Santrock Section 8 Middle Adulthood 5o6ax

Section 8: Middle Adulthood Chapter 15: Physical and Cognitive Development in Middle Adulthood 1 The Nature of Middle Adulthood CHANGING MIDDLE Age identity – younger than the chronological age - “to which group do you belong?” - “how old do you feel?” Midlife – afternoon of life - preparation for adulthood, “the evening of life” Pyramid – represent the age structure of population Rectangularization – similar percentags of peop;le at different ages in the life span - promotes longevity, low fertility rates, and the aging of the baby boomer

2 Physical Development PHYSICAL CHANGES Changes:  More gradual  Rates vary Factors: 1. Lifestyle 2. Genetics NOTES:  ML is a window through which we can glimpse later life while there is still time to engage in prevention and to influence some of the course of aging

Visible Signs Visible signs  40s to 50s: 1. Wrinkle or sagging skin - due to loss of fat and collagen in underlying tissues 2.

aging spots - small, localized areas of pigmentation in the skin - areas exposed to sunlight, such as hands and face

3.

hair becomes thinner and grayer - due to lower replacement rate and a decline in melanin production

4.

fingernails and toenails develop ridges and become more brittle and thicker

DEFINING MIDDLE ADULTHOOD Middle adulthood Begins at approximately 40-45 and extends to 60-65 Declining physical skills Expanding responsibility Balancing work and relationship responsibilities in the midst of physical and psychological changes associated with aging “Serious accident, loss or illness” “Wake up call” Produce major restricting of time and a reassessment of life priorities Gains and losses of biological and social factor balances each other Biological influence decline Sociocultural s peak Lasting longer First confrontation with health problems Losses begin to dominate Characterized by individual variations

NOTE:  Baby boomers have strong interest in plastic surgery and Botox

Height and Weight Changes: 1. Lose height - due to bone loss in vertebrae - men – 1’’ - women – 2’’ 2.

Gain weight

Obesity – higher risk for hypertension, diabetes and digestive disorders Overweight – defined as a BMI of 25 or more

- can lead to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) o HDL – “good cholesterol” - when it is high, LDL is low

NOTE:  Overweight or obese in middle age increases an individual risk of dying earlier 2.

Hypertension - menopause – woman’s bp rises sharply and usually remains above the men’s bp

3.

increasing metabolic problems - characterized by hypertension, obesity, and insulin resistance - development of diabetes and cardiovascular disease

Strength, ts, and Bones Sarcopenia – loss of muscle mass and strength - occurs in the back and legs Changes: 1. t stiffness 2. Difficulty in movement 20s – peak functioning of ts Maximum bone density – mid- to lates 30s NOTE:  Women experience 2x bone loss.  End of midlife  bones break more easily and heal more slowly

Vision and Hearing Accommodation of the eye – ability to focus and maintain an image of retina Changes: 1. Vison declines between 40 to 59 2. Accommodation of the eye declines 3. Difficulty viewing close objects 4. Decrease of visual field’s size 5. Increase in eye’s blind spot 6. Retina receives only ½ as much light due to decrease in the size of the pupil 7. 8.

Hearing declines at 40 Sensitivity to high pitches declines first - men lose earlier

Improve vision and hearing:  control glare  control background noise  hearing dais

Cardiovascular System Changes: 1. Level of cholesterol increases - cholesterol accumulate on the artery walls - increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases - Two forms of cholesterol o LDL – “bad” cholesterol; - when LDL is too high, it sticks to the lining of blood vessel

Prevention: 1. aerobic exercise training 2. weight control 3. diet rich in fruits, vegetates, and full grains Why decrease?  Advance in drug medication  Diet  Exercise

Lungs Changes: 1. Lung tissue becomes less elastic 2. Gradual stiffening of Chet wall 3. Decrease in lung’s capacity to shuttle oxygen to blood Note: 

Lung capacity of smokers drop, if they quit they drop but never up to same point as those who never smoked.

Sleep Changes: 1. More frequent wakeful periods 2. Less deepest type of sleep (stage 4) Note: 

Sleep problems common for those who take prescription drugs, obese, and have hypertension or depression.

