Question 1

According to research by Baltes and his colleagues, which of the following statements about wisdom is TRUE?
A) Wisdom does not require experience, practice, or complex skills.
B) Wisdom increases dramatically from midlife to late adulthood.
C) Cognitive factors are better predictors of wisdom than personality-related factors.
D) High levels of wisdom are rare.

Accepted Answer

Baltes and his colleagues found that high levels of wisdom are rare, indicating that wisdom is not something that is commonly found among individuals. Research has shown that wisdom is a complex construct that requires a combination of cognitive and personality-related factors, as well as experience, practice, and skills. While wisdom may increase from midlife to late adulthood, the relationship between age and wisdom is not a straightforward one, and there is significant variability in wisdom across individuals of different ages.

Question 2

Frank, age 59, and Kai, age 28, work at the same accounting firm. Based on their age, what would researchers predict regarding absenteeism?
A) Frank will miss more work than Kai.
B) Kai will miss more work than Frank.
C) Both will miss work often.
D) Neither are likely to miss work.

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that younger employees, like Kai, tend to have higher absenteeism rates compared to older employees, like Frank, who are often more committed and have fewer absences.

Question 3

Clara is frustrated because the closed captioning is moving too fast on the television. The people talk too fast and the words in the closed captioning are moving too fast. Clara is experiencing:
A) a decline in implicit memory.
B) slower perceptual speed.
C) inferior semantic memory.
D) loss of her ability to use episodic memory.

Accepted Answer

Clara's difficulty with keeping up with the fast-moving closed captioning is likely due to slower perceptual speed, which affects the ability to quickly process and respond to visual information.

Question 4

Sheila, age 62, and Parker, age 31, work in the same office at the local hospital. Based on their age, what would researchers predict regarding their job satisfaction?
A) Sheila will have higher job satisfaction than Parker.
B) Parker will have higher job satisfaction than Sheila.
C) Both will have high job satisfaction.
D) Both will have low job satisfaction.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Sheila, age 62, and Parker, age 31,...

Question 5

Which of the following statements about older workers is TRUE?
A) Older workers have more accidents than younger workers.
B) Older workers have higher rates of absenteeism than younger workers.
C) Older workers are of considerably less value to a company than younger workers.
D) Older workers experience more job satisfaction than younger workers.

Accepted Answer

Older workers often report higher levels of job satisfaction due to factors like experience, stability, and a clearer understanding of their career goals.

Question 6

Chad and his dad are watching the news. He notices his dad is almost constantly moving-drinking water, playing with the dog, commenting on the dimness of the lights. Later when Chad wants to discuss a story they heard on the news, his father can't remember much of it due to his:
A) increased distractibility.
B) efficient inhibition.
C) sustained attention.
D) lowered implicit memory.

Accepted Answer

Chad's father is unable to remember much of the news story because he was easily distracted by other activities, indicating increased distractibility.

Question 7

A recent study demonstrated improved executive function in females 50 to 75 years old who took:
A) fish oil.
B) second jobs.
C) multivitamins.
D) antacid tablets.

Accepted Answer

Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to improve cognitive function, including executive function.

Question 8

Which of the following is NOT one of the methods used to improve working memory in older adults?
A) Exercise
B) Cognitive training
C) Strategy training
D) Change in diet

Accepted Answer

Exercise, cognitive training, and strategy training are commonly used methods to improve working memory in older adults, while changes in diet are not typically categorized as a direct method for improving working memory.

Question 9

Judy often thinks back to things her grandmother would say that, at the time, she thought was silly, but now realizes her grandmother had amazing insight into human nature. Her grandmother didn't have an advanced degree, but she knew how to manage the ups and downs of life. Baltes would say she had:
A) enlightenment.
B) wisdom.
C) proficiency.
D) competence.

Accepted Answer

Baltes would say Judy's grandmother had wisdom, as it involves deep understanding and insight into life, which doesn't necessarily require formal education.

Question 10

Several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of various types of training in improving working memory in older adults. These studies provide evidence for the ______ of working memory in older adults.
A) plasticity
B) rigidity
C) sharpness
D) failure

Accepted Answer

The studies show that working memory can be improved through training, indicating its plasticity, or ability to change and adapt, even in older adults.

Question 11

A recent study found that older adults with _____ levels of education had better cognitive functioning.
A) higher
B) lower
C) private
D) public

Accepted Answer

Higher levels of education are often associated with better cognitive functioning in older adults, as education can provide mental stimulation and build cognitive reserve.

Question 12

Improvements in _____ memory in older adults ages 60 to 90 years were linked to sustained engagement in cognitively demanding, novel activities.
A) episodic
B) flashbulb
C) sensory
D) implicit

Accepted Answer

Episodic memory, which involves the ability to recall specific events or experiences, can be improved in older adults through engagement in novel and cognitively demanding activities.

Question 13

Which of the following is the probable reason for the decline in working memory in older adults?
A) Increased distractibility
B) Efficient inhibition
C) Tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon
D) Lowered implicit memory

Accepted Answer

Increased distractibility is a probable reason for the decline in working memory in older adults. As people age, they become more distractible and have difficulty filtering out irrelevant information, which can overload their working memory and lead to performance decline.

