Middle Adulthood PDF

Middle Adulthood Physical Development ▪ Ages 30 to 65 ▪ Senescence: the process of aging, whereby the body becomes less strong and efficient ▪ What sorts of changes take place during middle adulthood?  Primary vs Secondary Aging  Primary aging  Universal and irreversible physic...

Middle Adulthood Physical Development ▪ Ages 30 to 65 ▪ Senescence: the process of aging, whereby the body becomes less strong and efficient ▪ What sorts of changes take place during middle adulthood?  Primary vs Secondary Aging  Primary aging  Universal and irreversible physical changes that occur to all living creatures as they grow older  Does not directly cause illness, but it makes compensation more difficult and thus makes almost every disease more likely  Secondary aging  Specific illness or conditions that become more common with aging, but vary from person to person Physical Changes  Internal System Changes  Every organ, system and cell slows down  Blood pressure increases  Maximum breathing function decreases  Brain Changes  Adult neurogenesis: neurons are generated from neural stem cells  Neurons fire more slowly  Reaction time lengthens  Brain size decreases  Multitasking gets harder  Processing takes longer  Working memory tasks harder Vision Changes https://youtu.be/rx6NLoUzM9Y  Vision Changes  Presbyopia: “old eyes”:  inability to adjust focus to varying distances  Pupil shrinks, lens yellows, vitreous changes  Increased glaucoma risk  Hearing Changes Presbycusis: “old hearing”:  initially, decline in sensitivity to high frequencies  Differences by sex  Hearing aids, modifications to listening environment, communication can help Hearing Changes A test for illustrative purposes. Not a medical test of hearing. https://youtu.be/VxcbppCX6Rk  Skin Changes  Caused by cells in both the epidermis and dermis declining in water content  Wrinkles  Sagging  Age spots  Outward Appearance Changes  Middle-age spread common  Very gradual muscle declines  Changes in hair color and hair follicles  Skeletal Changes  Bones broaden but become more porous  Loss in bone strength  Falls resulting in bone fractures and Osteoporosis: Severe bone loss, fragile bones death nearly double from early to middle adulthood  Healthy lifestyle can slow bone loss  Changes to the Sexual-Reproductive System  Climacteric: transition in which fertility declines, brings an end to reproductive capacity in females & diminished fertility in males  Males  decline in testosterone  andropause  Females  drop in estrogen  menopause Health  Sexual Activity  Slight drop in frequency among married and long-term partner couples:  stability of sexual activity is typical  best predictor is marital/relationship happiness  Intensity of response declines:  slower arousal due to climacteric Health in Middle Age  85%rate as excellent or good, a decline from early adulthood  More chronic diseases than in early adulthood Leading Causes of Death in Midlife in the United States  Cancer  One-third of U.S. midlife deaths  Results from mutations  Complex interaction of heredity and environmental conditions  Cardiovascular Disease  One-fourth of U.S. midlife deaths  Symptoms  Heart attack (blockage)  Arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat)  Angina Pectoris (chest pain)  Sex differences  Hostility and Health  Type A behavior pattern  Angry, impatient, competitive  Prone to heart disease and other health problems  Linkbetween hostility and cardiovascular disease Adapting  Exercise  More than half of U.S. adults meet weekly goal of 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of intensive exercise  Exercise helps every condition at every age  Importance of regular exercise  Emphasis on body fitness  Hardiness  Personality trait that serves as a buffer  Characterized by  Control  Commitment  Challenge  Coping Improvements Effective coping strategies: identifying positives postponing action while evaluating alternatives Personality changes that support coping: complex, integrated, coherent self-descriptions, blending strengths and weaknesses gains in emotional stability and confidence Cognitive Development Fluid & Crystallized Intelligence Cognitive Abilities  Fluid & Crystallized Intelligence Fluid intelligence declines Crystallized stabilizes or increases Depends on basic information- Skills that depend on processing skills: accumulated knowledge detecting relationships among stimuli experience speed of analyzing good judgment information mastery of social working memory conventions  Selective Gains and Losses  Selective optimization with compensation theory  Proposes that with age people maintain balance in their lives  Expert Cognition  Expertise  Specialized skills and knowledge developed around a particular activity or area of special interest  Expert thought  Intuitive  Automatic  Strategic  Flexible  Expertise, Age, and Experience  Essential requirement of expertise is time.  