Deck 12: Physical and Cognitive Development in Middle Adulthood

Question 1

Developmental researchers have paid the least amount of attention to which part of the lifespan?

A) Adolescence
B) Young adulthood
C) Middle adulthood
D) Late adulthood

Answer 1

Middle adulthood

Question 2

Until recently, developmental scientists ignored middle adulthood. Now, however, they're beginning to study it. Why?

A) Because middle adulthood is a time when there are great changes in the body and mind.
B) Because today's middle adulthood is equivalent to the young adulthood of the past.
C) Because they realize that the other stages have been overstudied.
D) Because all the Baby Boomers have now reached middle adulthood.

Answer 2

Because middle adulthood is a time when there are great changes in the body and mind.

Question 3

The Baby Boom generation currently accounts for what percentage of the total US population?

A) 3
B) 9
C) 19
D) 33

Answer 3

33

Question 4

A group of people who were born at roughly the same time but do not necessarily share an identity is called a

A) cohort.
B) generation.
C) cross-section.
D) macrosystem.

Question 5

Which of the following was a cohort effect for the Baby Boom generation?

A) The Great Depression (1929-1940)
B) The Vietnam War (1960s-1975)
C) September 11th (2001)
D) World War II (1939-1945)

Question 6

One possible consequence of being part of a very large generation is having

A) more job opportunities.
B) a more competitive job market.
C) a lower crime rate.
D) a less stressful environment.

Question 7

Which of the following is an aspect of aging that is universal across cohorts?

A) Access to higher education
B) Health
C) Menopause
D) Quality of health care

Question 8

Middle adulthood spans a period of approximately how many years?

A) 15
B) 20
C) 25
D) 40

Question 9

Interindividual is to intraindividual as____is to____.

A) between; within
B) inside; outside
C) longitudinal; cross-section
D) short-term; long-term

Question 10

Which of the following is an example of intraindividual variation?

A) Drew and Alan are both 40-year-olds, but Drew is a high school dropout and Alan has a PhD in nuclear physics.
B) Dana's vision started to deteriorate when she turned 40, but her twin brother's vision remained at 20/20 for the next five years.
C) Brie's hair turned white when she turned 40, but she maintained muscle mass with daily visits to the gym.
D) Mickey was the only male at his 20th high school reunion who was not showing a "middle age spread."

Question 11

One primary change of aging is

A) metabolic syndrome.
B) hair loss in men.
C) "middle-age spread."
D) skin wrinkling after a lifetime of sun exposure.

Question 12

Ralph experienced a secondary change of aging when

A) he found the first gray hair on his head.
B) he found himself needing glasses to read a menu in a restaurant.
C) his height began to decrease.
D) his hearing became less acute from years of listening to loud music.

Question 13

As adults age, hair turns gray and then white because of a decline in the production of

A) cilia.
B) lipoproteins.
C) melanin.
D) cortisol.

Question 14

Although from afar, 16-year-old Patricia and her mother looked like sisters, from close up, it was easy to tell the age difference because the mother's skin was

A) less dry.
B) tauter.
C) more elastic.
D) pigmented.

Question 15

All of the following are side effects of Botox except

A) breathing problems.
B) difficulty swallowing.
C) sagging skin.
D) weakness.

Question 16

Which of the following is true about Botox?

A) It has no known downsides.
B) It first came into use by dermatologists in the 1960s.
C) It works by paralyzing face muscles.
D) It is used to get rid of age spots.

Question 17

At 21, Tiffany is 5'8". She can expect to remain that tall at least until her

A) 35th birthday.
B) 45th birthday.
C) 55th birthday.
D) 65th birthday.

Question 18

What is the term for the condition in which bones become brittle and susceptible to fractures?

A) Presbyopia
B) Presbycusis
C) Osteoporosis
D) Sarcopenia

Question 19

When it comes to osteoporosis, which of the following is true?

A) African-Americans have the highest risk of developing the condition.
B) Hispanic women have the highest risk of developing the condition.
C) White and Asian women have a higher risk of developing the condition than African-American and Hispanic women.
D) African-American, Hispanic, white, and Asian women have equal risks of developing the condition.

Question 20

Bone loss is accelerated by which of the following?

A) Overexposure to the sun
B) Jogging
C) Smoking
D) The intake of too much calcium

Question 21

Vanessa's doctor wants to reduce her risk for osteoporosis. He therefore recommended that she exercise regularly, consume foods that are high in calcium, and insure adequate intake of vitamin

A) A
B) B12
C) C
D) D

Question 22

In middle-age, height tends to____, and weight tends to____.

