Cognitive Development Middle Adulthood

Questions and Answers

What is a characteristic of Schaie’s Responsibility Stage?

Attention given to the needs of spouse and children (correct)

Working solely for personal success

Focus on self-interest

Concern with global issues

During Schaie’s Executive Stage, individuals tend to think about:

Maximizing personal wealth

Global issues and causes for the greater good (correct)

Maintaining family traditions

Their own career advancement

What is crystallized intelligence?

Accumulation of skills, information, and abilities that can be applied to problem-solving situations.

What characterizes fluid intelligence?

Information processing capability, reasoning, and memory. Signup and view all the answers

In middle adulthood, perceptual speed increases for complex, novel tasks.

False Signup and view all the answers

Why might individuals in middle adulthood still hold positions of power despite declines in some mental abilities?

Acquired skills become more important than innate competence Signup and view all the answers

What is the Glass Ceiling?

The unseen unbreachable barrier that keeps minorities and women from reaching positions of power and influence. Signup and view all the answers

Why does the Glass Ceiling exist? It is due to __________, prejudice, and bias.

conscious and unconscious stereotypes Signup and view all the answers

What factors contribute to the existence of the Glass Ceiling other than bias?

Lack of recruitment, mentoring, training, and different performance standards. Signup and view all the answers

What is the process of developing expertise?

Developing better than average skills or knowledge in a particular area through practice and continued exposure. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Schaie’s Middle Adulthood Stages

Responsibility Stage: Focus on fulfilling the emotional and physical needs of spouses and children.
Executive Stage: Involves a broader perspective, emphasizing global issues and causes beyond oneself, including religious, social, and political engagement.

Cognitive Changes in Middle Adulthood

Crystallized Intelligence: Increases due to the accumulation of knowledge and skills relevant for problem solving.
Fluid Intelligence: Declines include reduced information processing capabilities and memory, requiring more time to complete tasks.

Mental Abilities in Middle Adulthood

Many individuals reach peak performance in various cognitive abilities during middle adulthood.
Perceptual speed decreases, particularly for complex tasks; regular practice can mitigate decline.
Declines in working memory, multitasking abilities, and use of memory strategies are common.
Increased reliance on metacognitive strategies enhances problem-solving skills.

Competence in Middle Adulthood

Despite cognitive declines, many middle-aged individuals hold significant power and influence.
Possible explanations include:
- IQ tests may not measure job-related skills effectively.
- Successful middle-aged individuals may differ from peers.
- Acquired skills can be more crucial than raw competence for career advancement.
- Selective Optimization refers to focusing mental energy on developing specific skills through specialization.

Developing Expertise

Expertise is characterized by above-average skills and knowledge in a particular area, built through practice and exposure.
Key benefits of expertise include improved intuition, faster information processing, stronger neural connections, and more effective problem-solving strategies.

Vocational Development in Middle Adulthood

Glass Ceiling: Represents the invisible barrier that prevents minorities and women from ascending to powerful positions, not based on skill deficits.
Contributing factors to the Glass Ceiling include biases, stereotypes, difficulties in recruitment and mentoring, unequal standards, and maternity issues.

Description

Explore Schaie's stages of cognitive development in middle adulthood through flashcards. This quiz focuses on the Responsibility and Executive stages, highlighting the emotional and social responsibilities encountered during this life phase.