Human Behavior-Early/Middle Adulthood Flashcards
What age are people in young adulthood?
20-40
What are some characteristics of young adulthood?
- evolution of the adult psychological self and life structure
- assumption of major social roles
- peaking of biological development
What does transition to adulthood require?
success in previous stages of development
What is the transition to adulthood primarily characterized by?
separation from parents (physical and intra-psychic) and being able to function independently
How do the family dynamics shift?
the child is now a fellow adult
Who has influence on the values/ideas young adults develop?
less from parents and more from professors, bosses, coaches, peers, etc.
How does a young adult develop a new inner definition of the self early on?
self as being comfortably alone and competent; able to care for self in real world (develops more as adult takes new work/family roles)
Define third individuation. (Mahler)
separate self and develop self as fully competent/able to care for self
In 2012, what percentage of young adults ages 18-31 in the US were living with their parents? Why is this significant?
- 36%
- largest percentage in 40 years
What are the potential reasons for co-residence of young adults?
- declining employment
- increased college enrollment
- declining marriage/delay in marriage
What significant changes are going on in the brain during adolescence and continuing on to early/mid-20s?
- increased myelination of axons
- extension of dendrites
- synaptic pruning
Which structures of the brain are the last to develop in young adults?
- prefrontal cortex
- temporal cortex
- hippocampus (learning)
- amygdala (emotions/fear)
What are some functions of the prefrontal cortex?
- inhibiting impulses
- weighing consequences of decisions
- prioritizing
- strategizing
Do young adults still make impulsive or dangerous decisions?
yes, depending on stage of neuronal development
What age groups have the heaviest alcohol use?
late teens and early young adulthood
What is a misconception that young adults assume about heavy alcohol use?
it’s normal in the young adult population
What is the percentage of 18-24 year-olds who binge drank (>5 drinks/occasion) in the past 30 days?
- College = 45.2%
- Non-college = 39.8%
Which gender tends to have more alcohol use in young adulthood?
males
Alcohol use ______ after about age 25.
declines
What are the risks of binge drinking?
- unintentional injury/traffic accidents
- assault
- sexual assault
- negative effects on brain development (motor skills, memory, coordination)
- physical effects (BP, etc.)
What is normative re-education?
concept that societal alterations should be based on active re-education of people within the context of their social milieu; i.e. make something else the “norm”
What was normative re-education used for at Michigan State University? Was it effective?
- to reduce drinking
- yes!
What is the purpose of Brief Motivational Interviewing (Miller)?
- express empathy
- develop discrepancy
- avoid argumentation
- roll with resistance
- support self efficacy
What are examples of effective approaches to substance abuse?
normative re-education and brief motivational interviewing
In Western society, what is the age range of 20-30 characterized by?
- time to aggressively pursue both love and work
- immense confidence/excitement about one’s potential
- enormous doubt and angst over the fear of failure and loneliness
Young adults at 20-30 year old stage are often ______ about their choices.
tentative
What are 5 characteristics that define young adult biological development?
- peak in anatomical, physiological and chemical development
- evolutionarily primed for physical labor and procreation
- healthiest stage of life
- maximum efficiency of immune system
- good time to establish healthy habits as young adults are now making decisions for selves
What are young adults at increased risk for, biologically?
mental illness
Mental illnesses typically first present when?
between ages 20 to 30
At transition from adolescence to young adulthood, what is common, socially?
hookups
As they get older, young adults experience an increased desire for _________.
deep emotional involvement in a sexual context
What Erikson stage corresponds to young adulthood?
Stage 6: Intimacy vs. Isolation (Self-absorption)
What is needed to achieve successful intimacy?
successful resolution of Identity vs. Role Diffusion stage
Define intimacy.
being able to be close to others
With whom can one be intimate?
lover, friend, member of a community
What does true intimacy require?
mutuality
What are problems associated with intimacy when people have role confusion?
- frightened by intimacy required sexual relations
- scared of close friendships
- scared of important associations in adult life
In the US, what is the main factor that people look for when choosing a partner?
love
Besides love, what are some other factors people look for when choosing a partner?
mutual attraction, similar interests, dependability, emotional stability, pleasing disposition, good health, intelligence, economic stability, good social standing (different cultures may emphasize different factors)
For many people in Western culture, the experience of love leads to ______.
desire for marriage
Define homogamy
the tendency to marry someone who is similar in age, race, education, religion and other demographics
What are some characteristics of marriages that work?
