Chapter 6: Age and Aging

Test Bank

Multiple Choice

1. A life course perspective examines which of these?

a. the entire course of human life from childhood to old age

b. the first 12 years of human life

c. life from age 18 to old age

d. later years in life

Learning Objective: 6-1: Explain how age is both a biological and a social classification.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Introduction

Difficulty Level: Easy

2. Sociologists from the life course perspective regard age as which of these?

a. a social construction

b. a biological mandate

c. a stigma

d. irrelevant to social life

Learning Objective: 6-1: Explain how age is both a biological and a social classification.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Introduction

Difficulty Level: Medium

3. Which of these is a formal norm of age-related behavior according to your text?

a. the ability to hold elected office

b. the ability to think independently

c. the ability to consume social media

d. the ability to shop

Learning Objective: 6-1: Explain how age is both a biological and a social classification.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Introduction

Difficulty Level: Medium

4. Gerontology is the study of which of these?

a. human life from childhood through old age

b. aging and the elderly

c. dementia

d. biology and age

Learning Objective: 6-1: Explain how age is both a biological and a social classification.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Introduction

Difficulty Level: Medium

5. Population aging in the U.S. is also referred to as which of these?

a. Sonic Boom

b. Graying of America

c. Whiting of America

d. Baby Boom

Learning Objective: 6-2: Identify the causes of population aging.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Our Aging World

Difficulty Level: Medium

6. Which of these is a good measure of population aging?

a. mean age

b. median age

c. modal age

d. demographic age

Learning Objective: 6-2: Identify the causes of population aging.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Our Aging World

Difficulty Level: Medium

7. “Median age” refers to which of these?

a. the average age of a population

b. the most frequently occurring age in a population

c. the age where half the population is older and the other half is younger

d. the age calculated one-half between the average and mode

Learning Objective: 6-2: Identify the causes of population aging.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Our Aging World

Difficulty Level: Medium

8. Which state had the population with the highest median age?

a. Alaska

b. Utah

c. Maine

d. South Dakota

Learning Objective: 6-2: Identify the causes of population aging.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Our Aging World

Difficulty Level: Medium

9. In 2105, what percentage of the world’s 617 million people were 65 years or older?

a. 1.5 percent

b. 8.5 percent

c. 15.5 percent

d. 25.5 percent

Learning Objective: 6-2: Identify the causes of population aging.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Our Aging World

Difficulty Level: Hard

10. The author uses the term “elderly” to refer to which age group?

a. 55 or older

b. 60 or older

c. 65 or older

d. 70 or older

Learning Objective: 6-2: Identify the causes of population aging.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Our Aging World

Difficulty Level: Medium

11. Which continent has the largest elderly population?

a. North America

b. Europe

c. Asia

d. South America

Learning Objective: 6-2: Identify the causes of population aging.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Our Aging World

Difficulty Level: Medium

12. Estimates are that approximately ______ people will become eligible for Social Security every day during the next two decades.

a. 10

b. 100

c. 1,000

d. 10,000

Learning Objective: 6-2: Identify the causes of population aging.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Our Aging World

Difficulty Level: Medium

13. Which world region has the lowest percentage of elderly in the world?

a. Africa

b. Asia

c. Europe

d. Latin America and Caribbean

Learning Objective: 6-2: Identify the causes of population aging.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Our Aging World

Difficulty Level: Medium

14. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the life expectancy for a child born in 2015 is how many years?

a. 59.8

b. 68.2

c. 78.8

d. 85.5

Learning Objective: 6-2: Identify the causes of population aging.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Our Aging World

Difficulty Level: Medium

15. Emma was born in Topeka, Kansas in 1948. Gerontologists would place Emma in the category of ______ and consider her a member of the ______ birth cohort.

a. young-old; Baby Boom

b. middle-aged; Depression

c. old-old; Depression

d. oldest-old; Baby Boom

Learning Objective: 6-2: Identify the causes of population aging.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Our Aging World

