Deck 12: Midlife

Question 1

Spell out Baltes's theory of selective optimization with compensation, making reference to your own life. In what ways are you using these principles in your career and/or personal life? How can you better use the theory to construct a more satisfying life?

Answer 1

The theory centers on focusing on one's top-ranking priorities (selection), working hard in these top priority areas (optimization), and relying on external aids when it's difficult to cope on one's own compensation. After defining these terms, students should give specific examples, possibly related to strategies for studying, handling a career, managing family life, and so on.

Question 2

Discuss the feelings and conflicts inherent in taking care of an elderly parent. What factors make parent care more difficult? If possible, cite real-life examples to illustrate your points.

Answer 2

Caregivers' emotions: feeling overstressed and conflicted between fulfilling competing obligations; having the sense that this role is unnatural (parents should take care of their children, not the reverse); believing this is a chance to repay a parent for years of love; possibly, growing as human beings through taking on this life challenge. Forces that make this job more difficult: other heavy competing responsibilities; dealing with a parent who is cognitively impaired or has a difficult personality; believing that siblings are not doing their fair share.

Question 3

In the Big Five framework, _____ refers to how competent and reliable we are.

Answer 3

conscientiousness

Question 4

As people age, they can keep their brain sharp if they are healthy, exercise, and seek out challenging _____ situations.

Question 5

Describe age changes in sexuality for women and men. Then, discuss how lovemaking can change for the better in later life.

Question 6

Describe each Big Five trait and rate where you think you stand on each of these dimensions. Finally, give a concrete personal example of how a Big Five ranking may have changed (or not changed) since your teens.

Question 7

Discuss the family benefits grandparents provide. Then mention a problem inherent to the grandparent role. Use at least two specific examples to illustrate your points.

Question 8

In the Seattle study, tests of _____________ stay stable or rise into the sixties.

Question 9

Spell out the four features of wisdom. Then give a concrete example of one of these qualities in action demonstrated by a relative, friend, or other adult.

Question 10

Describe the features of McAdams's commitment script that characterize the life histories of highly generative adults. Then, cite a concrete example of a redemption sequence, either based on your own life or that of a family member or friend.

Question 11

As men age, their erections tend to become _____.

Question 12

In the Big Five framework, _____ refers to how emotionally disturbed we are.

Question 13

When people use _____, they prioritize, work harder in the most vital life tasks, and use external help in order to function.

Question 14

According to the Seattle study, people generally reach their intellectual peak in their _____.

Question 15

Discuss the difference between crystallized and fluid intelligence and note the varying age pattern for each type of intelligence. Cite real-world examples of each kind of skill.

Question 16

When a woman has not menstruated for one _____, she is labeled as having reached menopause.

Question 17

Crystallized intelligence refers to our knowledge base, while _____ intelligence refers to our ability to reason quickly when facing a totally new intellectual challenge.

Question 18

First list the happiness tips in this chapter and then give an example illustrating one of these choices from your own life or the life of another adult.

Question 19

Wise thinking involves looking at situations from a variety of perspectives and transcending one's _____ in making decisions.

Question 20

Textbook writing is an example of a skill that improves until a relatively _____ age.

Question 21

Menopause occurs when the woman's body:

A) no longer produces testosterone.
B) drastically reduces the production of estrogen.
C) produces too much estrogen.
D) produces too much testosterone.

Question 22

As people travel through their twenties and encounter adult life, the Big Five trait of _____ rises the most.

Question 23

Which woman has reached menopause?

A) Georgina, who has not menstruated for a year
B) Joy, who has not menstruated for 6 months
C) Jianyu, who is getting hot flashes
D) Irisi, whose body is no longer producing testosterone

Question 24

The society or nation people live in plays a(n) _____ role in personal happiness.

Question 25

Elder care is typically performed by _____.

Question 26

Which of the following is MOST LIKELY to happen after menopause?

A) Intercourse becomes painful, due to changes in the vaginal tract.
B) Estrogen loss produces a lack of desire.
C) Women are almost always no longer interested in sex.
D) Women almost always are more interested in sex.

Question 27

In their fifties, many females report less interest in sex. According to the text, the MOST likely reason is that, at this age, women may not:

A) have an interested partner.
B) produce estrogen.
C) look attractive.
D) exercise.

