Week 1 - Intro to Ageing Students PDF

INTRODUCTION TO AGEING CONCEPTUALISATIONS OR MEANING OF AGE  If we are going to study it, how do we define it? Conceptualisations of age Chronological Biological Perceived age Psychological Sociocultural "How old would you be if you didn't know how old you...

INTRODUCTION TO AGEING CONCEPTUALISATIONS OR MEANING OF AGE  If we are going to study it, how do we define it? Conceptualisations of age Chronological Biological Perceived age Psychological Sociocultural "How old would you be if you didn't know how old you were?" Satchel Paige (1906-1982) Biological Age ­ A description of an individual’s age based on measuring the functioning of organs etc., Perceived age Psychological Age ­Functioning of a person’s psychological abilities: ­ Memory ­ Intelligence ­ Emotion Sociocultural Age ­Age based on the set of expectations that people in a given culture have about when life’s major events “should” occur. Three processes of ageing 1. Primary ageing is normal, disease-free development during adulthood. 2. Secondary ageing is developmental changes that are related to disease, lifestyle, and other environmentally induced changes that are not inevitable (e.g., pollution). 3. Tertiary ageing is the rapid losses that occur shortly before death  THE FOUR FORCES INFLUENCING AGEING So, what makes us age? 4 Forces Influencing Ageing and Development 1. Biological forces - genetic and health-related factors 2. Psychological forces - internal perceptual, cognitive, emotional, and personality factors 3. Sociocultural forces - interpersonal, societal, cultural, and ethnic factors 4. Life-cycle forces- differences in how the same event or combination of biological, psychological, and sociocultural forces affects people at different points in their lives. Factors Influence Lifecycle Forces 1. Normative age-graded factors Experiences caused by biological, psychological, and sociocultural forces that occur to most people of a particular age. 2. Normative history-graded & cohort-specific factors Events that most people in a specific culture / period / locality experience at the same time. 3. Non-normative or Idiosyncratic factors Random or rare events that may be important for a specific individual but are not experienced by most people. CORE ISSUES IN DEVELOPMENT Core Issues in Development ­Nature-nurture ­Stability-change ­Continuity-discontinuity ­Universal versus context-specific Nature-Nurture Involves the degree to which genetic or hereditary influences (nature) and experiential or environmental influences (nurture) determine the kind of person you are. Stability - Change The degree to which people remain the same over time (or not) Development as gains and losses Plasticity - opportunity for change and growth throughout the lifespan Neurobiological Plasticity Behavioural Plasticity Societal Plasticity Continuity - Discontinuity Concerns whether a particular developmental phenomenon represents: 1. Smooth progressions over time (continuity/ Quantitative) 2. A series of abrupt shifts (discontinuity / Qualitative) Universal versus Context-specific Concerns whether there is just one path of development or several: 1. Differences in development are simply variations on a fundamental developmental process 2. Adult development and aging are inextricably intertwined with the context in which they occur. What is “good” ageing and how do we study it? Positive / Healthy / Successful Ageing 1. Avoidance of disease & disability 2. Continuation of effective physical & psychological functioning 3. Continued social engagement with life 24 Positive Ageing Promoting resilience and a sense of fulfilment and control, despite the challenges that associated with growing older Positive and constructive views of growing older which accepts aging as the continuous and normal development which occurs in human life “In short, the positive aging movement is about striving to create a society for all ages that prepares for and celebrates the aging process.”  In order to promote positive ageing, we need to understand what determines “good” vs. “bad” ageing, and influences on ageing in general.  Summary 1. Why is it important to study adult development and ageing? 2. What are the characteristics of the older adult population in Australia, and how are those likely to change in the future (covered in the in-person lecture)? 3. What are the different conceptualisations of age? 4. What are the 4 main forces that shape development? 5. What are the 3 main influences on ageing and development? 6. What are the 4 key theoretical issues in ageing and development?