Deck 17: Physical and Cognitive Development in Late Adulthood

Question 1

Jon is 73 years old.He still runs 15 miles a week and spends 30 hours a week working as a computer software consultant.Your text would describe Jon as being

A) self-actualized.
B) old old.
C) young old.
D) a delayed middle adult.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

According to gerontologists,individuals who are counted among the "oldest old" are at least _______________ years old.

A) 75
B) 65
C) 85
D) 95

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Aging that results from disease,abuse,and disuse is called ______________ aging.

A) programmed
B) tertiary
C) primary
D) secondary

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which of the following would NOT be classified under (ADLS)activities of daily living?

A) Eating
B) Dressing
C) Bathing
D) Shopping

Question 5

The traditional age for entering into late adulthood is

A) 60.
B) 65.
C) 70.
D) 75.

Question 6

Health and longevity are closely linked to

A) education and socioeconomic status.
B) evolution.
C) increased genetic counseling.
D) smaller family size.

Question 7

Although she is 76 years old,Jeanne lives by herself,teaches at the local college,and plays bridge every Tuesday night with her friends.Jeanne's functional age is

A) 76 years old.
B) at least 85-88 years old.
C) probably around 63 years old.
D) somewhere in the mid-20s.

Question 8

The branch of medicine concerned with the aged and the aging process is

A) geriatrics.
B) gerontology.
C) elderology.
D) None of these; there is as yet no branch of medicine specifically concerned with aging.

Question 9

Gloria eats right,exercises,and lives a healthy lifestyle.Gloria's behavior will primarily affect

A) primary aging.
B) secondary aging.
C) tertiary aging.
D) All of these.

Question 10

Social scientists who study the aged and the aging process are called

A) elderologists.
B) geriatricians.
C) gerontologists.
D) social workers.

Question 11

Which kind of aging is most strongly influenced by diet and exercise?

A) Secondary aging
B) Primary aging
C) Process aging
D) Programmed aging

Question 12

Factors that are considered controllable predictors of longevity are all of the following EXCEPT

A) higher education.
B) alcohol use.
C) marital stability.
D) genetic traits.

Question 13

An important difference between primary and secondary aging is that primary aging is

A) unavoidable.
B) more apparent.
C) unnoticeable until later in life.
D) caused by stress.

Question 14

The fastest-growing segment of the U.S.population is people

A) under age 10.
B) between ages 10 and 20.
C) between ages 65 and 75.
D) age 85 and older.

Question 15

As life expectancy increases,mortality rates

A) decrease.
B) increase.
C) stay the same.
D) None of these; life expectancy is not related to mortality rates.

Question 16

Ageism is

A) prejudice or discrimination, usually against young people.
B) prejudice or discrimination, usually against older people.
C) negated by studies showing that older adults are more competent than younger adults.
D) especially prevalent in Japan.

Question 17

Suppose you overhear someone say "I hate visiting my grandparents in that retirement community they live in.Being around all those old people gives me the creeps!" This person is expressing

A) foreclosure.
B) ageism.
C) discrimination.
D) preoperational thinking.

Question 18

According to functional age classifications,the "young old" are

A) people between ages 60 and 70.
B) a minority of older people.
C) middle-aged people who are frail or infirm and see themselves as old.
D) elderly people who are vital, vigorous, and active.

Question 19

Social class,cohesion of the childhood family,ancestral longevity,and childhood temperament are all considered to be predictors of physical and mental health and longevity that are

A) controllable predictors.
B) uncontrollable predictors.
C) secondary predictors.
D) primary predictors.

Question 20

Lillian was born in 2010.We can expect her to live about

A) 59 years.
B) 65 years.
C) 71 years.
D) 79 years.

Question 21

On average,in which country do people live the longest?

A) United States
B) Nepal
C) France
D) Japan

Question 22

Autoimmune theory suggests that the aging immune system may release antibodies that attack the body's own cells.This cell breakdown has been suggested as a factor in

A) Tay-Sachs disease.
B) Alzheimer disease.
C) sickle-cell anemia
D) muscular dystrophy.

