Deck 14: Physical and Cognitive Development in Late Adulthood

Question 1

Compared to older adults of 50 years ago, adults today are generally

A) healthier and more active.
B) less healthy and less active.
C) healthier but less active.
D) less healthy but more active.

Answer 1

healthier and more active.

Question 2

The young-old are adults between the ages of

A) 55-65.
B) 50-70.
C) 55-69.
D) 65-79.

Answer 2

65-79.

Question 3

In ancient Rome, life expectancy was approximately how many years?

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

Answer 3

20

Question 4

In the Middle Ages (around the year 1250), life expectancy was about how many years?

A) 22
B) 32
C) 42
D) 52

Question 5

In the 2000 years before 1900, life expectancy increased by about _____years. In the 70 years between 1900 and 1970, life expectancy increased by about _____years.

A) 28; 23
B) 23; 28
C) 36; 5
D) 5; 36

Question 6

Baby Jack was born last week. His great, great-grandfather Emmet was born in 1900 and fulfilled his life expectancy. How many more years longer can we expect Jack to live than his great-grandfather?

A) 8
B) 15
C) 20
D) 30

Question 7

In a recent survey of 224 countries, how did the United States rank in life expectancy?

A) It ranked 1
B) It ranked 5
C) It ranked 10
D) It ranked 50

Question 8

In countries with the longest life expectancies, people can expect to live to what age?

A) 78
B) 82
C) 88
D) 92

Question 9

In terms of age composition, what is the "oldest" country in the world?

A) Great Britain
B) Italy
C) Japan
D) United States

Question 10

Which of the following is true about the "over age 65" segment of the population of the United States?

A) It is currently about 20 percent of the population.
B) Its numbers are declining.
C) Its proportion of Asians is expected to remain stable or show a slight decline.
D) Its proportion of Hispanics is expected to increase greatly.

Question 11

The remarkable increases in life expectancy over the past several decades are due mainly to breakthroughs in treating

A) diabetes.
B) heart disease.
C) cancer.
D) infectious diseases.

Question 12

In order to increase life expectancy maximally, the ministry of health in a poor, developing nation might concentrate its efforts on obtaining

A) chemotherapy solutions.
B) hypertension medications.
C) antibiotics.
D) blood glucose monitors.

Question 13

Scientists who believe that humans have a maximum lifespan suggest that it is what age?

A) 100
B) 110
C) 125
D) 145

Question 14

In 1950, there were 3,000 centenarians (people 100 years old or older) living in the United States. One hundred years later, in 2050, it is predicted that there will be how many centenarians?

A) 30,000
B) 100,000
C) 300,000
D) 1,000,000

Question 15

The theory that posits a built-in clock causes our life to end is a(n)

A) evolutionary theory of aging.
B) ticking time-bomb theory of aging.
C) programmed theory of aging.
D) random damage theory of aging.

Question 16

According to evolutionary theories of aging, we age and die because

A) the death of elders has the effect of reducing the competition for limited resources.
B) genes that would have allowed us to be healthy and live after reproductive maturity were not selected.
C) the body's ability to repair itself cannot keep up with accumulated problems.
D) we have a built-in clock that determines how long we live and when we die.

Question 17

"Our bodies deteriorate because they were not designed for extended operation and because we now push them to function past their warranty period." The foregoing summarizes which theory of aging?

A) Evolutionary
B) Expiration
C) Programmed
D) Random damage

Question 18

Unstable oxygen molecules that are byproducts of metabolism and that can damage other cells are called

A) free radicals.
B) apolipoproteins.
C) amyloid tangles.
D) T cells.

Question 19

What happened to laboratory rats and mice who were fed only 70 percent of their usual calories?

A) They died of starvation.
B) They became so weak that they could hardly move.
C) They lived much longer than rats normally do.
D) They became more susceptible to various diseases.

Question 20

During World War II, food shortages in some European countries were linked to

A) decreases in immune functioning.
B) decreases in the rate of cardiovascular disease.
C) higher rates of diabetes.
D) higher cancer rates.

Question 21

The people of Okinawa, Japan, which has a large number of centenarians, eat a diet that is

A) low in calories but not very nutritious.
B) low in calories and highly nutritious.
C) rich in calories but not very nutritious.
D) rich in calories and highly nutritious.

Question 22

Researchers believe that the residents of Okinawa, Japan, have a large number of centenarians mainly because of their diet and eating habits. A popular saying there is hara hachi-bu, which means

A) "Eat as much as you can today because tomorrow may bring famine."
B) "Eat till you drop."
C) "Eat until you are 80 percent full."
D) "It's a sin to leave food on the plate."

