Developmental Psych Study Guide

What might George Vaillant say about middle adulthood? That midlife is a crisis, in which the middle-aged adult is stuck between the past and the future. That midlife is a time for reassessing adolescence and adulthood. That only a minority of adults experience a midlife crisis. Both B and C All of the above

both b and c

The neurotransmitter ______ may be involved in Alzheimer Disease, and the neurotransmitter ______ has been implicated in Parkinson Disease.

acetylcholine, dopamine

Phillip has settled into the identity his father wishes for him without having faced a crisis of his own. Marcia would say that Phillip is in identity _________.

foreclosure

As cells metabolize energy, they produce unstable oxygen molecules that can cause damage to other cells.

free radical theory

An adolescent in identity diffusion _______ been through a crisis and _______ made a commitment.

has not, has not

Both ________ and _________ are predictive of early death in older adults.

low conscientiousness, high neuroticism

The 1994 Sex in America Survey found that ______ people were having the most sex.

married/cohabiting

Piaget believed that adolescents and young adults think _______ the same way, but that young adults have a _______ advantage.

qualitatively, quantitative

Katie has a rash on her arm, and doesn't want to go to school for fear that everyone will notice it. Katie is probably falling victim to:

the imaginary audience

Between the ages of 30 and 50, men lose an average of about _____ inch in height.

1/2

About _______ of sexually active adolescents acquire an STI each year.

1/4

Of the following teenagers, who would be more likely to engage in risky behaviors during adolescence? Anna, a late maturer. Bill, an early maturer. Mary, an early maturer. Christopher, an on-time maturer.

Mary, an early maturer

When it comes to suicide, adolescent girls: attempt suicide more often than adolescent boys. use less lethal means than boys. succeed in committing suicide more often than adolescent boys. A and B only. All of the above.

a and b only

What have scientists learned from the "Nun Study"? That leading an intellectually challenging life may contribute to quality of life in old age. That leading a celibate life is a predictor of disease in old age. That the brain has a great capacity to change and grow. A and C only. All of the above.

a and c only

Which of the following statements about friendship in adolescence is NOT true? Friend groups tend to shrink in size in adolescence. Adolescents begin to rely more heavily on friends than on parents for social support. Adolescents are better at combating peer pressure compared to younger children. Failure to find close friends can be detrimental to adolescents.

adolescents are better at combating peer pressure compared to younger children

Which of the following is TRUE about media use among adolescents? 11-14 year olds may engage in up to 60 hours of media use per week. Most media devices used by teenagers are cell phones and ipods. Adolescents prefer to text their friends, but call their parents. A and B only. All of the above.

all of the above

Which of the following statements is true? Death in America is often drawn out and painful. Many physicians are not adequately trained to provide end-of-life care. Some physicians do not understand the importance of a person's last days. A and B only. All of the above.

all of the above

Why are there concerns about older individuals who belong to ethnic minority groups? They may face multiple forms of discrimination. They are overrepresented in poverty statistics. They often have shorter life expectancies than majority group members. All of the above.

all of the above

Which of the following is an example of how the sociohistorical context of death has changed? How death is determined The typical ages at which death occurs The typical locations in which people die All of the above are examples.

all of the above are examples

Why do some people believe that Americans are "avoiders" of death? Because funerals give life-like qualities to the deceased. Because of Americans' quest for youth. Because the American medical system seeks to prolong life instead of relieving suffering. A and B only. All of the above can be reasons.

all of the above can be reasons

The first change signaling puberty in boys is usually

an increase in penis/testicle size

Which of the following is a reason why teen girls report more depression than teen boys? Girls tend to ruminate and magnify their depressive feelings. Girls have more negative self-images than boys do. Girls face more discrimination. Puberty often starts earlier for girls than for boys. Any of the above may be reasons.

any of the above may be reasons

Men tend to show higher _____ and lower ______ about romantic love.

