Question 1

What is the focus of life course theory?
A) a theory of changing cognitive capacities and reasoning from infancy through adulthood
B) a framework for understanding and explaining how changing societal conditions and social forces influence development through life
C) a theory of emerging close and more remote social relationships and related social skills
D) a framework for accounting for the formation of habits and learned behaviors based on patterns of reinforcement

Accepted Answer

The focus of life course theory is to understand and explain how changing societal conditions and social forces influence development through life. It looks at how individual lives are shaped by historical, social, and cultural contexts, and how interactions with these contexts can lead to different life outcomes.

Question 2

Glen Elder's thinking about life course development was influenced by his study of longitudinal data from the Berkeley Guidance study and the Oakland Growth study. These data provided insights into which of the following ideas?
A) intergenerational transmission of values
B) multiple pathways or trajectories from childhood to adulthood
C) the impact of historical events on specific cohorts
D) all of the above

Accepted Answer

Glen Elder's longitudinal studies examined a variety of factors that influenced life course development, including intergenerational transmission of values, multiple pathways or trajectories from childhood to adulthood, and the impact of historical events on specific cohorts. Therefore, the best choice for this question is D, all of the above.

Question 3

Which idea reflects the impact of historical time on development? A) changes in educational opportunities from one historical period to another B) changes in the national policy from a military based on the draft to a volunteer army C) the onset of menopause during the 5^th decade of life D) both A and B

Accepted Answer

Both A and B reflect the impact of historical time on development. Changes in educational opportunities and national policy are influenced by the time period in which they occur and can have lasting effects on development. The onset of menopause is a biological process that occurs regardless of historical time and does not necessarily impact development in the same way as external factors such as education and policy.

Question 4

The concept of ______ reflects the idea that people make choices that become building blocks of their life course trajectories and transition?
A) agency
B) regression
C) social clock
D) role reversal

Accepted Answer

Agency refers to the idea that individuals have the ability to make choices and decisions that shape their life course trajectories and transitions. It emphasizes the active role that individuals play in their own development and highlights the importance of personal responsibility and autonomy in decision-making. This concept is central to many theories of human development and is important for understanding how individuals navigate the challenges and opportunities of different life stages. The other options (B) regression, (C) social clock, and (D) role reversal, do not capture this idea of personal agency in shaping one's life course.

Question 5

When people say that they are too young to retire or too old to go back to school, they are reflecting norms and expectations associated with which of the following ideas?
A) social support
B) social clock
C) social welfare
D) social gatherings

Accepted Answer

The concept of being "too young to retire" or "too old to go back to school" reflects adherence to the social clock, which is the culturally specific timetable for certain life events, such as education and retirement. These ideas are based on societal norms and expectations that dictate when certain events should occur in an individual's life.

Question 6

Which statement about role sequencing is true?
A) people who conform to the norms for role sequencing experience greater happiness
B) people who conform to the norms for role sequencing experience more depression
C) people who conform to the norms for role sequencing typically live longer
D) people who conform to the norms for role sequencing have larger families than those who do not conform

Accepted Answer

Research shows that those who conform to the norms for role sequencing, such as getting married before having children, experience greater happiness and life satisfaction compared to those who do not conform. This is likely because conforming to these norms is associated with more social support and a sense of belonging.

Question 7

When parents experience economic strain, they may become more irritable and depressed. This can disrupt their marital relationship and result in harsh parenting or withdrawal from parenting, which have negative consequences for young children. This is an example of which principle in life course theory?
A) transcendence
B) social clock
C) linked lives
D) role loss

Accepted Answer

The principle of "linked lives" in life course theory suggests that individuals are connected to others in various ways throughout their lives, and that events and experiences in one person's life can have ripple effects on others. In this scenario, the economic strain experienced by the parents is affecting their marital relationship and parenting, which in turn can have negative effects on their young children.

Question 8

According to the life course theory, under conditions of crisis or critical transition, the person's most prominent personality characteristics and coping strategies will be ___________?
A) accentuated
B) abandoned
C) disorganized
D) transformed into new, more creative behaviors

Accepted Answer

According to the life course theory, under conditions of crisis or critical transition, the person's most prominent personality characteristics and coping strategies will be accentuated. This means that the individual's existing personality traits and strategies will become more prominent and pronounced in response to the crisis or transition.

