Deck 13: Later Adulthood 60 to 75 Years

Question 1

The __________ personality dimension is typically associated with well-being and high levels of life satisfaction.

A) extroversion
B) attachment
C) neuroticism
D) conservation

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of the following is considered a problem in the evaluation of research on intelligence in later life?

A) Lack of early childhood IQ test scores for comparison
B) Relevance of tasks used to measure adult cognitive functioning
C) Lack of other older adults to use as comparison groups
D) Inability of older adults to complete the intelligence measures

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following statements best describes the relationship of life goals and satisfaction in later adulthood?

A) Older adults continue to set goals and evaluate their satisfaction level.
B) Older adults stop setting goals as they near the end of their life.
C) Older adults tend to set goals, but not assess their degree of satisfaction.
D) Older adults evaluate the degree of life satisfaction without setting goals.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Valerie's excellent vocabulary, her heightened problem solving skills, and her "computer-like" short-term memory are all examples of

A) social roles.
B) contextual learning.
C) cognitive functioning.
D) cognitive deficits.

Question 5

Promoting intellectual vigor is considered an important developmental task of later adulthood because

A) intellectual vigor influences the capacity for introspection and adaptation to change.
B) most older adults have dementia.
C) Most older adults have a neurotic personality and lose intellectual capacities.
D) intellectual vigor leads to acceptance of one's life.

Question 6

Damien has always had a strong belief that his decisions would lead to positive consequences and that uncertain situations would turn out well. Which of the following BEST encapsulates Damien's outlook?

A) Competence
B) Neuroticism
C) Extroversion
D) Optimism

Question 7

Which of the following statements about older adults and life satisfaction is most accurate?

A) Most older adults experience low levels of life satisfaction.
B) Most older adults experience a generally high level of life satisfaction.
C) Life satisfaction for older adults is based on physical wellbeing and ability to look young.
D) Life satisfaction for older adults is irrelevant as they don't experience satisfaction with aging.

Question 8

The process of integrating one's past life, including the successes and disappointments is a component of

A) the developmental task of accepting one's life.
B) the core pathology of disdain.
C) the radius of significant others in later adulthood.
D) life expectancy.

Question 9

Which of the following places Stanley at a greater risk for heart disease than his wife, Gertrude?

A) Stanley is more likely to be aware of his body and detect illnesses more quickly than Gertrude.
B) Stanley is likely to go to the doctor for regular checkups less often than Gertrude.
C) Stanley is more likely to eat more fruits and vegetables than Gertrude.
D) Stanley is likely to eat less meat and fatty foods than Gertrude.

Question 10

Abner is considered to be sociable, vigorous, sensation-seeking, and almost always very positive. Which of the following terms BEST describes Abner's personality characteristic?

A) Attachment
B) Extroversion
C) Neuroticism
D) Conservation

Question 11

Which personality characteristic is least likely to be linked with Rebecca's life satisfaction in her later life?

A) Attachment
B) Extroversion
C) Lack of neuroticism
D) Optimism

Question 12

Marsha's memory, her reasoning and information processing, and her problem-solving abilities are part of which developmental task?

A) Introspection
B) Accepting one's life
C) Developing a point of view about death
D) Promoting intellectual vigor

Question 13

It is difficult to study the development of intelligence in adulthood because:

A) intelligence declines with age.
B) adults do not participate in studies of intelligence.
C) it is difficult to distinguish historical factors from developmental factors.
D) most changes are due to genetics.

Question 14

Caramia's ability to experience a sense of well-being and acceptance of her life is most associated with her

A) socioeconomic status.
B) ethnicity.
C) gender.
D) physical health.

Question 15

Alexander is 74 years old. He loves candy and has chronic arthritis in both hands, making it difficult for him to use his hands. He keeps his candy in a container with a screw top lid, which becomes difficult for him to open. When visiting the store, he noticed a candy bowl with no lid and purchases the bowl with some candy. This is considered an example of

A) an older adult with an ADL and a sense of diffidence.
B) the development of a psychohistorical perspective.
C) an ability to optimize and compensate for a physical limitation.
D) a sense of extinction and wanting a sense of immortality.

