Study Flashcards
T or F
Creativity is defined as the ability to produce work that is original and of high quality.
True
Creativity is indeed defined as the ability to produce original and high-quality work.
T or F
Activity Theory posits that optimal aging is achieved through maintaining activities from middle years.
True
Activity Theory posits that maintaining middle-age activities leads to optimal aging.
T or F
Modernization theory suggests that aging leads to the empowerment of the elderly.
False
Modernization theory suggests aging leads to marginalization, not empowerment, of the elderly.
T or F
The major problem with encoding information in long-term memory among older adults is the retrieval process.
True
Older adults often face challenges in retrieving information from long-term memory.
T or F
Working memory is the process most active at the sensory and short-term memory levels, processing and storing information temporarily.
True
Working memory processes and temporarily stores information from sensory or short-term memory.
T or F
Older adults can improve their long-term memory by using effective methods of encoding.
True
Effective encoding methods can improve long-term memory in older adults.
T or F
Semantic memory involves vocabulary, numbers, colors, and the meaning of signs and symbols.
True
Semantic memory involves vocabulary, general knowledge, and symbolic meanings.
T or F
Role Theory in gerontology suggests that older adults need to identify with positive social roles as they age.
True
Role Theory highlights the need for older adults to adopt positive social roles.
T or F
The primary goal of maintaining independence in later life is retaining physical and mental functioning.
True
Independence in later life is about maintaining physical and mental functioning.
T or F
Erikson’s Eight-Stage Theory of development suggests that in later life, individuals focus solely on personal achievements.
False
In Erikson’s 8th stage, focus is on life reflection and achieving integrity, not solely on personal achievements.
T or F
Pfeiffer believes older adults can continue to maintain physical, psychological, and social functioning.
True
Pfeiffer emphasizes that older adults can maintain functioning in multiple domains.
T or F
Working memory allows you to dial a phone number after looking away from the book.
True
Working memory enables recalling phone numbers or similar tasks.
T or F
Longitudinal studies are characterized by studying the same individuals over a significant period.
True
Longitudinal studies track the same individuals over long periods.
T or F
Wisdom involves the ability to remember past events according to the text.
False
Wisdom is more complex and involves insight and judgment, not merely recalling past events.
T or F
Cross-sectional designs in gerontological research are popular because they allow for immediate analysis of data.
True
Cross-sectional studies are popular for their efficiency in analyzing data.
T or F
In Transitions Theory, William Bridges emphasizes that transitions are often more significant than the stages themselves.
True
William Bridges in Transitions Theory focuses on the significance of transitions over stages.
T or F
A mental disorder is characterized by a clinically significant disturbance in cognition, emotional regulation, or behavior according to the WHO.
True
Mental disorders are defined by disturbances in cognition, emotion, or behavior as per WHO.
T or F
Baltes and Baltes emphasize adaptation and compensation in relation to successful aging.
True
Baltes and Baltes emphasize adaptation and compensation in successful aging.
T or F
The Interpretive Perspective in gerontology focuses on how people understand their aging and societal views.
True
The Interpretive Perspective explores how people and society perceive aging.
T or F
Pfeiffer’s model of successful aging emphasizes adapting to the challenges of aging.
True
Pfeiffer’s model highlights adaptation to aging challenges.
T or F
Short-term memory involves perceiving information like a telephone number in a telephone book.
True
Short-term memory involves perceiving and holding brief information like a phone number.
T or F
According to the DSM-5, the updated term for dementia is Major Neurocognitive Disorders (M-NCDs).
True
The DSM-5 uses “Major Neurocognitive Disorders” (M-NCDs) for dementia.
T or F
The old cliché “if you don’t use it; you’ll lose it” refers to crystallized intelligence regarding intelligence in later life.
False
The cliché “use it or lose it” refers to fluid intelligence, not crystallized intelligence.
T or F
A positive sense of mental health among older adults is contributed to by social connections and community belonging.
True
Social connections and community belonging support mental health in older adults.
T or F
Non-normative life events in the Life Course Perspective are unexpected events that substantially alter one’s life course.
True
Non-normative life events are unexpected and disrupt life trajectories.
T or F
According to Pfeiffer, aging leads to increased susceptibility to degenerative diseases.
True
Pfeiffer associates aging with increased degenerative disease risk.
T or F
Crystallized intelligence is like the hard drive in a computer, relating to memory, data analysis, and logical skills.
True.
Crystallized intelligence can be compared to the hard drive in a computer as it involves the accumulation of knowledge, skills, and experience over time. It relates to memory and the use of learned information for data analysis and logical thinking. Just as a hard drive stores data and allows it to be retrieved and used, crystallized intelligence involves recalling and applying previously acquired knowledge to solve problems and understand concepts.
T or F
Episodic memory involves our ability to retrieve information about past events.
True
Episodic memory is about recalling specific past events.
T or F
The primary focus of Rowe and Kahn’s Model of Successful Aging is avoiding disease and disability.
False
Rowe and Kahn’s model includes three components: avoiding disease, high cognitive/physical function, and engagement.
T or F
The term ‘dementia’ refers to a specific disease.
False
Dementia is an umbrella term, not a specific disease.
T or F
The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) needed to keep Canada’s population growing slightly is 3.
False.
The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) needed to maintain a population at replacement level, not to grow it, is approximately 2.1 children per woman. A TFR of 3 would lead to significant population growth, not just slight growth. In Canada, the TFR has been below replacement level for many years.
T or F
First Nations have the highest disability rates among Indigenous Peoples.
True.
First Nations people in Canada generally have the highest disability rates among Indigenous Peoples, including Métis and Inuit populations. Various socio-economic and health-related factors contribute to this disparity.