Question 14

_____ is expert knowledge about the practical aspects of life that permits practical judgment about important matters.
A) Enlightenment
B) Wisdom
C) Proficiency
D) Competence

Accepted Answer

Wisdom is the expert knowledge about the practical aspects of life that permits practical judgment about important matters.

Question 15

Doris, age 59, and Ashley, age 28, work in the same office at the local middle school. Based on their age, what would researchers predict regarding the likelihood of accidents on the job?
A) Doris will have more accidents than Ashley.
B) Ashley will have more accidents than Doris.
C) Both will have many accidents.
D) Neither are likely to have an accident.

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that younger workers, like Ashley, are generally more prone to workplace accidents due to factors such as inexperience and risk-taking behavior compared to older workers like Doris.

Question 16

Cognitive neuroscience has uncovered some important links between aging, the brain, and cognitive functioning. Which of the following is NOT one of them?
A) Younger adults have better connectivity between brain regions than older adults.
B) Cortical thickness in the frontoparietal network predicts executive function in older adults.
C) Older adults show greater activity in the frontal and parietal lobes of the brain on simple tasks as compared to younger adults.
D) Patterns of neural decline with aging are more noticeable for encoding than retrieval.

Accepted Answer

Patterns of neural decline with aging are more noticeable for retrieval than encoding, not the other way around.

Question 17

In his studies on wisdom, Paul Baltes has found all of the following EXCEPT:
A) wisdom is common in older adults.
B) wisdom is associated with creativity and openness to experience.
C) higher levels of wisdom are achieved through certain life experiences, such as being trained and working in a field concerned with difficult life problems.
D) having wisdom-enhancing mentors contributes to higher levels of wisdom.

Accepted Answer

Paul Baltes found that wisdom is not necessarily common in older adults; rather, it is associated with specific life experiences and personal attributes.

Question 18

A potential benefit of working in an occupation with a high level of mental demand is:
A) increased stress.
B) improved cognitive functioning.
C) reduced employee benefits.
D) more physical demands.

Accepted Answer

Improved cognitive functioning is a potential benefit of working in an occupation with a high level of mental demand.

Question 19

Cognitive neuroscience has uncovered some important links between aging, the brain, and cognitive functioning. Which of the following is NOT one of them?
A) Decline in neural circuits is linked to poorer performance by older adults on complex reasoning tasks.
B) Older adults are more likely than younger adults to use both hemispheres of the brain.
C) Older adults show greater activity in the frontal and parietal regions while engaging in simple tasks.
D) In older adults, the functioning of the hippocampus declines more than the functioning of the frontal lobes.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Cognitive neuroscience has uncovered some important links...

Question 20

In terms of executive function, older adults are _____ effective at engaging in cognitive control than when they were younger.
A) more
B) less
C) equally
D) Cognitive control in older adults has not been studied.

Accepted Answer

Older adults generally experience a decline in executive function, which includes cognitive control, making them less effective at it compared to when they were younger.

Quiz 15: Physical and Cognitive Development in Late Adulthood

According to research by Baltes and his colleagues, which of the following statements about wisdom is TRUE?

Frank, age 59, and Kai, age 28, work at the same accounting firm. Based on their age, what would researchers predict regarding absenteeism?

Clara is frustrated because the closed captioning is moving too fast on the television. The people talk too fast and the words in the closed captioning are moving too fast. Clara is experiencing:

Sheila, age 62, and Parker, age 31, work in the same office at the local hospital. Based on their age, what would researchers predict regarding their job satisfaction?

Which of the following statements about older workers is TRUE?

Chad and his dad are watching the news. He notices his dad is almost constantly moving-drinking water, playing with the dog, commenting on the dimness of the lights. Later when Chad wants to discuss a story they heard on the news, his father can't remember much of it due to his:

A recent study demonstrated improved executive function in females 50 to 75 years old who took:

Which of the following is NOT one of the methods used to improve working memory in older adults?

Several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of various types of training in improving working memory in older adults. These studies provide evidence for the ______ of working memory in older adults.

A recent study found that older adults with _____ levels of education had better cognitive functioning.

Improvements in _____ memory in older adults ages 60 to 90 years were linked to sustained engagement in cognitively demanding, novel activities.

Which of the following is the probable reason for the decline in working memory in older adults?

_____ is expert knowledge about the practical aspects of life that permits practical judgment about important matters.

Doris, age 59, and Ashley, age 28, work in the same office at the local middle school. Based on their age, what would researchers predict regarding the likelihood of accidents on the job?

Cognitive neuroscience has uncovered some important links between aging, the brain, and cognitive functioning. Which of the following is NOT one of them?

In his studies on wisdom, Paul Baltes has found all of the following EXCEPT:

A potential benefit of working in an occupation with a high level of mental demand is:

Cognitive neuroscience has uncovered some important links between aging, the brain, and cognitive functioning. Which of the following is NOT one of them?

In terms of executive function, older adults are _____ effective at engaging in cognitive control than when they were younger.