Death and Dying

Question 1

Death is a universal experience, one that we will all eventually face

Despite this, the topic has only recently begun to be studied by developmental psychologists
Some things that are being explored:

Question 2

fyi

Defining Death: Determining the Point at Which Life Ends

Medicine’s definition changes; people who would have been considered dead a few years ago now would be considered alive

Question 3

individual passes into permanent death

Question 4

Death is not as straightforward a definition as it seems!

Question 5

where brain activity is measured, has become the medical measure of death (no possibility of restoring brain function).

Question 6

brain death info: just fyi

1. There is still some question about using only brain waves as the death definition.
2. It emphasizes only biology not the qualities that make people human (thinking, feeling, etc.).

Question 7

fyi

Death Across the Lifespan: Causes & Reactions

We associate death with old age, but death occurs throughout the life span.

Question 8

the US has a high________mortality rate.

Answer 8

Infant and Childhood Death

Question 9

Infant and Childhood Deaths:

Question 10

1. SIDS usually strikes between__to__months, suddenly.
2. There is no known cause for SIDS so parents often feel intense guilt (and acquaintances may be suspicious).

Question 11

what are the most frequent cause of death in childhood but there are a substantial number of homicides (4th leading cause of death between ages 1 & 9).

Question 12

Children do not have a realistic view of death.

Question 13

Death in Adolescence

Question 14

Death in Young Adulthood

Question 15

Death in Middle Adulthood

Question 16

Most people know when they are dying; it is caretakers who tend to have more difficulties communicating about it.

Question 17

The Stages of Death: Understanding the Process of Dying

Question 18

Kubler-Ross’ 5 stages of death (Berk text)


Answer 19

Denial

Question 20

1. “Why me/her?” “Why not you?”
2. In this stage people may be very difficult to be around.

Answer 20

Anger

Question 21

1. At this stage individuals are trying to negotiate their way out of the death.
2. Typically, people try to “make deals” with God.
3. Sometimes the bargain creates an event or date until which the person can hold on to (such as a grandchild’s wedding, or a 100th birthday).

Answer 21

Bargaining

Question 22

1. The individual at this stage is overwhelmed by a deep sense of loss.
2. Reactive depression is a type of depression based on what has already occurred, such as loss of dignity, health, etc.
3. Preparatory depression is the anticipation of future losses, such as the loss of a relationship.

Answer 22

Depression

Question 23

1. People are fully aware that death is impending
2. In this stage individuals near death make peace with death and may want to be left alone.
3. Persons in this stage are often unemotional and uncommunicative.

Answer 23

5) Acceptance

Answer 24

Criticisms of Kubler-Ross’s model 


Question 25

fyi

However, Elisabeth Kubler-Ross is still influential and is credited with being the first person to bring the phenomenon of death into public awareness.

Question 26

Choosing the way one dies - people now have choices


Question 27

It is sometimes difficult to get medical personnel to follow these directives

Question 28

To gain more control over decisions regarding their death, increasing numbers of people are signing living wills

Question 29

1. is a death in which a person provides the means for a terminally ill patient to commit suicide.
2. Dr. Jack Kevorkian is best know for this role and has been prosecuted in the U.S.
3. Laws are more accepting in other countries.
4. Assisted suicide is one form of EUTHANASIA, the practice of assisting terminally ill people to die more quickly.

Answer 29

Assisted suicide