Ch. 7 Higher Order Cognitive Functions

Question 1

executive functioning & its management

Answer 1

• intelligence tests
• neuropsychological assessment
• aging and executive functioning

Question 2

intelligence tests

Answer 2

• wechsler adult intelligence scale (WAIS-IV)
• raven progressive matrices
• trail making test
• wisconsin card sorting task (WCST)
• verbal fluency tests

Question 3

wechsler adult intelligence scale (WAIS-IV)

Answer 3

four subscales combine into a full-scale index:
- verbal comprehension
- perceptual reasoning index
- working memory index
- processing speed index

Question 4

verbal comprehension

Answer 4

vocabulary, similarities information

Question 5

perceptual reasoning index

Answer 5

matrix reasoning, visual puzzles, block design

Question 6

working memory index

Answer 6

digit span, arithmetic

Question 7

processing speed index

Answer 7

symbol search, coding

Question 8

things to consider with the wechsler adult intelligence scale

Answer 8

• hard to measure critical thinking, missing application, cultural aspects, social interaction, knowing yourself
• measures are used for decision-making purposes
• living alone, surgeries

Question 9

raven progressive matrices

Answer 9

“choose the next pattern”
- apply to orientation that is not visualized

Question 10

trail making test

Answer 10

draw a line connecting each circled number in order

Question 11

neurocognitive decline with trail making test

Answer 11

• working memory: tract from 1-2-3; numeric sequences
• fine motor skills: manipulate utensil
• hand-eye coordination

Question 12

wisconsin card sorting task (WCST)

Answer 12

measures ability to adapt to changing rules of organization

Question 13

what is involved in the wisconsin card sorting task (WCST)

Answer 13

• environment changes
• knowing the rules
• paying attention
• keeping track of multiple rules

Question 14

things to consider with wisconsin card sorting task

Answer 14

• no 1:1 correspondence in real-world scenarios
• cultural differences:
  exposure to these types of stimuli
  playing games pre-k schools or centers
• how well do we work with what is around, working with patterns, and applying them

Question 15

verbal fluency tests

Answer 15

“generate as many words as you can that begin with…”
- recalling; memory
- thinking on your feet; perform quickly with a given rule

Question 16

assessment issues with verbal fluency

Answer 16

• brain damage due to infection, age-related decline, injury
• sex, immigrant, race, disability performance differences
• keeping the gene pool pure; heredity is everything → IQ scores in 1900s

Question 17

studies of age and executive functioning

Answer 17

WCST performance maintained through midlife; age-related effects in later adulthood
could be due to changes in the brain
- education can play a role in scores on measures of executive functioning
- videogaming and exergaming can have beneficial effects

Question 18

cognitive aspects of language

Answer 18

decline and stability; maintaining cognitive dexterity

Question 19

abilities that contribute to decline

Answer 19

• reading rate
• hearing and speech
• speed
  processing time goes down
  staying in the moment too long
• retrieval
• working memory
  slows
  paying attention to multiple stimuli

Question 20

abilities that contribute to stability

Answer 20

• semantic memory; part of long term memory
• “gist” of story
• gestures
• experience

Question 21

semantic memory; part of long term memory

Answer 21

• reading non-fiction
• staying engaged with diverse people
• traveling

Question 22

gist of the story

Answer 22

• even if details are forgotten
• listen / read
• open to new stories
• comprehension over response

Question 23

social aspects of language

Answer 23

• communication predicament model
• bilingualism

Question 24

communication predicament model

Answer 24

• older adults experience age-related physical changes
• other people (perceivers) infantilize older adults
  treating like infants
  but may not need the help
• leads to cognitive decline
  self-fulfilling prophecy
  stereotype behaviors begin with perceiving

Question 25

bilingualism

Answer 25

semantic memory
- longer vocab lists, cultural traditions, meanings
- more experiences

Question 26

everyday problem solving

Answer 26

• bottom-up vs. top-down problem solving
• attraction effect
• later in life
• everyday problem solving test (EPT)
• trolley problem

Question 27

problem solving steps

Answer 27

1. addresses situation
   - recognizing problem
   - cultural knowledge needed
   - realization of moving surfaces
2. decide end state
   - spatial intelligence
   - colors
   - multistep
3. transform
   - remember goal
   - figure out appropriate steps

Question 28

bottom-up vs. top-down problem solving

Answer 28

• college students are at a bottom-up perspective
• professors use a top-down perspective to design a course

Question 29

attraction effect

Answer 29

• people are more likely to chose the middle option
• major revenue increases

Question 30

problem-solving later in life

Answer 30

more experiences lead to heuristics
- shortcuts

Question 31

everyday problem solving test (EPT)

Answer 31

• the conundrum of choice
• choosing shampoo in US after living in Germany
• becomes harder with age

Question 32

the trolley problem

Answer 32

• no answer
• based on starting assumptions
• not actively making the choice to kill someone