Deck 14: Making It in Midlife

Question 1

Sam is a typical North American male. Next week, he will celebrate a milestone birthday at which he believes he will be "middle aged" and "over the hill." What birthday will Sam be celebrating?

A) 20th
B) 30th
C) 40th
D) 50th

Answer 1

C

Question 2

According to Leventhal et al. (2002), which of the following practices, if regularly performed, can help to reduce the risk for chronic diseases as one ages?

A) regular exercise
B) meditation
C) reading
D) doing crossword puzzles

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Forty-five-year-old Claire has just had her last menstruation. She is very excited because she really does not want to have any more children. What would a competent physician tell her?

A) "Don't worry, your childbearing days are now behind you."
B) "You will have to be careful for another month, because there is typically one final ovulation."
C) "You will probably experience low sex drive during this phase of your life."
D) "I told you a year ago when your cycle was occurring less than one time every three months that you could not become pregnant anymore."

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Which are estrogen-related symptoms of menopause?

A) poor respiration and hot flashes
B) hot flashes and vaginal dryness
C) vaginal dryness and joint stiffness
D) joint stiffness and poor respiration

Question 5

Sixty-year-old Wendell is being examined by his physician. Wendell's symptoms include joint pain that has gradually increased. His doctor says, "Your pain is due to the damage to your cartilage due to severe use over your lifetime." What will Wendell most likely be diagnosed with?

A) osteopenia
B) rheumatoid arthritis
C) osteoporosis
D) osteoarthritis

Question 6

Which statement would indicate that Shauna is experiencing a symptom of perimenopause?

A) "I have been having a lot of headaches lately."
B) "I seem to be wetting the bed at night."
C) "At night I sweat like I am leaking water."
D) "There are times when it seems like a fire is running through me from my head to my toes."

Question 7

Loretta's daughter has had a new baby boy, and Loretta is concerned that her daughter is consuming the proper amount of dietary calcium for breastfeeding the baby. How many milligrams of daily calcium should Loretta advise her daughter to consume?

A) 1300 milligrams
B) 1200 milligrams
C) 1100 milligrams
D) 1000 milligrams

Question 8

While most women have their last period in their early 50s, what happens with a woman's genital organs?

A) Vaginal walls shrink.
B) Vaginal lubrication increases.
C) The quantity of pubic hair increases.
D) The external genitalia increase in size.

Question 9

Joanne's doctor has recommended a dietary supplement to assist with the onset of osteoporosis. Which of the following does he suggest?

A) folate
B) vitamin D
C) magnesium
D) vitamin A

Question 10

While at a check-up, 40-year-old Betty listens as her physician, Dr. Williams, describes Betty's current health. Which of Dr. William's statements would suggest that Betty is experiencing the climacteric?

A) "Do genetic disorders run in your family?"
B) "I hope that you have all the children you want."
C) "The loss of memory will be slow but significant."
D) "Some of your blood cells have begun to alter their shape."

Question 11

Misha often experiences severe swelling and joint pain in her fingers and wrists each morning. What is this pattern of symptoms most likely due to?

A) rheumatoid arthritis
B) osteoarthritis
C) the climacteric
D) osteoporosis

Question 12

Which condition is best characterized as a "wear-and-tear" disease?

A) osteoporosis
B) osteoarthritis
C) rheumatoid arthritis
D) menopause

Question 13

Fifty-year-old Esmerelda has been a heavy smoker since her youth. In addition, she lives in a sunny climate and always has a deep tan. Which of the following would you expect about her?

A) She will have more grey hair than most other people her age.
B) She will have a larger middle-aged bulge than most other people her age.
C) She will have more wrinkles than most other people her age.
D) She will have less hair than most other people her age.

Question 14

Forty-five-year-old Marilyn, who is very concerned about osteoporosis, seeks medical advice from her physician. Which advice would her physician be least likely to give?

A) "Let's try increasing your alcohol consumption."
B) "Let's try increasing your estrogen level."
C) "Let's try increasing your exercise rate."
D) "Let's try increasing your calcium consumption."

