Term
| Vision Changes in Middle Adulthood |
|
Definition
Accommodation (ability of the eye to focus and maintain an image on the retina) sharp decline between 40-59
-Results from weaker muscle and growth of lens
-Leads to difficulty viewing close objects
Pupil Shrinks and lens yellows
-Limits ability to see in dim light
-Limits color discrimination
Reduced blood supply may decrease size of visual field and increase eye's blind spot |
|
|
Term
| Hearing Changes in Middle Adulthood |
|
Definition
-14% of Americans between 45-64 have a hearing loss
-Heredity and age-related declines
-Starts with loss at high frequencies
-Men's declines earlier and faster |
|
|
Term
| Weight and Body Dimensions in Middle Adulthood |
|
Definition
Middle-age spread-slowed metabolism- increase in body fat and loss of lean body mass (muscle and bone)
-Gradual loss of bone mass and density (making bones weaker)
-Disks in spinal column move closer causing shrinkage |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
-mid-life transition in which fertility declines
-Gradual changes for women over 10 year period= perimenopause |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
-Production of Estrogen drops
-Cycles shorten and become more irregular |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
the cessation of menstration and of reproductive capacity- no period for 12 months
-Typically between 50 and 55
-Genetics key factor, smoking a factor
-Not affected by age of first period, height, usage of birth control pills |
|
|
Term
| Menopause Hormonal Changes |
|
Definition
-Reduction in female sex hormone leads to
-Decreased elasticity of skin
-Risk of heart attack increases
-Bones may lose more calcium- increase risk of osteoporosis
-1 of every 2pm women over 50 experience a bone fracture because of osteoporosis |
|
|
Term
| Physical Symptoms of Menopause |
|
Definition
-Hot flashes
-Profuse sweating and "night sweat"
-Other changes: "weight gain" changes in sexual response, headaches
-Extent and duration varies extensively |
|
|
Term
| Hormone Replacement Therapy |
|
Definition
Pro: Reduces Risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, original studies supported this
Con: Increased risk of stroke and ovarian cancer
Risk outweighed benefits. |
|
|
Term
| Weight During Middle Adulthood |
|
Definition
-Obesity increases risk of suffering other ailments
-See up to 55% lower risk for heart attacks for those who maintain ideal body weight
-Difficult to sustain weight loss |
|
|
Term
| Cancer in Middle Adulthood |
|
Definition
-Cancer and heart disease are the leading causes of death in middle age
-Death rate due to cancer multiplies 10 fold from early to middle adulthood
-Women-Breast/Lung -Men Prostate/Lung
-40% of people with cancer are cured "disease free for 5 or more years" |
|
|
Term
| Cardiovascular Disease in Middle Adulthood |
|
Definition
-Approximately 25% of deaths in American's 45-64
-Silent Killers-Signs undetected
-High Blood Pressure
-High Blood Cholestorol
-Atherosclerosis (build up of plaque in coronary arteries)
-Symptoms- Heart attack, angina pectoris , arrythmia (irregular heartbeat) |
|
|
Term
| Cancer Prevention Recommendations |
|
Definition
-For those who don't smoke, dietary choices and physical activity are most important modifiable determinants of cancer risk
1. Maintain Healthy Weight
2. Adopt a physically active lifestyle - 30 minutes, 5+ days/week of moderate to vigorous physical activity
3. Consume a healthy diet with an emphasis on plant sources
-Increase petrochemicals = biological active chemicals our bodies may use as part of their disease-fighting arsenal
4. Limit alcohol consumption |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
A sever version of age-related bone loss. Porous bones are easily fractured and when very extreme, lead to a slumped over posture, a shuffling gait, and a "dowager's hump" in the upper back
-7% of Post menopausal women |
|
|
Term
| Erikson's Psychosocial conflict of Generatitity vs. Stagnation |
|
Definition
Generativity- involves reaching out to others in ways that give to and guide the next generation (tend to be more healthy)
-Making a lasting impression -less selfish stage
Stagnation- Negative Outcome- self-absorption- become preoccupied with themselves |
|
|
Term
| Different ways generativity is expressed |
|
Definition
Biological Generativity- Conceive and give birth
Parental Generativity- Nurturing children
Work Generativity- working with children; mentoring
Cultural Generativity- e.g. Creative output; Politics |
|
|
Term
| Levinson's Age 40 Transition |
|
Definition
Transition is a time of turmoil and confustion- Work to reevaluate life
-Work to reconcile 4 opposing tendencies within the self
1. Young vs. Old
2. Destruction vs. Creation- things other people have done that hurt you, you reconcile, ways that you have be destructive
