(2026) Q&A
1. What is the primary difference between life expectancy and longevity?
A) Life expectancy refers to maximum lifespan; longevity refers to average lifespan.
B) Life expectancy is the average number of years a person is expected to live; longevity is
the maximum lifespan an individual can reach.
C) Life expectancy measures only healthy years; longevity measures total years lived
regardless of health.
D) There is no difference; they are interchangeable terms.
Correct Answer: Life expectancy is the average number of years a person is expected to
live; longevity is the maximum lifespan an individual can reach.
Rationale: Life expectancy is the average number of years a person is expected to live based
on demographic data, while longevity refers to the maximum lifespan an individual can
reach, often considered the upper limit of human life.
2. Which of the following best defines primary aging?
A) Aging caused by disease and environmental factors
B) The inevitable, universal biological decline that occurs with age
C) The decline in cognitive abilities due to lifestyle choices
D) The acceleration of aging due to chronic stress
Correct Answer: The inevitable, universal biological decline that occurs with age
Rationale: Primary aging (senescence) refers to the universal, inevitable biological changes
that occur with age, independent of disease or lifestyle. Secondary aging results from external
factors like disease, lifestyle, and environmental exposures.
3. Which of the following is an example of secondary aging?
,A) Natural decline in cellular function
B) Genetic mutations causing aging
C) Aging due to lifestyle choices such as smoking
D) The inherent biological clock of DNA
Correct Answer: Aging due to lifestyle choices such as smoking
Rationale: Secondary aging results from external factors like lifestyle, environmental
exposures, or disease processes, unlike primary aging, which is biological and inevitable.
Smoking accelerates aging through secondary mechanisms.
4. Which theory of aging suggests that aging is driven by genetic mechanisms and biological
clocks encoded in DNA?
A) Wear-and-tear theory
B) Programmed aging theory
C) Free radical theory
D) Cellular mutation theory
Correct Answer: Programmed aging theory
Rationale: The programmed aging theory suggests that aging is driven by genetic
mechanisms and biological clocks encoded in DNA, leading to programmed decline. It posits
that aging follows a predetermined biological timetable.
5. What major health condition is most commonly associated with osteoporosis in older
adults?
A) Heart failure
B) Bone fragility and increased fracture risk
C) Diabetes mellitus
D) Vision loss
, Correct Answer: Bone fragility and increased fracture risk
Rationale: Osteoporosis involves decreased bone density, leading to fragile bones and a
higher risk of fractures, especially in older adults. It is a major health concern for
postmenopausal women and older men.
6. Which sensory change is commonly experienced in late adulthood?
A) Presbycusis (hearing loss)
B) Increased visual acuity
C) Improved sense of taste
D) Enhanced sensitivity to pain
Correct Answer: Presbycusis (hearing loss)
Rationale: Presbycusis, or age-related hearing loss, is a common sensory change in late
adulthood. It typically involves difficulty hearing high-pitched sounds and understanding
speech in noisy environments.
7. According to Erikson, what is the psychosocial task of middle adulthood?
A) Identity vs. identity confusion
B) Intimacy vs. isolation
C) Generativity vs. stagnation
D) Integrity vs. despair
Correct Answer: Generativity vs. stagnation
Rationale: Erikson's seventh stage, generativity vs. stagnation, occurs during middle
adulthood. Generativity involves contributing to society and guiding the next generation,
while stagnation is characterized by self-absorption and lack of growth.
8. Which of the following is an example of generativity?