HEALTH AND DISEASE Changes: 1. Less susceptible to colds and allergies Chronic disorder – slow onset and a long duration

- rare in early adulthood, increase in middle adulthood, and become common in late adulthood

Arthritis – leading chronic disorder - varies by gender men: fatal women: nonfatal

MORTALITY RATES th

Infectious disease – top in 20 century Chronic disease – main cause of death

Stress and Disease THE IMMUNE SYSTEM AND STRESS Immune system – keeps us healthy by recognizing foreign materials such as bacteria, viruses, and tumors then destroying them - consists of white blood cells located in the circulatory system

Death – result of combined effects if several chronic conditions Top cause of death: 1. cancer 2. cardiovascular diseases NOTE:  Men > women

Changes: 1. Immune system functioning decreases with aging NOTE:  When a person is under stress, the more likely to multiple and cause disease.  Lower level of NK cells in stressful situations indicate a weakened immune system. NK cells – type of WBC that is more likely to be present in low-stress circumstances

THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM AND STRESS NOTE:  Stress and negative emotions alter physiological process  Indirect connection of CS and stress  Live in stressed condition  smoking, overeat, avoid exercise

CULTURE AND HEALTH Culture: 1. Migrate – health practices change, genes remain constant 2. Family structure 3. Living conditions and lifestyle Differences:  AA – hypertension, stroke  Latino – diabetes  Non-Latino – cervical cancer Problems:  Prejudice and racial segregation - discrimination and poverty - systems  prejudice and discrimination - immigrants

SEXUALITY Climacteric – term that is used to describe the midlife transition in which fertility declines

Menopause Menopause – late 40s or early 50s - cessation of menstrual period 60s – postmenopausal NOTE:  Later menopausal  breast cancer  Walking 1 ½ hrs at five days a week  lower depression, anxiety  HRT  stroke  Progestin + estrogen  cardiovascular disease  Decrease HRT  decline breast cancer Changes: 1. Production of estrogen declines dramatically 2. Decline produces symptoms – “hot flashes”, nausea, fatigue, rapid heartbeat 3. Loss of fertility Perimenopause – transitional period from normal menstrual periods to no menstrual periods at all, which often takes up to 10 years - 40s to 50s Influence onset of menopause: 1. Heredity 2. experience Hormonal replacement therapy (HRT)

- augments the declining levels hormone production by the ovaries - forms  estrogen, progestin

of

reproductive

estrogen – increased risk of stroke and dementia - lowered risk of hip fracture Other preventions: 1. regular exercise 2. dietary supplement 3. herbal remedies 4. relaxation therapy 5. acupuncture 6. nonsteroidal medications

Hormonal Changes in Middle-Aged Men Changes: 1. Decline in sexual hormone level and activity 2. Testosterone production declines - high triglyceride - presence of metabolic syndrome 3. Sperm count declines 4. Reduce sexual drive 5. Erectile dysfunction - inability to adequately achieve and maintain and erection that result in satisfactory sexual performance - impaired self-esteem - harmed rel. with partner 6. erection less full, less frequent and require more stimulation Cause of erectile problems: 1. smoking 2. diabetes 3. hypertension 4. elevated cholesterol levels Treatments: 1. Viagra – increase blood flow in penis 2. Levitra 3. Cialis Factors that affect: 1. Lifestyle 2. Obesity 3. Smoking

Sexual problems of men: 1. Early ejaculation 2. Erectile difficulties Sexual problems of women: 1. Lubrication difficulties 2. Lack of sexual interest

