Middle Adulthood Flashcards
Baby Boomers
postwar babies whose births between 1946 and 1965 spiked the Canadian population by 11%
Inter-Individual Variability
the notion that people do not age in the same way or at the same rate
Presbyopia
loss of elasticity in the lens of the eye, which makes it harder to focus on nearby objects
Presbucusis
loss of hearing over time
Metastases
new tumors formed by the transference of malignant or cancerous cells to other parts of the body
Arteriosclerosis
hardening of the arteries
Atherosclerosis
the buildup of fatty deposits (plaque) on the lining of arteries
Leukocytes
white blood cells
Menopause
the cessation of menstruation
Perimenopause
the beginning of menopause, usually characterized by 3 to 11 months of amenorrhea or irregular periods
Climacteric
the gradual decline in reproductive capacity of the ovaries, generally lasting around 15 years
Sexual Dysfunctions
persistent or recurrent problems in becoming sexually aroused or reaching orgasm
Multidirectionality
in the context of cognitive development, the notion that some aspects of intellectual functioning may improve while others remain stable or decline
Plasticity
the capability of intellectual abilities to be modified, as opposed to being absolutely fixed
Crystallized Intelligence
a cluster of knowledge and skills that depend on accumulated information and experience, awareness of social conventions, and good judgement
Fluid Intelligence
a person’s skills at processing information
Generativity
the ability to generate or produce, as in bearing children or contributing to society
Stagnation
the state of no longer developing, growing, or advancing
Social Clock
the social norms that guide our judgment regarding the age-related “appropriateness” of certain behaviors
Midlife Transition
a psychological shift into middle adulthood that is theorized to occur between the ages of 40 and 45, as people begin to believe they have more to look back on than to look forward to
Midlife Crisis
a time of dramatic self-doubt and anxiety, during which people sense the passing of their youth and become concerned with their own aging and mortality
Empty Nest Syndrome
a feeling of loneliness or loss of purpose that parent, especially mothers, are theorized to experience when the youngest child leaves home
“Big Five” Personality Traits
basic personality traits derived from contemporary statistical methods: extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism (emotional stability), and openness to experience
Sandwich Generation
the term for middle-ages people who need to meet the demands of both their own children and their aging parents
How does the brain and nervous system develop in middle adulthood?
synapses continue to form, but more synapses are lost than are formed
areas that develop last are the ones that decline first, frontal and parietal lobes begin to decline first, exception of regions in the left temporal lobe associated with language
middle-age brains respond more slowly than those of younger adults, reaction time increases, cognitive processing is less selective, it compensates by activating more areas
less ability to control attention process
such differences are likely due to both primary and secondary aging
What is the premenopausal phase of menopause?
around late 30”s, early 40’s
estrogen levels begin to fluctuate and decline
anovulatory cycles leads to lower progesterone levels
What is the perimenopause phase of menopause?
late 40’s and early 50’s
estrogen levels decline leading to hot flashes
transition phase can last up to 6 years
3 to 11 months of amenorrhea
What is the postmenopausal phase of menopause?
estrogen and progesterone drops to low levels and menstruation ceases
women produce less vaginal lubrification and vaginal walls thin
findings of psychological effects are mixed: researchers believe menopause by itself does not cause psychological issues
What are male reproductive system issues?
extremely gradual and slow
quantity of viable sperm produced declines slightly
enlargement of prostate gland
very slow drop in testosterone
erectile dysfunction
testosterone and related drugs: benefits are not proven and maybe increase risk of prostate cancer
What is sexual activity in middle adulthood?
remain sexually active but frequency drops
cannot be explained only by drop in hormone levels
psychosocial aspects need to be factored too: duration of relationship, psychological pressure to perform, chronic diseases, etc.
women produce less vagina lubrification and vaginal walls thin
What is sexual dysfunction in middle adulthood?
