Physical Health
Parkinson's
Memory
Intelligence
Wisdom & Expertise
100
Name two of the three leading causes of death among old people.
Heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and cancer.
100
What is the cause of PD?
No one knows. It sometimes seems to be heritable or because of genetic mutations; sometimes from exposure to certain chemicals (like MPTP).
100
What are episodic and semantic memory?
Episodic memory is about personal experiences (like how you felt on your last birthday, what you did, who you were with, etc.).
Semantic memory is for facts and general knowledge (like who the first president was, what your dad's name is, what 2+2 equals, etc.).
Semantic memory is for facts and general knowledge (like who the first president was, what your dad's name is, what 2+2 equals, etc.).
100
What is creativity?
The ability to make unique contributions to society; it's divergent thinking; it is distinct from intelligence; it requires knowledge of a field.
100
Define the two types of wisdom.
pragmatic: making good judgements in everyday life
epistemic: knowing how to live a meaningful life
epistemic: knowing how to live a meaningful life
200
What is the leading cause of injury in adults older than 65?
Falling
200
What are 3 risk factors for PD?
Old age, being male, head injuries, and certain pesticides
200
What is nondeclarative memory?
Memory for how to do things (like tying a shoe); usually remembered automatically and unconsciously; typically cannot be explained verbally (you can't easily explain how to tie a shoe; you just do it)
200
Define the two main types of intelligence (proposed by Horn).
fluid = cognitive processing independent of knowledge, like perception, recall, drawing inferences, processing speed, logic, etc.
crystallized = knowledge, judgement, understanding, etc.
crystallized = knowledge, judgement, understanding, etc.
200
What are 3 things involved in the development of wisdom?
Age, favorable personality traits (like openness), certain experiences and careers involving life planning and resolution of personal ethical problems (like psychologists), and social interaction
300
For those with chronic disabilities in late life, should they be expending energy or conserving energy?
Expending energy. Exercise helps keep people healthy, even for older adults with chronic disabilities. Inactivity can aggravate their disabilities.
300
What are 3 motor symptoms of PD?
--tremor
--bradykinesia (slow movement)
--rigidity/stiffness
--postural instability (impaired balance and coordination)
--bradykinesia (slow movement)
--rigidity/stiffness
--postural instability (impaired balance and coordination)
300
What kinds of memory are worse in older adults?
Episodic memories and source memories.
300
What is terminal drop?
It is when psychological and biological abilities decline rapidly in older adults within a few years before death. It might be limited to those abilities that are usually least affected by aging, like verbal abilities.
300
What is postformal thought and when does it develop?
It is the ability to deal with uncertainty, contradiction, imperfection, and compromise with the understanding of the relative, non-absolute nature of knowledge. It develops in young adulthood.
400
How is the dependency ratio calculated?
The number of individuals over 65 divided by individuals aged 18-64 = dependency ratio
400
Which neurotransmitter is involved and how?
Dopamine. Cells that make it die, so there is less of it. Parts of the brain that use it for motor functions have less of it available to use.
400
What is working memory, and what are the functions of its three components?
Working memory is a system that can encode, access, store, and manipulate a limited amount of information for a brief period of time.
The components are:
--visuospatial sketchpad (deals with visual and spatial info)
--phonological loop (deals with auditory and verbal info)
--central executive (coordinates attention and resources between the other two)
The components are:
--visuospatial sketchpad (deals with visual and spatial info)
--phonological loop (deals with auditory and verbal info)
--central executive (coordinates attention and resources between the other two)
400
In what ways does aging change intelligence?
crystallized increases; fluid decreases; processing speed decreases; intelligence is stable until 60
400
In Baltes work on SOC, what are the three parts and what do they mean?
selection: making choices based on preference and ability
optimization: using strategies and resources to achieve a goal
compensation: working within limitations to achieve goals
optimization: using strategies and resources to achieve a goal
compensation: working within limitations to achieve goals
500
Is the dependency ratio increasing or decreasing? What does this imply?
It is increasing. It was .17 in 1980, and will be .32 by 2030. It means more young people are needed to work to provide for old people.
500
Which parts of the brain are involved?
The substantia nigra, which requires dopamine, does not function as well. Also, the brain stem and midbrain develop Lewy Bodies (clumps of alpha-synuclein).
500
!! DAILY DOUBLE !!
Label the lobes of the brain and explain their main functions.
Name the structure in the brain that is thought to be the control center for memory.
Label the lobes of the brain and explain their main functions.
Name the structure in the brain that is thought to be the control center for memory.
red = frontal lobe = higher order functions (reasoning, problem-solving, etc.)
yellow = parietal lobe = movement
green = occipital = vision
blue = temporal = hearing and memory
Control center for memory = hippocampus
yellow = parietal lobe = movement
green = occipital = vision
blue = temporal = hearing and memory
Control center for memory = hippocampus
500
How do the results of cross-sectional studies of intelligence differ from longitudinal ones?
Longitudinal studies shows less decline in intelligence than cross-sectional studies, likely because decline shown in cross-sectional studies is due to cohort effects and is more related to things like education rather than age.