Question 9

Which of the following is a benefit of longitudinal research within the life course framework?
A) assessing changes in life trajectories before and after political turmoil
B) evaluating the impact of natural disasters on subsequent life trajectories
C) understanding the long-term accumulation of advantage and disadvantage on health
D) all of the above

Accepted Answer

Longitudinal research within the life course framework allows for the assessment of changes in life trajectories before and after political turmoil (A), evaluation of the impact of natural disasters on subsequent life trajectories (B), and understanding the long-term accumulation of advantage and disadvantage on health (C). Therefore, all of the above (D) is the correct answer.

Question 10

Principles of the timing of events and the concept of linked lives are having specific application in which of the following fields?
A) maternal and child health
B) smoking cessation initiatives
C) the development of the core curriculum in education
D) recreational resources in urban areas

Accepted Answer

The principles of timing of events and linked lives are particularly relevant in the field of maternal and child health, where factors such as pregnancy timing, birth spacing, and early childhood experiences have long-lasting impacts on health and well-being.

Question 11

Which of the following terms refers to unique life events that may result in significant reorganization or reframing of one's life trajectory?
A) control principles
B) age norms
C) turning points
D) life stages

Accepted Answer

Turning points refer to unique life events that may result in significant reorganization or reframing of one's life trajectory. Control principles refer to the belief that individuals have control over their own lives, age norms refer to societal expectations of behavior based on age, and life stages refer to broad categories of development based on age and/or experience.

Question 12

What life course principle was illustrated in the research on work-family trade-offs?
A) social norms change with historical periods
B) people make decisions, choosing among the opportunities available to them during their time in history
C) making work-family trade-offs is never historically valued
D) both A and B

Accepted Answer

The research on work-family trade-offs demonstrates both the life course principles of social norms changing with historical periods (A) and people making decisions based on the opportunities available to them during their time in history (B). This research illustrates how the balance between work and family has shifted over time and how individuals must make choices based on the options that are available to them at different points in their lives.

Question 13

In the study of work-family trade-offs, which historical trends were observed?
A) fewer women than men made work-family trade-offs at every period
B) making work-family trade-offs was associated with more self-acceptance for men in recent times, but less self-acceptance in earlier times
C) regardless of historical period, women always have higher self-acceptance when they make work-family trade-offs.
D) younger generations are influenced in their decision about making work-family trade-offs by what their parents did

Accepted Answer

Making work-family trade-offs was associated with more self-acceptance for men in recent times, but less self-acceptance in earlier times.

Question 14

In the application of life course theory to the study of criminal behavior, three causal mechanisms were identifie? social controls, routine activities, and _______?
A) human agency
B) imprisonment
C) age norms
D) accentuation principle

Accepted Answer

The first two causal mechanisms, social controls and routine activities, are widely accepted within the life course theory literature as important factors in the development of criminal behavior. The third mechanism is human agency, which refers to an individual's capacity for intentional action and decision-making in shaping their life course trajectory, including potential criminal behavior. Age norms and the accentuation principle are not widely recognized as causal mechanisms within life course theory.

Question 15

Based on the research by Sampson and Laub, which of the following statements about the life course trajectory of criminal behavior is true?
A) those who persisted in criminal activity from childhood into adulthood had no sense of choice or agency in their decisions
B) despite exposure to a destabilizing early childhood, certain social controls in adulthood were effective in supporting young men to disengage from criminal activity
C) the social bonds formed through marriage or military service were never adequate to support young men in abandoning their criminal behaviors if they had an early exposure to delinquency and delinquent friends
D) Sampson and Laub found that the trajectory of criminal or non-criminal behavior could be predicted based on knowing the age of the boys' parents at the child's conception

Accepted Answer

According to Sampson and Laub's research, despite exposure to destabilizing early childhood factors, certain social controls in adulthood were effective in supporting young men in disengaging from criminal activity. The formation of social bonds through marriage, military service, and employment were critical in the desistance from criminal behavior. However, the persistence in criminal activity from childhood into adulthood was not solely attributed to a lack of choice or agency in decision making, as multiple factors contribute to an individual's life course trajectory. There is no mention of the age of the boys' parents at the child's conception being a predictive factor in criminal or non-criminal behavior.

