PSYCH 333: Middle Adulthood
Describe some changes in vision during middle adulthood.
- Presbyopia (hard to see things close up): 60 years old
- Difficulty reading small print (40 years old)
- Increased risk of glaucoma
- Hard to see in dim light and sensitivity to glare
Describe changes in hearing.
Between the age of 45-64, presbycusis begins (age-related hearing loss).
- Men suffer earlier and more rapidly
Describe changes related to skin.
- Increased wrinkles (30-40 y/o)
- Loss of elasticity
- Dryness
- Age spots (50 years old)
- Women's skin ages quicker than men
Describe muscle-fat makeup.
Decrease of bone and muscle mass and increase of body fat. This can be offset by healthy habits.
2 negative changes in bones:
- Loss in bone density
- Loss in bone strength
Define climacteric.
Decline in fertility. End to reproduction in women and decrease fertility in men
Which hormone is responsible for physical changes in women?
Estrogen
Symptoms of climacteric in women:
- Physical and emotional changes
- decreased sexual function
- Menopause
- Continued decrease in estrogen
Reproductive changes in men:
- Although sperm is produced throughout life, decrease in count
- Less blood flow to penis = harder to have an erection
Who are more likely to embrace their aging?
Men
At what age does one reach their peak mental ability?
35 years old
Type of intelligence: "skills depending on accumulated knowledge, experience, good skills and mastery of social conveentions."
Crystallized intelligence
Type of intelligence: "depends on information processing skills."
Fluid intelligence
What is the result of withering myelin sheath?
Deteriorating neural connections
How is executive function impaired during this time?
- Working memory starts to decline
- Slowing down of information processing
- Reduced inhibition
- Challenging flexible shifting of attention
3 ways in which memory strategies don't work anymore:
- Reduction in use of strategies
- Difficulty paying attention to relevant info
- Harder to retrieve info from long-term memory
Do problem solving and creativity change during this period?
Yes, problem solving continues as middle-aged adults use their expertise and knowledge. Creativity becomes more deliberate and thoughtful.
What is the age interval of middle-aged adults?
40-60
Erikson's psychosocial stage of development:
Generativity vs. stagnation
Define generativity.
Finding meaning from nurturting the next generation, caring for others, enriching others' lives.
What is the typical outcome of a midlife crisis?
Turning points; leading to personal growth
Discuss self-concept during middle adulthood.
- "prime of life"
- self-acceptance, autonomy, environmental mastery
What factors promote psychological well-being?
- Good health and exercise
- Healthy social relationships
- Environmental mastery
- Good marriage
- Control over personal life
What are some contributing factors to divorce?
- Longer life expectancy
- Financial stability
- Greater social acceptance
Discuss grandparenthood.
- On average, begins in fifties.
- Gratifying
- Living proximity is the greatest predictor or close relationship with children/grandchildren
Who, of all the family members, are most likely to care for the grandparents?
Daughters or daughters in-law
What happens to friendships during this stage?
Close friendships are protected, but both sexes see a decline in friends from middle to late adulthood