OVERALL PHYSICAL CHANGES: A. Visible signs  40s to 50s: 1. Wrinkle or sagging skin 2. aging spots 3. hair becomes thinner and grayer 4. fingernails and toenails develop ridges and become more brittle and thicker B. Height and Weight 1. Lose height – due to bone loss in vertebrae 2. Gain weight C. Strength, ts, and Bones 1. t stiffness 2. Difficulty in movement D. Vision and Hearing 1. Vison declines between 40 to 59 2. Accommodation of the eye declines 3. Difficulty viewing close objects 4. Decrease of visual field’s size 5. Increase in eye’s blind spot 6. Retina receives only ½ as much light due to decrease in the size of the pupil 7. Hearing declines at 40 8. Sensitivity to high pitches declines first E. Cardiovascular System 1. Level of cholesterol increases 2. Hypertension 3. increasing metabolic problems F. Lungs 1. Lung tissue becomes less elastic 2. Gradual stiffening of Chet wall 3. Decrease in lung’s capacity to shuttle oxygen to blood G. Sleep 1. More frequent wakeful periods 2. Less deepest type of sleep (stage 4) H. Immune system 1. Functioning declines

Sexual Attitudes and Behaviors Changes: 1. Want sex 2. Think about it more 3. Masturbate more 25 to 29 – greatest frequency of sex

I. Hormonal System – women 1. Production of estrogen declines dramatically 2. Decline produces symptoms – “hot flashes”, nausea, fatigue, rapid heartbeat 3. Loss of fertility J. Hormonal System – men 1. Decline in sexual hormone level and activity

2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Testosterone production declines Sperm count declines Reduce sexual drive Erectile dysfunction Erection less full, less frequent and require more stimulation

3 Cognitive Development INTELLIGENCE Fluid and Crystallized Intelligence Crystallized intelligence – individual’s accumulated information and verbal skills, continues to increase in middle adulthood Fluid intelligence - one’s ability to reason abstractly

Seattle Longitudinal Study Seattle longitudinal study - Extensive evaluation of intellectual abilities in the adulthood years Main abilities tested: 1. Vocabulary – ability to understand ideas expressed in words 2. Verbal memory – ability to encode and recall meaningful language units 3. Number – ability to perform simple mathematical computations 4. Spatial orientation – ability to visualize and mentally rotate stimuli into two- and threedimensional space 5. Inductive reasoning – ability to recognize and understand patterns 6. Perceptual speed – ability to accurately make simple discrimination in visual stimuli NOTE:  Midlife was a time of peak performance for some aspects of both crystallized intelligence (verbal ability) and fluid intelligence (spatial orientation and inductive reasoning)  Generational differences  Decline in memory, perceptual speed, word fluency in midlife was linked to cognitive impairment in late adulthood Cognitive stability – change across middle adulthood years Classifications of participants: 1. Decliners 2. Stable 3. Gainers Three categories: 1. Number ability

2. 3.

Word fluency Delayed recall

Neurobiological factors that decline: 1. Regional brain volume 2. Cortical thickness 3. Synaptic density 4. Aspects of myelination 5. Functioning of neurotransmitters 6. Blood flow in cerebral cortex 7. Accumulation of tangles in neurons

INFORMATION-PROCESSING Information processing changes: 1. Speed of processing information Action-time task – press upon a button as soon as the light appear Cause of decline: 1. cognitive - maintaining goals - switching tasks - preserving internal representations 2. neuroanatomical 3. neurochemical 2. Memory Changes: 1. verbal memory peaked 2. more time to learn new information 3. changes in working memory working memory – mental “workbench” where individuals manipulate and assemble information when making decisions, solving problems, and comprehending written and spoken language Cause: no effective memory strategy 3. Expertise – involves having extensive, highly organized knowledge and understanding particular domain Strategies: 1. rely on accumulated experiences 2. process info automatically, analyze effectively 3. have better strategies and shortcuts 4. more creative and flexible 4. Practical problem-solving skills – everyday problemsolving

4 Careers, Work and Leisure

MEANING IN LIFE Man’s Search for Meaning – emphasizes a person’s uniqueness and finiteness of life

WORK IN MIDLIFE Markers:  peak in position and earning  health impairment limit scope of work  time of evaluation, assessment, and reflection  limitations in career progress

CAREER CHALLENGES AND CHANGES Important challenges:  globalization  rapid development in information technologies  downsizing of organizations  early retirement  concerns about pension  health care