Question 15

Valerie has a T-score of -2 on her bone density test. What does this result mean for Valerie?

A) Her score is normal.
B) She has osteoporosis.
C) She has osteopenia.
D) She has osteoarthritis.

Question 16

Who is at the greatest risk of currently experiencing osteoporosis?

A) Maria, who is a 20-year-old female
B) George, who is a 30-year-old male
C) Emily, who is a 50-year-old female
D) Abe, who is a 70-year-old male

Question 17

Which of the following situations is typical for an individual who suffers from rheumatoid arthritis?

A) Individuals with rheumatoid arthritis need to avoid aspirin.
B) Rheumatoid arthritis is inherited.
C) Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis come and go.
D) Rheumatoid arthritis affects large joints (e.g., hips) but not small joints (e.g., fingers)

Question 18

What does osteoporosis involve?

A) a loss of bone brittleness
B) a loss of bone porousness
C) a loss of bone hormones
D) a loss of bone mass

Question 19

What is the main defining element of "the climacteric?"

A) loss of the natural ability to reproduce children
B) loss of cancer-fighting agents
C) loss of emotional stability
D) loss of blood flow through the circulatory system

Question 20

A metabolic slowdown is common in individuals in their early 30s to mid-50s. What can it lead to in many people?

A) grey hair
B) a middle-aged bulge
C) wrinkles
D) hair loss

Question 21

For which occupation would you expect the fewest health problems related to stress?

A) social worker
B) CEO of a computer company
C) truck driver
D) waiter

Question 22

Tanya is undergoing estrogen-only HRT in order to counteract the hot flashes she has been experiencing. What is one drawback of this treatment?

A) It increases the odds of her developing cardiovascular disease.
B) It increases the odds of her developing Alzheimer's disease.
C) It is an expensive method of treatment.
D) It is a controversial therapy.

Question 23

Which of the following types of cancer becomes a threat for middle-aged men?

A) prostate
B) testicular
C) colon
D) rectal

Question 24

Every day when Mario drives to work, someone else is parked in his space. While not being a "major deal," it does cause Mario a great deal of irritation. What kind of problem is this?

A) a stagnation
B) an aggravation
C) an encapsulation
D) a hassle

Question 25

Alana's physician has just informed her that she will need to begin hormone replacement therapy. In addition to estrogen, what hormone should Alana expect to be replaced?

A) dopamine
B) testosterone
C) serotonin
D) progestin

Question 26

Fred is 52 years of age, and his doctor has recommended that he undergo the common diagnostic test for prostate cancer. What is the name for this test?

A) prostate x-ray exam
B) digital prostate analysis
C) PSA blood test
D) PSA urinalysis

Question 27

Tabitha often gets frustrated. She often honks her horn and yells at other drivers, and she will often throw her racket if she gets beat playing tennis. How would Tabitha be best described?

A) Type A
B) generative
C) Type B
D) enraged

Question 28

What do declining levels of estrogen typically reduce the risk of?

A) osteoporosis
B) memory loss
C) multiple sclerosis
D) heart attacks

Question 29

Compared with his 70-year-old grandfather, 25-year-old Gilbert is more likely to experience which of the following situations?

A) Gilbert will have an extended resolution phase.
B) Gilbert will have a significantly higher sperm count.
C) Gilbert will take a little longer to achieve an erection.
D) Gilbert will feel less need to ejaculate.

Question 30

What is the primary reason that elderly women show a decline in sexual activity?

A) a normal physiological lack of interest
B) failure to achieve orgasm
C) the lack of a willing or appropriate partner
D) pain associated with vaginal changes

Question 31

The stress and coping paradigm focuses on the interactive relationship between two elements. What are they?

A) person and environment
B) mind and body
C) hormones and neurotransmitters
D) family and work

Question 32

Joy reads a note on her desk which says, "Joy, come to my office immediately. Signed, The Boss." Joy immediately interprets this message as a threat to her job and her livelihood, and is not sure she can deal with it. What does Joy's interpretation exemplify?