Difficulty Level: Hard

16. Which of these is NOT a cause of population aging?

a. longer life expectancy

b. decreasing urbanization

c. declining birth rates

d. effects of birth cohorts

Learning Objective: 6-2: Identify the causes of population aging.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Our Aging World

Difficulty Level: Hard

17. Which perspective argues that age maintains the stability of society by providing a set of roles and expectations for each particular age group or for a particular life stage?

a. feminist

b. interactionist

c. functionalist

d. conflict

Learning Objective: 6-3: Describe how the sociological perspectives address age, aging, and inequality.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Sociological Perspectives on Age, Aging, and Inequality

Difficulty Level: Medium

18. Which of these describes a boomeranger?

a. an elderly adult who moves into their adult child’s home for care

b. a teenager who moves out of the house and then returns because she or he is not able to live on their own

c. an young adult who leaves home for college but return after graduation because of economic constraints or personal choice

d. a divorced adult who cannot afford housing and moves back in with their elderly parents

Learning Objective: 6-4: Explain how age serves as a basis for prejudice or discrimination.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Functionalist Perspective

Difficulty Level: Medium

19. Nan has just turned 55. She is planning to retire from her teaching job so that she can spend time traveling. She believes a new faculty member will contribute fresh ideas to the department she has served in for years. Which of these applies best to Nan?

a. modernization theory of aging

b. disengagement theory

c. double standard of aging theory

d. ageism

Learning Objective: 6-3: Describe how the sociological perspectives address age, aging, and inequality.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Sociological Perspectives on Age, Aging, and Inequality

Difficulty Level: Hard

20. Which of these is the final form of disengagement?

a. retirement

b. parenthood

c. illness

d. death

Learning Objective: 6-3: Describe how the sociological perspectives address age, aging, and inequality.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Sociological Perspectives on Age, Aging, and Inequality

Difficulty Level: Medium

21. According to your text, which of these is a critique of disengagement theory?

a. It fails to acknowledge that elderly are powerful.

b. It wrongly assumes that all elderly disengage from their former lives.

c. It wrongly assumes that the status of elderly declines only with industrialization.

d. It focuses on women’s aging and neglects the aging of men.

Learning Objective: 6-3: Describe how the sociological perspectives address age, aging, and inequality.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Functionalist Perspective

Difficulty Level: Hard

22. Modernization theory of aging is closely linked to which of these theories?

a. feminist theory

b. interactionist theory

c. functionalist theory

d. conflict theory

Learning Objective: 6-3: Describe how the sociological perspectives address age, aging, and inequality.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Conflict Perspective

Difficulty Level: Medium

23. Which of these is NOT an aspect of modernization that lowers the status of older people, according to the conflict perspective?

a. health technology

b. education

c. urbanization

d. religion

Learning Objective: 6-3: Describe how the sociological perspectives address age, aging, and inequality.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Sociological Perspectives on Age, Aging, and Inequality

Difficulty Level: Medium

24. From a Conflict perspective, the two groups at odds with each other are which of these?

a. rich and poor

b. white and black

c. cisgender and lgbt

d. young and old

Learning Objective: 6-3: Describe how the sociological perspectives address age, aging, and inequality.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Conflict Perspective

Difficulty Level: Medium

25. The feminist perspective is likely to point out that aging is associated with which of these?

a. stigma

b. double standards

c. disengagement

d. self-fulfilling prophecy

Learning Objective: 6-3: Describe how the sociological perspectives address age, aging, and inequality.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Sociological Perspectives on Age, Aging, and Inequality

Difficulty Level: Medium

26. According to an interactionist, as we age, the social definition of our ______ can lead to stigma and ageism.

a. personalities

b. role expectations

c. norms

d. intellectual capabilities

Learning Objective: 6-3: Describe how the sociological perspectives address age, aging, and inequality.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Sociological Perspectives on Age, Aging, and Inequality

Difficulty Level: Medium

27. Which theoretical perspective sees age specific roles as an important part of social stability?

a. feminist theory

b. interactionist theory

c. functionalist theory

d. conflict theory

Learning Objective: 6-3: Describe how the sociological perspectives address age, aging, and inequality.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Sociological Perspectives on Age, Aging, and Inequality

Difficulty Level: Medium

28. Which group has the highest risk of mortality?

a. older adults

b. newborns and infants

c. teenage boys

d. young women

Learning Objective: 6-4: Explain how age serves as a basis for prejudice or discrimination.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Health and Medical Care

Difficulty Level: Medium

29. Which is TRUE of poverty and age in the United States?

a. Most elderly are living in poverty.

b. Older men have higher poverty rates than older women.

c. Whites have higher poverty rates than other racial groups.

d. The most at risk for poverty are the young and the old.