Question 23

Compared with American men,American women tend to

A) live longer.
B) have fewer years of poor health.
C) have a higher quality of life in old age.
D) All of these

Question 24

Who is most likely to have the longest life expectancy in the United States?

A) White male
B) African-American female
C) Hispanic female
D) African-American male

Question 25

We know that the efficiency of the immune system declines with age.Predictions of survival rates have been made through

A) the rate of cell division.
B) variable rate theories.
C) measures of immune cell levels.
D) All of these

Question 26

Your roommate tells you to take care of your body and don't subject it to stress because it will make you age faster.Your roommate's advice is consistent with the _______________ theory of aging.

A) wear-and-tear
B) programmed-aging
C) expectancy
D) senescence-related

Question 27

Which of the following terms is used for the theory that bodies age in accordance with a normal developmental pattern built into every organism?

A) Genetic programming
B) Wear-and-tear
C) Primary aging
D) Secondary aging

Question 28

During the last several years,Brian,who is now 87 years old,has experienced a decline in his hearing and vision.He also has increasing difficulty walking up stairs and lifting things.According to the text,Brian is in the _______________ period of life.

A) terminal
B) foreclosed
C) primary deterioration
D) senescent

Question 29

By the age of _________,the ratio of women to men is about 2 to 1.

A) 65
B) 75
C) 85
D) 95

Question 30

Senescence is

A) intellectual deterioration in late adulthood.
B) the period of life marked by declines in body functioning related to aging.
C) remarkably consistent, occurring at about the same age for everyone.
D) something that happens only in Western cultures.

Question 31

Damage associated with free radicals,highly unstable oxygen atoms formed during metabolism,has been mentioned as a factor in all of the following EXCEPT

A) neurological disorders.
B) genetic disorders.
C) muscular dystrophy.
D) late-onset diabetes.

Question 32

All of the following are considered genetic-programming theories of aging EXCEPT

A) endocrine theory.
B) immunological theory.
C) evolutionary theory.
D) wear-and-tear theory.

Question 33

Both internal and external factors may influence the process of aging.Variable-rate theories include all of the following factors EXCEPT

A) damage due to chance.
B) environmental assaults.
C) metabolism.
D) free radicals.

Question 34

How long can Bart,an American,expect to live in good health,free of disabilities?

A) 53 years
B) 61 years
C) 78 years
D) 88 years

Question 35

Your psychology professor states that a woman born today in Nepal can be expected to live to be only about 53 years old.Your professor is describing the _______________ of Nepalese women.

A) longevity
B) functional age
C) life expectancy
D) All of these

Question 36

Which of the following terms is used for the theory that the body ages because of continued use and accumulated "insults"?

A) Programmed aging
B) Wear-and-tear
C) Primary aging
D) Tertiary aging

Question 37

A baby born in the United States in the year 2005 could be expected to live about ______________ years longer than a baby born in the year 1900.

A) 20
B) 25
C) 30
D) 35

Question 38

One reason that the United States ranks 33rd among industrialized countries in healthy life expectancy rates is due to

A) hardiness of rural residents over city dwellers who face more population density.
B) a small number of HIV-related deaths compared to other countries.
C) fairly high levels of violence.
D) low rates of coronary heart disease.

Question 39

What is the MOST significant reason the gap in life expectancy between men and women is narrowing?

A) An increasing number of women are dying in childbirth.
B) An increasing number of women are smoking.
C) An increasing number of women are in the workplace.
D) An increasing number of women are using hormone replacement therapy.

Question 40

When specific genes "switch off" before age-related losses,it is referred to as

A) a hormonal change effect.
B) a fatal illness.
C) programmed senescence.
D) genetic interference.

Question 41

Generalizing from the text,which body system is likely to give an elderly person the LEAST trouble?

A) Digestive system
B) Skeletal system
C) Circulatory system
D) Sensory system

Question 42

Generalizing from the text,what might be the single most important thing people can do to increase their life span?

