Deck 15: Physical and Cognitive Development in Late Adulthood

Question 1

If born today in the United States,which of the following persons would have the highest life expectancy?

A)Jerome,who is an African-American male
B)Larry,who is an European-American male
C)Martino,who is an Latina(o)-American male
D)Susan,who is an European-American female

Answer 1

Susan,who is an European-American female

Question 2

Dr.Lone Dove has begun studying the effects of a newly discovered hormone on aging.He hypothesizes that the new hormone protects the body's cells from deterioration by strengthening the cell wall against detrimental substances.Dr.Lone Dove is finding evidence for the ________ theory of aging.

A)telomere
B)cellular clock
C)hormonal stress
D)free-radical

Answer 2

hormonal stress

Question 3

Amy is 98 years old.If she lives to the upper biological limit of her life span as estimated by the cellular clock theory,about how old will she be when she dies?

A)100
B)110
C)120
D)130

Answer 3

120

Question 4

Statistics reveal that the profile for most centenarians (people aged 100 and older)looks unusual as compared with other older adults.What is the difference?

A)These centenarians had mostly never gotten married.
B)These centenarians had a low rate of age-related diseases.
C)These centenarians were married more than once.
D)These centenarians were mostly millionaires.

Question 5

Dr.LaRossa has spent her career studying the causes of aging.She hypothesizes that as we age,our cells become increasingly less capable of dividing.Dr.LaRossa espouses the ________ theory of aging.

A)telomerase-injection
B)cellular clock
C)free-radical
D)hormonal stress

Question 6

According to the cellular clock theory of aging,cells can divide a maximum of:

A)50 to 60 times.
B)65 to 70 times.
C)75 to 80 times.
D)80 to 100 times.

Question 7

In the year 2008,approximately how many people were centenarians?

A)19,000
B)55,000
C)112,000
D)234,000

Question 8

What is the average life expectancy for individuals born today in the United States?

A)69 years
B)72 years
C)75 years
D)78 years

Question 9

Researchers have extended the life of a human cell by:

A)removing the cap of the DNA molecule.
B)injecting it with telomerase.
C)rearranging the DNA sequences.
D)splicing the 18^th and 19^th chromosome.

Question 10

Which of the following has remained virtually unchanged through most of history?

A)life expectancy
B)life span
C)life development
D)life experience

Question 11

Which of the following biological theories of aging states that people age because their cells' normal metabolism produces unstable oxygen molecules?

A)cellular clock theory
B)free-radical theory
C)telomerase-injection theory
D)hormonal stress theory

Question 12

The number of years that will probably be lived by the average person born in a particular year is the:

A)life expectancy.
B)life span.
C)life development.
D)biological age.

Question 13

What accounts for gender differences in longevity?

A)social factors only
B)biological factors only
C)both biological and social factors
D)neither biological nor social factors

Question 14

Professor Garcia is teaching her class about the harmful effects of stress,citing that it leads to early death.Professor Garcia likely subscribes to the:

A)hormonal stress theory.
B)cellular clock theory.
C)life-events theory.
D)free-radical theory.

Question 15

Why is life expectancy for women longer than for men?

A)Women engage in fewer high-risk lifestyle behaviors.
B)Women experience less stress than men do.
C)Women work harder and longer than men do.
D)Women have less financial strain than men do.

Question 16

If men and women engaged in exactly the same health-related behaviors,experienced the same amounts of stress,reacted to stress in the same ways,and had the same work habits and attitudes,which of the following would be expected?

A)Men and women would have the same life expectancies.
B)Women would have longer life expectancies than would men.
C)Men would have longer life expectancies than would women.
D)Men and women would both have shorter life expectancies.

Question 17

If born today,in what country would a person have the highest life expectancy?

A)the United States
B)Japan
C)Russia
D)Sweden

Question 18

The cellular clock and free-radical theories of aging both focus on aging as a result of:

A)hormonal change.
B)decline of tissue regeneration.
C)cellular change.
D)lower resistance to disease.

Question 19

Which of the following describes a biological component to the difference in life expectancies between men and women?

A)higher versus lower rates of emphysema
B)existence versus absence of sleep disorders
C)existence versus absence of an X chromosome
D)existence versus absence of a reasoned,practical life view

Question 20

Which figure is usually the largest?

A)life span
B)life expectancy
C)life span minus life expectancy
D)the average number of years adults live

Question 21

Gisella has just returned from the doctor and was told she has cloudy areas in the lenses of her eyes.Gisella has:

A)glaucoma.
B)nearsightedness.
C)macular degeneration.
D)cataracts.