Question 16

Which of the following is TRUE of the SOC model?

A) It refers to selection, optimization, and compensation.
B) It is a type of intellectual vigor exercise similar to crossword puzzles.
C) It represents social, optimal, and control personality types.
D) It is a sense of extinction and wanting for a sense of immortality.

Question 17

What is the relationship between personality and life satisfaction?

A) There is no relationship between personality and life satisfaction.
B) There is an oppositional relationship-if one has a happy personality, then one has low life satisfaction.
C) There is a link between personality and life satisfaction in later life dependent on personality type.
D) There is a relationship only if life satisfaction is a priority in a person's life.

Question 18

Which of the following is LEAST likely to be a developmental task of later adulthood?

A) Promoting intellectual vigor
B) Developing a point of view about death
C) Managing a career
D) Accepting one's life

Question 19

Orville Gilbert Brim contributed to human development through his work on social role theory. He described the process of sustaining well-being and life satisfaction in later adulthood as

A) refusing to set new goals and thereby avoiding failure.
B) becoming totally engrossed in one project at a time.
C) establishing goals that match one's desire for mastery with one's current level of ability.
D) setting increasingly ambitious goals.

Question 20

By selecting an enjoyable set of leisure activities and deciding for himself the age at which he will retire, Phil is exerting a sense of _______ that contributes to his life satisfaction.

A) authority
B) control
C) impulsiveness
D) disengagement

Question 21

At the age of 69 years, Micah considered himself to be healthy even though he took blood pressure medicine after dinner each night. His ability to remember to take his pills each night after dinner would be an example of what type of memory?

A) Prospective
B) Semantic
C) Long-term
D) Episodic

Question 22

Harriet relies on a complex network of information, concepts, and schemes related by associations, knowledge, and use in her day-to-day work. Which of the following does Harriet rely on in her work?

A) Crystallized intelligence
B) Short-term memory
C) Long-term memory
D) Fluid intelligence

Question 23

When Martha was young, she spent lots of time working with horses. Now at the age of 71, she still has a basic knowledge of the meaning of specific horse riding terms despite not being around horses in several years. This is an example of

A) prospective memory.
B) semantic memory.
C) narrative method.
D) episodic memory.

Question 24

Which of the following statements best describes the role of memory in later life?

A) There is no role for memory in later life because older adults have limited memory.
B) There is wide variability in memory creating much change in memory throughout a person's life.
C) Measures of memory suggest more stability than change throughout a person's life.
D) Measures of memory are only reliable during adolescence making it difficult to examine memory in later life.

Question 25

A common model of memory functions breaks memory into which of the following forms?

A) Sensory register, short-term memory, and long-term memory
B) Short-term, long-term, and intermediate-term memory
C) Sensory register, tactile deficit memory, and crystallized intelligence
D) Episodic memory, sensory register, and long-term memory

Question 26

How does postformal thought differ from formal operational thought?

A) Postformal thought seeks solutions that conform to the highest level of logic and theory.
B) Postformal thought involves problems with only two variables.
C) Postformal thought is less flexible.
D) Postformal thought involves the integration of cognition and emotion.

Question 27

According to John Horn who focused on mental abilities across the life span, 68-year-old Laure's neurological loss associated with her aging is most damaging to which type of her intelligence?

A) Crystallized intelligence
B) Word fluency
C) Fluid intelligence
D) Reading comprehension

Question 28

Which of the following statements is considered a criticism about using cross-sectional research to evaluate cognitive functioning in adulthood?

A) The ability to solve the tasks declines for both males and females.
B) Those with more formal education do better than those with less formal education.
C) The tasks do not relate to cognitive problem-solving.
D) The tasks are overly dependent upon speed of reaction time.

Question 29

Crystallized intelligence is considered the ability to

A) apply knowledge accumulated through prior experiences in new situations.
B) impose organization on information and generate new hypotheses.
C) anticipate the consequences of one's actions.
D) nurture and guide those less experienced than oneself.

Question 30

Roberta's job requires her to take in and process visual, auditory, tactile, and olfactory information. Which of the following is the neurological processing activity that is required for Roberta to effectively do her job?