Question 28

Which physical change is MOST apt to negatively affect sexual interest after menopause?

A) estrogen loss
B) less vaginal lubrication
C) being overweight
D) being underweight

Question 29

People feel hedonic happiness when enjoying a terrific meal, and they experience _____ happiness from feeling a sense of meaning and fulfillment in life.

Question 30

Akin is polling sexually active 70-year-old people. Based on the research, what might he hear these older adults say?

A) "Sex is all about intimacy and communication at this age."
B) "Sex is more physically arousing at this age."
C) " Sex is briefer at this age."
D) "Erection difficulties make me uninterested in sex at this age."

Question 31

Performing good works, volunteering, and sacrificing the self for another's well-being are all examples of _____.

Question 32

Jolene is 72. Based on the text, she is apt to describe herself as:

A) elderly.
B) either middle-aged or elderly.
C) middle-aged.
D) old-old.

Question 33

In midlife, being physically appealing is:

A) no longer as important to women.
B) no longer as important to men.
C) centrally important to women but not men.
D) centrally important both to women and men.

Question 34

Statistically speaking, during middle age body dissatisfaction:

A) increases for women.
B) increases for both sexes.
C) stays about the same for women.
D) decreases for men.

Question 35

Who is MOST likely to feel unhappy with her appearance?

A) Ellen, a midlife woman, who regularly compares her 50-year-old body to herself at 25
B) Alma, a midlife woman who dies her hair
C) Allison, a midlife woman, who exercises with a trainer
D) Ellisa, a midlife woman, who has decided to let her hair grow gray

Question 36

Because grandparents step in during a crisis to help younger family members function, they are called _____.

Question 37

Which is a classic age-related change in male sexual performance?

A) trouble getting erections
B) more intense ejaculations
C) only being able to ejaculate twice a night
D) less sensitive lovemaking

Question 38

_____ is the label for tragic events that people transform into growth experiences.

Question 39

_____ grandparents are at risk of not seeing the grandchildren as much as they would like.

Question 40

_____ grandparents are at risk of being more involved with the grandchildren than they would like.

Question 41

Erico adores giving dinner parties, but he worries about how age will affect his skills. Which ability is most likely to IMPROVE as the years pass?

A) cooking dishes that must be ready at different times
B) preparing a meal while simultaneously talking to guests
C) discussing a wide range of topics at the table
D) following complicated recipes

Question 42

John is a 50-year-old manager who enjoys playing basketball with his teenage sons. At work, he finds that he is better able to solve problems; but on the court, he notices that he is not as good at keeping track of the ball. John's experience is:

A) unpredictable at that age.
B) rare at that age.
C) typical at that age.
D) common only when a middle-aged adult is out of practice.

Question 43

In describing intelligence during the fifties, statistically speaking, what is the LEAST appropriate comment?

A) vocabulary improves
B) the ability to master unfamiliar material declines
C) people often reach their intellectual peak
D) people decline in every skill

Question 44

Fluid intelligence tends to _____.

A) improve until late middle age
B) peak in a person's forties
C) peak in a person's twenties
D) improve up until age 80

Question 45

Haru is age 30 and Bettini is 60. All things being equal, if both adults are contestants on Jeopardy we might expect that:

A) Haru will be faster at pressing the buzzer.
B) Haru will be better at world knowledge.
C) Bettini will come with new phrases faster.
D) Bettini will be happier if she wins.

Question 46

Which ability is MOST likely to improve well into the late fifties?

A) vocabulary
B) how quickly someone can put blocks together
C) how well a person can clean a house
D) how quickly a person can learn a computer game

Question 47

Fluid intelligence involves _____.

A) reasoning quickly on unfamiliar tasks
B) quickly changing an opinion
C) remembering vocabulary words
D) social skills

Question 48

A teacher is MOST likely to reach a professional peak in her _____.

A) thirties
B) fifties
C) late sixties
D) seventies

Question 49

Who is MOST likely to see her skills improve as she moves through middle age?

