Deck 3: Physical Development and Biological Aging

Question 1

What is the brain-neuroendocrine process that stimulates the rapid physical changes of early adolescence known as?

A) spermarche
B) gonadarche
C) puberty
D) menarche

Answer 1

puberty

Question 2

Physical growth in middle and late childhood occur

A) at approximately the same rate as those in adolescence.
B) more slowly than those in early childhood and more quickly than those in adolescence.
C) in three rapid spurts.
D) in a slow, consistent manner.

Answer 2

in a slow, consistent manner.

Question 3

Which of the following changes are most pronounced in middle and late childhood?

A) changes in proportions
B) changes in weight
C) changes in height
D) changes in brain size

Answer 3

changes in proportions

Question 4

Sammi was born 3 days ago and has lost 3 percent of her body weight. Should her parents be concerned?

A) Yes. Sammi's parents should consult her pediatrician immediately.
B) No. Babies normally lose between 5 and 7 percent of their body weight within the first few days after birth.
C) No. Babies normally lose between 9 and 12 percent of their body weight within the first few days after birth.
D) Maybe. Sammi's parents should begin supplementing breast-feeding with baby formula and weigh her twice a day to ensure no more weight is lost.

Question 5

During the second year of life, a child's growth rate

A) remains the same as the growth rate in the first year of life.
B) accelerates considerably.
C) slows considerably.
D) accelerates for physical characteristics and slows for mental processes.

Question 6

Which of the following statements about growth spurts during puberty is TRUE?

A) It occurs approximately two years earlier for boys than for girls.
B) It occurs approximately two years earlier for girls than for boys.
C) It occurs at approximately the same time for boys and girls.
D) Girls have a greater average height increase during peak puberty than do boys.

Question 7

Girls' first menstruation is called

A) menarche.
B) monarchy.
C) estradiol.
D) puberty.

Question 8

Menarche occurs during what part of puberty?

A) just before puberty
B) early stage of puberty
C) in the middle of puberty
D) rather late during puberty

Question 9

Which of the following indicates that growth progresses from the top of the body to the bottom?

A) cephalocaudal
B) proximodistal
C) sarcopenia
D) lateralization

Question 10

In prenatal development, the head and its features grow in size and differentiation before the neck, shoulders, trunk, and limbs. What is this pattern of development called?

A) proximodistal
B) cephalocaudal
C) sarcopenia
D) lateralization

Question 11

Marcia's baby boy weighed 8 pounds at birth. If he grows at an average rate for an American baby, what should he weigh by 4 months of age?

A) 10 pounds
B) 12 pounds
C) 16 pounds
D) 24 pounds

Question 12

Baby Kassie can slap the tray of the highchair but cannot pick up small pieces of cereal with her fingers yet. This is an example of

A) a neurological disorder.
B) the cephalocaudal pattern in physical growth.
C) a congenital birth defect.
D) the proximodistal pattern in physical growth.

Question 13

Which growth pattern sequence indicates that growth progresses from the center of the body toward the extremities?

A) cephalocaudal
B) proximodistal
C) sarcopenia
D) lateralization

Question 14

During early adolescence, girls are generally _____ than boys.

A) shorter
B) stronger
C) heavier
D) smarter

Question 15

According to the proximodistal growth pattern, which of the following is likely to show growth earlier?

A) toes
B) fingers
C) feet and hands
D) legs and arms

Question 16

During the early childhood years, girls are generally _____ than boys.

A) much larger
B) much smaller
C) slightly larger
D) slightly smaller

Question 17

Leon is unusually shorter than his peers. It could be because

A) he inherited the kind of genotype from his parents.
B) he suffers certain growth hormone deficiency.
C) his mother smoked while pregnant.
D) All of these answers are correct.

Question 18

According to the cephalocaudal growth pattern, which of the following is likely to show fast growth first?

A) legs
B) hands
C) brain
D) stomach

Question 19

Beginning in early childhood, girls have more _____ tissue than boys, and boys have more _____ tissue than girls.

A) fatty; muscle
B) organ; brain
C) brain; organ
D) muscle; fatty

Question 20

Average North American babies double their birth weight by what age?