Question 23

The Hayflick limit is the point at which

A) cells stop dividing and replicating.
B) humans reach maximum lifespan.
C) caloric restriction becomes harmful.
D) cognitive declines can still be reversed.

Question 24

At approximately what point do human cells stop dividing and replicating?

A) After 8 divisions
B) After 25 divisions
C) After 50 divisions
D) After 100 divisions

Question 25

Telomeres are

A) cloudy areas that form in the lens of the eye.
B) immune cells that patrol for foreign substances.
C) protective tips on the ends of chromosomes.
D) unstable oxygen molecules that are byproducts of metabolism.

Question 26

What happens to cells when their telomeres are almost all gone?

A) They become cancerous.
B) They mutate.
C) They start replicating.
D) They stop dividing.

Question 27

To scientists, the fact that the disappearance of telomeres is followed by the deterioration and dying off of cells means that the body

A) is triggering the process of competitive elimination.
B) has a mechanism that stops tumors early in a person's life.
C) is getting ready to replenish those cells.
D) has an internal clock that controls the length of life.

Question 28

Paul is poor, obese, a smoker, and sedentary. His cousin Mike is middle-class, lean, a non-smoker, and an "exercise nut." Compared to Paul's body, Mike's body is likely to be producing _____free radicals and to manifest _____telomere shortening.

A) fewer; slower
B) fewer; accelerated
C) more; accelerated
D) more; slower

Question 29

Neil's maternal great-grandparents are in good health and well into their 90's. Neil correctly surmises that their

A) cells are undergoing accelerated telomere shortening.
B) bodily organs have a larger than average reserve capacity.
C) bodies are producing an inordinate number of free radicals.
D) immune systems are relatively overactive.

Question 30

Now that she's reached old age, Veronica's heart pumps blood slower when she swims laps in the pool than it did when she was younger. At the same time, however, it pumps a larger amount of blood with each heartbeat. Veronica's heart is demonstrating which of the following?

A) Compensation
B) Plasticity
C) Optimization
D) Selection

Question 31

Seventy-year-old Edna had never exercised much. After her doctor explained about muscle mass decline, she decided to enroll in a senior aerobics class. A year later, some of her muscle weakness appeared to have reversed itself, demonstrating

A) compensation.
B) optimization.
C) plasticity.
D) selection.

Question 32

Unintentional weight_____is common in old age and is associated with outcomes.

A) gain; good
B) gain; poor
C) loss; good
D) loss; poor

Question 33

Which of the following is true about frailty in old age?

A) It lowers one's ability to withstand emotional stress.
B) It comes about as a result of exercising the body too hard.
C) It is more common in overweight individuals.
D) It tends to get better over time.

Question 34

What is the most common reason given when older adults stop driving?

A) Difficulty getting in and out of a car
B) Memory problems
C) Slowed reaction times
D) Vision problems

Question 35

Cataract surgery involves

A) implanting a new cornea.
B) implanting a new lens.
C) removing excess liquid from the eye.
D) reshaping the cornea surface.

Question 36

The leading cause of blindness in old age is

A) cataracts.
B) glaucoma.
C) macular degeneration.
D) presbyopia.

Question 37

Which part of the eye deteriorates in macular degeneration?

A) The iris
B) The lens
C) The optic nerve
D) The retina

Question 38

Noriko's grandmother has become hard-of-hearing. Lately, she no longer wants to participate in the family's social occasions because it embarrasses her when she can't hear what anyone is saying. She has even told her granddaughters to leave her alone. Noriko, who is very close to her grandmother, asked her friends what she should do. The best advice she received was

A) "Tell her she should try harder to pay attention."
B) "Talk to her in a quiet place and use a voice that is a little louder than usual."
C) "Use a high-pitched voice and don't look directly at her when you speak."
D) "Use a very loud voice, even shout if necessary."

Question 39

Older adults' ability to taste may be diminished due to all of the following except

A) dentures.
B) medications.
C) reduced number of taste buds.
D) smoking.

Question 40

Tammy was unable to stand on one foot with her eyes closed. The problem involved the receptors in her

A) eyes.
B) inner ears.
C) outer ears.
D) skin.

Question 41

Declines in the sense of balance make older adults more susceptible to falls. The problem is compounded by declines in the sense of

A) hearing.
B) smell.
C) touch.
D) vision.