Question 22

What is the leading cause of blindness in older adults?

A)glaucoma.
B)cataracts.
C)macular degeneration.
D)retinal hardening.

Question 23

Which of the following statements about the respiratory system in older adults is FALSE?

A)Lung capacity drops 40% between the ages of 20 and 80 years.
B)Lungs lose elasticity.
C)The diaphragm weakens.
D)The chest enlarges.

Question 24

__________ has(have)been shown to reduce the decrease in muscle mass and improve the older person's body appearance.

A)Weight training
B)Walking
C)Massage
D)Checkups

Question 25

Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding smell and taste in the elderly?

A)There are usually no signs of decline in these senses as we age.
B)Smell significantly decreases,but taste remains about the same.
C)Healthy elders have less decline than do less healthy elder adults.
D)Our senses of smell and taste become more sensitive as we age.

Question 26

A general slowing of function in the brain and spinal cord in late adulthood affects:

A)physical coordination only.
B)intellectual performance only.
C)both physical coordination and intellectual performance.
D)neither physical performance nor intellectual performance.

Question 27

Compared with younger adults,older adults are ________ sensitive to pain.

A)more
B)less
C)equally
D)Sensitivity does not change over time.

Question 28

Mr.Martin is 84 years old and has no major health problems.Sexual function in someone as old as Mr.Martin is:

A)about the same as it was when he was in his 50s.
B)possible but hampered by the lower blood pressure of most older adults.
C)possible but typically hampered by limited circulation in the sexual organs.
D)possible,although it may be more difficult for Mr.Martin to gain an erection and have an orgasm.

Question 29

Le-Kim wants to live a long and healthy life.According to the hormonal stress theory,she can do this by:

A)reducing her stress.
B)increasing her vitamin B₁₂ intake.
C)maintaining a rigorous exercise regimen.
D)reducing her exposure to free radicals.

Question 30

Deterioration of part of the retina is called:

A)glaucoma.
B)cataracts.
C)macular degeneration.
D)retinal hardening.

Question 31

On average,the adult brain loses __________ to _________ of its weight between the ages of 20 and 90.

A)1;5%
B)5;10%
C)10;20%
D)10;30%

Question 32

At age 72,Faye has a scan to assess the status and functioning of her brain.Her doctor also just completed a scan on a 50-year-old woman.As the doctor compares the two scans,it will be normal to see ________ in Faye's brain.

A)more dendrites
B)fewer dendrites
C)fewer cortices
D)more cortices

Question 33

Between the ages of 20 and 80 years,we typically lose ________ of our lung capacity.

A)20%
B)40%
C)50%
D)60%

Question 34

As we get older:

A)both men and women get shorter.
B)men get shorter,but women do not get shorter.
C)women get shorter,but men do not get shorter.
D)only individuals with osteoporosis,men or women,get shorter.

Question 35

After about age 60:

A)both men and women lose weight.
B)men lose weight,but women do not lose weight.
C)women lose weight,but men do not lose weight.
D)only individuals with health problems,men or women,lose weight.

Question 36

After about age 60,individuals:

A)lose weight and get shorter.
B)gain weight and get shorter.
C)lose weight and remain the same in height.
D)remain the same in height and lose weight.

Question 37

The onset of physical changes in late adulthood:

A)occurs at a similar age for most people.
B)varies in time from person to person.
C)is closely associated with changes in endocrine system function.
D)occurs in a regular series of stages.

Question 38

The most influential factor in delaying brain deterioration during old age is:

A)intellectual stimulation.
B)nutrition.
C)cellular garbage.
D)exercise.

Question 39

Ricardo's physician tells him that he has high blood pressure and will need to start taking a new medication.Given what we know about the diagnosis of treatable high blood pressure,we know that Ricardo's reading must be at least:

A)120/80.
B)150/85.
C)160/90.
D)180/120.

Question 40

The vision of older adults can be affected by age-related changes.One of these changes,which can make steps and curbs difficult to manage,is a decline in:

A)eye-hand coordination.
B)depth perception.
C)ocular elasticity.
D)hearing.

Question 41

Which of the following is TRUE concerning nutrition?

A)Thin people are as likely as heavy people to develop cardiovascular disease.
B)Food restriction in laboratory animals has been shown to increase their life spans.
C)Most experts recommend eating an extremely low calorie diet for maximum longevity.
D)Vitamin E reduced heart disease among Finnish men who were heavy smokers.