iii. Masculinity vs. Femininity
iv. Engagement vs. Separateness (with the outside world)
Success of transition depends on who well you learn to handle both polarities
-Culture contexts affect ability |
|
|
Term
| Mid-life crisis - popular view vs. current research evidence |
|
Definition
Mid-life Crisis- a state of physical and psychological distress that arises when developmental tasks threaten to overwhelm a person's internal resources and social support system
80% of Levinson's Men
Current Research Evidence
-No evidence that 40's is a period of exception stress
-Crisis is not a universal experience |
|
|
Term
| Seven changes in self-concept and personality |
|
Definition
I. Fewer possible selves- future oriented representations of what one hopes to become and is afraid of becoming- now more modest & concrete
II. Rise in introspection
III. Increase in self-acceptance less self-critical (everyone has flaws)
IV. Increase in autonomy
V. Increase in sense of environmental mastery
VI. Increase in effective coping strategies
VII. Increase in adrogyny |
|
|
Term
| Changing parent-child relationship - facts and fictions about empty nest syndrome |
|
Definition
-Crisis is not the norm
--Increased marital satisfaction, happiness, and sense of well being after child leaves
--Parent-child relationships often improve
--Need to adjust and adopt new roles (kinkeeper)
Response to Launching depends on
-Investment in non-parental roles
-Children's characteristics
-Parents marital and economic circumstances |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An emotional crisis typically linked to sadness and depression, brought on by children leaving home |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Competing demands of parents and children |
|
|
Term
| Predictors of Marital Success |
|
Definition
i. Seeing spouse as best friend
ii. Viewing marriage as long term commitment
iii. Liking spouse as a person
iv. Laughing together frequently
v. Agreeing on aims and goals |
|
|
Term
| 5 types of long-term marriages from Cuber & Harroff |
|
Definition
1. The Conflict Habituated- underlying tension and conflict (Frank and Marie)
2. The Devitalized - discrepency from earlier years (relationship has changed a lot since the early years started high and wonderful, stay together out of duty) Common
3. The Passive Congenial - indifference is the norm thru/out always been like than, marriage of convience
4. The Vital- genuine warmth and closeness (rare)
5. The total relationship- like vital, but multifaceted (share more things in common) |
|
|
Term
| Criticism of 5 types of long term marriages |
|
Definition
-Stable categories?
-Do other types exist
-Cohort effects |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| - a trend in which women who support themselves or their families have become the majority of the adult population living in poverty, regardless of age and ethnic group. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
10% of divorce are for marriages 20 years or longer
- People at mid-life still have psychological toll but recover faster |
|
|
Term
| Nature of caring for aging parents |
|
Definition
-90% of help comes from adult children, usually female
-Role reversal
Highly Stressful
-Typically occurs suddenly
-Difficult emotionally to watch decline
-Duration is uncertain, and parents become more dependent over time
-30-50% depression, resentment
-Financial pressures
Difficult on aging parent as well
Buffers-social support, secure attachment style, rewarding career |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
-On average age 45-49 start
-Valued elder- being perceived as a wise, helpful person
-Immortality through descendants- leaving behind not just one but two generations after depth
-Reinvolvment with personal past- being able to pass family history and values to a new generation
-Indulgence- having fun with children without major child- rearing responsiblities |
|
|
Term
| Factors that promote psychological well-being at mid-life |
|
Definition
-Good Health and Exercise
-Sense of Control and Personal Life Investment
-Positive Social Relationships
-A good Marriage
-Mastery of Multiple Roles |
|
|
Term
| Demographics of Older Adults |
|
Definition
# of people 65 or older in use has risen
1900- 4.1% Currently 12.4%
-Trend likely to increase
-Most rapidly growing segment of U.S. population is people over 85
-Trend found in industrialized nations around the world
-Consequently new distinctions
---Young Old 65-74
---Old-old 74-84
---Oldest Old 85 and older |
|
|
Term
| functional age, average life expectancy, active lifespan |
|
Definition
Functional Age- actual competence and performance
Average life Expectancy- the number of years that an individual born in a particular year can expect to live, starting at any given age