avoidance, anxiety

Which of the following is TRUE regarding training cognitive skills in older adults? Older adults reach a cognitive "endpoint" after which their brains cannot be trained at all. Training can improve the cognitive skills of many older adults. There is some loss of plasticity in late adulthood, especially in those who are 85 or older. B and C only. All of the above are true.

b and c only

Bob was recently diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. He begins thinking that if he leads a better life, in service to others, it may buy him more time. Kübler-Ross would say that Bob is in the _______ stage of dying.

bargaining

Which of the following factors have been linked to longevity (living longer)?

being married, being conscientious, having friends, volunteering at an organizational level

Which of the following people would be the most likely to experience disenfranchised grief? Robert, who just lost his wife of 35 years. Maryanne, who just lost her young daughter. Beth, who just lost the man she was having an affair with. Kathryn, who just lost her partner on whom she was very dependent.

beth, who just lost the man she was having an affair with

According to research, how should parents handle their adolescent child's push for autonomy? By pushing back with force that equals that of the child's, so that the adolescent learns parental boundaries. By allowing the adolescent complete freedom to make his/her own mistakes. By giving the adolescent more freedom in some areas but guiding them through areas where they may not make good choices. None of the above.

by giving the adolescent more freedom in some areas but guiding them through areas where they may not make good choices

Karen is a 48-year-old woman who has been feeling stressed about her job and her romantic life. Based on her age and gender, how is Karen likely to deal with her stress?

by turning to close friends

Cells have a maximum number of times they can divide. Each time they divide, telomeres shorten.

cellular clock theory

According to Sternberg, two people whose relationship has intimacy and commitment share ______ love.

companionate

Older adults may work to make up for their decreased performance potential when tasks require a level of capacity that surpasses their own.

compensation

_________ studies tend to show more of a decline in intelligence across the lifespan than ________ studies.

cross sectional, longitudinal

According to critics, Piaget may not have given enough credit to the influence of ______ in adolescence.

culture and education

Which of the following statements about puberty is TRUE? Boys tend to have a more negative body image than girls. Older adolescents tend to be less satisfied with their bodies than younger adolescents. Early-maturing girls may be more vulnerable to a number of problems. There is little individual variation in puberty. None of the above.

early-maturing girls may be more vulnerable to a number of problems

Justin is a 15-year-old who has been arrested several times. How would Erikson explain the cause of Justin's delinquent behavior? Erikson would say that Justin's parents have not engaged in healthy parental monitoring. Erikson would say that Justin could not find a positive social identity and has thus settled into a negative one. Erikson would say that the social structure of Justin's environment was not supportive of normal behavior. Erikson would say that Justin is in a period of teenage rebellion against strict parents.

erikson would say that Justin could not find a positive social identity and has thus settled into a negative one

Harmful conditions and nonadaptive characteristics found in older adults have not been eliminated by natural selection.

evolutionary

Men tend to cite _______ as the number one reason for divorce.

falling out of love

After menopause, women tend to experience a drop in overall blood pressure. (T/F)

false

Because she is an athlete, Corinne will reach her physical peak later than her non-athletic peers. (T/F)

false

Couples who live together before getting married are less likely to get divorced. (T/F)

false

Menopause is a very difficult transition for the majority of women. (T/F)

false

More than half of American adults between the ages of 25 and 34 are married. (T/F)

false

Most conflicts between parents and adolescent children are severe in nature. (T/F)

false

Researchers believe that the age of puberty onset will continue to decrease until very young children are affected. (T/F)

false

Jean is 79 years old. She is likely to place the most personal investment in her:

family

Which of the following is NOT a typical characteristic of early adulthood? Being focused on oneself. Feeling "in-between." Feeling stable. Exploring one's identity.

feeling stable

Charles is a 51-year-old man. Over which area of his life is he likely to feel the LEAST control?

his children

The most widely-accepted marker of adulthood in the United States is:

holding a permanent job

Prolonged stress leads to a release of hormones, which are related to disease.