A) Semantic memory
B) Episodic memory
C) Sensory register
D) Short-term memory

Question 31

Theresa was at the grocery store and met a friend who told her to call her later that day so they could catch up on old times. Theresa was able to remember the phone number and store it into her cell phone shortly after saying good-bye to her friend. This is an example of

A) semantic memory.
B) short-term memory.
C) narrative method.
D) episodic memory.

Question 32

Marco has worked extensively as a dog handler for many years. He is well known for his ability to understand dogs. Recently he decided on a trip to a ranch with horses, Marco was able to apply his knowledge and experiences of working with dogs to the horses. This is considered an example of

A) postformal reasoning.
B) fluid intelligence.
C) crystallized intelligence.
D) episodic memory.

Question 33

Theresa's ability to organize information in order to generate new hypotheses is considered

A) crystallized intelligence.
B) fluid intelligence.
C) behavioral slowing.
D) swan song.

Question 34

Which of the following statements best describes how health is related to the assessment of cognitive functioning in later life?

A) Casey's ill health interferes with his performance on tests of intelligence.
B) Jeremy's ill health is a factor that enhances his memory but slows his reaction time.
C) Ignacio's ill health promotes his intellectual vigor.
D) Ingrid's ill health increases her performance on tests of intelligence.

Question 35

Research using a narrative method suggests that people ________ memories to make sense of their past.

A) embellish
B) construct
C) generate
D) suppress

Question 36

Which of the following is TRUE of long-term memory?

A) It is a storehouse of a lifetime of information.
B) It is a limitation, as it decreases with age.
C) It is a way to remember information within a short amount of time.
D) It is a strategy for concrete operational thought.

Question 37

Rodney went to visit his doctor for a check-up as part of his 70th birthday present to himself. The doctor asked Rodney to recall his diet and eating habits for the past three days. Rodney was able to complete a dietary recall. This is an example of

A) semantic memory.
B) prospective memory.
C) narrative method.
D) episodic memory.

Question 38

Margot's capacity to encode and retrieve five to nine bits of information in the span of a minute or two is referred to as ________ memory.

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

Question 39

Jeremy is faced with a dilemma about how to find a more efficient way to manage his business. His secretary, who has been working for him for a long time, is making many errors and missing days of work due to family illness. He thinks he should fire her, but she knows a lot about his business and has been a loyal employee. He is trying to find a solution that combines logic, compassion, and practicality. What kind of cognitive capacity does he need?

A) Postformal reasoning
B) Crystallized intelligence
C) Short-term memory
D) Concrete operational thought

Question 40

_________is considered a critical component of adaptive coping for which older adults use a variety of strategies to help stay attuned to their functional future.

A) Post-operational thought
B) Semantic memory
C) Prospective memory
D) Episodic memory

Question 41

As grandparents, Gilda and Jerome have assumed major child-care responsibilities of their grandchildren. How would Neugarten and Weinstein describe Gilda and Jerome?

A) They are authority figures.
B) They are fun seekers.
C) They are surrogate parents.
D) They are normal grandparents.

Question 42

What is likely to occur for 60-year-old Robert, now that he has just become a widow?

A) He is likely to remarry.
B) He is likely to die within the next 6 months.
C) He is likely to start a new business.
D) He is likely to begin an exercise program.

Question 43

Which of the following statements most accurately describes widowers?

A) Widowers exhibit less emotional attachment to their former spouses than widows.
B) Widowers tend to have higher mortality rates than men who are still married.
C) Widowers experience financial difficulties.
D) Widowers' fluid memory decreases drastically.

Question 44

Bengston's longitudinal study of three-generational families would be BEST summarized as a focus on the construct of:

A) transition to widowhood.
B) surrogate parenting.
C) intergenerational solidarity.
D) reminiscence.

Question 45

One of the common consequences of widowhood for women is

A) a decrease in financial resources.
B) a decrease in the importance of friends.
C) a decline in contact with siblings and children.
D) an increase in personal income.

Question 46

The term intergenerational solidarity refers to

A) the independence of one generation from the other.
B) the injustices that exist between the generations regarding social services.
C) closeness and commitment within the parent-child and grandparent-grandchild relationships.
D) the mediating role of the adult child between the grandparent and grandchild.

