middle adulthood 40-65 Flashcards
1
Q
-middle age, a social construct
A
no consensus on when it begins and ends (text says 40-65)
no specific biological or social events that mark its boundaries
in US middle age is increasingly a state of mind
many people in their 60’s and 70’s consider themselves middle aged
2
Q
-middle age, a social construct
A
no consensus on when it begins and ends (text says 40-65)
no specific biological or social events that mark its boundaries
in US middle age is increasingly a state of mind
many people in their 60’s and 70’s consider themselves middle aged
3
Q
-middle age, a social construct
A
no consensus on when it begins and ends (text says 40-65)
no specific biological or social events that mark its boundaries
in US middle age is increasingly a state of mind
many people in their 60’s and 70’s consider themselves middle aged
4
Q
-middle age, a social construct
A
no consensus on when it begins and ends (text says 40-65)
no specific biological or social events that mark its boundaries
in US middle age is increasingly a state of mind
many people in their 60’s and 70’s consider themselves middle aged
5
Q
-middle age, a social construct
A
no consensus on when it begins and ends (text says 40-65)
no specific biological or social events that mark its boundaries
in US middle age is increasingly a state of mind
many people in their 60’s and 70’s consider themselves middle aged
6
Q
-middle age, a social construct
A
no consensus on when it begins and ends (text says 40-65)
no specific biological or social events that mark its boundaries
in US middle age is increasingly a state of mind
many people in their 60’s and 70’s consider themselves middle aged
7
Q
-the aging experience
A
most younger middle aged adults see their lives as still needing improvement
most older middle aged adults are satisfied with most areas of life
social, financial, health
most people up until 75 say aging is a positive
8
Q
-age related visual problems
A
near vision, dynamic vision (ability to moving signs, sensitivity to light, visual search, speed of processing, loss of visual acuity (presbyopia farsighted ness associated because lens of the eye becomes less elastic)
9
Q
-Hearing loss: prebycusis
A
a gradual hearing loss (rarely noticed early life)
speeds up in the 50’s
affects sounds at pitches
10
Q
-other physical losses
A
sensitivity to taste and smell sensitivity of touch and pain endurance decrease in basal metabolism manual dexterity tasks that involve choice of response
11
Q
changes in appearance
A
skin may become less taut and smooth (layer of fat becomes thinner)
hair becomes thinner
people sweat less (sweat glands diminish)
gain weight and lose height
lower bone density
vital capacity of lungs diminishes
12
Q
Menopause
A
when a woman permanently stops ovulating and menstruating
no longer able to conceive a child
typically happens around 50
perimenopause: 3 to 5 year slowing process before menopause
estrogen an ova production decline beginning in mid 30’s
13
Q
Attitudes toward menopause
A
in the US most women view menopause positively
most express relief
many see it as a time of greater independence and personal growth
14
Q
symptoms of menopause
A
many women experience little discomfort
most common are hot flashes
only 1/2 of women experience
other symptoms: vaginal dryness, burning, itching, decreased sexual appetite
15
Q
exploding menopause myths
A
the following have been shown not to be linked to this biological change; irritability, nervousness, anxiety, depression, memory loss
16
Q
cultural differences in menopause
A
many women never experience symptoms
comparison with Japanese women
african american women have more positive feelings about menopause than caucasian women
more research needed
17
Q
changes in male sexuality
A
no evidence to support “andropause” or male “menopause”
testosterone decreases slowly
about 1% per year after the 30’s, no strong relationship between testosterone levels
and sexual performance
possible E.D.: inability for male to achieve or maintain an erect penis, can be physical,
psychological or both
count and quality diminish with age
18
Q
sexual activity
A
satisfaction with sex life diminishes gradually during 40’s and 50’s
decline is related to: physical changes and chronic illness
nonphysical changes: monotony in relationship, worries
19
Q
sexual dysfunction
A
a persistent disturbance in sexual desire or sexual response
forms of dysfunction: lack of interest, painful intercourse, difficulty in arousal, premature
ejaculation
20
Q
health in middle adulthood
A
most middle aged americans are healthy
but low SES experience increasing health problems
most middle aged people experience little change
21
Q
health trends
A
hypertension: risk factor for cardiovascular and kidney diseases- can be controlled
through: blood pressure screening, low salt diets, medications
heart disease: leading cause of death between ages 45 and 64