Question 42

What is the leading cause of death from injury in later life?

A) Burns
B) Falls
C) Car accidents
D) Electrocution

Question 43

The condition in which bones become brittle is called

A) arteriosclerosis.
B) presbycusis.
C) osteoporosis.
D) sarcopenia.

Question 44

Atherosclerosis is when_____, whereas arteriosclerosis is when .

A) artery walls become less elastic; plaque forms on artery walls
B) the heart pumps too slowly; artery walls become less elastic
C) plaque forms on artery walls; artery walls become less elastic
D) plaque forms on artery walls; the heart pumps too slowly

Question 45

Arteriosclerosis frequently leads to

A) thinning of artery walls.
B) hypertension.
C) low blood pressure.
D) plaque buildup.

Question 46

The main reason that the elderly are more susceptible to the side effects of medications is that

A) their kidneys are less efficient at removing the medications out of the bloodstream.
B) their heart pumps more slowly, which means that the medications take longer to travel in the bloodstream.
C) most elderly are underweight, and medicinal doses are calibrated for the weight of healthy young adults.
D) their poor memories and confusion can lead them to overdose by mistake.

Question 47

June finally got the nerve to ask her doctor if there are exercises or medications that can help her urinary incontinence. The doctor likely informed her that there are

A) no exercises, but there are medications that can help.
B) no medications, but there are exercises that can help.
C) both exercises and medications that can help.
D) no exercises or medications that can help.

Question 48

All of the following are bodily control systems except

A) cardiovascular.
B) endocrine.
C) immune.
D) nervous.

Question 49

Which bodily control system integrates information received from the senses, muscles, and organs and sends commands to regulate functions throughout the body?

A) The cardiovascular system
B) The endocrine system
C) The immune system
D) The nervous system

Question 50

Ben is doing research on the effects of aging. The one thing that he found that most reliably differentiates older people from younger ones is that the older people always have

A) cataracts.
B) hearing problems.
C) fewer taste buds in the tongue.
D) slower reaction times.

Question 51

Which of the following brain areas is likely to show the greatest decline in volume with age?

A) The cerebellum
B) The hippocampus
C) The hypothalamus
D) The corpus callosum

Question 52

The areas that show the greatest declines in volume with age are the ones involved with

A) hearing.
B) vision.
C) memory.
D) movement.

Question 53

Which of the following is true about T cells?

A) They develop in the pancreas.
B) They are incapable of destroying other cells.
C) They patrol the body for foreign substances.
D) Their functioning is unaffected by age.

Question 54

Autoimmune diseases develop when

A) foreign bacteria invade the body.
B) infections resistant to antibiotics occur.
C) T cells prove ineffective against viruses.
D) the immune system attacks healthy cells.

Question 55

Dane was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease when his doctor told him he had

A) influenza.
B) hypertension.
C) pneumonia.
D) rheumatoid arthritis.

Question 56

Some biologists now believe that what plays a role in the development of all degenerative diseases of later life?

A) Reduction in brain volume
B) Chronic inflammation
C) Immune system inactivity
D) Slowed reaction time

Question 57

After she was widowed at age 78, Margaret told herself that she'd never find someone else who would love her as much as Joe did, so she told her friends that marriage and male companionship were really not important to her at this stage of her life. Margaret was engaging in loss-based

A) compensation.
B) organization.
C) optimization.
D) selection.

Question 58

Because he was unable to achieve an erection, 84-year-old Spencer spent a lot of time cuddling with his wife Bessie. Spencer's substitution for intercourse exemplifies

A) compensation.
B) malleability.
C) optimization.
D) plasticity.

Question 59

Acute illnesses are to chronic illnesses as_____is to _____.

A) cancer; the common cold
B) long duration; short duration
C) more common with age; less common with age
D) rapid onset; slow onset

Question 60

Which one of the following is a chronic illness?

A) Diabetes
B) German measles
C) Influenza
D) The common cold

Question 61

Ninety-six-year-old Henry was able to do activities of daily living (ADLs), but he was no longer able to do instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). One of the things he was no longer able to do was

A) bathe himself.
B) get dressed without help.
C) manage his finances.
D) use the toilet by himself.

Question 62

Which of the following is an activity of daily living (ADL)?

A) Eating
B) Managing personal finances
C) Preparing meals
D) Shopping

Question 63

When it comes to self-rated health, the elderly who rate themselves lowest tend to be_____and_____

A) female; African-American or Hispanic
B) female; white
C) male; African-American or Hispanic
D) male; white

Question 64

Nate and Olivia are 75-year-old twins. If they are typical, then_____will live longer and experience _____ disability.