Expertise sometimes overcomes the effects of age.  Experienced adults often use selective optimization with compensation. Changes in Creativity  More deliberate, thoughtful  Less spontaneous, intensely emotional  Sum up or integrate ideas  Less focus on new ideas  Goals more altruistic  Peaks in the late thirties & early forties and then declines Psychosocial Development Views on Midlife  Vaillant’s View of Midlife “Keepers of meaning” “Passing the torch” Focus on longer-term, less- personal goals  Is There a Midlife Crisis? Sharp disruptions are uncommon Individuals focus on turning points Sense of Self  Sense of Self Possible selves what one hopes to become or fears becoming change over time Self-acceptance Feelings of positivity & capability Less concerned about other’s evaluations Relationships  Friendship during Middle Adulthood  Friends  Often able to provide practical help and useful advice when serious problems arise  Can be created through shared problems  Friendship during Middle Adulthood Differences in friendship Become more selective Try harder to get along with friends Rely on friends more for pleasure, family for support and security  Family Bonds  Family links and influence endure over time.  Childhood history impacts people across their lifetime.  Providing companionship, support, and affection meets intimacy needs for parents and adult children.  Rates of boomerang children are increasing. Marriage in Middle Adulthood  Worldwide postponement of marriage  Satisfying marriage improves health, wealth, and happiness. Intimacy in Middle Adulthood  Cohabitation rates are increasing  Living apart together (LAT) rates are increasing Intimacy in Middle Adulthood  Communication essential  Faithfulness and supportiveness increases over time  Predictive of emotional well-being  Long-term committed partnership is linked to lifelong health and happiness  Divorce in Middle Adulthood  Rate for U.S. 50- to 65-year-olds has doubled over past 20 years  Divorce that ends an abusive, destructive relationship (one-third of U.S. divorces) usually benefits at least one spouse and the children  Individuals in middle adulthood adjust more easily young adults Sibling Relationships in Middle Adulthood Contact and support decline because of demands of diverse roles Still, siblings often feel closer, often in response to major life events Tasks of Middle Adulthood  LEVINSON’S FOUR TASKS OF MIDDLE ADULTHOOD Seek new ways of being both Young–Old young and old Acknowledge past hurtful acts, Destruction–Creation try to leave legacy for future generations Balance masculine and Masculinity–Femininity feminine parts of self Engagement– Balance engagement with and Separateness separateness from external world  Erikson’s Theory: Generativity vs. Stagnation Generativity Stagnation ▪ Reaching out to others in ways that ▪ Self-centered, self- give to and guide the next generation indulgent, self-absorbed Generativity & Relationships  Parenting  Generativity’s chief manifestation is establishing and guiding the next generation.  Involves meeting child’s physical and psychological needs  Every parent is tested and transformed by the dynamic experience of raising children.  Grandparenting Valued elder Immortality through descendants Reinvolvement with personal past Opportunity for indulgence  Other Forms of Caregiving  Caregiving includes responding to the emotions of people who need a confidant, a cheerleader, a counselor, or a close friend.  Kinkeeper  Caregiver who takes responsibility for maintaining communication; gathers family for holidays; conveys important family news; and fosters generativity in other family members  Sandwich Generation  The generation of middle-aged people who are supposedly “squeezed” by the needs of the younger and older members of their families  Highly stressful  may impact caregiver’s ability to work  emotional strain  greatest stress for those sharing a household with ill parent Generativity & Employment  Employment  Employment is the other major avenue for generativity  Adults have many psychosocial needs that employment can fulfill  Unemployment is associated with higher rates of child abuse, alcohol use disorder, depression, and many other social problems  Employment  Work meets generativity needs by allowing people to do many things:  Develop and use their personal skills  Express their creative energy  Aid and advise coworkers, as a mentor or friend  Support the education and health of their families  Contribute to the community by providing goods or services  Finding the Balance  Adults choose their mates, their locations, their lifestyles, and their vocations to express their personality.  Every adult benefits from friends and family, caregiving responsibilities, and satisfying work.