Aging and Life Course Perspectives

The process of growing older, involving complex biogenetic and psychological changes throughout life.

The study of psychological, cognitive, psychosocial, physical changes of adults as they age, considering their experiences and contexts.

Changes in cognitive abilities (e.g., memory, learning) associated with aging.

Changes in personality, self-perception, relationships, and well-being as people age.

A society where the proportion of older adults is increasing.

The average length of time a person is expected to live.

A large generation born after World War II.

The influences of society and history on aging processes.

A framework defining three key aspects of healthy aging: avoiding disease and risk factors, maintaining high physical and cognitive function, and active engagement in life.

Research using twins reveals that genetics only account for a small portion (25%) of the variation in human lifespan, suggesting environmental and behavioral factors play a significant role.

The question of whether and how we can slow down or prevent age-related decline, focusing on strategies to delay cognitive decline, prevent dementia, and improve quality of life in later years.

Research suggests that physical activity and healthy lifestyle changes can slow down age-related cognitive decline, emphasizing the influence of behavior on brain health.

The need for social and technological changes to accommodate the needs of large aging populations, such as Baby Boomers, as they navigate the later stages of life.

Cognitive abilities that involve information processing, such as reasoning, memory, and spatial skills. These skills tend to decline with age.

Cognitive abilities based on knowledge and experience, such as vocabulary and general knowledge. These skills tend to remain stable or improve with age.

The ability to hold and manipulate information temporarily in mind.

The speed at which a person can perform cognitive tasks.

The ability to focus on important information while ignoring irrelevant information.

The functioning of the senses, including sight and hearing.

Research studies that follow the same individuals over a long period of time to examine age-related changes.

Research studies that compare different age groups at a single point in time.

Theories that focus on how social expectations, life events, and cohort effects shape development across the lifespan.

Theories focusing on individual patterns of change across the lifespan, including gains, losses, and the rate of cognitive change.

Memory ability that involves identifying previously learned information from a set of options.

Retrieving information learned earlier without any cues or options.

Broad range of mental processes like reasoning, problem-solving, and memory.

High level of skill and knowledge in a particular area, often developed over time.

Older adults may experience slower reaction times and decreased attention span, particularly in challenging situations.

Older adults often use more effective strategies to handle social and emotional challenges compared to younger adults.

While some personality traits remain stable throughout life, others can change significantly, especially through life events.

These are five broad dimensions describing personality: extraversion, neuroticism, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness to experience.

Neuroticism and openness generally decrease with age, while conscientiousness increases.

Our understanding of who we are and what we believe about ourselves changes throughout life.

As we age, themes like generativity (leaving a legacy) and health become more prominent in our self-perception.

How old (or young) a person feels, regardless of their actual chronological age.

Most people feel younger than their actual age, especially after early adulthood, with the gap widening over time.

How satisfied we are with our own aging process, encompassing both physical and psychological aspects.

Feeling younger and being satisfied with one's aging are linked to well-being, good health, and longer lifespan.

This model explains how our social connections, like a convoy, change with age and provide support throughout life.

Exchanges of support, such as tangible assistance or emotional comfort, strengthen social ties and promote well-being.

The belief that support is accessible even if it's not actively used can be as beneficial as actual support for well-being.

Individuals have unique social networks that vary in size, composition, and quality, affecting their life experiences.

This theory explains how our social goals change with age. As we get older, we prioritize emotional closeness over gathering information, focusing on meaningful relationships.

This refers to our ability to manage and control our emotions effectively. As we age, we become more skilled at regulating our emotions, focusing on positive experiences and minimizing negative ones.

This refers to experiencing positive emotions like joy, contentment, and happiness.

These marriages often exhibit a strong focus on positive interactions and reduced negativity compared to younger couples.

Older adults tend to have a smaller circle of close friends and family members.

This relationship is often long-lasting and complex, characterized by a mix of solidarity, conflict, and ambivalence.

This measures our overall perception of life satisfaction and happiness.

This refers to the idea that we adapt to positive or negative events, returning to a neutral baseline level of happiness.

This involves collecting data from the same individuals over a long period of time.

This measures our emotional well-being, including our experience of positive emotions like happiness and negative emotions like stress.

This focuses on the positive aspects of our mental and emotional health, rather than simply the absence of problems.

This model proposes six key dimensions of positive mental health: autonomy, environmental mastery, purpose in life, personal growth, positive relationships, and self-acceptance.

This refers to having high-quality, positive connections with others.

This refers to aging well and experiencing a high quality of life in later years.