Late Adulthood—Physical, Cognitive, and Psychosocial Development Flashcards
What are some of the age-related changes in the brain during late adulthood?
loss of 5-10% of brain weight, brain volume also decreases. Reflexes and cognitive functioning slow
What are some common chronic disorders that impact people in late adulthood?
Diabetes, arteriosclerosis, orthopedic impairments, visual impairments, sinus problems, heart conditions, hearing impairments, hypertension, arthritis
What are cognitive mechanic changes in late adulthood, and how do they change?
Cognitive mechanics are the “hardware” of the mind and reflect the neurophysiological architecture of the brain that was developed through evolution.
likely to decline with age
What are cognitive pragmatics changes in late adulthood, and how do they change?
Cognitive pragmatics are the culture-based “software programs” of the mind. Cognitive pragmatics include reading and writing skills, language comprehension, educational qualifications, professional skills, and also the type of knowledge about the self and life skills that help us to master or cope with life.
likely to improve with age
What are speed of processing changes in late adulthood, and how do they change?
how fast you process input. tends to decline
What are episodic memory changes in late adulthood, and how do they change?
Episodic memory is the retention of information about the where and when of life’s happenings. For example, what was the color of the walls in your bedroom when you were a child, what was your first date like
age increases difficulty in retrieving these memories
What are semantic memory changes in late adulthood, and how do they change?
Semantic memory is a person’s knowledge about the world. It includes a person’s fields of expertise, such as knowledge of chess for a skilled chess player;
declines, but less so than episodic memory
What are explicit memory changes in late adulthood, and how do they change?
Explicit memory is memory of facts and experiences that individuals consciously know and can state
declines in old age
What are implicit memory changes in late adulthood, and how do they change?
Implicit memory is memory without conscious recollection; it involves skills and routine procedures that are automatically performed. Examples of implicit memory include driving a car
less likely to be affected by age
What are prospective memory changes in late adulthood, and how do they change?
Prospective memory involves remembering to do something in the future, such as remembering to take your medicine or remembering to do an errand.
in real life events, better than younger adults
What are the main findings of longitudinal studies in regards to cognitive functioning in late adulthood?
Victoria Longitudinal Study, when middle-aged and older adults participated in intellectually engaging activities it served to buffer them against cognitive decline
In a longitudinal study of 801 Catholic priests 65 years and older, those who regularly read books, did crossword puzzles, or otherwise exercised their minds were 47 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer disease
What are the main conclusions drawn from research regarding the effect of memory/cognition training?
train your brain in younger years to prevent age related effects in older years
Describe Erikson’s theory of Integrity Versus Despair
This stage involves reflecting on the past and either piecing together a positive review or concluding that one’s life has not been well spent
Describe Activity theory
Activity theory states that the more active and involved older adults are, the more likely they are to be satisfied with their lives
Describe Socioemotional selectivity theory
Socioemotional selectivity theory states that older adults become more selective about their social networks. Because they place a high value on emotional satisfaction, older adults spend more time with familiar individuals with whom they have had rewarding relationships.