Learning Objective: 6-4: Explain how age serves as a basis for prejudice or discrimination.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Consequences of Age Inequality

Difficulty Level: Medium

30. Which age group is most likely to experience chronic illness?

a. youth

b. adults

c. elderly

d. Chronic illness is equally dispersed throughout the lifespan.

Learning Objective: 6-4: Explain how age serves as a basis for prejudice or discrimination.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Health and Medical Care

Difficulty Level: Medium

31. What is the most prevalent chronic disease of the elderly?

a. arthritis

b. dementia

c. diabetes

d. heart disease

Learning Objective: 6-4: Explain how age serves as a basis for prejudice or discrimination.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: The Consequences of Age Inequality

Difficulty Level: Medium

32. Which of these is NOT true of manager’s perceptions of older workers?

a. Managers tend to value them for their work habits.

b. Managers tend to think that they are inflexible.

c. Managers tend to devalue them for their performance.

d. Managers tend to think that older workers are more expensive than younger ones.

Learning Objective: 6-4: Explain how age serves as a basis for prejudice or discrimination.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: The Consequences of Age Inequality

Difficulty Level: Medium

33. Which of these laws prohibits employers from discriminating based on age?

a. Ageism Act of 1970

b. Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967

c. Title IV

d. Title IX

Learning Objective: 6-4: Explain how age serves as a basis for prejudice or discrimination.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Ageism in the Workplace

Difficulty Level: Medium

34. The Age Discrimination Employment Act of 1967 prevents employers from discriminating against which age group?

a. 15–18 year olds

b. 20–45 year olds

c. 40–64 year olds

d. workers above 65

Learning Objective: 6-4: Explain how age serves as a basis for prejudice or discrimination.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Consequences of Age Inequality

Difficulty Level: Medium

35. Yvonne is an 80-year-old retired woman who needs to see her doctor. Which program will most likely help pay some of her doctor visit costs?

a. Social Security

b. Unemployment Insurance

c. Medicare Part A

d. Medicare Part B

Learning Objective: 6-4: Explain how age serves as a basis for prejudice or discrimination.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Responding to Age Inequalities

Difficulty Level: Hard

36. Which of these is the nation’s largest health insurance program?

a. Medicare

b. Medicaid

c. Social Security

d. HealthPlus

Learning Objective: 6-4: Explain how age serves as a basis for prejudice or discrimination.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Responding to Age Inequalities

Difficulty Level: Medium

37. In their study of older women’s employment agency placements in Auckland, New Zealand, Jocelyn Handy and Doreen Davy found which of these?

a. Women of ages 40–60 were often fired from their jobs because of their inability to manage work and family concerns.

b. Women of ages 40–60 were promoted faster than their younger counterparts.

c. Women of ages 40–60 were often placed in low paid, low skilled temporary positions.

d. Women of ages 40–60 were unlikely to seek jobs.

Learning Objective: 6-4: Explain how age serves as a basis for prejudice or discrimination.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Responding to Age Inequalities

Difficulty Level: Medium

True/False

1. Demography is the study of aging and the elderly.

Learning Objective: 6-2: Identify the causes of population aging.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Our Aging World

Difficulty Level: Easy

2. The life course perspective examines human life from age 18 to 75.

Learning Objective: 6-2: Identify the causes of population aging.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Our Aging World

Difficulty Level: Medium

3. The world’s population is aging.

Learning Objective: 6-2: Identify the causes of population aging.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Our Aging World

