PSY 205-Unit 7 Study Guide-Chs. 20-22
Chapter 20:
1. Define senescense. 484
Senescence - the process of aging whereby the body becomes less strong and efficient
1. Senescense is ____inevitable______________, but the ___rate_________ is not.
486
2. When a 50 year-old races a 30 year-old, what is the main reason that the average
50 year-old is at a disadvantage? 487
The lungs become less efficient with age and the entire respiratory system is reduced by about
4 percent per decade
1. What happens to vision and hearing in particular (describe specific changes) and
the other senses in general with aging? 487
The shape of the lens changes from convex to concave and usually results in adults seeing
better farther away. Hearing declines because high frequency are lost earlier than sounds at low
frequencies
1. What are two ways that adults can compensate for age-related sensory decline?
487 (picture caption)
Increase the use of other senses and abilities, medical and technological interventions
1. Is it true that both sexual activity rates and sexual pleasure inevitably decline with
age? 488-489
No, many people find that sexual pleasure often increases with age
1. Postponing pregnancy may contribute to infertility. Define infertility. About how
many potential parents are affected by it? 490
Infertility- the inability to conceive a child after trying for at least a year
About 1 in 5 experience it
1. Is infertility only related to the female’s reproductive system? If not, give an
example of a problem potential fathers may face. 490
No, low sperm count is a common problem and can be related to stress, sickness, drugs,
radiation, alcohol, cigarettes, and pollution can affect this
1. After reading the section of the chapter on IVF (491-492), do you think there is an
age at which a person is “too old” to have children and should choose not to?
, I believe at some point yes, but most couples trying to do IVF in their 30s or 40s should
encounter no problems. The risks are less concerning for the children than they are for the
parents (specifically the mother who is carrying the child) encountering risk
1. Define menopause, HRT, and andropause. 493-494
Menopause - the time in middle age, around 50, when a woman’s menstrual periods cease and
production of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone drops
HRT- hormone replacement therapy, taking hormones to compensate for hormone reduction
Andropause - a significant drop in testosterone levels in older men
1. What are some of the benefits and risks of HRT, and would you recommend it to a
woman whom you love? 493-494 (green box).
Increased bone density, easing of menopausal and andropause symptoms, risks include
increased breast cancer risk, increased heart failure risk, and and increased stroke risk. if that
woman was really struggling with menopause and have significant issues then yes I would
recommend it
1. What has the trend been in the age-adjusted rate of deaths from heart disease in
the U.S. since 1950? What types of prevention contributed to this trend? Give an
example of each type of prevention that contributed. 496
Age related death has declined significantly since the 1950s due to other factors such as
surgical preventions, medication, fewer cigarettes, more exercise, and a healthier diet
1. One in every __11___ adults under 45 takes a daily antidepressant, as does
_1___in _5__ older adults. 496
2. Know and understand all of the information in Table 20.1, including the idea that
whether being overweight is a health problem is disputed. Go ahead and put the
information from that table here—it’s not a lot. 500
Underweight - < 18.5 BMI
Typical weight - 18.5-24.9 BMI
Overweight - 25-29.9 BMI
Obese - 30 or greater BMI
1. On average, about how much weight to U.S. adults gain from 25 to 60? 500
About 20 pounds on average
1. Why do researchers consider BMI to be a flawed health indicator? 500
Since muscle weighs more than fat, people with a higher BMI might sometimes be fit, not
overweight. It is also ethnically biased because it is based on people of European descent.
Chapter 20:
1. Define senescense. 484
Senescence - the process of aging whereby the body becomes less strong and efficient
1. Senescense is ____inevitable______________, but the ___rate_________ is not.
486
2. When a 50 year-old races a 30 year-old, what is the main reason that the average
50 year-old is at a disadvantage? 487
The lungs become less efficient with age and the entire respiratory system is reduced by about
4 percent per decade
1. What happens to vision and hearing in particular (describe specific changes) and
the other senses in general with aging? 487
The shape of the lens changes from convex to concave and usually results in adults seeing
better farther away. Hearing declines because high frequency are lost earlier than sounds at low
frequencies
1. What are two ways that adults can compensate for age-related sensory decline?
487 (picture caption)
Increase the use of other senses and abilities, medical and technological interventions
1. Is it true that both sexual activity rates and sexual pleasure inevitably decline with
age? 488-489
No, many people find that sexual pleasure often increases with age
1. Postponing pregnancy may contribute to infertility. Define infertility. About how
many potential parents are affected by it? 490
Infertility- the inability to conceive a child after trying for at least a year
About 1 in 5 experience it
1. Is infertility only related to the female’s reproductive system? If not, give an
example of a problem potential fathers may face. 490
No, low sperm count is a common problem and can be related to stress, sickness, drugs,
radiation, alcohol, cigarettes, and pollution can affect this
1. After reading the section of the chapter on IVF (491-492), do you think there is an
age at which a person is “too old” to have children and should choose not to?
, I believe at some point yes, but most couples trying to do IVF in their 30s or 40s should
encounter no problems. The risks are less concerning for the children than they are for the
parents (specifically the mother who is carrying the child) encountering risk
1. Define menopause, HRT, and andropause. 493-494
Menopause - the time in middle age, around 50, when a woman’s menstrual periods cease and
production of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone drops
HRT- hormone replacement therapy, taking hormones to compensate for hormone reduction
Andropause - a significant drop in testosterone levels in older men
1. What are some of the benefits and risks of HRT, and would you recommend it to a
woman whom you love? 493-494 (green box).
Increased bone density, easing of menopausal and andropause symptoms, risks include
increased breast cancer risk, increased heart failure risk, and and increased stroke risk. if that
woman was really struggling with menopause and have significant issues then yes I would
recommend it
1. What has the trend been in the age-adjusted rate of deaths from heart disease in
the U.S. since 1950? What types of prevention contributed to this trend? Give an
example of each type of prevention that contributed. 496
Age related death has declined significantly since the 1950s due to other factors such as
surgical preventions, medication, fewer cigarettes, more exercise, and a healthier diet
1. One in every __11___ adults under 45 takes a daily antidepressant, as does
_1___in _5__ older adults. 496
2. Know and understand all of the information in Table 20.1, including the idea that
whether being overweight is a health problem is disputed. Go ahead and put the
information from that table here—it’s not a lot. 500
Underweight - < 18.5 BMI
Typical weight - 18.5-24.9 BMI
Overweight - 25-29.9 BMI
Obese - 30 or greater BMI
1. On average, about how much weight to U.S. adults gain from 25 to 60? 500
About 20 pounds on average
1. Why do researchers consider BMI to be a flawed health indicator? 500
Since muscle weighs more than fat, people with a higher BMI might sometimes be fit, not
overweight. It is also ethnically biased because it is based on people of European descent.