T or F
Decreased infant mortality was the most significant factor in the increase of life expectancy from 1921 to 1951.
True.
Decreased infant mortality was one of the most significant factors contributing to the increase in life expectancy in Canada from 1921 to 1951. Improvements in healthcare, sanitation, and living conditions played a major role in this change.
T or F
Older adults requiring long-term care are often placed far away from their communities and culture due to provincial/territorial policies.
True.
Older adults, particularly from Indigenous or rural communities, are often placed in long-term care facilities far from their communities and cultural environments due to provincial and territorial policies and the lack of local care options. This can result in social isolation and cultural disconnection.
T or F
Overemployment is a significant challenge faced by aging populations in developing countries.
False.
Underemployment or unemployment is generally a more significant challenge in aging populations in developing countries, where there may be fewer economic opportunities, inadequate social security systems, and limited access to healthcare, rather than overemployment.
T or F
By 2030, 50% of the population in developed countries is expected to be aged 60 or over.
False.
By 2030, it is projected that around 25% of the population in developed countries will be aged 60 or over, not 50%. While the aging population is growing, it is not expected to reach 50% by that time.
T or F
The Census is conducted in Canada every 2 years.
False.
The Census in Canada is conducted every five years, not two. The most recent one was in 2021, and the next will be in 2026.
T or F
Societal and cohort norms and beliefs that physical activity benefits decline with age is a barrier to maintaining physical activity for older adults.
True.
Societal and cohort norms and beliefs that the benefits of physical activity decline with age can act as a barrier for older adults, making it harder for them to maintain or engage in physical activity. These misconceptions can reduce motivation and contribute to a more sedentary lifestyle.
T or F
The primary option for frail older adults when it comes to housing is long-term care homes.
True.
For frail older adults, long-term care homes are often the primary housing option, especially when they require significant assistance with daily activities or medical care that cannot be adequately provided at home or in more independent living arrangements. However, other options like assisted living or home care may also be available depending on the individual’s needs and resources.
T or F
Asia is expected to have the lowest percentage of the population aged 60 or over by 2030.
False.
Asia is expected to have a significant portion of its population aged 60 or over by 2030, given its rapidly aging population, especially in countries like Japan and China. Africa is projected to have the lowest percentage of older adults by 2030.
T or F
The Membrane Theory of Aging suggests cell membranes become more efficient at transferring sodium and potassium with age.
False.
The Membrane Theory of Aging suggests that as we age, cell membranes become less efficient at transferring substances like sodium and potassium, which contributes to the aging process.
T or F
Alexander Leaf searched for the “fountain of youth.”
True.
Alexander Leaf was known for his research on longevity and aging, often exploring cultures with unusually high life expectancies, which some people associated with the search for the “fountain of youth.”
T or F
The proven longest lifespan in human history is 969 years.
False.
The longest verified human lifespan is 122 years, achieved by Jeanne Calment of France, not 969 years. The figure of 969 years is a reference to the biblical figure Methuselah, but it is not a proven fact.
T or F
Antioxidants are known to help stabilize free radicals.
True.
Antioxidants help stabilize free radicals by neutralizing them, which can reduce the damage they cause to cells and tissues. This process is thought to contribute to overall health and may slow aspects of aging.
T or F
Life span has nearly doubled in Canada over the past 150 years.
True.
Life span in Canada has nearly doubled over the past 150 years, primarily due to advancements in healthcare, improved living conditions, and reduced infant mortality rates.
T or F
Medications are a common cause of falls among older adults.
True.
Medications, particularly those that affect balance, coordination, or blood pressure, are a common cause of falls among older adults. This includes sedatives, antidepressants, and blood pressure medications.
T or F
Human cells can divide 100 times according to the Hayflick Limit Theory.
False.
According to the Hayflick Limit Theory, human cells can divide approximately 40 to 60 times, not 100. This limit refers to the number of times a normal human cell population will divide before cell division stops, which is linked to aging and cellular senescence.
T or F
Dr. Leonard Hayflick developed the Membrane Theory of Aging.
False.
Dr. Leonard Hayflick is known for the Hayflick Limit Theory, not the Membrane Theory of Aging. The Membrane Theory of Aging suggests that age-related changes in cell membranes contribute to the aging process, but it was not developed by Hayflick.
T or F
The current number of centenarians worldwide is 116.
False.
The number of centenarians worldwide is much higher than 116. As of recent estimates, there are hundreds of thousands of centenarians globally, with the number expected to increase significantly in the coming years due to advancements in healthcare and increased life expectancy.
T or F
Arthritis is a cardiovascular disease.
False.
Arthritis is not a cardiovascular disease; it is a condition that affects the joints, causing pain, inflammation, and stiffness. Cardiovascular diseases, on the other hand, are related to the heart and blood vessels.
T or F
The pituitary gland has no impact on aging.
False.
The pituitary gland does have an impact on aging as it plays a crucial role in regulating hormones that affect various bodily functions, including growth, metabolism, and the aging process itself.
T or F
Lipofuscin is a cellular toxin mentioned in the Membrane Theory of Aging.
True.
Lipofuscin is considered a cellular waste product that accumulates in cells over time and is often associated with aging. In the context of the Membrane Theory of Aging, it is regarded as a toxin that can contribute to cellular dysfunction.
T or F
The birth records of Abkhasian Methuselah’s were falsified due to clerical errors.
True.
The birth records of individuals claiming to be Abkhasian Methuselahs (very long-lived individuals from Abkhazia, a region in Georgia) have been suggested to contain clerical errors or inaccuracies. This has raised questions about the validity of their reported ages.