Active lifespan- the number of years of vigorous, healthy life an individual born in a particular year can expect |
|
|
Term
| maximum lifespan, life expectancy crossover, primary aging, secondary aging |
|
Definition
Maximum Lifespan- the genetic limit to length of life for a person free of external risk factors
Life Expectancy Crossover- surviving members of low-SES ethnic minority groups live longer than members of the white majority
Primary aging - genetically influenced declines that affect all members of our species and take place even in the context of overall good health
Secondary Aging- declines due to hereditary defects and negative enviornmental influences, such as poor diet, lakcof exercise, disease, subastence abuse, environmental pollution, and psychological stress |
|
|
Term
| Erikson’s conflict of ego integrity vs. despair |
|
Definition
-Involves coming to terms with ones life
LIFE REVIEW
-With Integrity- feel whole complete, and satisfied with achievements - serenity and contentment
-With Despair- feel bitter, unable to accept that death is near |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
A form of remenisence who's goal is to achieve greater self-understanding
1. Involves evaluating and reinterpreting experiences
2. May be a means to prepare for death
3. Connection between engaging in a life review and achieving integrity |
|
|
Term
| Peck's tasks for developing ego integrity |
|
Definition
1.Ego-differentiation vs. work-role preoccupation
-Redefining one's worth in terms of something other than work roles
2. Ego transcendences vs. ego preoccupation
-Assessing and realizing one's contribution to the future
3. Body transcendence vs. Body Preoccupation
-Coping with declining physical well being |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A psychosocial stage beyond ego integrity, which characterizes the very old, that involves a cosmic and transcendent perspective directed forward and outward, beyond the self. Evident in the heightened inner calm and contentment. |
|
|
Term
| Social theories of Aging-Disengagement Theory |
|
Definition
Premise- Mutual withdrawal between elders and society takes place in anticipation of Death
Problem- Little evidence that this is normal. May not be elders preference, limited finances. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Premise: Disengagement occurs because of Social Barriers. Optimal aging occurs when person is active
Problem: Having larger social networks doesn't always produces happiness. Other dynamics are involved |
|
|
Term
| Socioemotional Selectivity Theory |
|
Definition
-Social Networks Become more selective as we age
-Changes in functions of social interactions
-Elders emphasize emotion regulating functions of interactions |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Rather than maintaining a certain activity level, most aging adults strive to maintain a personal system- an identity and a set of personality dispositions, interest, roles, and skills-- that promotes life satisfaction by ensuring consistency between their past and anticipated future. |
|
|
Term
| Effects of religion or spirituality on health and well-being |
|
Definition
-Increased physical and psychological well-being, greater sense of closeness to family and friends. Longer survival
-76% of Americans over 65 think religion is important
-Mostly Low SES Minorities, and women |
|
|
Term
| Long-term marriage, divorce, gay and lesbian partnerships, widowhood In LATE ADULTHOOD |
|
Definition
Long-Term Marriage- 1/4ish5ish marriages last for 50 or more years. Late-life marriages have fewer stress responsibilities. More joint activities and less conflict
Divorce-less than 1% of divorces lead to more self-criticm, remarriage is low but marriages are stable
Gay and Lesbian Partnerships- Happy relationships, don't depend on family as much. Have problems with health care
Widowhood- More likely to be women (live longer and remarry less) deal with better than younger people, still stressful |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Collectively, the family members, friends, and acquaintances who move through life with an individual
1. Provides assistance, well being & support
2.Continuity they offer is an important affirmation |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Strong predictor of mental health- more important than contact with younger family members
-Serve several functions
1. Intimacy and companionship
2. A source of acceptance
3. A link to the larger community
4. Protection from the psychological consequences of loss |
|
|
Term
| Relationships with adult children and with siblings |
|
Definition
-Often help adult children with money, and generally only recieve help in the form of emotional support. Relationships are important as social network shrinks.