- visible displays of affection
- little negative communication
- view selves as interdependent
- experience social homogamy
- similarity in leisure activities and role preferences
- similar interests
What are some characteristics indicative of early marital conflict?
- difficulty developing identity apart from spouse
- finding time to allocate sharing with spouse
- finances
Cultural views about marriage are _____ and rates of traditional marriage are _____.
- changing
- dropping
The percentage of women aged 15-44 in a first marriage has _______ since the 1980s.
steadily decreased
What percentage of women aged 15-44 were never married in 1982? In 2006-2010?
- 34%
- 38%
What is the median age of women when they first marry?
25.8
What is the median age of men when they first marry?
28.3
How many states banned interracial marriage in 1967 (Supreme Court decision)?
19
What percentage of new marriages in the US in 2010 were between spouses of different races or ethnicities? In 1980?
- 15%
- 6.7%
What percent of the public said they would have no problem with a family member marrying someone outside their own racial/ethnic group?
63%
In 1986, ____ of the public said interracial marriage was acceptable for everyone.
1/3
What percentage of women (2006-210) co-habited with a parter as a first union? In 1995?
- 48%
- 34%
What percentage of women cohabiting with partner as first union transitioned to marriage by 3 years?
40%
What percentage of women cohabiting with partner as first union remained intact?
32%
What percentage of women cohabiting with partner as first union dissolved?
27%
More educated women (BA/BS) were _______ to cohabit and _______ to marry.
- less likely
- more likely
What was the first state to legalize same-sex marriage? In what year?
- Massachusetts
- 2003
How many states (not counting the District of Columbia) currently legalize same-sex marriages?
17
How many states currently have amended their constitutions to ban gay marriage?
29
Divorce rates have ________ since the 1980s
declined
Most divorced patients _______.
marry again
Is a 2nd marriage more or less successful, usually, than the 1st one?
more
In late adolescence and young adulthood, what is the emotion need for closeness and confidentiality largely met by?
friendships
Why are some friendships in young adulthood abandoned?
young adults transition to form serious, intimate relationships (couples)
When young adults become parents, how do they usually make new friends?
become friends with parents of children’s friends; at similar stage in life
What are 3 main characteristics that define parenthood?
- joy to witness the creation and development of new little human being
- need to focus large amount of energy on child; father and mother need to work together
- intensification of relationship between two parents
In Western culture, parents raise children _____ than in many other cultures.
in greater isolation
How are parental roles changing nowadays?
parents splitting parenting tasks more
What traits does a mother of a securely attached infant display?
- sensitivity to infant’s needs and desires
- responsive during face-to-face interactions
- aware of child’s moods
- warm and affectionate
_________ and ______ are likely to have insecurely attached children.
- overly responsive mothers
- under-responsive mothers
Early research on parenting was focused mostly on what relationship?
between mother-child
Do infants form primary initial relationships with fathers (as well as mothers)?
yes!
Define interactional synchrony.
caregivers respond to infants appropriately and both caregiver and child match emotional states
What are some challenges that parenthood may bring?
- Economic burden (~$250,000 per child)
- investment of time
- loss of independence
- description as continual process of letting go
- children may reawaken conflicts parents experienced as children themselves
What percentage of women develop mood/anxiety disorders during pregnancy/post-partum period?
20%
Define post-partum blues.
(50-85% of women) mood lability, tearfulness, anxiety, irritability
Define post-partum depression.
(10-15% of women) sad mood, tearfulness, loss of interest, feelings of guilt/worthlessness/incompetence, fatigue, sleep disturbance, change in appetite, poor concentration and suicidal thoughts
Post-partum pychosis is ____.
rare
What are some risk factors for post-partum depression?
- history of mental illness
- rapid hormonal changes after delivery
- inadequate social support
- recent stressful life event
- relationship difficulties with father of baby
- difficulty sleeping
- difficulty adjusting to new role as parent
Depression and anxiety during pregnancy are associate with what?
lower birth weight and premature delivery?