erectile dysfunction: loss of muscle tissue, clogged arteries, fatigue, performance anxiety, lessening of sexual desire
lack of interest in sex, painful sex, lack of pleasure, inability to reach orgasm
What is osteoporosis?
loss of calcium from bones
loss of bone density
earlier in women because of menopause
How can osteoporosis be prevented?
regular exercises through adult life
get enough calcium and vitamin D in early adulthood
What is treatment for osteoporosis?
hormone replacement therapy
bone-building medications
What is presbyopia?
loss of visual acuity
lens of the eye thickens and elasticity declines
What is presbycusis?
loss in the ability to hear sounds of high and very low frequencies
auditory nerves and inner ear structure gradually degenerates
What are changes to skin and hair in middle adulthood?
hair begins to grey and hair loss accelerates
wrinkles start to appear (mainly due to UV rays)
How does lean body mass decreases in middle adulthood?
fat replaces it
loss in strength
basal metabolic rate declines
How do lung and heart muscles shrink in middle adulthood?
decline in aerobic capacity and max heart rate
How does blood-sugar tolerance decline in middle adulthood?
pancreas need to produce more insulin to achieve same effect
What is health in middle adulthood?
annual check-ups
more chronic diseases (e.g. diabetes, hypertension, arthritis), varies with racial, ethnic, socio-economic, and sex differences
expectations about aging impacts health-promoting behaviors
shift from accidents to diseases as main cause of death (cancer and CVD)
What is cancer in middle adulthood?
2 in 5 Canadians will develop cancer
physical exercise and diet matters, healthy body weight reduces risk, red and processed meat increases risk
treatment is aggressive
What is CVD in middle adulthood?
most commonly results from arteriosclerosis, hardening of the arteries, insufficient blood flow
personality type A is related to CVD: competitive, hostile, sense of time urgency
How does stress impact health in middle adulthood?
suppresses the immune system
constrict the blood vessels to the heart, increases likelihood of heart attack
related to high cholesterol, increases risk of CVD
What is mental health in middle adulthood?
mental health improves with age
self-esteem peaks around age 60
depression is the most common mental health issue in middle-age adults: genetics, living in poverty, and environmental stresses
substance abuse is also a growing issue in middle adulthood
What is the Baltes model of cognitive aging?
selective optimization with compensation
focus on strengths and compensate for weaknesses
What is the Denney model of cognitive aging?
exercised skills and abilities will achieve a higher peak
might decline at same rate but since we start higher, we are still higher than average
What is health and cognitive functioning in middle adulthood?
people who had coronary heart disease or high blood pressure, showed earlier and larger cognitive declines
increased physical activity leads to improved cognition
What are changes in intellectual abilities in middle adulthood?
multi-directionality: verbal intelligence remains stable, performance on timed spatially related activities declines
interindividual variability: use it or lose it
plasticity: able to change throughout all lifespan
processing speed: reaction time and perceptual speed decreases, changes are measurable but not dramatic
What is cognitive competence in middle adulthood?
development of expertise: developed through attention and practice
experts rely on experience and intuition: beginners rely on formal procedures and rules
behavior becomes automatic: do not need too much though, compensate for losses in reaction time
better strategies when compares to non-experts: use of different neural pathways to solve problems
What are the changes in short-term and working memory in middle adulthood?
the capacity of using it efficiently declines with aging
What are the changes in long-term memory in middle adulthood?
semantic memory: general knowledge, remains stable or even increases
episodic memory: remember personal events, declines but use of cues can compensate for it
What are the changes in procedural memory in middle adulthood?
motor memory
can remain stable for a lifetime
What is creativity in middle adulthood?
best scientific work and productivity around age 40: more are still on their best through their 40’s and 50’s
among artists best work can come even later in life: music, mathematic, and physics more common in young adults, problem-solving skills, critical thinking, decision making are better in middle adulthood
how to keep up?: accept own creative idiosyncrasies, recognize value of accumulated knowledge and experience
what does it take?: divergent thinking, multiple solutions to problems that have no clear answer
What are Goleman’s Four Stages of Creativity?