Question 47

Grandma Dot always remembered to send her grandchildren birthday cards and holiday cards, but rarely visited her grandchildren. Grandma Dot would be considered which of the following grandparent styles?

A) Formal
B) Distant figure
C) Reservoir of family wisdom
D) Funseeker

Question 48

Who, among the following individuals is most likely to experience widowhood?

A) John, a 70-year-old man
B) Stephanie, a 70-year-old woman
C) Stephen, a 70-year-old stepfather
D) Marcus, a 70-year-old man in a second marriage

Question 49

Which of the following statements best describes the interaction of heredity and environment on mental functioning?

A) Hereditary factors associated with genetic make-up are far more influential than environment.
B) Environmental factors are far more influential than hereditary factors.
C) Heredity and environment play a role on mental functioning.
D) There is a lack of evidence to make any claims about heredity or environment on mental functioning.

Question 50

Regina is a 75-year-old widow. Research has found that she is likely to have a high level of

A) chronic depression.
B) learned helplessness.
C) self-sufficiency.
D) crystallized intelligence.

Question 51

Jean and Donald have taken on one of the five different styles of grandparenting. Which of the following could NOT describe their style?

A) CEG's (corporate executive grandparents)
B) Reservoirs of family wisdom
C) Surrogate parents
D) Fun seekers

Question 52

Which of the following statements about grandparenthood is most accurate?

A) Spending time with grandchildren forces older adults to live in the past.
B) Grandchildren are an older adult's link to the future.
C) Most adults are alienated from their grandchildren.
D) Grandchildren resent the idea that the grandparents are replacing their parents.

Question 53

Which factor is LEAST correlated with Henry's high levels of cognitive functioning as he enters into his seventies?

A) His being an only child
B) His wife's high cognitive functioning
C) His flexible personality style at midlife
D) The absence of cardiovascular disease

Question 54

B. F. Skinner warned that there were certain lifestyle or environmental factors that contributed to a lack of intellectual growth in later life. Which of the following describes one of these factors?

A) Older people interact with too many other people every day.
B) Older people may be encouraged to spend too much time reminiscing about the past.
C) Older people are likely to live in warm climates.
D) Older people spend too much time planning for the future.

Question 55

A strategy for Wilma to cope with the role loss of widowhood is to

A) decrease contact with her friends in order to mourn the loss.
B) refuse invitations from her family and friends for help.
C) become withdrawn and reflect on her experience.
D) become more involved in her leisure activities.

Question 56

Which of the following family life situations is most likely to increase the direct involvement of grandparents in the care and supervision of grandchildren?

A) Maternal employment
B) Paternal employment
C) Moving to a new town
D) Widowhood

Question 57

In terms of the patterns of adaptation during widowhood, which of the following is considered a common pattern?

A) Most widows become chronically depressed.
B) Only a few widows experience a sense of resilience.
C) The vast majority experience depression followed by a drastic improvement.
D) Most widows experience common grief and resilience.

Question 58

In Samantha's later adulthood, the role demands and responsibilities of parenthood and employment will tend to

A) decrease, allowing more time for her to devote to leisure.
B) increase in preparation for her retirement.
C) stay the same, increasing her need to balance work and family.
D) intensify, in order for her to balance work, family, and personal pursuits.

Question 59

According to Tucker-Drobb's research, in which ability will Lenny experience the least decline as he continues to age into his seventies?

A) Comprehension knowledge
B) Processing speed
C) Visual-spatial thinking
D) Long-term retrieval

Question 60

In terms of women who have been widowed, which of the following is considered the most positive form of immediate support?

A) A reluctance in discussing the death of her husband
B) An increase in her financial stability
C) A willingness to discuss the death of her husband
D) Suppressing emotional reactions until the mourning has been completed

Question 61

The psychosocial crisis of later adulthood (60-75 years) is

A) generativity versus stagnation.
B) immortality versus extinction.
C) integrity versus despair.
D) wisdom versus disdain.