A) Bahadir, a dancer
B) Dinora, a CEO
C) Janet, an air-traffic controller
D) Ai, an assembly-line worker

Question 50

Adaora is 20 years old; her mother is 50 years old. All things being equal, Adaora should outperform her mother at:

A) knowing historical facts.
B) solving crossword puzzles.
C) putting together puzzles quickly.
D) tests of world knowledge.

Question 51

If Ray is in his fifties, he should do better than his 20-year-old son on tests of _____ intelligence.

A) crystallized
B) editorial
C) fluid
D) general

Question 52

According to the Seattle Longitudinal Study, people can expect to reach their intellectual peak in their _____.

A) teens
B) twenties
C) thirties
D) late forties or fifties

Question 53

In a teacher, which talent is MOST likely to decline during middle age?

A) knowing the content of a field
B) getting along with colleagues
C) controlling an unruly class
D) writing on the board while monitoring the behavior of students in class

Question 54

Which ability is MOST likely to start declining by a person's thirties?

A) vocabulary
B) knowledge of history
C) how quickly someone can perform complex new tasks
D) no ability declines during this decade

Question 55

In describing intelligence during middle age, which is the LEAST accurate comment?

A) Crystallized skills improve with age.
B) Fluid skills decline with age.
C) People reach an intellectual peak during middle age.
D) Every skill declines in middle age.

Question 56

Who is MOST likely to see his abilities rise during middle age?

A) Jin, a basketball player
B) Juan, a textbook writer
C) Aniyan, an air-traffic controller
D) Jonah, a dancer

Question 57

Which intellectual ability is MOST likely to improve with age?

A) vocabulary
B) how quickly someone can think of new words
C) how quickly a person can clean a house
D) how well a person can learn a computer game

Question 58

Which talent is MOST apt to increase as a nurse moves through middle age?

A) taking blood pressures while talking to patients
B) understanding how to deal with patients
C) keeping track of unfamiliar medicines
D) quickly mastering new technologies in the field

Question 59

Which intellectual ability is MOST likely to decline fast with age?

A) vocabulary
B) knowledge of the world
C) interpersonal skills
D) how well a person can learn a new computer game

Question 60

Crystallized intelligence involves _____.

A) reasoning on unfamiliar tasks
B) changing an opinion
C) our amount of knowledge
D) coming up with new words quickly

Question 61

Which student is using selective optimization with compensation?

A) Jacob, who allots special time to studying his most difficult courses, and works especially hard in his major where good grades matter most
B) Jorma, who selects only the easiest courses, doesn't study especially hard, and still manages to get a relatively high grade
C) Jarmila, who is so optimistic that she doesn't feel she has to study very much
D) Jill, who enrolls in the most difficult classes and then overcompensates by working around the clock

Question 62

The following is the BEST bottom line conclusion about age and creativity.

A) Exceptionally creative people can still be highly creative at 70 or even 95.
B) Creativity declines after youth.
C) Creativity rises after midlife.
D) Creativity follows a u-shaped curve.

Question 63

Which of the following predicts earlier-than-normal age-related cognitive losses?

A) being single
B) having a routine job that requires regular interaction with people
C) engaging in regular exercise
D) having a high allostatic load

Question 64

After being given a series of tests by his physician, a 50-year-old gets a summary score ranking him at the 90th percentile, health-wise, for his age. What is a legitimate conclusion?

A) The measure tapped allostatic load.
B) This person's cognitive performance has declined more than the average adult his age.
C) This person is not taking care of his health.
D) This person has a job that requires little interaction with others.

Question 65

Diana has been offered a terrific job in another state, but she is ambivalent about uprooting her family. Which type of thinking does NOT involve wisdom?

A) realizing that there may be "no right answer," so any decision will be a judgment call
B) thinking through the consequences of the move from the perspective of her husband and children
C) getting input from other people, because she knows she doesn't have all the answers in life
D) making a firm decision

Question 66

Which man is showing wisdom?

A) Marlo, who tries to make decisions from everyone's perspective
B) Maney, who has very strong points of view
C) Mark, who feels men should be the boss
D) Meda, who believes that everyone gets what they deserve

Question 67

If his goal is to stay intellectually sharp as he ages, Joe should NOT consider which career?

A) nursing
B) teaching
C) journalism
D) long-distance truck driving

Question 68

A middle-aged colleague asks, "How can I remain mentally sharp as I age?" Based on the text, which is NOT a helpful suggestion?