diabetes: doubled since 1990’s
22
Q
Behavioral influences on health
A
longer lives and shorter periods of disability are associated with: not smoking, avoiding
over weight, regular exercise, low stress levels
23
Q
SES and health
A
lower SES ppl. tend to have
poorer health, lower life expectancy, more activity limitations, lower well being, more
restricted access to health care
24
Q
Gender and health
A
women have longer life span
women seek health treatment more than men
gender gap in heart disease has reversed
women have greater risk after menopause of heart disease and osteoporosis
25
Osteoporosis
bones become brittle due to calcium depletion, can result in loss of height and
"hunchback", AA women less likely to develop
slowing osteoporosis: proper nutrition, exercise, avoidance of smoking
26
hormone replacement therapy
artificial estrogen
benefits: reduces menopause symptoms, can prevent bone loss after menopause
risks: breast cancer, heart attack, stroke
27
common stressors affecting health
```
occupational stress and burnout
unemployment
positive or negative change
illness
death of spouse or divorce
marriage
```
28
Emotions and health
negative emotions often associated with poor physical and mental health
anxiety, despair
positive emotion may protect against the development of disease
not a causal relationship
29
mental health
1:4 women show depressive symptoms
highest rates among AA and HA women
lowest rates among Chinese and Japanese women
women with less education and poor women also more likely to have symptoms
30
Fluid Intelligence
ability to solve novel problems
requires little previous knowledge: discovering a pattern in a set of figures
tends to decline with age
31
crystallized intelligence
ability to use information acquired over lifetime, thinking of a synonym for a word
often improves throughout lifetime
32
Expertise
mature adults show increasing competence solving problems in their field
encapsulation: information processing becomes dedicated to specific knowledge
captures fluid ability for expert problem solving
can help buffer age related cognitive declines
33
post formal thought integrative thought:
mature adults are better at integrating: logic with intuition and emotion; conflicting
facts and ideas; new and old information
34
creative performance
combination of forces: biological, personal, social and cultural
depends on the field and is not related to standard IQ
35
age differentiated roles: traditional life structure
young ppl are students
middle aged people are worker
older ppl relax
36
-the aging experience
most younger middle aged adults see their lives as still needing improvement
most older middle aged adults are satisfied with most areas of life
social, financial, health
most people up until 75 say aging is a positive
37
-age related visual problems
near vision, dynamic vision (ability to moving signs, sensitivity to light, visual search, speed of processing, loss of visual acuity (presbyopia farsighted ness associated because lens of the eye becomes less elastic)
38
-Hearing loss: prebycusis
a gradual hearing loss (rarely noticed early life)
speeds up in the 50's
affects sounds at pitches
39
-other physical losses
```
sensitivity to taste and smell
sensitivity of touch and pain
endurance
decrease in basal metabolism
manual dexterity
tasks that involve choice of response
```
40
changes in appearance
skin may become less taut and smooth (layer of fat becomes thinner)
hair becomes thinner
people sweat less (sweat glands diminish)
gain weight and lose height
lower bone density
vital capacity of lungs diminishes
41
Menopause
when a woman permanently stops ovulating and menstruating
no longer able to conceive a child
typically happens around 50
perimenopause: 3 to 5 year slowing process before menopause
estrogen an ova production decline beginning in mid 30's
42
Attitudes toward menopause
in the US most women view menopause positively
most express relief
many see it as a time of greater independence and personal growth
43
symptoms of menopause
many women experience little discomfort
most common are hot flashes
only 1/2 of women experience
other symptoms: vaginal dryness, burning, itching, decreased sexual appetite
44
exploding menopause myths
the following have been shown not to be linked to this biological change; irritability, nervousness, anxiety, depression, memory loss
45
cultural differences in menopause
many women never experience symptoms
comparison with Japanese women
african american women have more positive feelings about menopause than caucasian women
more research needed
46
changes in male sexuality
no evidence to support "andropause" or male "menopause"
testosterone decreases slowly
about 1% per year after the 30's, no strong relationship between testosterone levels
and sexual performance
possible E.D.: inability for male to achieve or maintain an erect penis, can be physical,
