Ch. 12 - adulthood: body and mind Flashcards
adulthood
covers 4 decades, from ages 25-65
self-perception in adulthood
30 to 65 year olds feel 5-10 years younger than their chronological age
most adults consider themselves strong, capable, and healthy.
adults ages 26-60 contribute more to society than any other age group
senescence
gradual physical decline during which the body becomes less strong and efficient
allostatic load measured by
18 indicators of health and aging; aging differs, as some people age 3 years per chronological year, and others less than one.
breathing and age
dispersal into bloodstream from lungs decreases about 4% per decade after 20 yo.
some adults might seriously impair their lungs by middle age
sleep is increasingly seen as crucial
the brain with age
- brain slows down with age; slower firing neurons and axon pick up; lengthened rxn time
- brain continues to grow and develop in adulthood, but myelination is decreased in some places.
- for about 1% of all adults, significant brain loss occurs before age 65
neurons forming in adulthood
parts of the brain grow during adulthood
dentate gyrus
specific area of hippocampus where new neurons settle, a region activated in forming new memories and exploring new places
the senses over time
become less acute; brain compensates for loss in any one area by using other senses. tech and behaviour can help compensate
vision
- involves 30 distinct brain areas
- age affects each area in specific ways
- peripheral vision narrows faster than frontal vision
- shape of lens changes
hearing
- most acute at 10 years old
- high frequencies lost earlier
- some nations have laws requiring hearing protection for workers
skin
- becomes drier, rougher, thinner, and less flexible
- collagen begins to decrease, wrinkles appear esp around eyes
- cells below surface are more variable
hair
begins to turn gray and thin
shape
- middle-age spread
- posture change, lowered height
- muscle trophy, joint flexibility loss, stiffness
- reduced strength, agility, and speed
sexual responsiveness
- sexual arousal and orgasm
- distress at slower responsiveness
- emotional satisfaction and physical pleasure
- extreme satisfaction
infertility
- is most common in nations where med care scarce and STIs common
- 12% of US couples are infertile partly b/c many postpone childbearing
- involves factors that impair physical functioning
assisted reproductive technology (ART)
- overcomes obstacles such as low sperm count and blocked fallopian tubes
- have solved ~1/2 of fertility problems
IVF
technique in which ova are surgically removed and fertilized with sperm in a lab
after zygotes have divided several times, they are inserted into the uterus.
menopause
- menstrual periods cease and production of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone decrease considerably
- treatment:
- hysterectomy
- hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
andropause
- testosterone levels decrease in older men, which normally results in a decrease in sexual desire, erections, and muscle mass
- treatment: drugs (e.g. Viagra, Levitra)
exercise
- regular exercise protects against serious ailments
- strengthens the immune system
- physical and mental health also influenced by family, friends, and community
medication
> 1/2 of 25-65 yo have at least one prescription
~1/2 prescriptions for chronic conditions
~ 11% of adults have antidepressant prescriptions
OTC drugs wildly used
nicotine
- cigarette harm is dose-related
- influences vary by cohort and culture
- tobacco causes more death than any other drug
- usage has decreased over last 50 years; fewer women quit
alcohol
- adults who drink in moderation live longer than abstainers
- alcohol abuse shows age, gender, cohort, and cultural differences
- low-income nations have more abstainers, more abusers, and less moderate drinkers than more affluent nations
the opioid epidemic
opioid deaths have increased every year of past decades, particularly among adults aged 26-44
diet: united states
- world leader in obesity and diabetes
- 66% overweight, 33% of these obese
- metabolism decreases by 1/3 between 20-60 yo
- increase in obesity cannot be blamed on genes; therefore cultural influences more important
excess body fat and chronic disease
excess body fat increases risk of almost every chronic disease, including diabetes. there are psychological and physical consequences to obesity.
income and health
- SES differences apparent in every nation.
- well-educated, financially secure adults live longer
within US, overall risk of dying between 25-65 yo is ___, however for poorest groups its as high as ___.
15%; 50%
the 10 million US residents with highest SES outlive the 10 million with the lowest SES by about ____
30 years.
intelligence is …
1) multi-directional
2) multi-cultural
3) multi-contextual
4) plastic
general intelligence (g)
Spearman
intelligence is one basic trait, involving all cognitive abilities, which people possess in varying amounts. it cannot be measured directly, but inferred from various abilities
components of intelligence
- fluid intelligence
- crystallized intelligence
- analytic intelligence
- creative intelligence
- practical intelligence
fluid intelligence
those types of basic intelligence that make learning of all sorts quick and thorough.
- working memory, abstract thought, speed of thinking
crystallized intelligence
the types of intellectual ability that reflect accumulated learning
- vocab and general info
analytic intelligence
remembering and analyzing various ideas; valuable in high school and college
- abstract planning, strategizing, focused attention, logic, verbal skills
creative intelligence
involves intellectual flexibility and innovation.
- imagination, originality, vision, appreciation of the unexplained or unusual
practical intelligence
intellectual skills used in everyday problem solving; experience advances it; crucial on the job and cannot be assessed by an abstract test
- adaptive actions, applied skills and knowledge, understanding and assessing daily problems
cognitive artifacts
intellectual tools passed down from generation to generation that may assist in learning within societies
selecting areas of expertise
culture and context guide in selecting areas of expertise
expert
someone with specialized skills and knowledge developed around a particular activity or area of specific interest
- are notably more skilled and knowledgeable than the avg person a/b which activities are personally meaningful
- are more intuitive, automatic, strategic, and flexible in their chosen field
selective optimization with compensation
the theory that people try to maintain a balance in their lives by looking for the best way to compensate for physical and cognitive losses and to become more proficient in activities they can already do well.
how are experts intuitive?
- they rely on past experiences and immediate contexts
- actions are more intuitive and less stereotypic; novices follow formal procedures and rules
how are experts automatic?
- process incoming information more quickly and analyze it more efficiently than nonexperts
- they then act in well-rehearsed, apparently unconscious ways
how are experts strategic?
they have more and better strategies, esp when problems are unexpected
how are experts flexible?
they are creative and curious, deliberately experimenting and enjoying the challenge when things don’t go according to plan
relationship between age and expertise is…
age and task related.
experienced adults often use selective optimization with compensation in becoming experts; the brain adapts as people become experts
family skills
important shifts have occurred lately …
1) more women are working in traditionally male-dominated fields
2) domestic work has gained new respect
3) it is no longer assumed a “maternal instinct” is innate to every mother