Most distinct human quality: 1. spirituality – uniqueness in spirit, philosophy and mind 2. freedom 3. responsibility Four main needs for meaning: 1. needs for purpose - present event draws meaning from their connection with future events - goals and fulfillments 2.

values – enable people to decide whether certain acts are right or wrong - main form of meaning that people needs

Career changes:  adjust idealistic hopes to realistic hopes  career changes are self-motivated 3.

needs for self-efficacy - belief that one can make a difference - control their environment

4.

needs for self-worth - good, worthy persons

LEISURE LEISURE – refers to the pleasant times after work when individuals are free to pursue activities and interest of their own choosing NOTE:  Constructive and fulfilling leisure activities in middle adulthood are an important part of this preparation

5 Religion and Meaning of Life RELIGION AND ADULT LIVES NOTE:  Women > men  Influence of religion in lives may change as they develop

RELIGION AND HEALTH NOTE:  encouraging behaviors damaging to health  religious commitments is linked to reduction in hypertension  help cope effectively

needs for values - can lead a sense of goodness or positive characterization of life and justify certain courses of actions

Chapter 16: Socioemotional Development in Middle Adulthood 1 Personality Theories and Development STAGES OF ADULTHOOD

Season of a Man’s life – developmental tasks must be mastered for each stage Transitions: 1. Early adult transition - 17 to 20 - dependence  independence - formation of dream – image of the king of life the youth wants

Erikson’s Stage of Generativity vs Stagnation

a.

20’s - “novice phase” - free experimentation - testing the dream

b.

early adulthood - exploring possibilities - develop stable life structure

Generativity – desire to leave legacies to the next generation Stagnation – “self-absorption” - sense that they have done nothing for the next generation Generativity in: 1. biological generativity – offspring 2. parental – nurture and guide children 3. work – skills ed down to other 4. cultural NOTE:  Parents who were generative had young adult children who were conscientious and agreeable. Generativity Feeling needed by people Effort to ensure that young people get their chance to develop Influence community interest

in many or area of

A new level of productivity or effectiveness Appreciation and awareness of older people

2.

a.

middle adult transition - 40 to 45 - four major conflicts o young vs old o destructive vs constructive o masculine vs feminine o attached vs separated - success: how effectively the individual reduces polarities and accepts each one of them

4.

late adult transition - 60 to ?

Excitement, turmoil, confusion about my impulses and potential (reversed)

Feeling my life is moving well

Having a wider perspective

Searching for a sense of who I am (reversed)

Interest in things beyond my family

Wishing I had a wider scope to my life (reversed) Anxiety that I won’t live up to opportunities (reversed) Feeling secure and committed

Levinson’s Season of Man’s Life

Becoming One’s Own Man (BOOM) - stable location - more tenuous attempts - look forward

3.

Identity Certainty A sense of being my own person

Coming near the end of one road and not yet finding another (reversed)

28 to 33 - determine goals - focus on family and career

EARLY ADULT (17 to 22)

MIDDLE ADULT ( 40 to 45)

• culmintating life structure for early adulthood: 33 to 40

• culmintating life structure for middle adulthood: 55 to 60

• age 30 transition

• age 50 transition

entry life structure for early adulthood: 22 to 28

• entry life structure for middle adulthood 45 to 50

LATE ADULT (60 to 65) • end of late adulthood: 60 to ?

HOW PERVASIVE ARE MIDLIFE CRISIS? NOTE:  Midlife crisis suspended between the past and the future.  Height of their career – midlife Midlife is not a pervasive crises: 1. Experiences midlife crisis o negative life events 2. Emotional instability of individuals did not increase 3. Their ability to master their environment, autonomy and personal relations improved.

ASPECTS OF THE CONTEXTS OF LIFE INFLUENCE: 1. Historical Contexts (Cohort Effects) - values, attitudes, expectations, and behaviors social clock – timetable according to which individuals are expected to accomplish life’s task; guides for our lives

2.