A) coping
B) an appraisal
C) stagnation
D) filial obligation

Question 33

Who is likely to experience the most job-related stress?

A) Tina, who has complete control over her job
B) Lorna, who has moderate control over her job
C) Katrina, who has some control over her job
D) Diana, who has no control over her job

Question 34

Which of the following phrases would best complete the following analogy, "Type A is to Type B as?"

A) male is to female
B) hassle is to appraisal
C) intense is to calm
D) introversion is to extroversion

Question 35

Which of the following is a stress-related appraisal?

A) a decision as to whether an event may be too much for you to handle
B) the emotion one feels after failing to deal with stress
C) using an effective stress-reducing strategy
D) losing your job

Question 36

According to Laungani (2001), which of the following factors plays a critical role in how an individual views stress?

A) gender
B) education level
C) culture
D) religion

Question 37

Tom has always wanted to be a father but has not yet found an acceptable partner. He is now 35 years old, healthy, and is beginning to be concerned about how much longer he will remain fertile. When he asks his doctor about this, what is his doctor most likely to tell him?

A) He will probably be capable of fathering a child until he is about 45 years old.
B) He will probably be capable of fathering a child until he is about 65 years old.
C) He will probably be capable of fathering a child until he is about 85 years old.
D) He will probably be capable of fathering a child for the rest of his life.

Question 38

Felicia's doctor has suggested that she consume legumes such as chick peas and soybeans, as they may help to counteract some of the symptoms of menopause. Why does her doctor suggest these foods?

A) because they are high in calcium
B) because they are high in iron
C) because they are high in antioxidants
D) because they are high in phytoestrogens

Question 39

Heather is experiencing a great deal of stress. She has tried relaxation training, thinking about life events in a different way, and even talking to her friends. What are all of these strategies?

A) attempts at repression
B) attempts at coping
C) attempts at stagnation
D) attempts at appraisal

Question 40

What is coping?

A) any attempt to deal with stress
B) any attempt to deal with stress that is repeated on at least two occasions
C) any rational attempt to deal with stress
D) any successful attempt to deal with stress

Question 41

What would the high-end target heart beat range be for a 50-year-old trying to engage in aerobic exercise?

A) 162 beats per minute
B) 153 beats per minute
C) 144 beats per minute
D) 135 beats per minute

Question 42

Though Elsa does not score particularly high on traditional intelligence tests, she is very good at understanding income tax forms, can deal very well with all different kinds of people, and is a good trouble-shooter around the home and office. What does Elsa exhibit?

A) Type B behaviour
B) fluid intelligence
C) high unexercised ability
D) practical intelligence

Question 43

In 1999, Allaire and Marsiske demonstrated that practical intelligence was related to which of the following?

A) psychometric intelligence
B) existential intelligence
C) intra-personal intelligence
D) interpersonal intelligence

Question 44

How do experts differ from novices in terms of problem solving?

A) Novices are more curious.
B) Experts come to solutions faster.
C) Novices follow more rules.
D) Experts demonstrate less flexibility in thought.

Question 45

How does age affect expert performance?

A) It tends to peak in young adulthood and drop off significantly thereafter.
B) It tends to peak in young adulthood and drop off slightly thereafter.
C) It tends to peak in middle adulthood and drop off significantly thereafter.
D) It tends to peak in middle adulthood and drop off slightly thereafter.

Question 46

Max exercises regularly. How is he most likely to differ from those who do not exercise?

A) He is more likely to be depressed.
B) He is likely function better cognitively.
C) He is likely show higher levels of confidence and self-esteem.
D) He is likely have higher blood pressure.

Question 47

How does exercise impact the aging process?

A) Exercise is not related to physical health.
B) Exercise can significantly slow the aging process.
C) Exercise is beneficial to health, but does not affect the aging process.
D) Exercise should be avoided by people over 50 years old.

Question 48

Paula is an expert on the history of rock and roll music, while Donald is a novice. What does this mean?

A) Paula is less curious about rock and roll music than Donald.
B) Paula is more intelligent than Donald.
C) Paula uses more steps in the thinking process when coming up with answers about rock and roll music than Donald.
D) Paula is more effective at determining correct solutions concerning rock and roll music than Donald.

