Question 1

If Ray is in his twenties,he should do better than his middle-aged mother on tests of _____ intelligence.

Accepted Answer

Fluid intelligence refers to a person's ability to reason and solve problems in new situations. It is believed to peak in early adulthood and then decline as a person ages. Crystallized intelligence, on the other hand, refers to a person's accumulated knowledge and skills, which can continue to grow throughout a person's life. Therefore, Ray, being in his twenties, would be expected to have higher fluid intelligence than his middle-aged mother.

Question 2

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

Accepted Answer

According to the research on creativity and careers, individuals tend to reach their creative peak in their 50s or 60s, which suggests that experience and expertise may be important factors in teaching a class on human development. Therefore, the professor in his seventies with a reputation for outstanding teaching would be the best choice as they likely have the necessary experience and expertise to effectively teach the class.

Question 3

In commenting on intelligence during middle age,all are appropriate descriptions EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Declining in every skill is not an appropriate description of intelligence during middle age. Most research suggests that while fluid intelligence, which involves abstract reasoning and problem solving, may decline, crystallized intelligence, which involves knowledge and skills gained through experience, can continue to improve or remain stable during middle age. Additionally, some studies suggest that overall intellectual functioning may reach a peak during middle age before gradually declining later in life.

Question 4

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

Accepted Answer

Brianna's situation, where her ability to multitask has declined, is a normal part of aging and does not necessarily indicate a risk of cognitive decline. The other options involve factors that are associated with increased risk of cognitive decline.

Question 5

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

Accepted Answer

By a person's thirties, their cognitive abilities are still generally intact, but their ability to quickly perform complex new tasks can start to decline. This is because the brain's processing speed and flexibility begin to decrease with age. Vocabulary and knowledge of history are not necessarily declining at this stage, and there is no specific ability that universally declines during this decade.

Question 6

Haru is age 20.Based on the Flynn effect,when he reaches age 50,Haru's fluid skills should be _____ than/as his mom's are today.

Accepted Answer

The Flynn effect suggests that IQ scores tend to increase over time. Therefore, Haru's fluid skills at age 50 should be better than his mom's skills today.

Question 7

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

Accepted Answer

As a teacher ages, their eyesight may decline and they may experience difficulty multitasking. Writing on the board while monitoring behavior requires the ability to multitask and keep an eye on the entire class, so this talent is most likely to decline during middle age.

Question 8

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

Accepted Answer

The author is most likely to be at her professional peak in her early sixties, unless she gets ill. This is because most people reach their professional peak in their early sixties.

Question 9

John is a 45-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:

Accepted Answer

John's experience is typical for a middle-aged adult. As we age, we may experience changes in our physical and cognitive abilities. While we may become better at solving problems and making decisions due to years of experience, we may also experience a decline in our physical abilities, such as reaction time and hand-eye coordination. This is a normal part of the aging process.

Question 10

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

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that crystallized skills, which involve accumulated knowledge and experience, can continue to improve throughout later life. Therefore, Juanita should give it a shot and take the course with Dr.Ada, as long as he does not have a serious illness that could impact his ability to teach. Furthermore, college teaching relies more on crystallized skills than on fluid skills, which tend to decline with age.

Question 11

To predict which twenty-something musician is likely to be highly creative at an older age,which is the MOST relevant question to ask?

Accepted Answer

The current level of creativity is the most relevant factor in predicting future creativity. It is a better predictor than gender, education, or wealth.

Question 12

Who is MOST likely to see his skills decline by middle age?

Accepted Answer

Air-traffic controllers are known to have one of the most mentally demanding jobs which require quick and accurate decision making. This can lead to a decline in skills as they age.

Question 13

Crystallized intelligence tends to _____.

Accepted Answer

Crystallized intelligence refers to a person's accumulated knowledge and skills, which continue to improve throughout adulthood, even into late middle age. Therefore, choice A is the best answer.

Question 14

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?

Accepted Answer

As people age, they often become better at understanding and empathizing with others, which can enhance their ability to engage in meaningful conversations about personal issues.

Question 15

Adaora is 20 years old;her grandmother is 65 years old.All things being equal,grandma should outperform Adaora at:

Accepted Answer

Grandmothers typically have more life experience and have had to navigate more complex social situations, which tends to enhance their abilities to solve relationship-oriented problems. Age has less of an impact on math ability, puzzle solving, and house cleaning speed.

Question 16

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

Accepted Answer

As nurses move through middle age, they have more experience and tend to have better communication and interpersonal skills. This can result in better teamwork and collaboration with colleagues, leading to an increased ability to get along with the staff. While other talents such as taking blood pressures and keeping track of unfamiliar medicines may remain important, they may not necessarily increase in proficiency as the nurse ages. Mastery of new technologies may also become more challenging as the nurse gets older and may not necessarily increase as a result of age alone.

Question 17

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

Accepted Answer

While there is no set age or timeline for reaching a professional peak, research suggests that many teachers reach a high level of expertise and effectiveness in their fifties, after several years of experience and professional development. This is often when they have a deep understanding of their subject area, as well as strong classroom management and pedagogical skills. However, this can vary for individual teachers based on their interests, goals, and circumstances.

Question 18

Fred,age 65,has been regularly participating in a longitudinal study of adult intelligence.At his most recent evaluation,he scored far below his typical performance on the vocabulary portion of the test.Based on this finding,the tester might suspect a(n):

Accepted Answer

A sudden and significant decline in cognitive performance, particularly in a specific area like vocabulary, can be a sign of an underlying medical condition, such as an undiagnosed terminal illness.

Question 19

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

Accepted Answer

As a literary worker, Dinora is more likely to see her skills develop as she gains more experience over the years. Literature is often a field that benefits from more age and wisdom, as authors can draw from their life experiences to create more nuanced and insightful works. Meanwhile, the other professions listed (dancer, air-traffic controller, assembly-line worker) may require physical abilities that decline with age and would thus make skill improvement more difficult.

Question 20

Fluid intelligence involves _____.

Accepted Answer

Fluid intelligence is the ability to reason and problem-solve in new and unfamiliar situations, often involving abstract thinking and reasoning quickly.

Quiz 12: Midlife