Question 62

During middle adulthood, people realize that they have lived more than half their lives. This makes the issue of death

A) less immediate.
B) more concrete.
C) a new realization.
D) a philosophical challenge.

Question 63

The negative pole of the psychosocial crisis of later adulthood is

A) stagnation.
B) inferiority.
C) narcissism.
D) narcissism.

Question 64

In toddlerhood, children are likely to believe that death is

A) a natural part of the lifespan.
B) permanent.
C) reversible.
D) imaginary.

Question 65

Harold has taken up a leisure activity that his physician told him is an important component of optimal aging. What has Harold taken up?

A) Gardening
B) Sports
C) Volunteerism
D) Exercise

Question 66

Teka was nearing the end of her life. She felt a deep sense of regret about some opportunities and paths she chose not to take. She was angry at the way her family treated her. What state best describes Teka?

A) Despair
B) Isolation
C) Inferiority
D) Mistrust

Question 67

Developing a point of view about death begins in one's

A) later adulthood years.
B) middle adulthood years.
C) adolescence.
D) childhood.

Question 68

Morrie Schwartz says, in his conversation with Mitch, "Once you learn how to die, you learn how to live." What does he mean?

A) Death is no different from life.
B) When you die, you live in the hereafter.
C) When you accept the reality of death, you become more appreciative of life.
D) Death dominates life, leaving the day-to-day realities of life meaningless.

Question 69

Roberto has a very positive view about his life and his accomplishments. Now that he is turning 70, he looks back with happiness at the many twists and turns his life has taken. This satisfaction with his life leads him to consider his death with

A) great regret.
B) acceptance.
C) despair.
D) compulsive planning.

Question 70

In terms of psychosocial development, ego concerns about death should  ________ in later adulthood.

A) increase
B) fluctuate
C) stay the same
D) decrease

Question 71

Seventy-five year-old Francene has begun to enjoy the most popular leisure activity among her age mates. Which of the following has Francene taken up?

A) Dancing
B) Exercise
C) Gardening
D) Charity work

Question 72

Jorgen is 75 years old and was diagnosed with a life-threatening condition. He often thinks about his homeland Sweden. His memories lead him to verbalize his desire to get better and visit Sweden one last time before he dies. He states, "If only I could visit Sweden, then I would be good for the rest of my life." This would be an example of which Kubler-Ross stage of death and dying?

A) Depression
B) Anger
C) Bargaining
D) Acceptance

Question 73

__________ is an important activity for many older adults and provides opportunities to assume new responsibilities and learn new skills.

A) Fluid intelligence development
B) Volunteerism
C) Narrative method to construct memories
D) Crystallized intelligence development

Question 74

The case about Morrie, who is dying from ALS, includes a conversation with his former student Mitch. From the conversation, one could conclude that

A) Morrie is stagnated and unable to effectively interact with Mitch.
B) Mitch is afraid of Morrie and his death anxiety is heightened.
C) Morrie is in a state of despair and denial regarding his terminal illness.
D) Morrie has achieved a sense of integrity and wisdom.

Question 75

Kubler-Ross identified five stages of death and dying. Which of the following is NOT considered one of these stages?

A) Denial
B) Suppression
C) Acceptance
D) Bargaining

Question 76

In psychosocial theory, the ability to accept the facts of one's life and to face death without great fear is called

A) despair.
B) industry.
C) integrity.
D) achievement.

Question 77

As older adults develop a point of view about death, they must be able to

A) attend the funerals of family and friends.
B) accept the loss of family and friends and one's own death.
C) ignore the death of family and friends and one's own death.
D) have good long term memory and role balance.

Question 78

Which of the following terms refer to the negative attitudes of others toward older adults, which may contribute to experiences of despair in later adulthood?

A) Ageism
B) Sexism
C) Homophobia
D) Anti-Semitism

Question 79

The achievement of integrity in later adulthood requires

A) a sense of trust in the political process.
B) the acceptance of one's life as it has been lived.
C) an ability to predict the future.
D) a willingness to take new risks.

Question 80

According to research, oldest adults are more likely to

A) plan the details of their funeral in advance.
B) avoid writing a will.
C) give all responsibilities for their burial to their children.
D) be afraid of death.