A) Eat less
B) Drink more water
C) Increase insulin levels
D) Decrease antioxidants in the diet

Question 43

Research on antioxidants as means to combat the negative effects of free radicals has

A) revealed a moderate increase in longevity in individuals who used antioxidant supplements.
B) revealed no significant changes in longevity in individuals who used antioxidant supplements.
C) revealed no significant improvement and identified some negative effect in individuals who used antioxidant supplements.
D) not been studied in depth.

Question 44

Recent research concerning the maximum human life span suggests that

A) it appears that 126 may be the maximum life span based upon mathematical models.
B) environmental toxins are slowly lowering the maximum age that people can achieve.
C) the upper limit appears to be 100 years.
D) increasing one's caloric intake may greatly extend the life span.

Question 45

Research has shown that the brain shrinks somewhat in old age.What part of the brain is thought to undergo the most shrinkage?

A) Hypothalamus
B) Medulla oblongata
C) Frontal cortex
D) Midbrain

Question 46

Although the Hayflick limit predicts a maximum lifespan of 110 years,newer models now estimate the maximum life span to be

A) 111 years.
B) 118 years.
C) 126 years.
D) 146 years.

Question 47

Although there are noticeable declines in processing speed,memory,and inhibition in the brains of older adults,there are increases in

A) cerebellar regions.
B) hippocampal regions.
C) prefrontal regions.
D) temporal regions.

Question 48

Research on centenarians has discovered three alternative patterns in the health histories.Which of the following is NOT one those patterns discussed in your text?

A) Survivors
B) Escapers
C) Delayers
D) Revivers

Question 49

In old age,reserve capacity tends to

A) increase.
B) decline, and the effects are most noticeable in everyday activities.
C) decline, and the effects are most noticeable when old people are faced with stressful demands.
D) remain the same.

Question 50

The survival curve,the biological limit to the life span,demonstrates that

A) regardless of health and fitness, the maximum life span is not much higher than 80 years of age.
B) the rate of mortality decreases after 100.
C) the rate of mortality is significantly higher after 80.
D) mortality rates are dependent on too many factors to predict survival.

Question 51

Alice,who is now in her seventies,tends to ramble on about various topics and has difficulty sustaining attention to the conversations around her.This behavior is likely related to

A) increased sensitivity in her amygdala.
B) decreased executive functioning.
C) increased hippocampal functioning.
D) decreased sensitivity to positive events.

Question 52

The finding that human cells can divide about 50 times before they stop dividing and die is called the

A) survival curve.
B) tertiary boundary.
C) reserve limit.
D) Hayflick limit.

Question 53

When John first bought his new house,he could mow the yard in the morning and then go for a run in the afternoon.John,who is now in his late fifties,finds that mowing the yard completely wipes him out for the day.John is experiencing a decline in his

A) reserve stamina.
B) reserve capacity.
C) reserve capability.
D) reserve oxygen supply.

Question 54

All of the following are normal physical changes associated with aging EXCEPT

A) sleeping less.
B) paler, less elastic skin.
C) obesity.
D) higher blood pressure.

Question 55

According to the rate-of-living theory of aging,slowing down _______________ should increase the life span.

A) the rate of cell division
B) metabolism
C) the decline of free radicals
D) hormonal activity

Question 56

Melissa does not worry too much about eating right or exercising,because she believes those behaviors will have little impact on how she ages.According to your text,in terms of aging theories,Melissa favors

A) the genetic-programming theory.
B) the variable-rate theory.
C) Erikson's psychosocial theory.
D) None of these

Question 57

After reading a study about monkeys who were placed on systematic dietary restrictions,Mario restricted his own diet,hoping to replicate all of the following results EXCEPT

A) lower body fat.
B) low blood pressure.
C) improved cardiac function.
D) increased sexual performance.

Question 58

If the normal aging brain does lose neurons over time,how might a person compensate for this loss?

A) The blood flow to the brain improves with appropriate diet and nutrition.
B) Dendrites may grow, decreasing contacts between cells.
C) Chemical transmitters in the brain may become more concentrated.
D) Increased education, higher income, and decreased likelihood of disability may decrease the process of cortical atrophy.