Question 49

What appears to be the main reason why an individual's Type A or Type B behavioural pattern influences his or her recovery rate following a heart attack?

A) It is a good predictor of the type of genetic factors known to cause future attacks.
B) It affects how much physicians like being around them when they are patients.
C) It appears to influence one's motivation to follow post-attack health suggestions.
D) The two types vary by sex, as do recovery rates.

Question 50

Sylvester has a Type A behaviour pattern and Gordon has a Type B behaviour pattern. Which statement is true?

A) Gordon has a greater risk of suffering from cardiovascular disease.
B) Gordon likely has a much higher cholesterol count.
C) Sylvester is more likely to be a smoker.
D) Sylvester has a better recovery prognosis following a heart attack.

Question 51

What type of intelligence involves the skills and knowledge necessary for functioning in everyday life?

A) fluid intelligence
B) traditional intelligence
C) practical intelligence
D) unexercised intelligence

Question 52

What is the normal pattern of pragmatic and mechanics intelligence development between ages 25 and 70?

A) Both pragmatics and mechanics increase with age.
B) Both pragmatics and mechanics decrease with age.
C) Pragmatics remain constant while mechanics decrease with age.
D) Mechanics remain constant while pragmatics decrease with age.

Question 53

After doing aerobic exercise, a person's optimum pulse rate should be within which of the following ranges of his/her maximum heart rate?

A) 40% and 70%
B) 50% and 80%
C) 60% and 90%
D) 70% and 100%

Question 54

Which characteristic best fits with mechanics of intelligence?

A) experienced-based
B) universal-biological
C) content-rich
D) culturally dependent

Question 55

People who have high levels of practical intelligence have the ability to deal more effectively with which of the following situations?

A) stressful situations
B) a more rapid pace of change
C) a slower-paced lifestyle
D) emotional situations

Question 56

Ben is 28 years old, and finds that exercise helps him to cope with stress. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, what is the recommended weekly amount of time that adults aged 18 to 64 years should engage in aerobic activity?

A) 1 hour
B) 1.5 hours
C) 2 hours
D) 2.5 hours

Question 57

If there were a phrase that would describe Stacy, it would be "laid-back." She rarely gets frustrated or angry, she does not care about "climbing the corporate ladder," and she is satisfied "taking life as it comes." What is Stacy exhibiting?

A) neuroticism
B) Type B behaviour
C) stagnation
D) Type A behaviour

Question 58

Ann is a typical 45-year-old and has exercised throughout her life. If we were to ask her why she exercises, she what would she probably say?

A) "When I was younger, I exercised to look good, and now I exercise to feel good."
B) "When I was younger, I exercised to feel good, and now I exercise to look good."
C) "When I was younger, I exercised to feel good, and now I exercise to feel good."
D) "When I was younger, I exercised to look good, and now I exercise to look good."

Question 59

The pragmatics of intelligence is governed more by which type of the following factors?

A) economic
B) religious
C) environmental
D) political

Question 60

Which of the following can stress directly result in?

A) anxiety disorders
B) isolation
C) schizophrenia
D) lower levels of self-esteem

Question 61

Frank has a Type A personality. Which personality dimension is he most likely to have a low score on?

A) agreeableness
B) openness to new experience
C) neuroticism
D) extroversion

Question 62

Shelley is an individual who can be irritable, antagonistic, and highly critical of her coworkers. Which of Costa and McCrae's five dimensions does Shelley lack?

A) conscientiousness
B) neuroticism
C) extroversion
D) agreeableness

Question 63

Though her ability to think about other things has declined significantly, 74-year-old Judith's ability to interpret the law continues to make her an excellent lawyer and judge. What has most likely happened to Judith's ability to process information?

A) It has most likely become stagnated with her knowledge of the law.
B) It has most likely become appraised with her knowledge of the law.
C) It has most likely become encapsulated with her knowledge of the law.
D) It has most likely become crystallized with her knowledge of the law.