A) Nate; less
B) Nate; more
C) Olivia; less
D) Olivia; more

Question 65

The two conditions that account for more than half of all deaths among older adults are

A) cancer and heart disease.
B) influenza and cancer.
C) heart disease and diabetes.
D) pneumonia and stroke.

Question 66

African-Americans have life expectancies that are about_____years shorter than that of whites. Poor people have life expectancies that are_____years shorter than that of wealthier people.

A) 3; 5
B) 6; 20
C) 9; 10
D) 12; 3

Question 67

In the United States, women tend to live an average of how many years longer than men?

A) 2
B) 5
C) 9
D) 14

Question 68

Which of these people appears to be compressing morbidity?

A) Raul, who is on his way to becoming obese
B) Selene, who has just given birth to her third child
C) Cynthia, who has recently given up smoking
D) Will, who is deathly afraid of going to funerals

Question 69

In recent years, the rates of smoking have

A) declined for both men and women.
B) declined for men and increased for women
C) increased for both men and women.
D) remained steady for both men and women.

Question 70

As Yoshi looked out of the window of the speeding train, his eyes registered many sights that faded from his memory a second or two later. Which of Yoshi's memory systems processed the view out of the train window?

A) Short-term
B) Long-term
C) Sensory
D) Working

Question 71

When Natalie woke up, she remembered a bizarre dream and wanted to tell her mother about it. Unfortunately, by the time she came downstairs to the kitchen 30 seconds later, she had forgotten what it was about. Natalie's dream was processed by which of her memory systems?

A) Iconic
B) Long-term
C) Sensory
D) Working

Question 72

Working memory is capable of holding how many bits of information?

A) 6
B) 7
C) 8
D) 9

Question 73

To test for sensory memory, a researcher might ask an individual to

A) point out items on a new list that were on a previous list.
B) memorize a list of unrelated things.
C) name the first of two letters he was shown for a split second.
D) repeat a series of digits that was read out loud.

Question 74

Dr. Chen presents young and old adults with a long list of unrelated objects and asks them to memorize as many as they can in 5 minutes. What is likely to be the result?

A) Both groups will encode the material into a story and remember most of the words.
B) Neither group will encode the material, so neither will be able to remember more than a few words.
C) The old adults will be more likely to encode the words and to remember more of them than the young adults.
D) The young adults will be more likely to encode the words and to remember more of them than the old adults.

Question 75

How does the performance of older adults compare with that of young adults on tests of recognition and recall?

A) The older adults perform as well as the young adults on tests of recall but worse on tests of recognition
B) The older adults perform as well as the young adults on tests of recognition but worse on tests of recall.
C) The older adults perform as well as the young adults on both kinds of tests.
D) The older adults perform worse than the young adults on both kinds of tests, but especially so on tests of recall.

Question 76

Although she had been eager to tell her granddaughter all about it, Barbara was having trouble recalling the name of the movie she saw the previous week. Barbara is having difficulty with which type of
Long-term memory?

A) Episodic
B) Personal
C) Procedural
D) Semantic

Question 77

The elderly man was an avid golf player. He was able to correctly define any golf term, and he still played like a pro. However, when asked what golf club he belonged to, he had trouble remembering the name Timber Lake Golf Club. Which of the elderly man's long-term memories appear to be intact?

A) Episodic and procedural
B) Procedural and semantic
C) Semantic and episodic
D) Episodic, procedural, and semantic

Question 78

After the stroke, Amber could no longer remember how to tie her shoes or bake an apple pie. It appears the stroke impacted which of her long-term memories?

A) Episodic
B) Instructional
C) Procedural
D) Semantic

Question 79

Roxanne and her grandma Sylvia like to play a game where each has to name the capital of whatever state or country the other mentions. Inevitably, Roxanne gets stumped and grandma is declared the winner. Which of Sylvia's memories help her win this game?

A) Episodic
B) Objective
C) Procedural
D) Semantic

Question 80

At the weekly poker game, Edward was asked what school his granddaughter was considering attending. Because he was busy concentrating on the game, he was unable to recall the name of the college. Which explanation of why age-related memory deficits occur best describes Edward's difficulty?

A) The processing-resources-deficit explanation
B) The inhibition-deficit explanation
C) The speed-deficit explanation
D) The recollection-deficit explanation