A) decrease; increase
B) remain the same; increase
C) decrease; remain the same
D) increase; decrease

Question 23

The risk for stroke for females aged 34-54 has tripled in recent years, which scientists blame on more women

A) becoming abdominally obese
B) engaging in stressful exercise.
C) working in stressful jobs.
D) taking up smoking.

Question 24

The lowest rates of obesity are found among which of the following?

A) Asian Americans
B) African-Americans
C) Hispanic Americans
D) White Americans

Question 25

A healthy person has____levels of LDL, low-density lipoprotein, and____levels of HDL, high-density lipoprotein.

A) high; high
B) high; low
C) low; high
D) low; low

Question 26

All of the following are symptomatic of metabolic syndrome except

A) excess abdominal fat.
B) high blood pressure.
C) low blood sugar.
D) high levels of LDL.

Question 27

Sarcopenia is a

A) condition in which bones become brittle and susceptible to fractures.
B) condition that develops when fluid builds up in the eye, putting pressure on blood vessels that deliver oxygen to the optic nerve.
C) progressive age-related loss of muscle mass and strength.
D) decline in the ability to hear high-pitched sounds.

Question 28

The exercise recommended for strengthening muscles that support joints is

A) flexibility training.
B) pragmatics.
C) resistance training.
D) tai chi.

Question 29

Presbyopia means an inability to

A) focus on nearby objects.
B) adapt to the dark.
C) see objects in the periphery.
D) see distant objects.

Question 30

In presbyopia, the part of the eye that loses elasticity is the

A) cornea.
B) lens.
C) fovea.
D) retina.

Question 31

Susan was just diagnosed with presbyopia. She will likely adapt to the condition by

A) changing her diet.
B) taking up resistance training.
C) wearing a hearing aid.
D) wearing glasses.

Question 32

Tammy's doctor just diagnosed her with early-stage glaucoma. Accordingly, he will likely recommend

A) a seeing-eye dog.
B) bifocals.
C) medication.
D) reading glasses.

Question 33

Glaucoma happens when

A) fluid builds up in the eye.
B) the lens becomes less transparent.
C) the pupil becomes smaller.
D) the lens loses its elasticity.

Question 34

Because the lenses in Emmet's grandmother's eyes had become less transparent and the pupils had become smaller, she had difficulty

A) reading the washing instructions on Emmet's t-shirt.
B) seeing Emmet in the darkened movie theater.
C) seeing Emmet when he was standing to the side of her.
D) seeing Emmet when he was at a distance.

Question 35

The decline in the ability to hear high-pitched sounds is termed

A) atherosclerosis.
B) sarcopenia.
C) presbycusis.
D) presbyopia.

Question 36

After seeing his doctor, John went to an audiologist to get fitted with a hearing aid. John's doctor most likely diagnosed him with

A) atherosclerosis.
B) presbyopia.
C) presbycusis.
D) sarcopenia.

Question 37

Which of the following is true about atherosclerosis?

A) It involves a widening of the arteries.
B) It involves a buildup of plaque.
C) It results in low blood pressure.
D) It makes the heart pump with less effort.

Question 38

Because she was diagnosed with hypertension, Elizabeth's doctor told her to make all of the following changes in her lifestyle except

A) add more salt to her diet.
B) lose some weight.
C) start exercising.
D) stop smoking.

Question 39

When it comes to hypertension,____have a greater risk than do____.

A) young adults; middle-aged adults
B) thin people; overweight people
C) women; men
D) "couch potatoes"; active people

Question 40

From age 20 to age 70, approximately what percentage of lung capacity diminishes?

A) 10
B) 20
C) 30
D) 40

Question 41

Vincent will most likely be affected by his diminished lung capacity when he tries to

A) climb a flight of steps.
B) fall asleep.
C) go for a stroll.
D) lecture his students.

Question 42

After smoking for 25 years, 40-year-old Linda was finally able to give up the habit. She was worried about her lung capacity, so she did some research and found out that

A) she will not begin to lose lung capacity for at least 10 more years.
B) even though she gave up smoking, she will still lose lung capacity at a faster rate than those who never smoked.
C) even though she used to smoke, her lung capacity will decline at the same rate as that of people who never smoked.
D) she will lose lung capacity at the same rate as she would have if she kept smoking.

