Chapter 15: Physical and Cognitive Development in Late Adulthood

Question 1

life span

Answer 1

the upper boundary of life, which is the maximum number of years an individual can live. The maximum life span of human beings is about 120-125 years of age

Question 2

life expectancy

Answer 2

the number of years that will probably be lived by the average person born in a particular year

Question 3

evolutionary theory of aging

Answer 3

the view that natural selection has not eliminated many harmful conditions and nonadaptive characteristics in older adults

Question 4

cellular clock theory of aging

Answer 4

Leonard Hayflick’s theory that the maximum number of times that human cells can divide is about 75-80. As we age, out cells become increasingly less capable of dividing

Question 5

free-radical theory of aging

Answer 5

a theory of aging proposing that people age because normal cell metabolism produces unstable oxygen molecules known as free radicals. These molecules ricochet around inside cells, damaging DNA and other cellular structures

Question 6

hormonal stress theory

Answer 6

the theory that aging in the body’s hormonal system can lower resilience under stress and increase the likelihood of disease

Question 7

neurogenesis

Answer 7

the generation of new neurons

Question 8

cataracts

Answer 8

involve a thickening of the lens of the eye that causes vision to become cloudy and distorted

Question 9

glaucoma

Answer 9

damage to the optic nerve because of the pressure created by a buildup of fluid in the eye

Question 10

osteoporosis

Answer 10

a chronic condition that involves an extensive loss of bone tissue and is the main reason many older adults walk with a marked stoop. Women are especially vulnerable to osteoporosis

Question 11

arthritis

Answer 11

inflammation of the joints that is accompanied by pain, stiffness, and movement problems; especially common in older adults

Question 12

macular degeneration

Answer 12

a disease that involves deterioration of the macula of the retina, which corresponds to the focal center of the visual field

Question 13

episodic memory

Answer 13

the retention of information about the where and when of life’s happenings

Question 14

semantic memory

Answer 14

a person’s knowledge about the world – including a person’s fields of expertise, general academic knowledge of the sort learned in school, and “everyday knowledge”

Question 15

explicit memory

Answer 15

memory of facts and experiences that individuals consciously know and can state

Question 16

implicit memory

Answer 16

memory without conscious recollection, involves skills and routine procedures that are automatically performed

Question 17

widsom

Answer 17

expert knowledge about the practical aspects of life that permits excellent judgment about important matters

Question 18

major depression

Answer 18

a mood disorder in which the individual is deeply unhappy, demoralized, self-derogatory, and bored. The person does not feel well, loses stamina easily, has poor appetite, and is listless and unmotivated. Major depression is so widespread that it has been called the “common cold” of psychological disorders

Question 19

dementia

Answer 19

a global term for any neurological disorder in which the primary symptoms involve a deterioration of mental functioning

Question 20

Alzheimer’s disease

Answer 20

a progressive, irreversible brain disorder characterized by a gradual deterioration of memory, reasoning, language, and eventually physical function

Question 21

Parkinson disease

Answer 21

a chronic, progressive disease characterized by muscle tremors, slowing of movement, and partial facial paralysis