A) 1 month
B) 4 months
C) 8 months
D) 10 months

Question 21

Thirteen-year-old Melissa's blood tests indicate testosterone levels twice as high as last year and estradiol levels eight times higher than last year. Melissa is most likely experiencing

A) normal changes as a result of having entered puberty.
B) difficulties due to significant imbalances in hormonal levels.
C) abnormal development due to the presence of male hormones in the body.
D) abnormal development due to the excessive increase of female hormones.

Question 22

Which part of the body is involved with eating and sexual behavior?

A) pituitary gland
B) hypothalamus
C) thyroid gland
D) adrenal gland

Question 23

Joe is a late-maturing boy. Considering only this factor, how will his self-identity in his 30s likely compare to the self-identity of his early-maturing peers?

A) more negative
B) more positive
C) about the same
D) There has not been any research in this area.

Question 24

Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding puberty for girls and boys?

A) Testosterone is present in boys only, and estradiol is present in girls only.
B) The peak rate of pubertal change occurs at the age of 12 for both boys and girls.
C) Both male and female adolescents are preoccupied with their bodies.
D) In the United States, children mature up to two years later than children in European countries.

Question 25

Which part of the body controls growth and regulates other glands?

A) pituitary gland
B) hypothalamus
C) gonad
D) thyroid gland

Question 26

Janice is 75. If within the average range of height loss compared to her 25-year-old self, she may lose as much as

A) ¼ of an inch.
B) ½ of an inch.
C) an inch.
D) two inches.

Question 27

The class of hormones that stimulate the testes and the ovaries is known as

A) cortisols.
B) gonadotropins.
C) androgens.
D) estradiols.

Question 28

_____ is a hormone associated in boys with the development of genitals, increases in height, and change of voice.

A) Cortisol
B) Estrogen
C) Estradiol
D) Testosterone

Question 29

Bill is just beginning to sense that he has less strength, especially in his back and legs. That he is experiencing age-related loss of lean muscle mass and strength tells us he is most likely in his

A) 20s.
B) 30s.
C) 40s.
D) 50s.

Question 30

Thirteen-year-old Jodi smokes and has a 16-year-old boyfriend. Of the following, which is likely to have influenced Jodi's behavior?

A) defective gonads
B) late maturation
C) early maturation
D) lack of social skills

Question 31

James is going through puberty quite early. Research indicates that James is likely to

A) be rejected by his peers.
B) have a more negative self-image than his late-maturing peers during his freshman year of high school
C) have a more positive self-image than his late-maturing peers during his freshman year of high school
D) be highly successful in his later career.

Question 32

Andrea is an early-maturing adolescent. How does her self-image compare to the self-images of her late-maturing peers?

A) more negative
B) more positive
C) about the same
D) There has not been any research in this area.

Question 33

The age at which puberty arrives dropped quickly throughout the 20th century. What is the likely cause for this change?

A) greenhouse effects on climate
B) improved health and nutrition
C) less manual labor requirements for adolescents
D) amounts of radiation from electric appliances

Question 34

_____ is a hormone associated in girls with breast, uterine, and skeletal development.

A) Cortisol
B) Estradiol
C) Androgens
D) Testosterone

Question 35

Which of the following factors affects puberty's timing and makeup?

A) nutrition
B) health
C) eating patterns and stress
D) All of these answers are correct.

Question 36

Age-related loss of muscle mass and strength is called

A) climacteric.
B) gonadotropins.
C) monarchy.
D) sarcopenia.

Question 37

Samantha lives in the United States and was 14½ years old when she experienced menarche. Samantha is

A) slightly younger than average for menarche in Europe.
B) entering puberty outside of the lower end of the normal range.
C) within the normal range.
D) entering puberty outside of the upper end of the normal range.

Question 38

The chemical substances secreted by the endocrine glands that are carried by the bloodstream are known as

A) gonadotropin.
B) neurotransmitters.
C) gonads.
D) hormones.

Question 39

Early maturation in girls is linked to which of the following?

A) problem behaviors such as smoking, drinking, and having an eating disorder
B) wreckless driving
C) overdependence on parents
D) low academic achievement

Question 40

Body fat accounts for _____ percent of body weight in adolescence and _____ percent or more in middle adulthood.

A) 10; 20
B) 15; 25
C) 5; 15
D) 20; 25

Question 41

When does maximum bone density occur?

