Deck 13: Physical and Cognitive Development in Middle Adulthood

Question 1

Today the average life expectancy in the United States is:

A) 72 years.
B) 74 years.
C) 78 years.
D) 80 years.

Answer 1

78 years.

Question 2

What is the consistent finding regarding age identity of 60- to 75-year-olds?

A) Half of them viewed themselves as being older than their chronological age.
B) Almost all of them felt that they were younger than their chronological age.
C) More than half of them considered that their mental age was higher than their chronological age.
D) Half of them viewed themselves as being middle-aged.

Answer 2

Half of them viewed themselves as being middle-aged.

Question 3

On average, body fat accounts for about _____ of body weight in middle age.

A) 5 percent
B) 10 percent
C) 20 percent
D) 15 percent

Answer 3

20 percent

Question 4

What percentage of the U.S. population is older than 65 years?

A) 2 percent
B) 12 percent
C) 22 percent
D) 23 percent

Question 5

In Patricia Cohen's analysis, which of the following has fueled the emergence of thinking about middle age?

A) More people entering adolescence earlier than in the past
B) Increased pressure to remain in the workforce and delay retirement
C) Advances in health and more people living to older ages
D) The decrease of life expectancy

Question 6

Compared to middle age, which of the following best describes late middle age for many?

A) Health problems start to decline
B) Losses may begin to outnumber gains
C) Life-changes decrease: the path is relatively fixed
D) Losses and gains even out

Question 7

Which of the following BEST explains why middle adulthood comes later and lasts longer now than in the early 1900s?

A) People today have fewer children than people in the early 1900s.
B) People today have a higher income than people in the early 1900s.
C) People today have less anxiety in their lives than people in the early 1900s.
D) People today have healthier lifestyles than people in the early 1900s.

Question 8

A man in his mid-forties is MOST likely to notice:

A) increased strength in his upper arms.
B) sensitivity to high-pitched sounds.
C) joint stiffness.
D) decreased bladder control.

Question 9

_____ is the developmental period that begins at approximately 40 to 45 years of age and extends to about 60 to 65 years of age.

A) Late adulthood
B) Middle adulthood
C) Early adulthood
D) Emerging adulthood

Question 10

Which of the following statements about late midlife is NOT true?

A) People in late midlife are either preparing for retirement or actually retiring.
B) People in late midlife are more likely to experience the death of a parent than people in early midlife.
C) People in late midlife are less likely to experience their last child leaving home than people in early midlife.
D) People in late midlife are more likely to experience becoming a grandparent than those in early midlife.

Question 11

Which of the following is the reason for the decrease in height with the advancement age?

A) Brittleness of bones of the limbs
B) Increase in weight
C) A stooping posture
D) Bone loss in the vertebrae

Question 12

The term _____ is given to age-related loss of muscle mass and strength.

A) sarcoma
B) osteopenia
C) osteoporosis
D) sarcopenia

Question 13

Which of the following is a consistent finding regarding age identity?

A) As adults become older their age identity is younger than their chronological age.
B) Most adults feel that their age identity is five years more than their chronological age.
C) The age identity of adults is directly proportional to their chronological age.
D) Most adults feel that their age identity is much older than their chronological age.

Question 14

Age-related loss of muscle strength is especially marked in:

A) the upper arms.
B) the back and legs.
C) the jaw and face.
D) the chest and abdomen.

Question 15

Many experts on middle adulthood describe the age period of 55 to 65 as:

A) late adulthood.
B) early midlife.
C) late midlife.
D) early adulthood.

Question 16

One study found that _____ of the individuals 65 to 69 years of age considered themselves middle-aged.

A) almost all
B) almost half
C) one-third
D) one-fourth

Question 17

Which of the following is a sign of aging for the average adult in middle adulthood?

A) Increase in height
B) Decrease in weight
C) Brittle fingernails
D) Loss of memory

Question 18

The average adult in middle adulthood _____ height and _____ weight.

A) loses; loses
B) loses; gains
C) gains; gains
D) gains; loses

Question 19

What was the average life expectancy in 1900?

A) 37 years
B) 42 years
C) 47 years
D) 52 years

Question 20

Questions such as, "To which age group do you belong?" and "How old do you feel?" reflect the concept of _____.

A) mental age
B) age identity
C) chronological age
D) age stereotype

Question 21

Which of the following statements about lung capacity in middle-age is true?

