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Multiple Choice
According to research in developmental psychology, an adult in middle age will typically perform most poorly on which of the following tasks?
A
Understanding the emotional needs of others in social situations
B
Quickly solving complex abstract logic puzzles under time pressure
C
Recalling meaningful life experiences from childhood
D
Using vocabulary in everyday conversation
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Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Understand the context of developmental psychology, which studies how cognitive abilities change across the lifespan, including middle adulthood.
Step 2: Identify the types of cognitive tasks mentioned: social-emotional understanding, abstract logic puzzles, autobiographical memory, and vocabulary use.
Step 3: Recall that middle-aged adults typically maintain or improve in vocabulary and social-emotional understanding due to accumulated knowledge and experience.
Step 4: Recognize that autobiographical memory, especially for meaningful life events, tends to remain stable or even improve with age.
Step 5: Note that fluid intelligence, which includes quickly solving complex abstract logic puzzles under time pressure, tends to decline starting in middle adulthood, making this the task where performance is typically poorest.