lecture 1- the study of adult development and aging

Question 1

gerontology

Answer 1

study of aging from maturity though old age–> biological, psychological, sociological changes

Question 2

what is the preferred way to reference someone over age of 65?

Answer 2

older adult/ older person –> more neutral and acknowledges how experience of aging varies

Question 3

what are the age groups of: first age, second age, third age, fourth age

Answer 3

1st= youth to early 20s
2nd= early 20s to 40s
3rd= 50-75
4th= >75

Question 4

what do you call ages 65-74, 75-84, 85+

Answer 4

young-old
old-old
oldest-old

Question 5

historically, who were the focus of research from developmental perspective?

Answer 5

children and adolescents

Question 6

what is the older adulthood age group based on?

Answer 6

65+, based on Otto von Bismarck age of social insurance

Question 7

cohort effects

Answer 7

history and context–> refer to different historical and environmental factors, can lead to significant differences & suggest we cant easily generalize ideas about aging to older adults

Question 8

who is Paul Baltes?

Answer 8

credited with championing the study of development across the entire lifespan

Question 9

4 principles of lifespan development

Answer 9

1. history and context
2. plasticity
3. multiple causality
4. multi-directionality

Question 10

4 main forces that influence how we develop?

Answer 10

1. biological forces- genetic and health related factors
2. psychological- perceptual, cognitive, emotional, personality factors
3. sociocultural- interpersonal, societal, cultural, ethnic factors
4. life-cycle factors- how same event/ combo of forces affect ppl at diff times in life

Question 11

four main controversies for explaining the manner in which we develop and age

Answer 11

1. nature vs. nurture
2. stability vs. change
3. continuity vs. discontinuity
4. universal vs. context-specific (one pathway for development or is it context specific?)

Question 12

normative age-graded influences

Answer 12

normal age related changes that most ppl experience

Ex. puberty and menopause

Question 13

normative history-graded influences

Answer 13

influences that are experienced by most ppl in a specific area or culture at the same time

Question 14

non-normative influences

Answer 14

random, unexpected events that are unique to an individual

Ex. winning lottery, bad car accident, etc.

Question 15

chronological age

Answer 15

number of years a person has lived

Question 16

biological age

Answer 16

description of development based on the aging of various physical systems, age is index of biological health

Question 17

psychological age

Answer 17

attempt to understand development by how individual thinks, reasons, and acts independent of chronological age

Question 18

social age

Answer 18

measure of how well a person’s behavior fits with the norms society has for a person of that age

Question 19

functional age

Answer 19

measure of how well individual can function in his or her environment–> takes into account biological, psychological, social age, and environment

*may be most useful measure

Question 20

primary aging

Answer 20

refers to normal, disease-free change over the life span, gradual changes that happen to most ppl

Question 21

secondary aging

Answer 21

developmental changes that are related to disease, lifestyle, and other environmentally induced changes that are not inevitable

Question 22

tertiary aging

Answer 22

rapid losses/ decreases in cognitive and functional abilities shortly before death

Question 23

who are fastest growing section in Canadian population?

Answer 23

older adults

Question 24

oldest area of world=

Answer 24

Europe

Question 25

youngest area of world=

Answer 25

Africa

Question 26

world’s oldest population

Answer 26

Japan

Question 27

what area shows faster growth of older adults, rural or urban areas?

Answer 27

urban areas

Question 28

centenarians

Answer 28

individual who lives to be 100-110

Question 29

why is there worldwide population aging?

Answer 29

better healthcare, greater access to healthcare, eradication of childhood diseases, decline in global birth rate

Question 30

fertility replacement level

Answer 30

number of children born per women necessary for pop to replace itself–> around 2 for most countries (however, total fertility rate lower than this in Canada 1.61)