Do medications during pregnancy and breastfeeding carry risks?
yes
Post-partum depression is associate with ______ in infant bonding?
difficulty with attachment and decrease
Post-partum psychosis carries with it a high risk for _______.
suicide and infanticide
How do you screen for perinatal mental illness?
questionnaires in OB/Peds offices
In 2012, what percent of children lived only with their mothers? Only with their fathers?
- 24%
- 4%
What are some challenges associated with single parenting?
- significant economic burdens
- emotionally/physically draining
- if parents are separated, children do better when both parents are involved
Same-sex parenting is _______.
increasing
How can same-sex parents obtain children?
- adoption
2. artificial insemination
Children are more likely to develop emotional problems/homosexuality when raised in a homosexual family compared to a traditional one: True or False
False; no more likely to develop homosexual lifestyle
Since the turn of the century, which method of orphan care is preferred?
adoption or foster care (over institutionalized care)
There has been a decrease in children put up for adoption in the US due to
increased use of contraception
There are ______ international adoptions.
more
What are some specific challenges of raising an adopted child?
- how/when to tell child about adoption
- how to deal with child’s desire to learn about biological parents
- children are more likely to have behavioral problems and problems with drug abuse
What are 5 symptoms of job dissatisfaction?
- frequent job changes
- absenteeism
- frequent mistakes at work
- accident proneness
- sabotage
What age range is considered middle adulthood?
40-65 “closer to colonoscopy than college”
What are 5 main physiologic changes that occur in middle adulthood?
- Bone loss exceeds formation
- Lean muscle mass decreases
- Energy requirements decrease
- Reduced sensitivity to pain, temp, pressure, vibration and light tough
- Diminished senses - olfaction, taste, sight, hearing
Fluid intelligence
Ability to process novel info, analyze things with little or no previous knowledge
At what age does fluid intelligence peak?
Early 20’s
At what age does brain weight peak?
30
What two areas of the brain lose the greatest amount of cells in middle adulthood?
- Cerebellum - up to 25% - poor balance
2. Hippocampus - up to 30% throughout life
Crystalized intellignece
Apply knowledge gained over time w/ experience - uses judgment
What type of intelligence can improve thru middle adulthood?
Crystalized intelligence
Memory is related to which 3 things?
- Physical health
- Mental health
- Level of physical activity
Implicit memory
Procedural memory - skill practiced/automatic, motor component
Explicit memory
Acquisition of new info - slower than in younger people
Problem focused coping
Adaptive focused - focus on problem, master situation, or expand resources
Emotion focused coping
Palliative - master emotional response in order to attenuate emotional impact
Type A personality (5)
- Intense sustained drive for achievement
- Persistent need for recognition
- Controlling, self oriented
- Express anger readily,
- Cynical world view
Type B personality (4)
- Enthusiastic
- Many interests outside of work
- Meets own needs, responsive to needs of others
- Optimistic world view
Type C personality (3)
- Repress feelings
- Unassertive
- Appear needy and helpless
Type D personality (4)
- Experience negative emotions
- Appear fatigued and depressed
- “Smoldering with resentment”
- Negative world view
Which personality type is at an increased risk for CAD and complication
Type A (true when compared to Type B, but Type D has worse overall)
Which personality type w/ CAD have a 4-fold risk of death?
Type D
By mid-life, do men or women have a higher risk of developing CAD?
Men (1:2) compared to 1:3 for women
At what age are men at an increased risk for death from cardiovascular disease?
35
Which personality type is at a greater risk for developing cancer?
Type C - unexpressed negative emotion
4:10 will develop some type of cancer over life, what percentage of these will be in mid-life (55 and older)?
75%
Sandwich generation
Role of middle adults as caregivers for parents and children simultaneously
Empty Nest Syndrome characteristics (3)
- Depression - loss of purpose
- Worry, stress, anxiety over welfare of child
- Feelings of rejection (child no longer needs them)
Who is more susceptible to empty nest syndrome?
Mother’s who are primary caregivers
Boomerang Generation
Young adults living with their parents
What percentage of young adults live with their parents?
33% - more than double from 10 years ago
When young adults move back with their parents what do they fight over?
- Comings and goings
- Hours kept
- Help w/ household maintenance
- Money
What 4 things can contribute to a midlife crisis (period of reappraisal)?
- Personal illness
- Regrets over work
- Marriage
- Children leaving, aging/death of parents
What is the difference between a male and female midlife crisis?