Question 64

What do we call the normative middle-age trauma?

A) the midlife crisis
B) the familial crisis
C) the indulgence crisis
D) the fictive crisis

Question 65

If asked to list the "processes of thinking," what should you avoid saying?

A) "memory"
B) "information processing"
C) "resilience"
D) "fluid intelligence"

Question 66

Kevin is described by friends as having a great imagination and being willing to try anything once. Given this description, which personality dimension would Kevin most likely score very high on?

A) agreeableness
B) openness to experience
C) neuroticism
D) conscientiousness

Question 67

Marcy has what Costa and McCrae would classify as an "agreeable" personality. How would you expect her to be described by others?

A) as a "wall-flower"
B) as a "party animal"
C) as a "meanie"
D) as a "joy to be around"

Question 68

Why do some professors who teach difficult subjects, such as math, struggle with explaining concepts to their students?

A) because the students want to take the "easy road" to learning difficult concepts
B) because the students have shorter attention spans
C) because the professor is an expert and can skip stages in the explanation
D) because the professor can only explain a math concept in complex steps

Question 69

Costa and McCrae's model of personality includes dimensions like conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness to experience. What is this model commonly referred to?

A) the humanistic model
B) the centrality model
C) the five-factor model
D) the psychodynamic model

Question 70

Ruth is determined to become president of the corporation. She works more than ten hours per day, is meticulous in her work, and sticks with the most difficult projects until they are completed. Which personality dimension would Ruth most likely score highly on?

A) conscientiousness
B) agreeableness
C) extroversion
D) openness to experience

Question 71

Mike's high school career counsellor has suggested that he consider a career in social work, because Mike can readily handle a challenging environment with his high level of energy. At which of Costa and McCrae's five dimensions does Mike excel?

A) neuroticism
B) conscientiousness
C) agreeableness
D) extroversion

Question 72

Ronnie is asked to describe what it is like to work with Kelly. In response he says, "She is mean, anxious, and really tough to be around." Which of Costa and McCrae's personality dimension does this description best match?

A) neuroticism
B) openness to experience
C) extroversion
D) agreeableness

Question 73

Naomi is a diabetic-education nurse, and in order to keep her knowledge and skills relevant, she is taking an online course. What is the term used to describe Naomi's situation?

A) continuing educational update
B) refresher course
C) lifelong learning
D) experiential learning

Question 74

An individual low on a certain characteristic would likely be described as even-tempered and comfortable. What is that characteristic?

A) neuroticism
B) openness to experience
C) conscientiousness
D) agreeableness

Question 75

According to Costa and McCrae (1994), at what approximate age do personality traits become entrenched and stop changing in an individual?

A) 25 years
B) 30 years
C) 35 years
D) 40 years

Question 76

What is another term for the "products of thinking?"

A) sensory memory
B) unexercised ability
C) mechanics intelligence
D) expertise

Question 77

How does encapsulation assist older thinkers?

A) It helps compensate for declining processes of thinking.
B) It increases the capacity of short-term memory.
C) It allows them to begin to deal with abstract ideas.
D) It increases convergent thinking while inhibiting divergent thinking.

Question 78

Harvey is 22 years old, extroverted, very conscientious, and not very open to experience. Based on the longitudinal research of Costa and McCrae's personality dimensions, what will Harvey most likely be like when he is 55 years old?

A) extroverted, conscientious, and open to experience
B) not extroverted, conscientious and not open to experience
C) extroverted, conscientious, and not open to experience
D) extroverted, not conscientious, and not open to experience

Question 79

Newton is known for being very opinionated, extremely sociable, and loving a challenge. According to Costa and McCrae (2002), which personality dimension would Newton score high on?

A) neuroticism
B) introversion
C) extroversion
D) agreeableness

Question 80

How can one describe the difference between adult learners and their younger counterparts?

A) Adults are more willing to learn about abstract problems.
B) Adults tend to be more motivated by internal factors.
C) Younger learners tend to have a larger variety of experiences on which they can build.
D) Younger learners have a higher need to know why they should learn something.