Deck 17: Physical and Cognitive Development in Late Adulthood

Question 1

The traditional age for entering into late adulthood is

A)60.
B)65.
C)70.
D)75.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

According to functional age classifications,the "young old" are

A)people between ages 60 and 70.
B)a minority of older people.
C)middle-aged people who are frail or infirm and see themselves as old.
D)elderly people who are vital,vigorous,and active.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

A baby born in the United States in the year 2005 could be expected to live about ______________ years longer than a baby born in the year 1900.

A)20
B)25
C)30
D)35

Answer 3

C

Question 4

On average,in which country do people live the longest?

A)United States
B)Nepal
C)France
D)Japan

Question 5

Aging that results from disease,abuse,and disuse is called ______________ aging.

A)programmed
B)tertiary
C)primary
D)secondary

Question 6

Ageism is

A)prejudice or discrimination,usually against young people.
B)prejudice or discrimination,usually against older people.
C)negated by studies showing that older adults are more competent than younger adults.
D)especially prevalent in Japan.

Question 7

Social scientists who study the aged and the aging process are called

A)elderologists.
B)geriatricians.
C)gerontologists.
D)social workers.

Question 8

An important difference between primary and secondary aging is that primary aging is

A)unavoidable.
B)more apparent.
C)unnoticeable until later in life.
D)caused by stress.

Question 9

Social class,cohesion of the childhood family,ancestral longevity,and childhood temperament are all considered predictors of physical and mental health and longevity that are

A)controllable predictors.
B)uncontrollable predictors.
C)secondary predictors.
D)primary predictors.

Question 10

Compared with American men,American women tend to

A)live longer.
B)have fewer years of poor health.
C)have a higher quality of life in old age.
D)All of these.

Question 11

Factors that are considered controllable predictors of longevity are all of the following EXCEPT

A)higher education.
B)alcohol use.
C)marital stability.
D)genetic traits.

Question 12

Which kind of aging is most strongly influenced by diet and exercise?

A)Secondary aging
B)Primary aging
C)Process aging
D)Programmed aging

Question 13

Health and longevity are closely linked to

A)education and socioeconomic status.
B)evolution.
C)increased genetic counseling.
D)smaller family size.

Question 14

The branch of medicine concerned with the aged and the aging process is

A)geriatrics.
B)gerontology.
C)elderology.
D)None of these;there is as yet no branch of medicine specifically concerned with aging.

Question 15

The fastest-growing segment of the U.S.population is people

A)under age 10.
B)between ages 10 and 20.
C)between ages 65 and 75.
D)age 85 and older.

Question 16

Who is most likely to have the longest life expectancy in the United States?

A)White male
B)African-American female
C)Hispanic female
D)African-American male

Question 17

According to gerontologists,individuals who are counted among the "oldest old" are at least _______________ years old.

A)75
B)65
C)85
D)95

Question 18

Jon is 73 years old.He still runs 15 miles a week and spends 30 hours a week working as a computer software consultant.Your text would describe Jon as being

A)self-actualized.
B)old old.
C)young old.
D)a delayed middle adult.

Question 19

Your psychology professor states that a woman born today in Nepal can be expected to live to be only about 53 years old.Your professor is describing the _______________ of Nepalese women.

A)longevity
B)functional age
C)life expectancy
D)All of these

Question 20

Suppose you overhear someone say "I hate visiting my grandparents in that retirement community they live in.Being around all those old people gives me the creeps!" This person is expressing

A)foreclosure.
B)ageism.
C)tacit knowledge.
D)preoperational thinking.

Question 21

Generalizing from the text,which body system is likely to give an elderly person the LEAST trouble?

A)Digestive system
B)Skeletal system
C)Circulatory system
D)Sensory system

Question 22

Autoimmune theory suggests that the aging immune system may release antibodies that attack the body's own cells.This cell breakdown has been suggested as a factor in

A)Tay-Sachs disease.
B)Alzheimer's disease.
C)sickle-cell anemia
D)muscular dystrophy.

Question 23

After reading a study about monkeys who were placed on systematic dietary restrictions,Mario restricted his own diet,hoping to replicate all of the following results EXCEPT

A)lower body fat.
B)low blood pressure.
C)improved cardiac function.
D)increased sexual performance.

