Ch. 1 Studying Adult Development and Aging Flashcards
ageism
the study of aging from maturity through old age
ageism
discrimination based on age, whether it be old or young
life-span perspective
divides human development into 2 phases:
(1) early phase - childhood y adolescence
(2) later phase - YA, middle age y old age
features of life-span perspective
(1) multidirectionality
(2) plasticity
(3) historical context
(4) multiple causation
multidirectionality
development that involves both growth y decline
(ie) increase vocab but rxn time slows down throughout life
plasticity
no predetermined
- mind/body very adaptable
historical context
development based on historical time y culture
(ie) living in Manitowoc vs living in NYC
multiple causation
how people develop as a result of a wide variety of forces
- shaped by biological, psychological, sociobultural y life-cycle forces
normative age-graded influences
experiences caused by biological, psychological y sociocultural forces that occur to most people of a particular age
- highly correlated w/ chronological age
(ie) puberty, menarche, menopause, parenthood, etc
normative history-graded influences
events that most people in a specific culture experience @ the same time
(ie) war, stereotypes, epidemics, attitudes, etc.
nonnormative influences
random or rare events that may be important for a specific individual but are not experienced by most people
(ie) winning the lottery, airplane crash, cancer, etc.
forces of development
(1) biological forces
(2) psychological forces
(3) sociocultural forces
(4) life-cycle forces
biological forces
(force of development) genetic y health-related factors that affect development
(ie) menopause y facial wrinkling
psychological forces
(force of development) internal perceptual, cognitive, emotional y personality factors that affect development
sociocultural forces
(force of development) interpersonal, societal, cultural y ethnic factors that affect development
life-cycle forces
(force of development) differences in how the same event or combo of bio, psycho y socio forces affects people @ different points in their lives
culture**
shared basic values, orientations, norms, beliefs y customary habits y ways of living
ethnocentricism**
the belief that one’s own culture is superior to others
ethnicity**
an individual y collective sense of identity based on historical y cultural group membership y related behavs/beliefs
primary aging
normal, disease-free development during adulthood
(ie) menopause y loss of family/friends
secondary aging
developmental changes that are related to disease, lifestyle y otro environmentally induced changes that are not inevitable
(ie) pollution y Alzheimer’s disease
tertiary aging*
rapid losses that occur shortly before death
(ie) terminal drop
terminal drop**
marked decline of intellectual abilities in the last few years before death
chronological age*
calendar age
perceived age*
the age you think of yourself as
“You’re only as old as you feel”
biological age*
assessed by measuring the fcn of various vital or life-limiting organ systems (CDV system)
psychological age
the fcnl level of psych abilities people use to adapt to changing environmental demands
sociocultural age*
societal/cultural standards for specific age groups
- based on style of dress, customs, language
(ie) age of when to get married
nature vs. nurture
the degree to which genetic or hereditary influences (nature) and experiential or environmental influences (nurture) determine the kind of person you are
stability-change issue*
the degree to which people remain the same over time
continuity-discontinuity controversy
concerns whether a particular developmental phenomenon represents a smooth progression over time (continuity) or a series of abrupt shifts (discontinuity)
(continuity) focus on AMOUNT of a characteristic a person has
(discontinuity) focus on the KINDS of characteristics a person has
experimental research designs
created w/ independent variable (manipulated), dependent variables (what we look at) and random assignment
naturalistic observation*
observe behavior spontaneously in real-life situation
structured observation*
observation by researcher in a created setting that is likely to elicit behavior of interest
correlational design*
examine relations between variables as they exist naturally in the world
- not cause y effect
- predictive nature
case studies*
look @ individual cases
- can’t assume generalizaiton
cross-sectional design
testing people of different ages at the same time
- most popular
longitudinal design
same individuals observed or tested repeatedly @ diff. points in their lives
microgenetic study**
a special type of longitudinal design where participants are tested repeated over a span of days or weeks
- typically w/ the aim of observing change directly as it occurs
age effects*
differences caused by underlying processes (bio, psycho, social changes)
- inherent changes
- not caused by passage of time
cohort effects
differences caused by experiences y circumstances unique to the generation to which one belongs
- correspond to normative history-graded influences
(ie) differences in texting in older generation vs. younger generation
time-of-measurement effects*
differences stemming from socio, environmental, historical or otro events @ the time the data are obtained from participants
(ie) comfort w/ Muslims before 9/11 vs. after 9/11