A) early 20s
B) mid-20s
C) early 30s
D) mid- to late 30s

Question 42

Which brain lobe is responsible for voluntary movement, thinking, personality, and intentionality or purpose?

A) frontal
B) occipital
C) temporal
D) parietal

Question 43

Which brain lobe is responsible for hearing, language processing, and memory?

A) frontal
B) occipital
C) temporal
D) parietal

Question 44

At 51, Beverly is experiencing nausea, fatigue, and rapid heartbeat. A blood test reveals very low levels of estrogen. Beverly is most likely experiencing symptoms of

A) climacteric.
B) puberty.
C) menarche.
D) menopause.

Question 45

Which structure is responsible for about 80 percent of the brain's volume and critical to perception, thinking, and language?

A) forebrain
B) cerebral cortex
C) left hemisphere
D) hippocampus

Question 46

Specialization of functions in one hemisphere of the cerebral cortex is called

A) myelination.
B) neuroconstructivist view.
C) lateralization.
D) plasticity.

Question 47

Which of the following functions occur primarily in the right hemisphere of the brain?

A) performing music
B) reading and complex thinking
C) humor and the use of metaphors
D) speech and grammar

Question 48

Mac is 63 years old. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A) Mac's artery walls are thinning.
B) Mac's blood pressure will remain about the same as it was in his 40s.
C) Mac's blood cholesterol is increasing and deposits accumulate on artery walls.
D) Proteins in Mac's lung tissue are becoming more elastic.

Question 49

What is the layer of fat cells that helps electrical impulses travel faster along the axon of a neuron?

A) dendrite
B) cerebral cortex
C) myelin sheath
D) synapse

Question 50

Communication in the synapses occurs through the release of chemical substances known as

A) neurotransmitters.
B) neurons.
C) dendrites.
D) axons.

Question 51

Which of the following functions occur primarily in the left hemisphere of the brain?

A) performing music
B) reading and complex thinking
C) humor and the use of metaphors
D) speech and grammar

Question 52

Which of the following statements about brain lateralization is NOT true?

A) Complex functions like performing music involve both hemispheres.
B) The right and left hemispheres of the brain handle different types of information.
C) People who are logical thinkers are left-brained, and creative thinkers are right-brained.
D) Complex thinking requires communication between both hemispheres.

Question 53

Hypertension and stroke are signs of which of the following in older adults?

A) changes in the neural system
B) changes in the digestive system
C) changes in the circulatory system
D) changes in the musculoskeletal system

Question 54

Which brain lobe is responsible for registering spatial location, attention, and motor control?

A) frontal
B) occipital
C) temporal
D) parietal

Question 55

What explanation BEST accounts for why those older than 60 lose weight?

A) They exercise more regularly.
B) They eat smaller meals.
C) They experience muscle loss.
D) Their metabolism speeds up.

Question 56

Which brain lobe is responsible for vision?

A) frontal
B) occipital
C) temporal
D) parietal

Question 57

At 45 years old, Susan is having difficulty trying to conceive a child. This is referred to by the term

A) gonadotropins.
B) menarche.
C) climacteric.
D) menopause.

Question 58

Research shows that living in a deprived environment

A) does not significantly affect brain development.
B) promotes greater brain development.
C) depresses brain activity.
D) results in defective brain development that is not reversible regardless of future experiences in better conditions.

Question 59

The hippocampus lies deeper in the brain, beneath the cortex, and plays an important role in which of the following?

A) memory and emotion
B) attention and impulse control
C) fine motor skills
D) critical and creative thinking

Question 60

Just as _____ has been coming earlier, _____ has been coming later.

A) puberty; menarche
B) menarche; puberty
C) puberty; menopause
D) menopause; menarche

Question 61

When Doctor Jansen compares brain scans belonging to a 70-year-old and a 50-year-old, what is she likely to see in the 70-year-old brain?

A) more dendrites
B) more neurons
C) an equal number of dendrites as the 50-year-old brain
D) fewer neurons and dendrites

Question 62

Adolescents often experience heightened emotions and increased risk-taking behavior. This may be due to delayed development (compared to the limbic system) in which area of the brain?