psychological or both
count and quality diminish with age
47
sexual activity
satisfaction with sex life diminishes gradually during 40's and 50's
decline is related to: physical changes and chronic illness
nonphysical changes: monotony in relationship, worries
48
sexual dysfunction
a persistent disturbance in sexual desire or sexual response
forms of dysfunction: lack of interest, painful intercourse, difficulty in arousal, premature
ejaculation
49
health in middle adulthood
most middle aged americans are healthy
but low SES experience increasing health problems
most middle aged people experience little change
50
health trends
hypertension: risk factor for cardiovascular and kidney diseases- can be controlled
through: blood pressure screening, low salt diets, medications
heart disease: leading cause of death between ages 45 and 64
diabetes: doubled since 1990's
51
Behavioral influences on health
longer lives and shorter periods of disability are associated with: not smoking, avoiding
over weight, regular exercise, low stress levels
52
SES and health
lower SES ppl. tend to have
poorer health, lower life expectancy, more activity limitations, lower well being, more
restricted access to health care
53
Gender and health
women have longer life span
women seek health treatment more than men
gender gap in heart disease has reversed
women have greater risk after menopause of heart disease and osteoporosis
54
Osteoporosis
bones become brittle due to calcium depletion, can result in loss of height and
"hunchback", AA women less likely to develop
slowing osteoporosis: proper nutrition, exercise, avoidance of smoking
55
hormone replacement therapy
artificial estrogen
benefits: reduces menopause symptoms, can prevent bone loss after menopause
risks: breast cancer, heart attack, stroke
56
common stressors affecting health
```
occupational stress and burnout
unemployment
positive or negative change
illness
death of spouse or divorce
marriage
```
57
Emotions and health
negative emotions often associated with poor physical and mental health
anxiety, despair
positive emotion may protect against the development of disease
not a causal relationship
58
mental health
1:4 women show depressive symptoms
highest rates among AA and HA women
lowest rates among Chinese and Japanese women
women with less education and poor women also more likely to have symptoms
59
Fluid Intelligence
ability to solve novel problems
requires little previous knowledge: discovering a pattern in a set of figures
tends to decline with age
60
crystallized intelligence
ability to use information acquired over lifetime, thinking of a synonym for a word
often improves throughout lifetime
61
Expertise
mature adults show increasing competence solving problems in their field
encapsulation: information processing becomes dedicated to specific knowledge
captures fluid ability for expert problem solving
can help buffer age related cognitive declines
62
post formal thought integrative thought:
mature adults are better at integrating: logic with intuition and emotion; conflicting
facts and ideas; new and old information
63
creative performance
combination of forces: biological, personal, social and cultural
depends on the field and is not related to standard IQ
64
age differentiated roles: traditional life structure
young ppl are students
middle aged people are worker
older ppl relax
65
-the aging experience
most younger middle aged adults see their lives as still needing improvement
most older middle aged adults are satisfied with most areas of life
social, financial, health
most people up until 75 say aging is a positive
66
-age related visual problems
near vision, dynamic vision (ability to moving signs, sensitivity to light, visual search, speed of processing, loss of visual acuity (presbyopia farsighted ness associated because lens of the eye becomes less elastic)
67
-Hearing loss: prebycusis
a gradual hearing loss (rarely noticed early life)
speeds up in the 50's
affects sounds at pitches
68
-other physical losses
```
sensitivity to taste and smell
sensitivity of touch and pain
endurance
decrease in basal metabolism
manual dexterity
tasks that involve choice of response
```
69
changes in appearance
skin may become less taut and smooth (layer of fat becomes thinner)
hair becomes thinner
people sweat less (sweat glands diminish)
gain weight and lose height
lower bone density
vital capacity of lungs diminishes
70
Menopause
when a woman permanently stops ovulating and menstruating
no longer able to conceive a child
typically happens around 50
perimenopause: 3 to 5 year slowing process before menopause
estrogen an ova production decline beginning in mid 30's
71
Attitudes toward menopause
in the US most women view menopause positively
most express relief
many see it as a time of greater independence and personal growth
72
symptoms of menopause
many women experience little discomfort
most common are hot flashes