-Adults become close with sibling in age, closer depending on proximity. Will turn to them in case of emergency. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| -Often depends on when you are financial secure, and is pre-planned |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
- Generally not stressful, if it was own choice. Activities that you enjoyed in earlier life can be expanded on
Financial stress can occur |
|
|
Term
| 7 Characteristics of Successful Aging |
|
Definition
1. High Quality relationships that offer social support and successful companionship (quality over quantity)
2. Personal control over areas of dependency and independence
-Desire to maintain control, stay in own home
-Good help vs bad help (not asked for)
3. Acceptance of Change, which fosters life satisfaction
4. A mature sense of spirtuality, permitting anticipation of death with calm composure
-Seek high meaning for life, not necassarily organized religion, cope with daily problems, social support
5. Selective Optimization with compensation to make most of limited physical energies, and cognitive resources
6. Strong self-concept, which promotes self acceptance and pursuit of hoped-for possible selves
7. Optimism about aging, health, and physical functioning |
|
|
Term
| Nature and types of Arthritis |
|
Definition
A condition of inflamed, painful, stiff, and sometimes swollen joints.
-Disability due to arthritis affects 45% of American men over 65 and 52% of American women 65-84
-Osteoarthritis- "wear and tear arthritis" the most frequent type- cartilage on the end of bones gradually deteriorates
-Rheumatoid arthritis - an autoimmune response- leads to inflammation of connective tissue - involves the whole body- tends to increase after menopause
-Amazing benefits of exercise |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The Most common form of dementia, in which structural and chemical deterioration in the brain is associated with gradual loss of man aspects of thoughts and behavior, including memory, skilled and purposeful movements, and comprehension and producution of speech |
|
|
Term
| Alzheimer’s Disease Symptoms, Risk Factors, Protective Factors |
|
Definition
-Severe memory problems (starts with recent memories) Diagnosed by elimination, confirmed after death
-Runs in families, and can be sporadic
-Familial start earlier, have abnormal genes,excess dietary fat, cardiovascular disease, and stroke High in African Americans, and Fatty food eaters
-Being active is beneficial, being educated, fish, unsaturated fat, and red wine helps |
|
|
Term
| Nervous System in Late Adulthood |
|
Definition
-Brain size decrease in late adulthood faster
-Reduced tolerance of changes in hot and cold weather is a result of reduced sweating
-More difficult to raise core temperature |
|
|
Term
| Sensory System in Late Adulthood |
|
Definition
-Hearing impairments more common than vision (more common in men)
-lens continues to yellow cataracts occur
-Weaker taste smell |
|
|
Term
| Immune System in Late Adulthood |
|
Definition
-the immune system is more likely to malfunction by turning against normal body tissues in an autoimmune response
- More at risk for illness |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Late adulthood still require 7 hrs of sleep but don't have as much nrem sleep
-Can counter with a consistent routine
-Exercise regularly and use room only for sleep |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Epidermis becomes less firmly attached to the dermis, fibers in the dermis thin, and fat in the hypodermis diminishes, leading the skin to wrinkle
and loosen
-Lines in forehead and crows feet, age spots after 50 (time in sun speeds it up) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
-Increase in body fat and a loss of lean body mass.
- largerly in toros men on back and upper abdomen, women aroudn teh waist and upper arms.
-Occurs due to slowed metabolic rate |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
-Become more porous, gradual loss in bone mass estrogen is gone.