Question 16

According to life course theory, what factors place individuals at risk for developmental outcomes?
A) being off-time or early entry into social roles
B) the stage of life when critical life events occur
C) events that threaten a sense of personal control
D) all of the above

Accepted Answer

Life course theory posits that being off-time or early entry into social roles, the stage of life when critical life events occur, and events that threaten a sense of personal control can all place individuals at risk for developmental outcomes. Therefore, all of the above factors are important according to life course theory.

Question 17

Which of the following is considered a strength of life course theory?
A) it increases awareness of the relevance of the historical context in the study of development
B) it highlights the process through which unacceptable impulses are repressed
C) it gives particular emphasis to experiences of early infancy as central to the formation of adult relationships
D) it accounts for the way experiences with novelty alter cognition

Accepted Answer

Life course theory emphasizes the importance of historical and social context in shaping individual development over time. This is seen as a strength because it recognizes that development cannot be understood in isolation from the cultural, economic, and political context in which it occurs.

Question 18

Which of the following is considered a weakness of life course theory?
A) a lack of consideration for the timing of events and their impact on work and family trajectories
B) a limited framework for predicting which aspects of development are most likely to be vulnerable to social change at particular stages of life
C) lack of attention to the concept of agency as a factor that influences the direction of change
D) over-reliance on experimental studies that do not generalize well to real-world conditions

Accepted Answer

While life course theory emphasizes the importance of understanding the interplay between individual development and social contexts throughout the lifespan, it may struggle to predict or account for the ways in which broader societal changes can impact individual life trajectories.

Question 19

Explain the life stage principle in life course theory. Using Stewart and Healy's model, give an example of how the same historical event might have a different impact on people depending on whether it occurs during their childhood, adolescence, or adulthood.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain the life stage principle in life...

Question 20

Review the model of research on work-family trade-offs presented in the chapter. What are some changes in the norms about education, work, marriage, and parenting for men and women born in the period 1980?90 that might influence their decisions about how to coordinate work and family roles?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Review the model of research on work-family...

Quiz 7: Life Course Theory

What is the focus of life course theory?

Glen Elder's thinking about life course development was influenced by his study of longitudinal data from the Berkeley Guidance study and the Oakland Growth study. These data provided insights into which of the following ideas?

Which idea reflects the impact of historical time on development?

The concept of ______ reflects the idea that people make choices that become building blocks of their life course trajectories and transition?

When people say that they are too young to retire or too old to go back to school, they are reflecting norms and expectations associated with which of the following ideas?

Which statement about role sequencing is true?

According to the life course theory, under conditions of crisis or critical transition, the person's most prominent personality characteristics and coping strategies will be ___________?

Which of the following is a benefit of longitudinal research within the life course framework?

Principles of the timing of events and the concept of linked lives are having specific application in which of the following fields?

Which of the following terms refers to unique life events that may result in significant reorganization or reframing of one's life trajectory?

What life course principle was illustrated in the research on work-family trade-offs?

In the study of work-family trade-offs, which historical trends were observed?

In the application of life course theory to the study of criminal behavior, three causal mechanisms were identifie? social controls, routine activities, and _______?

Based on the research by Sampson and Laub, which of the following statements about the life course trajectory of criminal behavior is true?

According to life course theory, what factors place individuals at risk for developmental outcomes?

Which of the following is considered a strength of life course theory?

Which of the following is considered a weakness of life course theory?

Explain the life stage principle in life course theory. Using Stewart and Healy's model, give an example of how the same historical event might have a different impact on people depending on whether it occurs during their childhood, adolescence, or adulthood.

Review the model of research on work-family trade-offs presented in the chapter. What are some changes in the norms about education, work, marriage, and parenting for men and women born in the period 1980?90 that might influence their decisions about how to coordinate work and family roles?