Question 42

Older women are more likely to have ________ but less likely to have ________ than are older men.

A)hypertension;diabetes
B)cancer;arthritis
C)sexual dysfunction;sinus problems
D)visual problems;hearing problems

Question 43

Giving nursing home patients more control over their daily schedules is:

A)harmful.
B)beneficial.
C)anxiety-provoking.
D)usually not necessary for patients that age.

Question 44

Loss of bone mass is associated with:

A)arteriosclerosis.
B)diabetes.
C)arthritis.
D)osteoporosis.

Question 45

Compared with elderly men,elderly women are less likely to have:

A)arthritis.
B)hypertension.
C)visual problems.
D)hearing problems.

Question 46

The idea of very old adults having no sex life is:

A)true,because sexual interest is mostly lost by age 70 years.
B)true,because of physical impairments to having intercourse.
C)not true,because sexual sensitivity continues to increase with age.
D)not true,because sexual ability is usually maintained throughout life.

Question 47

Experts are recommending strength training for older adults because such training:

A)improves physical appearance.
B)increases hormone production resulting in decreased signs of aging.
C)increases cardiovascular fitness and reduces the likelihood of heart disease.
D)increases muscle mass.

Question 48

When doctors treat patients for arthritis,they know that:

A)medications can cure the disease.
B)there is currently no cure for the disease.
C)little can be done to ease the pain and disability of arthritis.
D)it can be cured with the proper combination of diet,exercise,and newly discovered medication.

Question 49

Amelia,an older adult,says,"My granddaughter just bought me a set of hand weights,of all things! She says I ought to go check with my doctor,then start lifting weights! I told her she ought to start seeing a shrink!" Amelia should:

A)take her granddaughter's advice and see her doctor but not start lifting weights.
B)not start lifting weights,because the likelihood of a bone injury is high at Amelia's age.
C)take her granddaughter's advice and begin weight lifting under her doctor's supervision.
D)explain to her granddaughter that weight lifting is not necessary to maintain muscle tone and fitness in older adulthood.

Question 50

Rodin and Langer (1977)conducted a controlled study in which one group of nursing-home patients was given increased control over daily routines and other responsibilities and another group was not.The main finding in this study was that the increased control:

A)improved the lives of the patients.
B)caused debilitating anxiety in the patients.
C)was too much for the elderly and ill patients to handle.
D)showed the patients that they no longer needed the nursing home care.

Question 51

Which of the following best summarizes the relation between exercise and longevity?

A)Exercise can reverse many of the signs of aging.
B)Exercise can significantly increase the life spans of humans.
C)Exercise helps improve and maintain health in older adults.
D)Exercise has many physical but few psychological benefits in older adults.

Question 52

Life expectancy would be increased the most if ________ could be eliminated.

A)cancer
B)influenza
C)lung disease
D)kidney diseases

Question 53

Mrs.Hernandez has considerable pain and stiffness in her wrists,fingers,and knees.It is becoming very difficult for her to maintain her usual routines as her stiffness increases.Mrs.Hernandez has:

A)arteriosclerosis.
B)diabetes.
C)arthritis.
D)osteoporosis.

Question 54

Your 90-year-old uncle complains that he cannot get around the way he used to.He has trouble getting up out of chairs and difficulty walking across the room when he does get up.Can you help him?

A)Yes,you could have him take estrogen to improve his bone structure.
B)No,this sort of physical decline is inevitable and irreversible.
C)Yes,you could help him do exercises to improve his balance and walking.
D)No,physical exercise only tends to make the physical declines of old age worse.

Question 55

Although there are differences in the quality of care in nursing homes in the United States,about __________ are considered to be seriously deficient.

A)one-quarter
B)one-third
C)one-half
D)three-quarters

Question 56

After age 85,about ________ of adults reside in nursing homes.

A)5%
B)23%
C)15%
D)43%

Question 57

Terrence is 67 years old and no longer able to work because of his health.Which condition would be most likely to cause a work disability in someone his age?

A)asthma
B)diabetes
C)arthritis
D)heart condition

Question 58

Tran wants to live a long and healthy life.The most important thing he can do to improve longevity is:

A)get involved at church.
B)quit smoking.
C)get married.
D)adopt a pet.

Question 59

Which of the following is NOT one of the recommendations for preventing osteoporosis in middle-aged women?

