
decrease drastically within six months of the wedding.
37. Research on marital satisfaction has shown that
a.
marriages tend to crumble due to the buildup of negative feelings that accumulate over the years.
b.
an early negative reaction concerning a marriage will likely continue to be seen at about the same level
throughout the marriage.
c.
most divorces are due to a midlife crisis occurring about 14 years into a marriage.
d.
divorce is less likely in couples who hold an overly romantic view of their marriage at its start.
38. As children are added to the family, marital satisfaction tends to
a.
increase for mothers and fathers, but more steeply for fathers.
b.
increase for mothers and fathers, but more steeply for mothers.
c.
decrease for mothers and fathers, but more steeply for fathers.
d.
decrease for mothers and fathers, but more steeply for mothers
39. Alana and Jesse are a typical American couple expecting their second child. Once the baby arrives, it is most likely
that
a.
Alana and Jesse will become more satisfied with their marriage.
b.
Jesse will become more involved in caring for the children.
c.
The stress level in the family will lessen, as the two children will keep each other company.
d.
Alana and Jesse will experience a sharp decline in marital satisfaction.
40. Which statement concerning the childrearing family is true?
a.
Conflicts between parents and children tend to decrease between childhood and adolescence.
b.
The stress of caring for a toddler tends to be greater than caring for an infant.
c.
Parents with teens tend to be less likely to question their own life path.
d.
Parents of teens tend to be unaffected when the teenager is having personal problems.
41. How is marital satisfaction typically associated with the entry of the first child into a family and the exit of the last
child from the family?
a.
Both events are characterized by a slight increase in marital satisfaction.
b.
The entry is characterized by a slight increase and the launching with a slight decrease in marital satisfaction.
c.
The entry is characterized by a slight decrease and the launching with a slight increase in marital satisfaction.
d.
Both events are characterized by a slight decrease in marital satisfaction.
42. Erikson would argue that the positive feeling of self associated with the empty nest in middle age indicates a
successful attainment of a sense of
a.
generativity.
b.
integrity.
c.
independence.
d.
initiative.
43. Kitty and Dennis are about to experience a “boomerang effect” with their children. How should they prepare?
a.
Get ready for a major fight about autonomy and about how teens are adults and should be treated like adults
and given their freedom.
b.
Pack the car because their last child is heading off to college.
c.
Smile because their adult children are in the process of repaying them for past financial support they received
as kids.
d.
Make up the spare room because one of their children is about to move back home.
44. Recent research has shown that the _____ grandparenting style is the most common in the United States.
a.
remote
b.
companionate
c.
involved
d.
permissive
45. The most common form of grandparenting in the United States appears to be one where there is
a.
little contact between grandparent and grandchild, largely due to geographical distance.
b.
frequent contact between grandparent and grandchild, with the grandparent often
assuming a parental role.
c.
frequent contact between grandparent and grandchild, with the primary goal being enjoyment of one another.
d.
infrequent contact between grandparent and grandchild, but when together the grandparents tend to meddle in
the way the child is being reared.
46. Grandpa Sylvester loves spending time going to professional wrestling events with his grandson Marshawn. He
comments that the best part is that he can have fun without worrying about parenting responsibilities. Sylvester is best
described as having a _____ style.
a.
remote
b.
companionate
c.
involved
d.
permissive
47. Due to his level of interaction, Samuel might best be considered a substitute parent for his grandson Patrick. This
indicates that Samuel has a(n) _____ grandparenting style.
a.
remote
b.
companionate
c.
involved
d.
watch dog
48. The most likely negative outcome of being an involved grandparent is
a.
guilt over lack of interaction with grandkids.
b.
lack of money due to overspending.
c.
depression over taking on significant responsibility.
d.
remorse over not having had more children and more grandkids.
49. All else being equal, who is likely to feel most satisfied with their marriage?
a.
Julie and Jorge, who just got married
b.
Helen and Gary, who just had their first child
c.
Hae and Tuan, who have two young children
d.
Rico and Carmen, whose children are in high school
50. Which event ends the traditional family life cycle?
a.
Death of the last child
b.
Retirement
c.
Widowhood
d.
Death of the only remaining member of a family