A) There is significant change in lung capacity through most of middle adulthood.
B) In late middle-age, the proteins in lung tissue become more elastic.
C) Stiffening of the chest wall decreases the lungs' capacity to shuttle oxygen.
D) The lung capacity of smokers increases drastically in middle age.

Question 22

In one life course pathway, a _____ in adolescence was related to metabolic syndrome in middle-aged men and women.

A) high level of BMI
B) high level of NK cells
C) high level of HDL
D) low level of LDL

Question 23

Which of the following statements about cardiovascular disease is true?

A) When HDL is high and LDL is low, the risk of cardiovascular disease is lessened.
B) When HDL is high and LDL is low, the risk of cardiovascular disease is increased.
C) When HDL is low and LDL is high, the risk of cardiovascular disease is lessened.
D) When both HDL and LDL are low, the risk of cardiovascular disease is lessened.

Question 24

What is the MOST common change in sleep patterns of adults during middle age?

A) Sleep-disordered breathing becomes less prevalent.
B) Wakeful periods become less frequent during the night.
C) The total number of hours slept dramatically increases.
D) There is a decrease in the deepest type of sleep.

Question 25

Which of the following statements about the changes in bone mass and density is true?

A) The loss of bone is faster for men than it is for women.
B) By the end of early adulthood, bones break more easily and heal more slowly.
C) Peak functioning of the body's joints occurs in the sixties.
D) Women lose bone mass twice as fast as men do.

Question 26

Cholesterol can be lowered in all of the following ways EXCEPT:

A) regular exercise.
B) changes in diet to include foods low in saturated fat.
C) changes in diet to include foods that are low in cholesterol.
D) liposuction.

Question 27

During middle age, the ability to hear _____ sounds declines first.

A) low-pitched
B) high-volume
C) high-pitched
D) high-amplitude

Question 28

Sleep problems in middle-aged adults have been associated with all of the following EXCEPT:

A) usage of prescription drugs.
B) obesity.
C) single parenting.
D) cardiovascular disease.

Question 29

HDL is often referred to as _____ cholesterol.

A) "good"
B) "simple"
C) "bad"
D) "compound"

Question 30

The ability to focus and maintain an image on the retina is referred to as _____ of the eye.

A) muscle integrity
B) focal power
C) visual acuity
D) accommodation

Question 31

Which of the following statements about bone and joint functioning is TRUE?

A) Peak functioning of the body's joints usually occurs in the thirties.
B) By the end of midlife, bones break more easily and heal more slowly.
C) Maximum bone density occurs by the mid- to late twenties.
D) The rate of bone density loss decelerates in the fifties.

Question 32

Which of the following statements about bone density is true?

A) Maximum bone density occurs in late adolescence.
B) Maximum bone density occurs by the mid- to late thirties.
C) Peak functioning of the body's joints occurs in the fifties.
D) The rate of bone density loss begins fast and then decelerates.

Question 33

Landon has a metabolic syndrome, his doctor is concerned because in many patients this leads to:

A) arteriosclerosis and cirrhosis of the liver.
B) pancreatic cancer and fatty liver.
C) irritable bowel syndrome and gastric ulcers.
D) diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Question 34

Cholesterol comes in two forms _____ and HDL.

A) LDL
B) BDL
C) GAL
D) QUL

Question 35

Silas is a man who is in his late 70's. He has a condition characterized by hypertension, obesity, and insulin resistance. Otherwise known as:

A) diabetic neuropathy
B) metabolic syndrome.
C) internal atrophy.
D) neurodegeneration.

Question 36

Accommodation of the eye experiences its sharpest decline between:

A) 20 to 29 years of age.
B) 60 to 79 years of age.
C) 40 and 59 years of age.
D) 30 to 35 years of age.

Question 37

Sensitivity to _____ sounds usually declines first among _____.

A) high-pitched; women
B) high-pitched; men
C) low-pitched; women
D) low-pitched; men

Question 38

Individuals with metabolic syndrome who _____ reduced their risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

A) maintained a high blood glucose level
B) were physically active
C) maintained a high LDL level
D) were physically inactive

Question 39

LDL is often referred to as _____ cholesterol.

A) "simple"
B) "good"
C) "bad"
D) "white"

Question 40

Which of the following is most typical of the vision-related issues faced by middle-aged persons?

A) Difficulty viewing moving objects
B) Difficulty viewing objects on the background
C) Difficulty viewing close objects
D) Difficulty viewing complicated patterns

Question 41

Which of the following types of hormones is most commonly administered during hormone replacement therapy?