-Disk in the spinal column shrink together 1 inch
- osteoporosis might occur, smoking and alcohol are bad |
|
|
Term
| Reproductive Changes in Men |
|
Definition
-After age 40, quantity of semen and sperm decrease, but sperm production continues throughout life
-More stimulation is required |
|
|
Term
| Changes in sexuality for women and men |
|
Definition
-Sexual activity declines in middle adulthood but it's slight drop
-Intensity declines in midlife longer to be aroused and reach orgasm |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| extreme competitiveness, ambition, impatience, hostility, angry outburts, and a sense of time pressure |
|
|
Term
| Hardiness and its benefits |
|
Definition
Hardiness- a set of three personal qualities- control, commitment, and challenge - that, together they call hardiness
-allow an individual to cope adaptively with stress brought on by the inevitable changes of life |
|
|
Term
| Roles of Hostility and Anger |
|
Definition
| -stressful bad for you some reasearch leads to developing hart diseas |
|
|
Term
| Complexity of Adult Intelligence |
|
Definition
-Intelligence is multidimensional, compose of many, separate mental abilities
-Characterized by interindividual variation. Pattern of developmental process differs across individuals
-Intelligence is characterized by intraindividual platicity (openess to change) |
|
|
Term
| Fluid vs. crystallized intelligence |
|
Definition
Fluid Intelligence- Intellectual skills that largely depend on basic information processing skills
-Not subject specific, generally not taught directly in school
Crystallized Intelligence- Intellectual skills that depend on accumulated knowledge and experience - knowledge that comes with education and experience within a culture |
|
|
Term
| Fluid vs. crystallized intelligence - changes over time seen in traditional cross-sectional research |
|
Definition
Changes over time
1. Crystallized improves and stabilizes over age
2. Fluid starts to decline in late 20s early 30s
3. Believed to be standard aging pattern
Cross section found declines
Can't examine cognitive changes
suspectible to cohort affect
prefer longitudal studies |
|
|
Term
| Seattle Longitudinal Study - Method |
|
Definition
-Cohort Sequential Design
-Tested subjects on perceptual speed and five different mental abilities
1. Verbal Meaning
2. Spatial Orientation
3. Number Ability
4. Inductive Reasoning
5. Word Fluency
Subjects age 22-70 where tested at 5 years intervals 1956,1963 and new subjects were added each time n=5,000+ |
|
|
Term
| Seattle Longitudinal Study - Results |
|
Definition
1. Intellectual Declines appeared later in life
2. Found cohort differences on certain abilities
3. Conclude the steady decline seen with cross sectional data is an illusion
4. Problems with longitudinal design, expensive, selective dropouts |
|
|
Term
| Individual difference in cognitive performance in adulthood |
|
Definition
1. 45-60% maintain stable intelligence well into there 70s
2. 10-15% show increases until there mid 70s
3. Roughly 30% decline, at least by the time they reach their 60s |
|
|
Term
| Individual difference factors predicting cognitive development in adulthood |
|
Definition
1. Education- those with more education tend to retain higher level
2. Lifestyles and work- using intellectual skills helps to retain them
3. Health Status
-Chronic diseases may account for a high level of age related intellectual decline
-Physical fitness and exercise are beneficial |
|
|
Term
| Changes in memory in late adulthood: recall vs. recognition; explicit/deliberate vs. implicit memory; prospective memory; term: terminal decline |
|
Definition
Recall vs. Recognition- Declines depend on the type of memory- more decline with recall vs. recognition
Explicit/deliberate vs. implicit memory-implicit memory is memory without conscious awareness declines less than deliberate memory which has higher demands on limited working memory
Prospective Memory- refers to remembering to engage in planned actions in the future
Terminal Decline- refers to marked acceleration in deterioration of cognitive functioning prior to death |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
1. Typically believed to reach capacity in old age
2. Defined as expert knowledge that focuses on the pragmatics of life and involves judgment and advice on crucial life issues
3. Baltes has shown that age is no guarantee of wisdom
4. Type of experience makes a difference |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Compensates for cognitive decline
1. Involves having an extensive, highly organized knowledge and understanding of a particular domain
2. Expert skills are often more automatic
3. Expert knowledge often includes rapid recognition of patterns
4. Experts have better strategies and shortcuts to problem solving |
|
|
Term
| Practical Problem Solving for elders |
|
Definition
| -If they think a situation is critical they can't make a good decision. For example if they feel ill they immediate check it out. They also ask others for help and work collaboratively to make up for their limitations |
|
|
Term
| Selective Optimization with compensation |
|
Definition
Behaviors or strategies undertaken to make the most of limited physical energies and cognitive resources
1.Narrow Goals
2.Select personally valued activities |
|
|
Term
| Changes in speed of processing |
|
Definition
Specific Changes
1. Speed at which you process information declines.
2. Slower reaction times
3. Slower cognitive process in general
Why?
1. Older adults take longer to decide if they need to respond
2. Slowing of brains communication process
a. Limits how much information we can take in
b. Limits completion of one mental operation before another one starts |
|
|
Term
| Limitations of Working Memory |
|
Definition
Working Memory- the processing component through which current, conscious mental activity occurs; "workbench"
1. Amount of info people can retain in working memory declines from the 20s into the 60s
3. Attention is more disorganized
4. Leads to difficulties with speech and conversation
i.See age-related losses in retrieving words from long-term memory
ii. Planning what to say and how to say it becomes harder |
|
|