Question 24

During the last several years,Brian,who is now 87 years old,has experienced a decline in his hearing and vision.He also has increasing difficulty walking up stairs and lifting things.According to the text,Brian is in the _______________ period of life.

A)terminal
B)foreclosed
C)primary deterioration
D)senescent

Question 25

Both internal and external factors may influence the process of aging.Variable-rate theories include all of the following factors EXCEPT

A)damage due to chance.
B)environmental assaults.
C)metabolism.
D)free radicals.

Question 26

Senescence is

A)intellectual deterioration in late adulthood.
B)the period of life marked by declines in body functioning related to aging.
C)remarkably consistent,occurring at about the same age for everyone.
D)something that happens only in Western cultures.

Question 27

All of the following are normal physical changes associated with aging EXCEPT

A)sleeping less.
B)paler,less elastic skin.
C)obesity.
D)higher blood pressure.

Question 28

Generalizing from the text,what might be the single most important thing people can do to increase their life span?

A)Eat less
B)Drink more water
C)Increase insulin levels
D)Decrease antioxidants in the diet

Question 29

According to the rate-of-living theory of aging,slowing down _______________ should increase the life span.

A)the rate of cell division
B)metabolism
C)the decline of free radicals
D)hormonal activity

Question 30

By the age of _________,the ratio of women to men is about 2 to 1.

A)65
B)75
C)85
D)95

Question 31

The finding that human cells can divide about 50 times before they stop dividing and die is called the

A)survival curve.
B)tertiary boundary.
C)reserve limit.
D)Hayflick limit.

Question 32

One reason that the United States ranks 33rd among industrialized countries in healthy life expectancy rates is due to

A)hardiness of rural residents over city dwellers who face more population density.
B)a small number of HIV-related deaths compared to other countries.
C)fairly high levels of violence.
D)low rates of coronary heart disease.

Question 33

We know that the efficiency of the immune system declines with age.Predictions of survival rates have been made through

A)the rate of cell division.
B)variable rate theories.
C)measures of immune cell levels.
D)All of these

Question 34

The survival curve,the biological limit to the life span,demonstrates that

A)regardless of health and fitness the maximum life span is not much higher than 80 years of age.
B)the rate of mortality decreases after 100.
C)the rate of mortality is significantly higher after 80.
D)mortality rates are dependent on too many factors to predict survival.

Question 35

Damage associated with free radicals,highly unstable oxygen atoms formed during metabolism,has been mentioned as a factor in all of the following EXCEPT

A)neurological disorders.
B)genetic disorders.
C)muscular dystrophy.
D)late-onset diabetes.

Question 36

Recent research concerning the maximum human life span suggests that

A)it appears that 126 may be the maximum life span based upon mathematical models.
B)environmental toxins are slowly lowering the maximum age that people can achieve.
C)the upper limit appears to be 100 years.
D)increasing one's caloric intake may greatly extend the life span.

Question 37

Which of the following terms is used for the theory that the body ages because of continued use and accumulated "insults"?

A)Programmed aging
B)Wear-and-tear
C)Primary aging
D)Tertiary aging

Question 38

Which of the following terms is used for the theory that bodies age in accordance with a normal developmental pattern built into every organism?

A)Genetic programming
B)Wear-and-tear
C)Primary aging
D)Secondary aging

Question 39

Your roommate tells you to take care of your body and don't subject it to stress because it will make you age faster.Your roommate's advice is consistent with the _______________ theory of aging.

A)wear-and-tear
B)programmed-aging
C)expectancy
D)senescence-related

Question 40

When specific genes "switch off" before age-related losses,it is referred to as

A)a hormonal change effect.
B)a fatal illness.
C)programmed senescence.
D)genetic interference.

Question 41

Which of the following will NOT be an area of innovation in the 21st century to accommodate the physical needs of an aging population?

