16. Adulthood Flashcards
1
Q
- What separates Childhood from Adolescence?
A
- puberty
(hormonal changes)
2
Q
- Is there a clear cut between Adulthood and Adolescence?
A
- there is no clear hormonal cut between adulthood and adolescence
- there are no large growth changes between adulthood and adolescence
3
Q
- What are some examples of Adulthood activities?
A
- Financial Independence
- Marriage
- Children
- Establishing own households
4
Q
- What are the two time divisions of Adulthood?
A
- Early Adulthood
- Middle Adulthood
5
Q
- What is the age category of Early Adulthood?
A
- approximately between 20 and 40 years
6
Q
- What is the age category of Middle Adulthood?
A
- approximately between 40 and 65 years
7
Q
- Which age categories are titled as Emerging Adulthood?
A
- 18 to 19 years
- 20 to 23 years
8
Q
- What is the legal definition of Adulthood?
A
- a person who has reached the age at which they are
considered responsible for their own actions - they are legally accountable for their own actions
- this is referred to as the “age of majority”
(this is age 18 in most cultures)
(it can vary between the ages of 16 to 21)
9
Q
- What is the Socio-Cultural definition of Adulthood?
A
- it is based on what a culture views as the criteria for
being an adult - this influences the definitions of adulthood
- it becomes based on the individuals within a culture
- this may or may not coincide with the legal definition
10
Q
- What does Adult development refer to?
A
- it refers to the changes that occur in the following
domains of human life:
- biological
- psychological
- interpersonal - they occur from the end of adolescence up until the
end of life
11
Q
- What can be said about the changes experienced during Adult Development?
A
- they can be gradual or rapid
- they can reflect positive or negative changes from the previous levels of functioning of an individual
- they can also reflect no changes from the previous levels of functioning
12
Q
- What kind of changes are experienced during Adult Development?
A
- changes that occur at the cellular level
- they can be partially explained by biological theories
of adult development and ageing
13
Q
- What do the biological changes of Adult Development infleunce?
A
- they influence psychological developmental changes
- they also influence developmental changes that are
interpersonal and social - these developmental changes are often described by
Stage Theories of Human Development
14
Q
- What is the Bio-Psychosocial approach to Adult Development?
A
- It states that in order to understand human
development in its fullness:
- biological
- psychological
- social
levels of analysis must be described as 4 premisses
15
Q
- What is Premises 1 of 4 of the Bio- Psychosocial
approach to Adult Development?
A
- Human Development happens at the following levels
throughout life:
- biological
- psychological
- social
- a full descriptive account of development must
include all of the three above mentioned levels
16
Q
- What is Premises 2 of 4 of the Bio- Psychosocial
approach to Adult Development?
A
- development at each of the three levels influences the
other two levels - nature (biology) and nurture (social environment) are
in a constant complex interaction(with consideration to how and why psychological
development occurs)
17
Q
- What is Premises 3 of 4 of the Bio- Psychosocial
approach to Adult Development?
A
- biological, psychological and social descriptions and
explanations are all as valid as the other - there is no level of primacy between them
18
Q
- What is Premises 4 of 4 of the Bio- Psychosocial
approach to Adult Development?
A
- any aspect of human development is best described
and explained in relation to the whole person - and in relation to their social context
- it also looks at their biological and cognitive parts
19
Q
- In real terms, is Adulthood really uniform and
stable?
A
- no
- it is characterised by many important changes
20
Q
- What are the main changes in adult life c
characterised by?
A
- changes in social roles
- adjustments to major life events
21
Q
- Give some examples of major life events with
regards to Adulthood?
A
- getting married
- having children
- moving houses
- getting and changing jobs
- experiencing the death of loved ones
22
Q
- What is a Mid-Life Crisis?
A
- the realisation that half of ones life is almost over
- there is much self reflection on:
- family
- children
- career
- choices - people tend to experience Empty Nest Syndrome
- they seek another chance to live life
23
Q
- What kind of physical developments occur in an individuals Mid life and beyond?
A
- they experience physical changes at a biological level
- they can observe changes and problems with their
larger organs and at their musculoskeletal levels
24
Q
- What kind of changes are common for people who are at their Mid life?
A
- sensory changes
- degeneration, such as:
- muscle break down
- bone break down
- joint break down
- physical ailments (arthritis)
25
Q
- What changes occur at the Sensory Level for a person who is at the Mid Life stage of their lives?
A
- vision changes
- hearing changes
- taste changes
- touch changes
- smell changes
- a struggle to see objects close by
- a struggle to hear high pitches
26
Q
- What risks are increased as adult bodies age?
A
- risk of contracting a variety of illnesses
(both physical and mental)
27
Q
- What are 4 examples of Physical illnesses that are associated with Adulthood and ageing?
A
- Cancer
- Arthritis
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Immune System diseases
28
Q
- What is the connection between ageing and cancer?
A
- the majority of cancer cases occur in those over 50
years old - this can be due to a decline in immune system
strength - there could also be co-existing conditions present
29
Q
- What is one of the most commonly experienced illnesses in adults as they age?
A
- Osteoarthritis
- there are a variety of different types of Arthritis
30
Q
- What are common symptoms across all types of Arthritis?
A
- aching joints
- stiff joints
- continued joint pain
- problems with moving joints
31
Q
- What is the connection between ageing and Cardiovascular disease?
A
- the older the age of a person, the higher the risk
factor of contracting a cardiovascular disease
32
Q
- What are two conditions that increase the chances of developing Cardiovascular disease?
A
- hypertension
- high cholesterol
(these are commonly found in older adults)
33
Q
- Which types of disorders are often much more prevalent in Adulthood?
A
- psychological disorders
- psychiatric disorders
34
Q
- What is usually found to be very stressful for adults?
A
- gaining, changing and loosing social roles
35
Q
- What are the effects of Prolonged Stress?
A
- it has serious negative consequences for the immune
system and the endocrine system - issues with these systems often leads to symptoms
such as:
- Anxiety Disorders
- Depression
- Psychotic Disorders - these disorders are made worse as their is a primary
illness that usually accompanies them
(EG: cancer, cardiovascular disorders, disorders of the
immune system, AIDS)
36
Q
- Which model of Psychology is used when analysing
Adulthood?
A
- the Bio Psychosocial model
- this is because there is a link between Environmental,
Psychological and Biological factors - they are all relevant to the Adult stage of development
37
Q
- Read through this summary.
Does everything make sense?
A
- yes
