Lecture Notes/Outine: Chapter 14: Middle Adulthood Physical & Cognitive Development

Chapter Chapter 14: Middle Adulthood Physical & Cognitive Development

I. Development in Middle Adulthood

A. Prime time or the beginning of the end?
1. Theorists cannot agree on whether or not it is a time of new fulfillment or a period of dissatisfaction
2. COMMAND GENERATION – a term for the generation of middle aged people; reflects the idea that this age group makes most of the policy decisions that affect our lives
3. Most people experience a sense of ambivalence since they are keenly aware of their mortality

B. Midlife crisis: is it real?
1. CRISIS MODEL – the view that changes in midlife are abrupt and often stressful
2. According to Levinson it occurs between the ages of 40 and 45 and it occurs in 75% of males
3. TRANSITION MODEL – the view that changes in midlife are gradual and midlife crisis is not the norm
4. Longitudinal studies do not support the occurrence of midlife crisis
5. Major transitions can occur in life but they do not have to occur in any specific time period
6. This is the period when people begin to take stock of their lives

C. Perceptions and realities at midlife
1. Some data show that middle age is the best time in life since the rates of general distress are low
2. Research also suggests that the midlife crisis is the exception and not the rule
3. Those who are likely to experience midlife crisis are less introspective and use denial to avoid thinking about their changing lives

II. Physical Continuity and Change

A. Changes in capabilities
1. Sensation
a. Decline in visual acuity
b. Hearing loss
c. Decline in taste

2. Reaction time
a. Slow decline in reaction time
b. Motor skills decrease
3. Internal changes
a. Slowing of the nervous system
b. Stiffening and shrinking of the skeleton
c. Loss of elasticity in the skin
d. Accumulation of subcutaneous fat
e. Decrease in heart and lung capacity

B. CLIMACTERIC – the broad complex of physical and emotional symptoms that accompany reproductive changes in middle adulthood, affecting both men and women

1. MENOPAUSE – the permanent end of menstruation; occurs in middle adulthood and may be accompanied by physical symptoms and intense emotional reactions, more so in women and in some cultures than others

2. Physical changes
a. Generally occur between 45 and 55
b. Ovulation becomes erratic and then stops
c. Hot flashes and night sweats occur due to the decrease in estrogen levels

3. Emotional effects
a. Feelings of depression and a sense of being less feminine
b. Most women do not respond negatively in either the short term or the long term
c. Many women feel freer and more in control of their own lives

4. Long term effects
a. OSTEOPOROSIS – the loss of bone mass and increased bone fragility in middle adulthood and beyond
b. Vaginal atrophy
c. There could also be a link between menopause and heart disease

5. Hormone replacement therapy
a. Estrogen or progesterone supplements
b. alleviates unpleasant symptoms of menopause
c. Could increase chance of heart disease
d. May prevent onset of Alzheimer’s
e. It is now recommended that women only use these drugs for the short term relief

6. Changes in men
a. Nothing comparable to menopause
b. May experience erectile dysfunction (impotence)
c. Originally thought of to be primarily a psychological problem but new research indicates a physiological basis
d. Prescription drugs can remedy it in 80% of men

C. Sexuality in the middle years
1. Frequency generally slows down in middle adulthood
2. Lack of opportunity and physical problems lead to this decrease
3. Men experience an increase in sexual anxiety
4. Women experience a decrease due to menopause
5. More emphasis placed on sensuality
6. SENSUALITY – hugging, touching, stroking, and other behaviors that may or may not lead to sex

III. Disease and Health

A. The cumulative effects of health habits
1. Good health habits
a. Longevity is attributable to good health
b. A balanced diet, exercise, and health care can extend adulthood
c. Exercise is especially important

2. Poor health habits
a. Most chronic disorders begin to develop before they are diagnosed since they show symptoms long after they begin
b. Smoking is one dangerous activity
c. Smoking can contribute to cancer, emphysema, arteriosclerosis, and hypertension
d. Long term effects are often compounded by other bad habits
e. Being overweight is also a significant contributor to poor life quality in adulthood

B. Stress and health

1. Stress plays a role in many diseases of middle adulthood
2. Stress is a normal part of life
3. How an individual perceives an event can dictate how stressful it becomes
4. Increased stress is connected to heart disease, diabetes, stomach ulcers, and some cancer

C. Ethnicity, poverty, and health
1. Since some groups of people live in more stressful conditions, their life quality is different
2. Blacks and Hispanics are more likely to die from heart disease, hypertension, cancer, diabetes, and aids than whites
3. This could be due to lack of health care, increased exposure to stress, and a high rate of poverty

IV. Cognitive Continuity and Change

A. Fluid versus crystallized intelligence
1. CRYSTALLIZED INTELLIGENCE – accumulated knowledge and skills based on education and life experiences; also referred to as cognitive pragmatics
2. FLUID INTELLIGENCE – abilities involved in acquiring new knowledge and skills; also referred to as cognitive mechanics
3. Crystallized remains unaffected by age
4. Fluid begins to diminish in adulthood and gets worse with age
5. Implications for intellectual functioning
a. A decline is most likely to be seen in tasks involving speed
b. General slowing is not noticed since adults compensate by an increase in efficiency and general knowledge
c. A major influence on cognition in adulthood is the wealth of past life experience

B. Experience and Expertise
1. DECLARATIVE KNOWLEDGE – factual knowledge; knowing what
2. PROCEDURAL KNOWLEDGE – action oriented knowledge; knowing how to
3. The accumulation of knowledge can compensate for cognitive declines
4. Experience cannot reverse age related declines, but it can compensate for them
5. One skill declines and another improves

C. Cognitive skill in the workplace
1. People who are intellectually challenged in their work have a higher degree of intellectual flexibility
2. Adults have more time to spend in the work place and can therefore have more intellectual flexibility
3. Engaging in complex tasks is key to maintaining high levels of intellectual functioning