A)Aids in vision
B)Aids in hearing
C)Aids to manual dexterity
D)Aids to think better

Question 42

Depression is underdiagnosed in older adults for all of the following reasons EXCEPT it may be

A)mistaken for dementia.
B)seen as an accompaniment of aging.
C)masked by physical illness.
D)All of these

Question 43

According to the text,losses in strength that occur in the elderly

A)are irreversible.
B)can be reduced with hormone replacement.
C)may be reduced by weight training.
D)are more common in men than in women.

Question 44

All of the following factors contribute to making older adults susceptible to falls EXCEPT

A)slower reflexes.
B)decreased muscle strength.
C)carelessness.
D)loss of eyesight and depth perception.

Question 45

In old age,reserve capacity tends to

A)increase.
B)decline,and the effects are most noticeable in everyday activities.
C)decline,and the effects are most noticeable when old people are faced with stressful demands.
D)remain the same.

Question 46

_______of those adults over 85 years of age have trouble seeing.

A)10%
B)17%
C)50%
D)30%

Question 47

What percentage of older adults have physical disabilities that cause them to have difficulty carrying out the essential activities of daily living?

A)10%
B)24%
C)40%
D)60%

Question 48

The major barrier to an active sex life in many older women is

A)lack of a partner.
B)lack of desire.
C)thickening of the vaginal walls.
D)concern with overexertion.

Question 49

Sarah has developed opaque areas in the lenses of her eyes.She probably has

A)farsightedness.
B)presbyopia.
C)cataracts.
D)glaucoma.

Question 50

Research has shown that the brain shrinks somewhat in old age.What part of the brain is thought to undergo the most shrinkage?

A)Hypothalamus
B)Medulla oblongata
C)Frontal cortex
D)Midbrain

Question 51

The ability of body organs and systems to put forth extra effort in times of stress is called

A)homeostasis.
B)reserve capacity.
C)senescence.
D)None of these;no such ability exists.

Question 52

In older adults,the leading cause of irreversible visual impairment,a gradual loss of ability to distinguish fine details,is

A)age-related macular degeneration.
B)presbyopia.
C)night blindness.
D)glaucoma.

Question 53

Which of the following is a symptom of depression among the elderly,as mentioned in your textbook?

A)Loss of weight
B)Having lots of close family and friends
C)Taking cholesterol medicines
D)Feeling little control over one's life

Question 54

Dorothy,age 65,is beginning to have trouble driving at night.This is probably because

A)her eyes can no longer adapt as well to dim light.
B)the muscles that move the eyes do not function well.
C)she falls asleep more easily.
D)she is more easily distracted at night.

Question 55

Older people,especially men,often have trouble hearing

A)low-frequency sounds.
B)high-frequency sounds.
C)background sounds with a hearing aid.
D)None of these

Question 56

Loss of teeth due to gum disease is called

A)digestion.
B)dentonitis.
C)flu infection.
D)periodontitis.

Question 57

If the normal aging brain does lose neurons over time,how might a person compensate for this loss?

A)The blood flow to the brain improves.
B)Dendrites may grow,decreasing contacts between cells.
C)Chemical transmitters in the brain may become more concentrated.
D)Increased education,higher income,and decreased likelihood of disability may decrease the process of cortical atrophy.

Question 58

Their family physician has told both Michael and his brother Stan,both in their late 70s,that physical exercise

A)should be avoided to reduce the risk of injury.
B)is less valuable than it is at earlier stages of the life span.
C)has no effect on muscle strength at this stage.
D)can minimize physical,cognitive,and psychological declines.

Question 59

Which of the following statements about medical conditions in old age is TRUE?

A)Most older people have at least one chronic condition.
B)Older people have more acute digestive problems than younger people.
C)Older people have more colds and flu infections than younger people.
D)Older people's increased reserve capacity helps them recover quickly from minor illnesses.

Question 60

The most common chronic health problems of older adults is

A)hypertension.
B)arthritis.
C)cataracts.
D)diabetes.

Question 61

In addition to antidepressants for the treatment of depression,many elderly patients are also helped by

A)psychotherapy.
B)shock therapy.
C)interpersonal therapy.
D)behavioral therapy.

Question 62

Alexander,who is 75 years old,has not played golf for 25 years.Nevertheless,when he is asked to play golf in a fundraising event,he remembers how to perform all of the skills necessary to play golf,such as the grip,the backswing,and the follow-through.Alexander's knowledge of how to play golf represents what kind of memory?

