Chapters 15 and 16 life span development
- 1. Life Span DevelopmentSpring 2010PHYSICAL AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT IN MIDDLE ADULTHOODChapter 15SOCIAL AND PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT IN MIDDLE ADULTHOODChapter 16
- 2. Physical and Cognitive Development in Middle Adulthood40-65 years of ageAdults during this phase become increasingly aware of the gradual change in their bodiesSome changes naturally occurring due to the aging processOther changes due to the result of lifestyle choices:DietExerciseSmokingAlcohol useDrug abuse
- 3. Height, Weight and StrengthAge 20 = Maximum height; Age 55 = “settling”Approximately age 55 – bones attached to the spinal column become less denseLoss of height very slowMen – average of a 1-in decline over the rest of the life spanWomen – average of a 2-in declineGreater decline in women since they are more prone to osteoporosis – a condition in which the bones become brittle, fragile, and thin. This is often caused by a lack of calcium in the diet.
- 4. Height, Weight and StrengthPercentage of body fat tends to grow, even for those who have been slim all their livesDue to both decline in height and lifestyle choices Strength begins to decline alsoBy age 60, typical adult has lost 10% of their strengthThose who exercise regularly are likely to feel stronger
- 5. Sex in Middle AdulthoodAlthough the frequency of sexual intercourse decreases with age, sexual activities remain a vital part of most middle-aged adults’ lives.With children grown and away from home, middle-aged adults have more freedom.With menopause, women no longer need to practice birth control.Men typically need more time to get an erection.The volume of fluid in ejaculation declines.The production of testosterone also declines.In women, the walls of the vagina become less elastic and thinner and the vagina shrinks, potentially making intercourse painful.
- 6. FEMALE CLIMACTERICStarting about age 45, women enter a period known as the FEMALE CLIMACTERIC, the transition from being able to bear children to being unable to do so.This period lasts about 15 to 20 years.The most notable sign is MENOPAUSE, the cessation of menstruation.The process may begin as early as age 40 or as late as age 60.The production of estrogen and progesterone dropSymptoms such as "hot flashes," headaches, feeling dizzy, heart palpitations, and aching joints are common during menopause.Half of women report no symptoms at all.
- 7. Side effectsIt was thought that about 10 percent of women had psychological problems associated with menopause.DepressionAnxietycrying spellslack of concentrationirritability
- 8. MALE CLIMACTERICMen experience some changes during middle age that are collectively referred to as the MALE CLIMACTERIC, the period of physical and psychological change relating to the male reproductive system that occurs during late middle age.The most common is the enlargement of the prostate gland.By age 40, 10 percent of men have enlarged prostates.Symptoms are problems with urination, including difficulty starting to urinate and frequent need to urinate during the night.Men still produce sperm and can father children through middle age.
- 9. Coronary Heart DiseaseLinking Health and PersonalityMore men die in middle age of diseases of the heart and circulatory system than any other cause.Both genetic and experiential characteristics are involvedHeart disease runs in families.Men are more likely to suffer than women, and risks increase with age.There are several environmental and behavioral factors.cigarette smokinghigh fat and cholesterol in dietlack of physical exercise
- 10. CancerCancer is the second leading cause of death in middle age.Many forms of cancer respond well to treatment.40 percent are still alive 5 years after diagnosis.Cancer is associated with several risk factors.Genetics (family history of cancer) raises the risk.Poor nutrition, smoking, alcohol use, exposure to sunlight, exposure to radiation, and exposure to occupational hazards such as certain chemicals raise the riskTreatment of cancer can take a variety of forms.Radiation therapy involves the use of radiation to destroy a tumor.Chemotherapy involves the controlled ingestion of toxic substances meant to poison the tumor.Surgery may be used to remove the tumor.Early diagnosis is crucial.Mammography, a weak X-ray, is used to detect breast cancer.Women over 50 should routinely have one.Younger women have denser breasts and the problem of false positives increases.