Question 43

Lately, Betsy, a 43-year-old woman, finds that she is experiencing more intense and frequent urges to urinate. It is likely that

A) her bladder has become enlarged.
B) her bladder is less elastic than it used to be.
C) she has an enlarged prostate.
D) she is suffering from urinary incontinence.

Question 44

Lately, 45-year-old Sandra has noticed that her menstrual cycles are getting shorter and less predictable. Sandra appears to be

A) in menopause.
B) pregnant.
C) suffering from the effects of too much estrogen.
D) undergoing climacteric.

Question 45

Erin just entered perimenopause. Accordingly,

A) her body is now producing more estrogen and progestin than ever before.
B) she will no longer be menstruating.
C) her menstrual cycles will now become shorter and less predictable.
D) she will no longer be able to get pregnant.

Question 46

Selena just entered perimenopause. When will she cease to menstruate?

A) In 3-5 weeks
B) In 3-5 months
C) In 3-5 years
D) She already has

Question 47

The most common symptom(s) of menopause is(are)

A) irritability and negative moods.
B) "hot flashes."
C) sleep disturbances.
D) vaginal dryness.

Question 48

Which of the following accurately characterizes how most women feel about reaching menopause?

A) They feel negative about it, as if they are no longer "complete" women.
B) They feel negative about it, because they know to expect irritability and negative moods.
C) They feel positive about it, relieved that they can have sex without worrying about getting pregnant.
D) They feel positive about it, knowing that menopause only has positive consequences for a woman's health.

Question 49

Janet just experienced menopause. Consequently, which of the following could she expect?

A) A decrease of LDL
B) An increase in HDL
C) Lower blood pressure
D) An increase in the rate of bone loss

Question 50

When the estrogen in hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was linked to uterine cancer in the 1970s, the pharmaceutical industry responded by

A) changing the product to include the hormone progestin.
B) contending that the benefits outweighed the risks.
C) conducting their own studies to show that estrogen was harmless.
D) discontinuing to market the HRT medications.

Question 51

What was one of the findings of the clinical trials carried out by the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) and the Heart and Estrogen/Progestin Study (HERS) in 2002, with regard to women taking HRT medications?

A) A decreased risk of breast cancer
B) A decreased risk of heart attack
C) A decreased risk of blood clots
D) An increased risk of Alzheimer's disease

Question 52

Lucille is going to see her doctor because she is bothered by "hot flashes" and wonders if she should take hormone replacement therapy. Her doctor is likely to inform her that

A) although such medications were found to be risky in the past, current formulas make them perfectly safe and effective.
B) hormone replacement therapy was shown to be ineffective in treating "hot flashes."
C) before prescribing the medication, he'll need to evaluate her risk for breast cancer and heart disease.
D) such medications are no longer available because of the various health risks associated with them.

Question 53

Which hormone(s) is(are) responsible for the development of male sexual characteristics?

A) Androgens
B) Estrogen
C) Progestin
D) Testosterone

Question 54

Andropause is to a ____ decline of testosterone, as menopause is to a ____decline of estrogen.

A) significant; significant
B) significant; small
C) small; significant
D) small; small

Question 55

Herman, a healthy 50-year-old man is thinking about testosterone replacement therapy. When he asks his doctor's advice, he is likely to be told that his doctor

A) recommends taking it because there are definite health risks associated with even small declines in testosterone.
B) recommends taking it because although the health risks of small declines in testosterone are uncertain, there are no side effects associated with the use of testosterone replacement therapy.
C) does not recommend taking it because there are no health risks in age-related declines of testosterone.
D) does not recommend taking it because the side effects associated with it suggest that it should only be used by those who suffer from a clear hormone deficiency.

Question 56

Compared to men in their 20s, men in their 50s are____as likely to experience erectile dysfunction.

A) half as
B) just as
C) twice
D) three times

Question 57

Erectile dysfunction may be a warning sign for what underlying illness?

A) Alzheimer's disease
B) Heart disease
C) Prostate cancer
D) Sarcopenia

Question 58

When middle-aged men were asked to rate different areas of their life, how did they rate sexual activity?

A) They gave it the highest rating possible.
B) They gave it the lowest rating possible.
C) They gave it the lowest positive rating.
D) They gave it a negative rating close to the midpoint.

Question 59

Middle-aged adults are more susceptible than young adults to

A) acute illnesses.
B) chronic illnesses.
C) both acute and chronic illnesses.
D) neither acute nor chronic illnesses.

Question 60

Contrary to chronic illnesses, acute illnesses have a

A) rapid onset and long duration.
B) rapid onset and short duration.
C) slow onset and long duration.
D) slow onset and short duration.