A) temporal lobe
B) right hemisphere
C) left hemisphere
D) prefrontal cortex

Question 63

The prefrontal cortex, which is the highest level of the frontal lobes, is involved in reasoning, decision making, and self-control. It finishes most of its development during

A) early childhood.
B) late adolescence.
C) emerging adulthood.
D) older adulthood.

Question 64

When engaging in cognitive tasks, older brains may compensate for the effects of aging with less

A) dopamine.
B) lateralization.
C) acetylcholine.
D) myelination.

Question 65

A newborn's brain is _____ percent of its adult weight and grows to _____ percent of its adult weight by 2 years of age.

A) 10; 20
B) 15; 25
C) 25; 50
D) 25; 75

Question 66

Ora's blood test shows a major reduction in acetylcholine. The effect of this may be responsible for

A) the slowing of motor reflexes.
B) symptoms of Alzheimer disease.
C) symptoms of Parkinson disease.
D) increased impulsivity.

Question 67

The corpus callosum, which connects the brain's left and right hemispheres, thickens in adolescence, and this improves adolescents' ability to

A) process information.
B) have better self control.
C) experience empathy.
D) control aggressive behavior.

Question 68

The amygdala, a structure particularly involved with emotion, matures much earlier than the prefrontal cortex. This may account for which of the following?

A) adolescents' increased information processing speed
B) adolescents' risky, impulsive behavior
C) early onset of puberty
D) adolescents' sharper self-regulatory skills

Question 69

Which neurotransmitter has been associated with increased reward-seeking and risk-taking in adolescence?

A) dopamine
B) acetylcholine
C) testosterone
D) estradiol

Question 70

At what age does dendrite growth appear to stop?

A) 60s
B) 70s
C) 80s
D) 90s

Question 71

Cognitive control involves all of the following EXCEPT

A) inhibiting motor actions.
B) controlling attention.
C) reducing interfering thoughts.
D) improved vocabulary.

Question 72

Which structure of the limbic system is especially involved in emotion and would likely be a major source of surging emotions in a sixteen-year-old?

A) the amygdala
B) the frontal lobes
C) GABA
D) the hypothalamus

Question 73

Michael Rehbein had the left hemisphere of his brain removed in order to stop seizures. After much therapy, the right side of his brain began to reorganize and take over left hemisphere functions. This example supports neuroscientists' belief that what "wires" the brain is

A) repeated experience.
B) lateralization.
C) not affected by seizures.
D) housed in the right hemisphere.

Question 74

Leonard's blood test shows a major reduction in dopamine. The effect of this may be responsible for

A) decreased visual acuity.
B) symptoms of Alzheimer disease.
C) symptoms of Parkinson disease.
D) increased impulsivity.

Question 75

Seventeen-year-old Jake tends to take risks while driving and is quick-tempered. This lack of self-control and reasoning may be due to the relatively slow development of the

A) corpus callosum.
B) prefrontal cortex.
C) amygdala.
D) limbic system.

Question 76

If an older adult participates in 6 months of aerobic activity, what would most likely occur?

A) decreased hippocampus volume
B) increased hippocampus volume
C) no change in hippocampus volume
D) a near-fatal increase in brain volume

Question 77

Brain pathways and circuitry in the _____ continue to increase in middle and late childhood.

A) hippocampus
B) hypothalamus
C) prefrontal cortex
D) parietal lobe

Question 78

What happens to the brain's weight and volume as it ages?

A) weight increases, volume decreases
B) volume increases, weight decreases
C) weight and volume increase
D) weight and volume decrease

Question 79

What is meant by the "blooming and pruning" analogy of brain development?

A) The brain produces many more dendrite and synapse connections than it uses (blooming). Unused connections disappear or are replaced (pruning).
B) Early brain function is not specialized by location (blooming). Lateralization (pruning) occurs around 2 years of age.
C) Myelination produces the brain's bumpy surface (blooming). Brain activity and learning smoothes this surface (pruning).
D) Areas of the brain mature gradually and uniformly during the first half of life (blooming) and decline in the same manner during the second half of life (pruning).

Question 80

Anya is growing up in an orphanage and receives very little emotional, mental, or physical stimulation and nurturing. Anya's brain development will likely be

A) the same as peers raised in enriched environments.
B) greater than peers raised in enriched environments.
C) depressed compared to peers raised in enriched environments.
D) greater than her biological parents.