A) Estrogen
B) Testosterone
C) Follicle stimulating hormone
D) Luteinizing hormone

Question 42

Fluid intelligence is the ability to:

A) reason abstractly.
B) recall information.
C) accumulate information.
D) accumulate verbal skills.

Question 43

In menopause, production of _____ by the ovaries declines dramatically.

A) testosterone
B) estrogen
C) adrenaline
D) insulin

Question 44

Crystallized intelligence is:

A) an individual's ability to reason abstractly.
B) an individual's accumulated information and verbal skills.
C) an individual's ability to think hypothetically.
D) an individual's ability to use deductive reasoning.

Question 45

Treatment for men with erectile dysfunction has focused on Viagra and similar drugs, such as:

A) Rogaine and Prozac.
B) Levitra and Cialis.
C) Oxycodone and Prozac.
D) Naproxen and OxyContin.

Question 46

_____ is a term that is used to describe the midlife transition in which fertility declines.

A) Puberty
B) Menarche
C) Spermarche
D) Climacteric

Question 47

Which of the following is typical of the health condition during early and late middle-age?

A) Frequency of accidents increases
B) Susceptibility to colds and allergies decreases
C) Wakeful periods during sleep decreases
D) Incidence of chronic disorders decreases

Question 48

Which of the following is at fault in many erectile problems in middle-aged men?

A) Diabetes
B) Low blood pressure
C) Low level of NK cells
D) Too much physical activity

Question 49

Lillian is 50 years old. Her doctor has noticed a sharp decrease in her estrogen levels, and Lillian is complaining about nausea and fatigue. According to the symptoms given in the text, what could be her initial diagnosis?

A) Her thyroid is malfunctioning.
B) She is going through menopause.
C) She may have a problem with her bone marrow.
D) She needs to control her diet and blood sugar levels.

Question 50

Which of the following is true about the immune system and stress?

A) NK cells are a type of white blood cell that is more likely to be present in high stress circumstances.
B) Higher levels of NK cells in stressful situations indicate a weakened immune system.
C) Immune system functioning increases with normal aging.
D) Aerobic fitness is related to the presence of a lower level of senescent T cells.

Question 51

The gradual decline in men's testosterone levels in middle age can reduce their _____.

A) lung capacity
B) sexual drive
C) infertility
D) thyroid levels

Question 52

Which of the following are prematurely aging cells that result from persistent immune activation?

A) NK cells
B) red blood cells
C) B lymphocytes
D) Senescent T cells

Question 53

A study of HRT's effects was halted as evidence emerged that participants who were receiving HRT faced an increased risk of _____.

A) lung disease
B) cancer
C) stroke
D) arthritis

Question 54

_____ was the main cause of death in the United States until the middle of the twentieth century.

A) Infectious disease
B) Accident
C) Chronic disease
D) Homicide

Question 55

According to studies, which of the following is one of the most common sexual problems of older women?

A) Lack of foreplay
B) Lack of sexual interest
C) Partner non-cooperation
D) Reduced muscular movements

Question 56

Which of the following symptoms is NOT associated with menopause?

A) Nausea
B) Fatigue
C) Hot flashes
D) High blood sugar

Question 57

Nowadays, the main causes of death in middle adulthood in the United States are:

A) infectious diseases.
B) accidents.
C) chronic diseases.
D) homicide.

Question 58

According to studies, which of the following is one of the most common sexual problems of older men?

A) Early ejaculation
B) Partner non-cooperation
C) Lack of foreplay
D) Lubrication difficulties

Question 59

John Horn maintains that in middle adulthood, _____ intelligence continues to increase.

A) fluid
B) semantic
C) crystallized
D) multiple

Question 60

Which of the following is NOT one of the factors that could be related to erectile problems in middle-aged men?

A) Smoking
B) Diabetes
C) Excessive sexual activity
D) Elevated cholesterol levels

Question 61

Which of the following is a common way to assess speed of information processing?

A) Reaction-time task
B) Phonic simulation
C) Visual perception test
D) Neuropsychological test

Question 62

What is the notable finding of Schaie's assessment of intellectual abilities of parents and their children?

A) The second generation scored higher on numerical abilities.
B) The second generation showed higher levels of cognitive functioning in inductive reasoning.
C) The offspring generation showed cognitive decline from 60 to 67 years of age.
D) The parent generation showed modest increase in cognitive functioning from 60 to 67 years of age.