A)Sensory
B)Procedural
C)Nondistinctive
D)Iconic

Question 63

Bernice,age 69,has gradually developed disturbing symptoms.She forgets where she lives,goes on extravagant spending binges,fails to recognize her children,and has difficulty feeding herself.She is likely to be suffering from

A)strokes.
B)Alzheimer's disease.
C)Parkinson's disease.
D)overmedication.

Question 64

The general term for physiologically caused intellectual decline in old age is

A)senility.
B)dementia.
C)Alzheimer's disease.
D)senescence.

Question 65

Suppose you wish to take a group of elderly people and train them to solve word puzzles.Generalizing from the text,what method of training might be most beneficial?

A)Give the participants sample word problems,but let them learn to solve them by themselves.
B)Give the participants formal training in problem-solving techniques.
C)Provide encouragement for working rapidly on the problems.
D)None of these;it is not possible to improve performance on mental tasks in the elderly.

Question 66

Differences among individuals in the Seattle Longitudinal Study of Adult Intelligence were attributed to all of the following EXCEPT

A)their genetic endowment.
B)their physical and neurological status.
C)they had stable marriages,intelligent spouses,and cognitively complex occupations.
D)they had rigid personality styles.

Question 67

According to Baltes,all of the following are favorable conditions for the growth of wisdom EXCEPT

A)general mental ability.
B)education or training.
C)leadership experience.
D)creativity.

Question 68

If you were asked to name the 16th president of the United States,you would look for this information in your _______________ memory.

A)procedural
B)episodic
C)semantic
D)implicit

Question 69

A person hears four letters,T - D - O - A,and is then asked to mentally rearrange them into a meaningful word (such as toad).The mental manipulation of this information occurs in ______ memory.

A)primary
B)procedural
C)implicit
D)working

Question 70

The brain of a person with Alzheimer's disease shows excessive amounts of

A)hormonal deficiency.
B)neurofibrillary tangles.
C)amyloid plaque.
D)both neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaque.

Question 71

Even though you haven't played tennis in years,you pick up a racquet and go out and play a pretty decent game.Your memory of how to play tennis is considered _______________ memory.

A)semantic
B)primary
C)procedural
D)working

Question 72

Practical and integrative thinking actually tend to improve throughout most of adult life,but some abilities,such as _____________,may decline with age.

A)long-term memory
B)comprehension skills
C)speed of mental processes
D)reasoning

Question 73

Dementia is

A)an inevitable part of aging.
B)almost always reversible.
C)sometimes physiologically caused.
D)to be suspected at the first signs of memory loss.

Question 74

All of the following are among the seven instrumental activities of daily living used to measure cognitive competence EXCEPT

A)managing finances.
B)using the telephone.
C)driving a car.
D)taking medication.

Question 75

Cognitive impairment appears to be delayed by all of the following EXCEPT

A)physical activity.
B)social networks.
C)
C)mental involvement.
D)consuming large quantities of vitamin

Question 76

The major contributor to 80-year-old Mr.Samson's change in cognitive performance over the last few years is

A)the slowdown of his central nervous system functioning.
B)age-related declines in his reasoning ability.
C)declines in his spatial abilities.
D)All of these

Question 77

If you were asked to recall where and when you first learned to drive a car,you would rely on your _______________ memory.

A)procedural
B)episodic
C)implicit
D)semantic

Question 78

The second most common disorder in older adults,involving progressive neurological degeneration and characterized by tremors,stiffness,and unstable posture,is

A)Alzheimer's disease.
B)depression.
C)Parkinson's disease.
D)dementia.

Question 79

All of the following are symptoms of Alzheimer's disease EXCEPT

A)confusion.
B)loss of memory.
C)stinginess.
D)restlessness.

Question 80

Which of the following statements about treatment of Alzheimer's disease is TRUE?

A)It can be cured if detected early enough.
B)There are now five approved medications that can slow the disease.
C)No cure or treatment has been discovered for it.
D)Though it is not curable,the standard treatment to halt its progress involves grafts of fetal brain tissue.