Difficulty Level: Easy

4. The baby boom generation is an example of a cohort.

Learning Objective: 6-2: Identify the causes of population aging.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Our Aging World

Difficulty Level: Medium

5. The modernization theory of aging suggests that the role and status of the elderly decline with industrialization.

Learning Objective: 6-2: Identify the causes of population aging.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Our Aging World

Difficulty Level: Medium

6. According to the double standard of aging theory, it is harder for the young to age than for the elderly to age.

Learning Objective: 6-3: Describe how the sociological perspectives address age, aging, and inequality.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Sociological Perspectives on Age, Aging, and Inequality

Difficulty Level: Medium

7. It is estimated that Americans spend nearly $50 billion per year on anti-aging vitamins, treatments, hormones, and pharmaceutical drugs.

Learning Objective: 6-3: Describe how the sociological perspectives address age, aging, and inequality.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Sociological Perspectives on Age, Aging, and Inequality

Difficulty Level: Medium

8. Most older adults throughout the world are frail and dependent on others for care.

Learning Objective: 6-4: Explain how age serves as a basis for prejudice or discrimination.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Our Aging World

Difficulty Level: Easy

9. Men comprise the majority of the U.S. elderly population.

Learning Objective: 6-4: Explain how age serves as a basis for prejudice or discrimination.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Our Aging World

Difficulty Level: Easy

10. Older women have higher rates of poverty than older men.

Learning Objective: 6-4: Explain how age serves as a basis for prejudice or discrimination.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Our Aging World

Difficulty Level: Easy

11. The most economically vulnerable groups in our society are the young and the old.

Learning Objective: 6-4: Explain how age serves as a basis for prejudice or discrimination.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Our Aging World

Difficulty Level: Easy

12. Medicare Part C pays for medically necessary services and supplies.

Learning Objective: 6-4: Explain how age serves as a basis for prejudice or discrimination.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Medicare

Difficulty Level: Easy

13. American elderly constitute 13 percent of our population yet consume less than 10 percent of total health expenditures.

Learning Objective: 6-4: Explain how age serves as a basis for prejudice or discrimination.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: The Consequences of Age Inequality

Difficulty Level: Medium

14. Medicaid is considered the nation’s largest health insurance program.

Learning Objective: 6-4: Explain how age serves as a basis for prejudice or discrimination.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: The Consequences of Age Inequality

Difficulty Level: Easy

15. Elderly American voters have a significant impact on shaping candidates behavior.

Learning Objective: 6-5: Examine the Characteristics of Young and Older Voters.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Responding to Age Inequalities

Difficulty Level: Medium

Essay

1. Age is both biological and sociological. Explain the sociological dimensions of age by addressing formal and informal age norms. Provide your own examples of at least two formal and informal norms for different stages during the life course.

Learning Objective: 6-1: Explain how age is both a biological and a social classification.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension | Application

Answer Location: Introduction

Difficulty Level: Medium

2. Which four factors have contributed to the growth of older populations throughout the world?

Learning Objective: 6-2: Identify the causes of population aging.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Our Aging World

Difficulty Level: Easy

3. Compare and contrast the functionalist, conflict/feminist, and interactionist explanations for social problems or issues associated with aging. Which do you find most convincing and why?

Learning Objective: 6-3: Describe how the sociological perspectives address age, aging, and inequality.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Sociological Perspectives on Age, Aging, and Inequality

Difficulty Level: Medium

4. Name and explain the two antipoverty programs that support financial independence in the elderly.

Social security and Medicare are both pay-as-you-go systems—in the case of Social Security current workers support current beneficiaries of the program. Medicare is the nation’s largest health insurance program, covering about 56 million elderly or disabled Americans. Medicare has two parts: Part A (hospital insurance) helps pay for care received as an inpatient in critical access hospitals or skilled ­nursing facilities, as well as some home health care; Part B (physician and outpatient coverage) pays for medically necessary services and supplies that are not covered under Part A. Both programs are considered unsustainable

Learning Objective: 6-4: Explain how age serves as a basis of prejudice or discrimination.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Responding to Age Inequalities

Difficulty Level: Medium