Question 63

According to the Seattle Longitudinal Study of individuals aged 25 to 95, which of the following abilities showed the LEAST decline?

A) Verbal comprehension
B) Spatial orientation
C) Inductive reasoning
D) Numerical abilities

Question 64

An adult in middle age will do most POORLY on which of the following tasks?

A) Understanding verbal directions
B) Completing a crossword puzzle
C) Hitting the brakes of a car when the light suddenly turns red
D) Lifting a box that weighs 20 pounds

Question 65

In Schaie's Seattle Longitudinal Study, verbal memory peaked in the:

A) twenties.
B) thirties.
C) sixties.
D) fifties.

Question 66

Identify a possible reason for the changes in fluid and crystallized intelligence of different age groups in John Horn's cross-sectional study.

A) Secular trends
B) Cohort effects
C) Declining IQ with age
D) Biases in IQ testing

Question 67

According to John Horn, _____ steadily declines from middle adulthood onward.

A) fluid intelligence
B) crystallized intelligence
C) verbal memory
D) kinesthetic intelligence

Question 68

_____ refers to ability to understand ideas expressed in words.

A) Verbal comprehension
B) Verbal memory
C) Implicit memory
D) Spatial orientation

Question 69

According to cognitive aging expert Denise Park, the slowdown in learning new information has been linked to changes in:

A) dopamine levels.
B) working memory.
C) cognitive atrophy.
D) neurotransmitter dysfunctions.

Question 70

Which of the following is true about research by Schaie and Salthouse?

A) Both agree that adulthood is the time when the level of functioning in a number of cognitive domains is maintained or even increases.
B) Salthouse recently has argued that his longitudinal research on aging and cognitive functioning should not be dismissed.
C) Salthouse agrees with Schaie that cognitive functioning involving accumulated knowledge, such as vocabulary and general information, does not show early age-related decline but rather continues to increase at least until 60 years of age.
D) Schaie has argued that reasoning, memory, spatial visualization, and processing speed begin declining in early adulthood and show further decline in the fifties.

Question 71

According to the Seattle Longitudinal Study, which of the following abilities showed signs of early decline?

A) Spatial orientation
B) Perceptual speed
C) Inductive reasoning
D) Verbal memory

Question 72

The Seattle Longitudinal Study concluded that middle age is a time of:

A) peak performance for verbal ability.
B) great decline for inductive reasoning.
C) moderate decline for spatial abilities.
D) increased mathematical abilities.

Question 73

_____ refers to the ability to recognize and understand patterns and relationships in a problem and use this understanding to solve other instances of the problem.

A) Spatial orientation
B) Inductive reasoning
C) Verbal comprehension
D) Perceptual speed

Question 74

_____ refers to the ability to quickly and accurately make simple discriminations in visual stimuli.

A) Spatial orientation
B) Inductive reasoning
C) Perceptual speed
D) Verbal comprehension

Question 75

Toby has the ability to visualize three-dimensional objects and rotate them. Toby's ability is known as _____.

A) spatial orientation
B) inductive reasoning
C) verbal ability
D) perceptual speed

Question 76

A participant in a study was asked to memorize a list of words and then try to recall as many as possible. This exercise was designed to test her _____.

A) muscle memory
B) implicit memory
C) verbal memory
D) verbal comprehension

Question 77

The slowdown in learning new information has been linked to changes in _____ where individuals manipulate and assemble information when making decisions, solving problems, and comprehending written and spoken language.

A) working memory
B) brain circuitry
C) episodic memory
D) neural network

Question 78

Which of the following is true about the Seattle Longitudinal Study?

A) It involves extensive evaluation of sexual abilities during adulthood.
B) It was initiated by John Horn.
C) Participants have been assessed in two-year intervals since 1985.
D) New waves of participants are added periodically.

Question 79

Which of the following is the finding of the longitudinal and cross-sectional assessment of intellectual abilities conducted by Schaie?

A) Decline in intellectual abilities was more likely in the cross-sectional assessments than in the longitudinal assessments.
B) When assessed longitudinally, inductive reasoning showed a consistent decline in the middle adulthood years.
C) When assessed cross-sectionally, inductive reasoning increased until toward the end of middle adulthood.
D) People reach a peak in their cognitive functioning for many intellectual skills in early adulthood.

Question 80

_____ refers to the ability to encode and recall meaningful language units, such as a list of words.

A) Spatial orientation
B) Inductive reasoning
C) Implicit memory
D) Verbal memory