A) "Stay physically fit."
B) "Stay passionate about learning new things."
C) "Get involved in challenging situations with people."
D) "Do lots of crossword puzzles."

Question 69

Juanita is thrilled to be taking human development next semester from Dr. Ada, who won the "best teacher award" 5 years ago, but she is worried as this terrific teacher is now age 68. Having read this chapter, what should a friend suggest?

A) "Go for it-crystallized skills begins to decline in later life."
B) "Give it a shot-Dr. Ada should still be great, provided he doesn't have a serious illness."
C) "Terrible idea-crystallized skills sharply decline by the mid-sixties."
D) "Terrible idea-college teaching depends mainly on fluid skills."

Question 70

The author of this textbook is MOST likely to be at her professional peak in her _____.

A) forties
B) fifties
C) sixties, unless she gets ill
D) seventies, unless she gets ill

Question 71

Hank is an avid reader. As he reaches his seventies, however, it is hard for him to stay awake as he reads, especially at night. Which approach SPECIFICALLY involves using compensation?

A) deciding to read during the morning when Hank tends to be most alert
B) cutting down on other activities that are less vital in Hank's life
C) buying books on tape as a backup for the times when reading is too difficult
D) reading complex books to stretch his skills

Question 72

Bolin is a teacher who finds his job very stimulating. Irwin, his childhood buddy, has never found his vocational niche and stocks grocery store shelves for a living. As these friends move into middle age, what is MOST likely to happen?

A) Both men will decline cognitively.
B) Bolin should become more mentally flexible; Irwin will cognitively decline.
C) Both men will become more mentally flexible.
D) Predictions are impossible.

Question 73

Colum's friend asks which teacher to take for his class in human development. Given the research on creativity and careers, Colum should recommend a professor:

A) in his seventies (who is still healthy), with a reputation for outstanding teaching.
B) in her forties, who is a fairly good teacher.
C) in his late twenties, who is supposed to be an excellent teacher.
D) who is a well-known researcher, but who hasn't taught much.

Question 74

In taking this chapter test, which item will MOST likely elicit wise thinking?

A) embracing different ways of conceptualizing wisdom
B) remembering the list of qualities involved in wisdom
C) defining wisdom on Wikipedia
D) answering multiple-choice items to pick out wisdom

Question 75

Fifty-seven-year-old Tracey's passion is learning French, but she understands that it will be a lot harder to learn a new language at her age. Based on Baltes's principles of selective optimization with compensation, Tracey should employ which of the following strategies?

A) Focus just on learning the simplest French words.
B) Spend less time to studying French.
C) Bring along a dictionary as a backup in case she forgets French words.
D) Focus on learning how to read French.

Question 76

Which midlife adult is at SPECIAL risk of declining cognitively?

A) Clark, who hasn't taken care of his body
B) Pia, who began exercising last year
C) Koshiro, who is having more trouble doing things quickly
D) Brianna, whose ability to multitask is not as good as it was 10 years earlier

Question 77

Hank is an avid reader. As he reaches his seventies, however, it is hard for him to stay awake as he reads, especially at night. Which approach SPECIFICALLY involves using selection?

A) deciding to read during the morning when Hank tends to be most alert
B) cutting down on other activities that are less vital in Hank's life
C) buying books on tape as a backup for the times when reading is too difficult
D) reading complex books to stretch his skills

Question 78

To predict which twenty-something aspiring screen writer is likely to win an Oscar at fifty, which is the MOST relevant question to ask?

A) How creative is this person now?
B) Where did this person go to school?
C) Is this person female or male?
D) Is this person wealthy or not?

Question 79

Which topic is LEAST likely to elicit wise thinking?

A) reasoning about something in which you are highly personally involved
B) reasoning about abstract intellectual questions
C) reasoning about another person's life
D) reasoning about a subject that has little relevance to your life

Question 80

Which person is NOT at risk of declining cognitively during midlife?

A) Clark, who hasn't taken care of his body
B) Pia, who has exercised regularly since her twenties
C) Koshiro, who works at an easy, routine job
D) Brianna, whose ability to multitask is not as good as it was 10 years earlier