16. Adulthood

Question 1

1. What separates Childhood from Adolescence?

Answer 1

• puberty
  (hormonal changes)

Question 2

2. Is there a clear cut between Adulthood and Adolescence?

Answer 2

• there is no clear hormonal cut between adulthood and adolescence
• there are no large growth changes between adulthood and adolescence

Question 3

3. What are some examples of Adulthood activities?

Answer 3

• Financial Independence
• Marriage
• Children
• Establishing own households

Question 4

4. What are the two time divisions of Adulthood?

Answer 4

1. Early Adulthood
2. Middle Adulthood

Question 5

5. What is the age category of Early Adulthood?

Answer 5

• approximately between 20 and 40 years

Question 6

6. What is the age category of Middle Adulthood?

Answer 6

• approximately between 40 and 65 years

Question 7

7. Which age categories are titled as Emerging Adulthood?

Answer 7

• 18 to 19 years
• 20 to 23 years

Question 8

8. What is the legal definition of Adulthood?

Answer 8

• 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)

Question 9

9. What is the Socio-Cultural definition of Adulthood?

Answer 9

• 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

Question 10

10. What does Adult development refer to?

Answer 10

• 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

Question 11

11. What can be said about the changes experienced during Adult Development?

Answer 11

• 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

Question 12

12. What kind of changes are experienced during Adult Development?

Answer 12

• changes that occur at the cellular level
• they can be partially explained by biological theories
  of adult development and ageing

Question 13

13. What do the biological changes of Adult Development infleunce?

Answer 13

• 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

Question 14

14. What is the Bio-Psychosocial approach to Adult Development?

Answer 14

• It states that in order to understand human
  development in its fullness:
  - biological
  - psychological
  - social
  levels of analysis must be described as 4 premisses

Question 15

15. What is Premises 1 of 4 of the Bio- Psychosocial
    approach to Adult Development?

Answer 15

1. 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

Question 16

16. What is Premises 2 of 4 of the Bio- Psychosocial
    approach to Adult Development?

Answer 16

• 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)

Question 17

17. What is Premises 3 of 4 of the Bio- Psychosocial
    approach to Adult Development?

Answer 17

• biological, psychological and social descriptions and
  explanations are all as valid as the other
• there is no level of primacy between them

Question 18

18. What is Premises 4 of 4 of the Bio- Psychosocial
    approach to Adult Development?

Answer 18

• 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

Question 19

19. In real terms, is Adulthood really uniform and
    stable?

Answer 19

• no
• it is characterised by many important changes

Question 20

20. What are the main changes in adult life c
    characterised by?

Answer 20

• changes in social roles
• adjustments to major life events

Question 21

21. Give some examples of major life events with
    regards to Adulthood?

Answer 21

• getting married
• having children
• moving houses
• getting and changing jobs
• experiencing the death of loved ones

Question 22

22. What is a Mid-Life Crisis?

Answer 22

• 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

Question 23

23. What kind of physical developments occur in an individuals Mid life and beyond?

Answer 23

• they experience physical changes at a biological level
• they can observe changes and problems with their
  larger organs and at their musculoskeletal levels

Question 24

24. What kind of changes are common for people who are at their Mid life?

Answer 24

• sensory changes
• degeneration, such as:
  - muscle break down
  - bone break down
  - joint break down
  - physical ailments (arthritis)

Question 25

25. What changes occur at the Sensory Level for a person who is at the Mid Life stage of their lives?

Answer 25

• vision changes
• hearing changes
• taste changes
• touch changes
• smell changes
• a struggle to see objects close by
• a struggle to hear high pitches

Question 26

26. What risks are increased as adult bodies age?

Answer 26

• risk of contracting a variety of illnesses
  (both physical and mental)

Question 27

27. What are 4 examples of Physical illnesses that are associated with Adulthood and ageing?

Answer 27

1. Cancer
2. Arthritis
3. Cardiovascular Disease
4. Immune System diseases

Question 28

28. What is the connection between ageing and cancer?

Answer 28

• 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

Question 29

29. What is one of the most commonly experienced illnesses in adults as they age?

Answer 29

• Osteoarthritis
• there are a variety of different types of Arthritis

Question 30

30. What are common symptoms across all types of Arthritis?

Answer 30

• aching joints
• stiff joints
• continued joint pain
• problems with moving joints

Question 31

31. What is the connection between ageing and Cardiovascular disease?

Answer 31

• the older the age of a person, the higher the risk
  factor of contracting a cardiovascular disease

Question 32

32. What are two conditions that increase the chances of developing Cardiovascular disease?

Answer 32

• hypertension
• high cholesterol

(these are commonly found in older adults)

Question 33

33. Which types of disorders are often much more prevalent in Adulthood?

Answer 33

• psychological disorders
• psychiatric disorders

Question 34

34. What is usually found to be very stressful for adults?

Answer 34

• gaining, changing and loosing social roles

Question 35

35. What are the effects of Prolonged Stress?

Answer 35

• 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)

Question 36

36. Which model of Psychology is used when analysing
    Adulthood?

Answer 36

• 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

Question 37

37. Read through this summary.
    Does everything make sense?

Answer 37

• yes