- 11. Psychological factorsIncreasing evidence suggests that cancer is also related to psychological factors:The death rate of women with breast cancer was much lower for those who had a "fighting spirit" or those who denied they had the disease.People with close family ties are less likely to develop cancerCancer patients who are habitually optimistic report less physical and psychological distress.Participating in group therapy reduces anxiety and pain and increases survival rates.A positive psychological outlook may be related to a tendency to adhere to a strict treatment regimen.A positive psychological outlook may boost the body's immune system
- 12. Social and Personality Development in Middle Adulthood“Midlife crisis”?Typically defined as Unhappiness with life and the lifestyle that may have provided them with happiness for many years. Boredom with people and things that may have been of interest to them before. Feeling a need for adventure and change. Confusion about who they are and where they are going. Doubt that they ever loved their spouse and resentment over the marriage. A desire for a new and passionate, intimate relationship.So - Time to quit your job, divorce your spouse and buy a new red sports car?The midlife transition (“crisis”) is now typically viewed as a normal part of life
- 13. Crisis ModelsStage theorists suggest that our development occurs in a series of stages with a task or challenge at during each phaseNormative-crisis models view personality development in terms of universal stages tied to a sequence of age-related crises.Erikson’s psychosocial theory predicts that a crisis occurs at each of these stagesOthers view the normative-crisis model as outdated. Due to shifting of gender roles, and the variation in timing of life-events, may developmentalists support life events models of development which is based on timing of events rather than age per se. Death of a parentChildren leaving home
- 14. Erikson’s stageGenerativity vs. StagnationThe crisis at this stage of life (middle adulthood) is whether the person has achieved generativity through making personal contributions to family, community, work, and society, or whether they have stagnatedGenerativity implies playing a role on guiding and encouraging future generations, whether this is through parenting, mentoring, working with youth, or making community contributionsSimply focusing on oneself is viewed as limited in terms of fulfillment
- 15. Family EvolutionsEmpty Nest Syndrome: This refers to parents’ feelings of unhappiness, worry, loneliness and depression resulting from their children’s departure from the homeAdjustment period for manyThis period of transition may be more difficult for women stayed home with their children and do not have a careerIt is quite normal to have a little weep now and again – or even go into the absent child's bedroom and sit there for a bit in an attempt to feel closer to him or her.In some rare cases, parents experience these symptoms:You feel your useful life has ended.You are crying excessively.You're so sad you don't want to mix with friends or go to work.
- 16. Benefits to having an “empty nest”?More time for community or recreational activitiesOpportunities for mothers to get a job or go back to schoolFeeling of liberation (less responsibility)Spouses have more time for one anotherHouse stays neaterConcept of “empty nest syndrome” arose when children grew up and left the home for goodMore often in recent generations, the empty nest becomes “replenished” with what is now referred to as “boomerang children”
- 17. “Boomerang Children”Definition – Young adults who return, after leaving the home for some period, to live in the homes of their middle-aged parentsVarious reasons for this…Many reasons economicDifficulty finding a job after college Job does not pay enough to support living independentlyReturn to the home after separation/ divorceParent’s reaction to this?Financial burdenParental sympathy?Mother vs. father
- 18. The “Sandwich Generation”While children are leaving the nest (or possibly returning), many middle-aged adults are facing the challenge of caring for their own aging parents“Sandwich generation” refers to middle-aged adults who are squeezed between the needs of both their children and their aging parentsTwo trends contribute to this phenomenon:Men and women marrying and having children laterPeople living longer
- 19. Job Burnout/ Switching CareersFor many people, middle-adulthood is a time of occupational success – many workers achieve a high level of productivity, success and earning power.For others, work becomes increasingly stressfulDissatisfaction with working conditionsFrustration/ weariness with jobFeeling of dread associated with going to workJob burnout – people experiencing dissatisfaction, disillusionment, frustration, and weariness from their jobsEmployers may begin to feel indifference or lack of concern about their job performanceMany people switching careers at mid-life pointNew career pathAfter loss of jobMaking a fresh startMany middle adults (typically women) start a career or return to a career after having a raising children