Question 1

In recall and recognition tests of memory for recently learned material,older adults are more likely than young adults to have difficulty

Accepted Answer

Older adults are more likely to have difficulty recalling meaningless material. This is because aging is associated with declines in certain cognitive processes, such as working memory and processing speed, which are important for retaining and recalling new information. Meaningful material may be easier for older adults to recall because it can be connected to existing knowledge and experience. Recognition tests, which involve identifying information that has previously been encountered, may be easier for older adults than recall tests because recognition relies more on familiarity than on retrieval of specific details.

Question 2

Teshi asks people of different ages to complete a measure of life satisfaction.She then looks for life satisfaction differences across different age levels.Teshi is conducting a ________ study.

Accepted Answer

Teshi is comparing different age groups at the same point in time, which is characteristic of a cross-sectional study. Longitudinal studies would follow the same individuals over a long period of time to examine changes in life satisfaction. Neural plasticity and neurogenesis refer to the brain's ability to change and create new neural connections, respectively, and are not relevant to Teshi's study.

Question 3

The accelerated loss of cognitive abilities in the last years of life is called

Accepted Answer

Terminal decline refers to the accelerated loss of cognitive abilities in the last years of life. Neurogenesis refers to the growth and development of new neurons in the brain. Brain plasticity refers to the brain's ability to change and adapt throughout life. Menopause is a condition that occurs when a woman's reproductive hormones decline and menstruation stops.

Question 4

The grief experienced over the death of a loved one is especially severe when death is experienced

Accepted Answer

The social clock refers to the culturally preferred timing of life events such as marriage, parenthood, and retirement. When death comes before its expected time on the social clock, it can be especially difficult to accept and process, leading to intense grief.

Question 5

Kyrie and Remy's third and last child is leaving home for college next year.Their empty nest is likely to be a(n)________ place.

Accepted Answer

"Happy" is the best choice because "empty nest syndrome" is often associated with sadness and feeling incomplete without children in the home. However, some parents may feel a sense of relief or happiness at the opportunity to focus on themselves and their relationship after years of raising children.

Question 6

In Erikson's theory,the sense of integrity achieved in late adulthood refers to the feeling that

Accepted Answer

According to Erikson's theory, integrity in late adulthood is the feeling that one's life has been meaningful. It involves looking back on one's life with a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment, rather than regret or despair. It is the result of successfully navigating the previous stages of life and achieving a sense of identity, intimacy, and generativity. While health, independence, ethical behavior, and close friendships may contribute to a sense of well-being in late adulthood, they are not the defining characteristic of integrity in Erikson's theory.

Question 7

Compared with their counterparts of 30 years ago,people in Western countries today are better educated and ________.These trends may help explain why the American divorce rate has ________ since 1980.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Compared with their counterparts of 30 years...

Question 8

There is some hope that daily memory,problem-solving,and cognitive training exercises can sustain mental abilities in late adulthood.This hope is based in part on the aging brain's

Accepted Answer

Plasticity refers to the brain's ability to change and adapt throughout life. This is important in late adulthood because it means that daily mental exercises can still have an impact on cognitive functioning. Social clock refers to societal expectations regarding the timing of life events, and is not relevant to this question. Shortened telomeres and terminal decline are both related to biological processes associated with aging, but do not directly address the potential impact of cognitive exercises on mental abilities.

Question 9

Dr.Astin is a 43-year-old physician who experiences a sense of personal fulfillment in contributing to the well-being of others through her medical practice.Erik Erikson would have suggested that Dr.Astin experiences

Accepted Answer

Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development suggests that during middle adulthood, individuals experience a stage of generativity vs. stagnation. Generativity refers to a sense of concern for future generations and a desire to contribute to society, which aligns with Dr. Astin's experience of personal fulfillment in contributing to the well-being of others through her medical practice.

Question 10

Erik Erikson maintained that the two basic aspects of life that dominate adulthood are

Accepted Answer

Erikson believed that the two basic aspects of life that dominate adulthood are intimacy and generativity. Intimacy is the ability to form close, meaningful relationships with others, while generativity refers to the desire to contribute to society and leave a lasting legacy. These concepts are reflected in Erikson's stage of psychosocial development for middle adulthood, which he called "generativity vs. stagnation."

Question 11

In explaining pair-bonding among humans,it has been suggested that parents who cooperated to nurture their children to maturity were more likely to have their genes passed on to future generations.This best illustrates a(n)________ perspective.

Accepted Answer

The reference to the passing on of genes to future generations suggests an evolutionary perspective, which focuses on the inherited adaptive mechanisms that promote the survival of a species.

Question 12

People of different ages are compared with one another in a ________ study.

Accepted Answer

A cross-sectional study compares groups of people of different ages at the same point in time. This allows for the examination of age-related differences at a specific moment. A longitudinal study would follow the same group of people over a period of time, while a social clock relates to how individuals perceive and respond to societal expectations at certain ages. Terminal decline refers to the accelerated decline in cognitive and physical function before death.

Question 13

Research on people's feelings of satisfaction with their lives indicates that

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that compared with other phases of life, the over-65 years are not notably unhappy. This contradicts the common stereotype that old age is characterized by dissatisfaction and gloom. In fact, studies show that older adults experience a greater sense of life satisfaction and well-being than young adults, regardless of physical health or income level.

Question 14

The term social clock refers to

Accepted Answer

The term social clock refers to the culturally preferred time to leave home, marry, have children, and retire. It is a social expectation and may vary across cultures and time periods.

Question 15

Twenty-year-olds would most likely outperform 60-year-olds on an art history exam in which they were asked to

Accepted Answer

The answer of Twenty-year-olds would most likely outperform 60-year-olds on...

Question 16

A longitudinal study is one in which

Accepted Answer

A longitudinal study follows the same group of individuals over a long period of time and retests them at intervals throughout the study. This allows researchers to study changes and developments that occur over time within the same individuals.

Question 17

To compare moral reasoning skills of younger and older children,Professor Hyun tested and retested a group of children from the time they were 4 until they reached the age of 12.The professor conducted a ________ study.

Accepted Answer

A longitudinal study is a research design that involves repeated observations of the same variables (such as moral reasoning skills in this case) over a long period of time (from 4 to 12 years old, in this case). This enables the researcher to study how these variables change over time and to examine developmental trends.

Question 18

Compared with younger Chinese and American adults,older adults are ________ attentive to positive news and they experience ________ stress and anger in their social relationships.

Accepted Answer

Older adults tend to focus more on positive information and experience less stress and anger in social relationships compared to younger adults.

Question 19

Compared with noncohabiting couples,which of the following is true of couples who live together before engagement and marriage?

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that couples who cohabit before engagement or marriage tend to start with lower levels of commitment to the idea of marriage and, over time, may become even less supportive of marriage. This phenomenon is often associated with what is known as the "cohabitation effect," where premarital cohabitation is linked to higher rates of divorce and lower marital satisfaction.

Quiz 3: Developing Through the Life Span