Individual Variations

note:  female’s family roles are complex and have higher salience  women – more interpersonal stressors  women – show confidence, involvement, security and breadth of personality  male – more self-focuses stressors

NOTE:  Experience in some contexts only

THE LIFE EVENTS APPROACH How to conceptualize adult personality development: 1. Age-related stages 2. Focus on life events Early version of life-events approach - life events were viewed as taxing circumstances for individuals, forcing them to change their personality Contemporary version of life-events approach - how life evets influence the individuals development depends on the life event, mediating factors, the individual adaptation to life, the life-stage context, and the sociohistorical context. Drawbacks: places too much emphasis on change NOTE:  Greater insight into the source of life’s stress by focusing less on major events and more on daily hassles and daily uplifts

STRESS AND PERSONAL CONTROL IN MIDLIFE NOTE:  experienced more overload stressors  increase in psychological distress to interpersonal stressors  self-control decreases

CONTEXTS OF MIDLIFE DEVELOPMENT Contemporary version of life-events approach - highlights importance of the complex setting

Gender Contexts - male bias - do not address females’ concerns about relationships, interdependence, and caring

3.

Cultural Contexts Gusii culture Female: a. infant b. uncircumcised girl c. circumcised girl d. married woman e. female elder Male: a. b. c. d. e.

infant uncircumcised boy circumcised boy married man male elder

NOTE:  Middle age of women depends on the modernity of the culture. Advantages:  Freed from cumbersome restrictions  Right to exercise authority  Eligibility for special statuses and to provide recognition beyond household

2 Stability and Change LONGITUDINAL STUDIES Studies that help us understand the stability or change in adult development: 1. COSTA AND MCCRAE’S BALTIMORE STUDY - Big Five Factors Personality: OCEAN a. Openness - Imaginative or practical - Interested in variety or routine - Independent or conforming b. Conscientiousness - Organized or disorganized - Careful or careless - Discipline or impulsive c. Extraversion - Sociable or retiring - Careful or careless - Discipline or impulsive d. Agreeableness - Softhearted or ruthless - Trusting or suspicious - Helpful or uncooperative e. Neuroticism - Calm or anxious - Secure or insecure - Self-satisfied or self-pitying Meta-analysis found that:  Results for extraversion were complex. It was subdivided into social dominance (assertiveness, dominance) and social vitality (talkativeness, sociability).  Agreeableness and conscientiousness increased in early and middle adulthood.  Neuroticism decreased in early adulthood.  Openness to experience increased in adolescence and early adulthood and then decreased in late adulthood.

2. Berkeley Longitudinal Studies - studied more than 500 children and their parents - results did not either extreme in the debate over whether personality is characterized by stability or change - most stable o intellectually oriented o self-confident o open to new experiences - characteristics that changed the most o nurturant or hostile o good self-control - stressed too much on discontinuities

3. Helson’s Mills College Study - studied 132 women who ere seniors in Mills College - women experience midlife consciousness - commitment to task of early adulthood helped women learn to control their impluses, develop interpersonal skills, become independent, and work hard to achieve goals - women  pillars of society - main groups (female): o family oriented o career-oriented o neither - main groups (male): o concern for young and old o introspectiveness o interest in roots o awareness of limitations and death

3. George Vaillants Study - three longitudinal studies: a. sample of 268 socially adavantaged Harvard graduates (the Grant Study) b. sample 456 diadvantaged inner city men c. sample of 90 SES, intellectually gifted women - categorized 75 to 80s as a. “happy well” – getting regular exercise, not overweight, well-educated, stable marriage, future-orented, thankful, b. “sad-sick” c. “dead’’ -alcohol abuse and smoking

CONCLUSIONS NOTE:  Personality traits continue to change during the adult years, even into late adulthood.  Greatest change in personality traits occurred in early adulthood—from about 20 to 40 years of age  People show more stability in their personality when they reach midlife  cumulative personality model of personality development - which states that with time and age people become more adept at interacting with their environment in ways that promote increased stability in personality  Personality traits across adulthood also occur in a positive direction.  Positive changes equate with becoming more socially mature.  People show unique patterns of personality traits.