Question 61

Gary was diagnosed with an acute illness when his doctor informed him that he had

A) arthritis.
B) diabetes.
C) influenza.
D) heart disease.

Question 62

Approximately what percentage of middle-aged adults rates their health as "excellent" or "very good"?

A) 35
B) 55
C) 65
D) 85

Question 63

Approximately how many hours of sleep do adults need?

A) 6
B) 8
C) 10
D) 12

Question 64

Twenty-five-year-old Jason only got three hours of sleep last night. It is likely his body now has elevated levels of which hormone?

A) Androgen
B) Cortisol
C) Progestin
D) Testosterone

Question 65

Compared to whites, African-Americans tend to have____rates of mental illness and____Rates of chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and hypertension.

A) higher; lower or equal
B) higher; higher
C) lower or equal; lower or equal
D) lower or equal; higher

Question 66

Seth was just told by his boss that he's going to be fired. The stress of the news is sending his body into "fight or flight" mode. Accordingly, which of the following is taking place?

A) His breathing is slowing down.
B) His digestive processes are slowing down.
C) His immune defenses are speeding up.
D) The level of glucose in his blood is decreasing.

Question 67

Allostatic load refers to wear and tear on the body due to

A) accumulated stress from major life stressors.
B) accumulated stress from major life stressors, minor stressors, and daily hassles.
C) currently experienced major life stressors.
D) currently experienced minor stressors and daily hassles.

Question 68

"Jared is a typical Type B personality," said Agnes. "He's very

A) competitive."
B) easily angered."
C) patient."
D) uptight."

Question 69

People with Type A personalities tend to be

A) slow to anger.
B) mellow.
C) multi-taskers.
D) deliberate.

Question 70

The particular trait that makes Type A personalities more susceptible to cardiovascular disease is

A) competitiveness.
B) hostility.
C) time-urgency.
D) impatience.

Question 71

Which of the following personality characteristics has been found to be associated with living a long life?

A) Conscientiousness
B) Hostility
C) Competitiveness
D) Pessimism

Question 72

What is thought to have been a confounding cohort effect in the early cross-sectional studies of intelligence?

A) Education
B) Age
C) Work experience
D) Socioeconomic level

Question 73

The earliest cross-sectional studies of adult intelligence found that intelligence

A) declines steadily with age.
B) rises steadily until late adulthood and then declines rapidly.
C) remains the same as we age.
D) rises steadily with age.

Question 74

Contrary to earlier cross-sectional studies, later longitudinal studies found that intelligence

A) increases from young adulthood to middle adulthood and then declines rapidly after that.
B) increases from young adulthood to middle adulthood and declines modestly after that.
C) increases steadily from young adulthood through late adulthood.
D) declines steadily from young adulthood through late adulthood.

Question 75

One problem with longitudinal studies of intelligence is that they

A) overestimate the intelligence of middle-aged and older adults.
B) overestimate the intelligence of young adults.
C) underestimate the intelligence of middle-aged and older adults.
D) underestimate the intelligence of young adults.

Question 76

All of the following are limitations of longitudinal studies of intelligence except

A) people in the study might have varying levels of education.
B) people in the study may not be representative of the general population.
C) people with worse health and intellectual functioning tend to drop out.
D) people become more skilled at taking intelligence tests with practice.

Question 77

Felix was taking a test of crystallized intelligence when he had difficulty with this question:

A) "State as many capitals of the United States as you can recall."
B) "What would be the consequences of living in a world with no clocks or watches?"
C) "State as many uses as you can for an automobile tire that do not involve a car."
D) "What is the next number in the sequence: 1, 3, 5, 7, 11, ____?"

Question 78

It takes fluid intelligence to answer which of the following questions?

A) Describe what your roommate looks like.
B) Name your favorite fruits and vegetables.
C) Name the presidents of the United States in order.
D) Name as many uses as you can for a brick, other than building.

Question 79

Fluid intelligence is to____, as crystallized intelligence is to____.

A) life experiences; "on the spot" reasoning
B) pragmatics of intelligence; mechanics of intelligence
C) raw brain power; an educated brain
D) prior knowledge; novel situations

Question 80

The results of the Seattle Longitudinal Study, which combined the features of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, showed that

A) earlier cross-sectional studies were accurate.
B) earlier longitudinal studies were accurate.
C) some aspects of intelligence do decline, but others increase through adulthood.
D) intelligence does decline through adulthood, and it does so much more rapidly than either cross-sectional or longitudinal studies predicted.