preparation: important info is gathered
incubation: digesting the info
illumination: solution becomes clear (“aha!” moment)
translation: solution is applied and adjustments are made
What are mature learners in educational settings?
apt to be highly motivated
more likely to find the subject matter interesting for its own sake
may pursue goals they were not able to realize in their youth
What is Erikson’s psychosocial theory of generativity versus stagnation stage?
success: establishing and guiding the next generation, leaving a legacy, related to satisfaction in life and work, and emotional well-being
fail: sense of stagnation, focus on trivialities of life
What is generativity related to?
intrinsically rewarding work
civic engagement
What is the relationship between generativity and the Indigenous population?
generativity as a form of resilience
opportunity to act responsibly and lovingly towards grandchildren
What is Vaillant’s revision to Erikson’s psychosocial theory of generativity versus stagnation?
keeper of meaning
preserving institutions and values of their culture
adverse childhood experiences as risk factor
protective factors: resiliency and effective coping (e.g. sublimation and thought suppression)
How is the midlife crisis a change in a person’s perspective?
from “time since birth” to “time left till death”
no time left to achieve “the dream”
but recent research does not show evidence for a mid-life crisis
medicine wheel: caring for children and honoring the elders
What is the life events approach to midlife crisis?
what you’re going through determines if they have a crisis
normative and non-normative events
a women having her first baby at 21 would experience the same psychological forces as a woman having her first baby at 39 (going through similar things even though they are different ages)
role conflict and role strain (my daughter wants to do dance but I need to pay my moms medical bills)
What is continuity and change in personality and middle adulthood?
Big 5 follow a general pattern of stability: agreeableness and conscientiousness increase and then start declining after the 70’s, openness, extraversion, neuroticism decline throughout adulthood
tolerance for risk-taking and impulsivity declines
people become less negative over time
personality stability is related to better cognitive performance and psychological and physical well-being, underlying neural correlates
What are partnerships, friendships, and sibling in middle adulthood?
increases in marital satisfaction and stability: less conflicts, increased sense of control, skilled diplomacy, less likely to get divorce than younger adults, middle-aged women cope better with divorce than younger ones
fewer friends, but still close and intimate: positive correlation with psychological health and well-being, sex differences in friendships as in early adulthood
most middle-aged adults have a sibling: most are close, but relationship tends to mimic the one in childhood
What is the “sandwich generation”?
multigenerational caregivers, care for offspring and aging parents
30% of Canadian caregivers
caregiver burden
What are the different types of grandparenting?
companionate relationship: most common, frequent contact and warm interactions
remote relationship: do not see their grandchildren often due to remoteness caused by physical distance
involved relationship: involved in the everyday care or have close emotional ties with them
What is the quality of work life in middle adulthood?
continue to provide social benefits, a sense of identity and self-esteem
plateau in promotions but job satisfaction is at its peak
more job flexibility and sense of control, careers become more stable, shift in goal orientation from career growth to personal fulfillment, nature of work, job stability
less likely to experience burnout, especially if engaged in work in a meaningful way
capable of keeping high job performance and productivity: selective optimization with compensation, narrow range of activities, exercise crucial abilities, adopt pragmatic strategies to overcome specific obstacles
What are involuntary career changers?
anxiety, depression, substance abuse, risk for physical illness
protective factors: good coping skills, social support, counselling
marital relationships deteriorate
re-employment brings balance back
What are voluntary career changers?
leave for personal reasons, better sense of control
shifts into related fields
but can also be stressful
What is unemployment?
ageism
decline in well-being
clinical depression
early retirement (source of stress, might be tight on money)
What are the types of people in retire?
wealth builders: want to keep work to gain money
anxious idealists: want to do volunteering but don’t feel they have money
empowered trailblazers: can retire
stretched and stressed: can’t retire
leisure lifers: relaxed