Question 59

The ability of body organs and systems to put forth extra effort in times of stress is called

A) homeostasis.
B) reserve capacity.
C) senescence.
D) None of these; no such ability exists.

Question 60

All of the following are considered variable-rate theories of aging EXCEPT

A) programmed senescence theory
B) wear-and-tear theory
C) free-radical theory
D) autoimmune theory

Question 61

Dementia is

A) an inevitable part of aging.
B) almost always reversible.
C) sometimes physiologically caused.
D) to be suspected at the first signs of memory loss.

Question 62

Loss of teeth due to gum disease is called

A) digestion.
B) dentonitis.
C) flu infection.
D) periodontitis.

Question 63

_______ of those adults over 85 years of age have trouble seeing.

A) 10%
B) 17%
C) 50%
D) 30%

Question 64

Older people,especially men,often have trouble hearing

A) low-frequency sounds.
B) high-frequency sounds.
C) background sounds with a hearing aid.
D) None of these

Question 65

Dorothy,age 65,is beginning to have trouble driving at night.This is probably because

A) her eyes can no longer adapt as well to dim light.
B) the muscles that move the eyes do not function well.
C) she falls asleep more easily.
D) she is more easily distracted at night.

Question 66

When physicians are treating an older adult for several chronic conditions,which of the following is LEAST likely to receive priority attention?

A) Arthritis
B) Hypertension
C) Diabetes
D) Depression

Question 67

The most common chronic health problems of older adults is

A) hypertension.
B) arthritis.
C) cataracts.
D) diabetes.

Question 68

Physical activity in late adulthood has been linked to all of the following benefits EXCEPT

A) improved cognitive performance.
B) anxiety relief.
C) relief of mild depression.
D) increases in joint problems.

Question 69

According to the text,losses in strength that occur in the elderly

A) are irreversible.
B) can be reduced with hormone replacement.
C) may be reduced by weight training.
D) are more common in men than in women.

Question 70

Their family physician has told both Michael and his brother Stan,both in their late seventies,that physical exercise

A) should be avoided to reduce the risk of injury.
B) is less valuable than it is at earlier stages of the life span.
C) has no effect on muscle strength at this stage.
D) can minimize physical, cognitive, and psychological declines.

Question 71

Depression is underdiagnosed in older adults for all of the following reasons EXCEPT that it may be

A) mistaken for dementia.
B) seen as an accompaniment of aging.
C) masked by physical illness.
D) All of these

Question 72

The general term for physiologically caused intellectual decline in old age is

A) senility.
B) dementia.
C) Alzheimer disease.
D) senescence.

Question 73

What percentage of older adults have at least two chronic conditions?

A) 50%
B) 24%
C) 40%
D) 60%

Question 74

Which of the following is a symptom of depression among the elderly,as mentioned in your textbook?

A) Loss of weight
B) Having lots of close family and friends
C) Taking cholesterol medicines
D) Feeling little control over one's life

Question 75

Sarah has developed opaque areas in the lenses of her eyes.She probably has

A) farsightedness.
B) presbyopia.
C) cataracts.
D) glaucoma.

Question 76

In older adults,the leading cause of irreversible visual impairment,a gradual loss of ability to distinguish fine details,is

A) age-related macular degeneration.
B) presbyopia.
C) night blindness.
D) glaucoma.

Question 77

The major barrier to an active sex life in many older women is

A) lack of a partner.
B) lack of desire.
C) thickening of the vaginal walls.
D) concern with overexertion.

Question 78

All of the following factors contribute to making older adults susceptible to falls EXCEPT

A) slower reflexes.
B) decreased muscle strength.
C) carelessness.
D) loss of eyesight and depth perception.

Question 79

In addition to antidepressants for the treatment of depression,many elderly patients are also helped by

A) psychotherapy.
B) shock therapy.
C) interpersonal therapy.
D) behavioral therapy.

Question 80

Which of the following statements about medical conditions in old age is TRUE?

A) Most older people have at least one chronic condition.
B) Older people have more acute digestive problems than younger people.
C) Older people have more colds and flu infections than younger people.
D) Older people's increased reserve capacity helps them recover quickly from minor illnesses.