3 Close Relationships LOVE AND MARRIAGE AT MIDLIFE NOTE:  Affectionate, comionate love increases during middle adulthood.  Security, loyalty, and mutual interaction become more important as relationships more mature, especially in middle adulthood.  Marital satisfaction increased.  Divorce may have positive outcomes for some individuals and negative outcome for others.  Main reasons the middle-aged and older women cited divorce: o Verbal, physical, emotional abuse o Alcohol or drug abuse o Cheating  Main reasons the middle-aged and older men cited divorce: o Fell out of love o Cheating o Different values, lifestyles

THE EMPTY NEST AND ITS REFILLING Empty nest syndrome – decline in marital satisfaction after children leave home - increase in quality time of couples refilling of empty nest – children go back to their house Complains of children:  loss of privacy  restrict independence  cramp sex lives  reduce music listening  treat them as children Complains of parents:  home become noisy  worry about children late at night  meals are difficult to plane  invaded relationship  shoulder too much responsibility NOTE:  Middle generation has always provided for the younger generation even after the nets is bare.  Refilling the nest causes disequilibrium, which requires adaptation.

SIBLING RELATIONSHIPS AND FRIENDSHIPS NOTE:  Siblings who are psychologically close to each other in adulthood tended to be that way in childhood.  Adult siblings provide practical and emotional to each other.  Friendships that have endured over the adult years are deeper than those that have formed in middle adulthood.

GRANDPARENTING NOTE:  Grandmothers have more with grandchildren.  Women tend to define their role as grandmothers as part of their responsibility for maintain ties between family across generations.  Men may have fewer expectations about the grandfather role and see it as more voluntary.

Grandparents Roles and Styles Grandparent – source of biological reward and continuity - source of emotional self-fulfillment, generating feelings of companionship and satisfaction that may have been missing in earlier adult-child relationship - remote role NOTE:  White, African American, and Mexican American grandparents had the most satisfying relationships with their grandchildren.  The grandparent ole is often mediated by parents at least until grandchildren becomes adults. Three styles of grandparenting: 1. Formal – proper and prescribed role - strong interest 2. Fun-seeking – source of leisure activity, mutual satisfaction 3. Distant – benevolent but interaction was frequent

The Changing Profile of Grandchildren NOTE:  Grandparent involvement was linked with better adjustment by parents at least until grandchildren become adults.  Grandchildren living with their children contributed to the family income and provided child care while parents worked.

 

 

Grandparents in their children’s home are in poverty or immigrants. (majority) Grandparents who are full-time caregivers for grandchildren are at elevated risk for health problems, depression, and stress. Divorce may increase children’s with grandparents. Grandparents is visitation privileges with their grandchildren.

INTERGENERATIONAL RELATIONSHIP NOTE:  Middle-aged adults share their experience and transmit values to the younger children.  Adult children can perform is to coordinate and monitor services for an aging parent who becomes disabled.  Aging parents had health problems.  There has been positive changes in their relationship in recent years.  Aging parents and children are characterized by ambivalence.  Positive side: perceptions include love, reciprocal help, and shared values  Negative side: isolation, family conflicts and problems, abuse, neglect, and caregiver stress.  Family maintain considerable .  Married adults were less likely to live with their parents, keep in touch, and give or receive emotional, financial, and practical help.  When adults immigrate to another country, intergenerational stress may be.  Immigration involves separation from extended family.  Child rearing may be out of phase with the dominant culture’s model, which may cause reverberations through the family’s generations. Most common problems between parents and their children: 1. Communication and interaction style 2. Habits lifestyle choices 3. Child-rearing practices and values 4. Politics 5. Religion 6. Ideology Importance of intergenerational relationships:  Child-rearing antecedents of intergenerational relations, ive family environments and parenting in childhood were linked with more positive relationships.  Motivation of adult children to provide social to their older parents was linked with earlier family experiences.  Adult children of divorce ho were classified as securely attached were less likely to divorce.



Parents who smoked early were more likely to have adolescents who became smokers.

Gender differences: MALE Involved with wives kin

FEMALE Closer relationships More influential