Male midlife crisis is often related to work or career, where a female midlife crisis is related to physical and sexual changes associated w/ menopause
What characteristic do both male and female midlife crisis share? At what age does this happen?
Both view life as coming into decline; around 30
What are for signs someone is going through a midlife crisis?
- Remorse, aimless, desire to recapture youthfulness
- Acquisition of expensive material items
- Relationships with significantly younger people
- Placing unrealistic expectations on children to excel at everything
What are four benefits about middle adulthood?
- At vocational/earning peak
- Peak of social authority
- Rank themselves as having higher overall satisfaction
- Quality time spent w/ spouse is improved
Couples with children spend ______ of the time alone with each other as compared to before kids
1/3
What questions does self-reflection in middle adulthood lead to?
Where have I been
What am I doing
Where am I going from here
Am I satisfied
What Erikson stage corresponds to middle adulthood and what virtue comes out of it?
- Generativity v. Stagnation
2. Care
What does the successful resolution of the generativity v. Stagnation stage look like?
Realize that mortality is inevitable - create a better world for subsequent generations
What does some one struggling with the generativity v. stagnation stage look like?
Regretful or sense of uselssness; sense of emptiness
What are 4 characteristics of stagnation?
- Regression to obsessive need for pseudo intimacy
- Indulge themselves
- Early invalidism - vehicle of self concern
- Turn inward not outward
What Erikson stage correlates to 65+ and what virtue does it result in?
- Ego Integrity v. Despair
2. Wisdom
What does success in the Ego Integrity v. Despair stage look like? Failure?
- Feel accomplishment and wholeness
2. Despondent
Skeletal maturity is reached by _________ with a peak at about ________.
- young adulthood
- 25-30 years
Muscle strength peaks at about ______ and decreases in strength begins around _____
- 30
- 50
Between ages of 50-70, you loose about ____ of muscle strength. How do you combat this?
- 30%
- resistance exercises
When does energy requirement decrease?
after age 40
Hearing peaks at what age? At what age is there a degeneration in the auditory vestibular supporting hair cells?
- 20
- 30
What is Prebyopia?
older visual changes?
What causes near-sightedness?
ciliary muscle changes so that lens curvature decreases
_______ % of people in midlife have hearing loss that’s clinically significant.
25%
Decreasing ability to detect odors more strikingly affects ____.
men
Over lifetime, can lose up to _____ of tastebuds.
80%
_______ of dermal receptors will degenerage throughout a lifetime
90%
Fluid intelligence and explicit memory _____ while crystallized intelligence _____.
- declines
- improves
What pathological changes can occur in aging human brain?
- amyloid plaques
2. neurofibrulary tangles
How do neurons adapt to loss in number of neurons in brain?
sprout new dendrites
Health management and life satisfaction are dependent on ________.
ability to cope positively with stressful situations
[problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping]
Personality style influences ______.
general health
Likelihood of mortality in men beings to increase after ______ and in women after ______ (US).
- 35
- 51 (after menopause)
What percentage of parents with adult children living at home report “severe” conflict?
about 50%
What happens during formal operational stage (Piaget)?
- thinking moves from egocentric to sociocentric/more scientific
- adaptation = accommodation/assimilation
- think logically/abstract thought
______ links religion and moral reasoning and is psuedo last stage of Kohlberg’s theory.
Transcendental mortality
What are Kohlberg’s last two stages (under Post-Conventional thought)?
- Stage 5 = social contract (law is general guideline–>democratic governments based off this)
- Stage 6 = universal ethical–>abstract reasoning based on ethical principles (lots of empathy; imagining their values/beliefs–>purely because it’s right)
What is Fowler’s stage of middle adulthood?
conjunctive = acknowledge paradox of religion (not just one right truth/creed); 7 stages of faith
What is Super’s stage of middle adulthood?
maintenance = 5 stages of career development; continuity, stable, little stress
Which stage of life possess the most power/authority?
middle adulthood
What is climacterium?
change in physiologic function that occurs during midlife (can occur in males as well as females)
What defines the end of menopause
1 year since last missed menstrual period
What can help relieve hot flashes during menopause? What is a risk factor, however?
- estrogen/progesterone replacement therapy
- increased risk of uterine/breast cancer