A)eating foods rich in calcium
B)taking vitamin D supplements
C)exercising regularly
D)getting adequate sleep each night

Question 60

A disease that starts out slowly but lasts a long time is called:

A)acute.
B)chronic.
C)terminal.
D)pervasive.

Question 61

A person's knowledge about the world is called ________ memory.

A)schematic
B)functional
C)normative
D)semantic

Question 62

The term ________ refers to the ability to focus on a specific aspect of experience that is relevant to the task at hand while ignoring others that are irrelevant.

A)divided attention
B)selective attention
C)attention deficit
D)sustained attention

Question 63

Zack is in a crowded restaurant,trying to pay attention to the waiter,who is reading off the daily lunch specials.He is having a difficult time because ________ attention declines as one ages.

A)selective
B)divided
C)focused
D)sustained

Question 64

Although Alicia has a great memory for trivia,she has difficulty remembering important events in her life.Alicia has good ________ memory but poor ________ memory.

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

Question 65

Marsha,an adult in her 70s,can expect a decline in certain types of attention but not in:

A)selective attention.
B)sustained attention.
C)divided attention.
D)focused attention.

Question 66

________ memory refers to facts we consciously know,and ________ memory refers to memory without conscious recollection.

A)Semantic;episodic
B)Working;perceptual speed
C)Episodic;working
D)Explicit;implicit

Question 67

Shama,who is now 80 years old,will show a steady decline in:

A)explicit and semantic memory.
B)episodic and implicit memory.
C)working memory and perceptual speed.
D)procedural and working memory.

Question 68

Older adults have a harder time recognizing a street sign than younger adults,because they have:

A)a decline in explicit memory.
B)slower perceptual speed.
C)inferior semantic memory.
D)lost the ability to use their working memory.

Question 69

What is TRUE about the relationship between semantic memory and aging?

A)Older adults often take longer to retrieve semantic information,but they usually can retrieve it.
B)Older adults are usually unable to retrieve semantic information.
C)Older adults can retrieve semantic information only if it is relevant to their day-to-day lives.
D)Older adults can retrieve semantic information from long ago but not from the recent past.

Question 70

Which of the following persons is most likely to be "wise"?

A)Ida Mae,who is 72 years old
B)Jerome,who is highly intelligent
C)Stanley,who is highly creative
D)Kimora,who is introspective

Question 71

The retention of information about the when and where of life's happenings is called ________ memory.

A)episodic
B)situational
C)formative
D)historic

Question 72

Competently driving a car demands _______.

A)divided attention
B)visual attention
C)multitasking
D)vigilance

Question 73

Working memory is also called ________ memory.

A)implicit
B)short-term
C)long-term
D)semantic

Question 74

________ is knowledge about the practical aspects of life that permits practical judgment about important matters.

A)Enlightenment
B)Wisdom
C)Proficiency
D)Competence

Question 75

Selective attention is _______,whereas divided attention is _______.

A)vigilance;focusing on a specific event
B)paying attention only occasionally;constantly paying attention
C)focusing on one thing;focusing on many things
D)paying attention to detail;paying attention to significant events

Question 76

Rodin and Langer (1977)conducted a controlled study in which one group of nursing-home patients was given increased control over daily routines and other responsibilities,and another group was not.One finding in the study was that:

A)only half as many patients in the group given more control died as compared with the group with less control.
B)none of the patients in the group given more control died,but several patients in the other group died.
C)twice as many patients in the group given more control died as compared with the group with less control.
D)the increased control improved happiness ratings of the patients but had no effect on long-term health or longevity.

Question 77

What do Pablo Casals and Arthur Rubinstein have in common?

A)They are both individuals who contributed little until they were very old.
B)They are both people who were intellectually productive well into old age.
C)They are both scientists whose important discoveries were made in old age.
D)They are both examples of how old age gradually reduces mental abilities.

Question 78

Rhonda and Lewis are taking care of their elderly mother while she lives in Rhonda's home.Research on the care of the elderly shows that their mother will benefit the most if Rhonda and Lewis:

A)take care of most things for her but give her a few areas of autonomy.
B)challenge her to meet her own needs before coming to her assistance.
C)take care of her needs,but let her do what she can for herself.
D)come to her assistance only when she asks them for help.

Question 79

Which of the following is NOT a type of attention?

A)divided
B)focused
C)selective
D)sustained

Question 80

Which type of memory is less likely to be adversely affected by aging?

A)implicit
B)working
C)explicit
D)normative