Adulthood & Old Age PDF

Adulthood & Aging Prepared By Pat Diaz, RPsy, RPm  Overview Definition of Development in Adulthood and Terms Aging Psychosocial Theories for Development Adulthood & in Adulthood Aging  Adulthood The period that consists of people a...

Adulthood & Aging Prepared By Pat Diaz, RPsy, RPm  Overview Definition of Development in Adulthood and Terms Aging Psychosocial Theories for Development Adulthood & in Adulthood Aging  Adulthood The period that consists of people aged 20 to 60 years. Adulthood is broken into two subcategories: young and middle adulthood. Young adulthood consists of people aged 20 to 30 years. Middle adulthood consists of people aged 30 to 60 years. Young Adulthood Middle Adulthood Old Age  Old Age The period that consists of people aged 60 and older. This period exhibits biological and social changes. There are many illnesses associated with old age, among them Alzheimer's, arthritis, and heart disease.  Other Important Terms Young Adulthood Middle Adulthood Describes those aged 20-30. This Describes those aged 30-60. This period is characterized by social period is exhibited by biological and emotional changes. and social changes. Aging The process of becoming old.  Physical Development By the time we reach early adulthood (20 to early 40s), our physical maturation is complete, although our height and weight may increase slightly. In young adulthood, our physical abilities are at their peak, including muscle strength, reaction time, sensory abilities, and cardiac functioning. In middle adulthood, physical decline is gradual the skin loses some elasticity, and wrinkles are among the first signs of aging. In late adulthood, the last stage of physical change, the skin continues to lose elasticity, reaction time slows further, and muscle strength diminishes. Smell, taste, hearing, and vision, so sharp in our twenties, decline significantly. The brain may also no longer function at optimal levels, leading to problems like memory loss, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease in later years.  Cognitive Development Fluid Intelligence Crystallized Intelligence Refers to information processing Encompasses abilities that draw upon experience and knowledge. Measures of abilities, such as logical reasoning, crystallized intelligence include vocabulary remembering lists, spatial ability, and tests, solving number problems, and reaction time. understanding texts. Older adults tend to perform poorer than As we age, working memory, or our ability to simultaneously store and use information, becomes less efficient (Craik & young adults on memory tasks that Bialystok, 2006). involve recall of information, where Some researchers have argued that inhibitory functioning, or individuals must retrieve information they the ability to focus on certain information while suppressing attention to less pertinent information, declines with age and learned previously without the help of a may explain age differences in performance on cognitive tasks list of possible choices. (Hasher & Zacks, 1988). Psychosocial Development Erik Erikson: Integrity vs. Despair “It is okay to have been me?” “The possessor of integrity is ready to defend the dignity of his own lifestyle against all physical and economic treats. For he knows that an individual life is the accidental coincidence of but one life cycle within but one segment of history; and that for him all human integrity stands and falls with the one style of integrity of which he partakes.” (Erikson, 1959/1980, p. 104)  Erikson’s 9th Stage Proposal by Joan, Erikson’s wife, that older adults revisit the previous eight stages and deal with the previous conflicts in new ways, as they cope with the physical and social changes of growing old. During the ninth stage, Erikson argues that the dystonic, or less desirable outcomes, comes to take precedence again. The Erikson’s found that those who successfully come to terms with these changes and adjustments in later life make headway towards gerotrancendence, a term coined by gerontologist Lars Tornstam to represent a greater awareness of one’s own life and connection to the universe, increased ties to the past, and a positive, transcendent, perspective about life.  Activity Theory Developed by Havighurst and Albrecht in 1953, activity theory addresses the issue of how persons can best adjust to the changing circumstances of old age–e.g., retirement, illness, loss of friends and loved ones through death, etc. Strongly supports the avoidance of a sedentary lifestyle and considers it essential to health and happiness that the older person remains active physically and socially.  Disengagement Theory Developed by Cumming and Henry in the 1950s, in contrast to activity theory, emphasizes that older adults should not be discouraged from following their inclination towards solitude and greater inactivity. In other words, disengagement theory posits that older adults in all societies undergo a process of adjustment which involves leaving former public and professional roles and narrowing their social horizon to the smaller circle of family and friends.  Continuity Theory Suggests as people age, they continue to view the self in much the same way as they did when they were younger. An older person’s approach to problems, goals, and situations is much the same as it was when they were younger. They are the same individuals, but simply in older bodies. Consequently, older adults continue to maintain their identity even as they give up previous roles. Questions?