hormonal stress theory

The two most common chronic illnesses in late adulthood are:

hypertension, arthritis

The hormones and changes that occur during puberty can be attributed to an interaction between the ______, ______, and ______

hypothalamus, pituitary gland, gonads

Erikson believed that adolescents face a crisis between _____ and ______.

identity vs identity confusion

Vera has trouble remembering what she ate for breakfast this morning, but she prepared the meal easily and automatically. This demonstrates Vera's preserved _______ memory.

implicit

In middle adulthood (according to John Horn), crystallized intelligence _________ and fluid intelligence _________.

increases, decreases

Which of the following statements about the aging brain (in a healthy individual) is NOT true? The brain's weight can decrease 5-10% between the ages of 20-90. The brain may have fewer synapses. Axons may become shorter. Lateralization of functions increases.

lateralization of functions increases

Which of the following statements about brain death is FALSE? Higher portions of the brain may stop functioning before lower portions. Individuals may still have a heartbeat and respiration after higher cortical functions have ceased. Most physicians define death as occurring when higher cortical functions have ceased. Determining death has become more complicated in the last few decades.

most physicians define death as occurring when higher cortical functions have ceased

Many middle-aged adults begin to notice sarcopenia, which refers to an age-related decrease in:

muscle mass

Which of the following statements about adolescent sexuality is TRUE? Between 1991 and 2011, there was an increase in reported adolescent sexual activity. In recent years (2009-2011), male twelfth-graders have reported having more intercourse than female twelfth-graders. All gay and lesbian youth report having sexual feelings for same-sex friends beginning in early childhood. In the U.S., contraceptive use among adolescents has drastically increased since 2003. None of the above is true.

none of the above is true

Out of the following options, which is the MOST likely to predict being "happy-well" at 80 years of age? Wealth. A high income. Not abusing alcohol. Intimacy.

not abusing alcohol

Continued practice and new technology may help older people maintain performances in some areas.

optimization

Terri Schiavo's life was ended through _______ euthanasia.

passive

Which of the following best describes the purpose of POLST? Patients can determine to whom their belongings will go in the event of their death. Patients can decide how their bodies should be handled after death (organ donation, cremation, burial, etc.). Patients' wishes for treatment can be translated into medical orders for doctors. Patients can appoint a power of attorney in the event that they are unable to make their own decisions about healthcare.

patients' wishes for treatment can be translated into medical orders for doctors

One distinction between hospital and hospice care is that hospice seeks to:

provide palliative care

Reduced capacity and loss of functioning leads to reduced performance in many life domains.

selection

Which characteristic of bulimia nervosa is NOT a characteristic of anorexia nervosa? Obsession with thinness. A fear of gaining weight. Having a distorted body image. Staying within a normal weight range. All of the above are features of both disorders.

staying within a normal weight range

Which of the following would be considered retrospective research on attachment? Comparing the attachment styles of a group of infants from 50 years ago with attachments styles of current infants. Studying infants' attachment styles and later studying their attachment styles as adults. Studying adult attachment styles and asking them about past infant attachment styles. All of the above

studying adult attachment styles and asking them about past infant attachment styles

Which of the following is TRUE regarding health in early adulthood? The rate of death increases from adolescence, but the incidence of respiratory problems and colds decreases. The incidence of respiratory problems and colds increases from adolescence, but the rate of death decreases. Both the rate of death and the incidence of colds and respiratory problems increase from adolescence. None of the above.

the rate of death increases from adolescence, but the incidence of respiratory problems and colds decreases

Val and Brian's last child recently turned 18 and moved out to go to college. Statistically-speaking, how would we expect this change to affect Val and Brian? They will experience empty nest syndrome. They will see a decline in their marital satisfaction. They will likely see an increase in their marital satisfaction. They will likely divorce without the "glue" of their children keeping them together.

they will likely see an increase in their marital satisfaction

Men typically report being happier in their marriages compared to women. (T/F)

true

Only a small portion of the world's societies do NOT believe in life after death. (T/F)

true