only 1/2 of women experience
other symptoms: vaginal dryness, burning, itching, decreased sexual appetite
73
exploding menopause myths
the following have been shown not to be linked to this biological change; irritability, nervousness, anxiety, depression, memory loss
74
cultural differences in menopause
many women never experience symptoms
comparison with Japanese women
african american women have more positive feelings about menopause than caucasian women
more research needed
75
changes in male sexuality
no evidence to support "andropause" or male "menopause"
testosterone decreases slowly
about 1% per year after the 30's, no strong relationship between testosterone levels
and sexual performance
possible E.D.: inability for male to achieve or maintain an erect penis, can be physical,
psychological or both
count and quality diminish with age
76
sexual activity
satisfaction with sex life diminishes gradually during 40's and 50's
decline is related to: physical changes and chronic illness
nonphysical changes: monotony in relationship, worries
77
sexual dysfunction
a persistent disturbance in sexual desire or sexual response
forms of dysfunction: lack of interest, painful intercourse, difficulty in arousal, premature
ejaculation
78
health in middle adulthood
most middle aged americans are healthy
but low SES experience increasing health problems
most middle aged people experience little change
79
health trends
hypertension: risk factor for cardiovascular and kidney diseases- can be controlled
through: blood pressure screening, low salt diets, medications
heart disease: leading cause of death between ages 45 and 64
diabetes: doubled since 1990's
80
Behavioral influences on health
longer lives and shorter periods of disability are associated with: not smoking, avoiding
over weight, regular exercise, low stress levels
81
SES and health
lower SES ppl. tend to have
poorer health, lower life expectancy, more activity limitations, lower well being, more
restricted access to health care
82
Gender and health
women have longer life span
women seek health treatment more than men
gender gap in heart disease has reversed
women have greater risk after menopause of heart disease and osteoporosis
83
Osteoporosis
bones become brittle due to calcium depletion, can result in loss of height and
"hunchback", AA women less likely to develop
slowing osteoporosis: proper nutrition, exercise, avoidance of smoking
84
hormone replacement therapy
artificial estrogen
benefits: reduces menopause symptoms, can prevent bone loss after menopause
risks: breast cancer, heart attack, stroke
85
common stressors affecting health
```
occupational stress and burnout
unemployment
positive or negative change
illness
death of spouse or divorce
marriage
```
86
Emotions and health
negative emotions often associated with poor physical and mental health
anxiety, despair
positive emotion may protect against the development of disease
not a causal relationship
87
mental health
1:4 women show depressive symptoms
highest rates among AA and HA women
lowest rates among Chinese and Japanese women
women with less education and poor women also more likely to have symptoms
88
Fluid Intelligence
ability to solve novel problems
requires little previous knowledge: discovering a pattern in a set of figures
tends to decline with age
89
crystallized intelligence
ability to use information acquired over lifetime, thinking of a synonym for a word
often improves throughout lifetime
90
Expertise
mature adults show increasing competence solving problems in their field
encapsulation: information processing becomes dedicated to specific knowledge
captures fluid ability for expert problem solving
can help buffer age related cognitive declines
91
post formal thought integrative thought:
mature adults are better at integrating: logic with intuition and emotion; conflicting
facts and ideas; new and old information
92
creative performance
combination of forces: biological, personal, social and cultural
depends on the field and is not related to standard IQ
93
age differentiated roles: traditional life structure
young ppl are students
middle aged people are worker
older ppl relax
94
-the aging experience
most younger middle aged adults see their lives as still needing improvement
most older middle aged adults are satisfied with most areas of life
social, financial, health
most people up until 75 say aging is a positive
95
-age related visual problems
near vision, dynamic vision (ability to moving signs, sensitivity to light, visual search, speed of processing, loss of visual acuity (presbyopia farsighted ness associated because lens of the eye becomes less elastic)
96
-Hearing loss: prebycusis
a gradual hearing loss (rarely noticed early life)
speeds up in the 50's
affects sounds at pitches
97
-other physical losses
```
sensitivity to taste and smell
sensitivity of touch and pain
endurance
decrease in basal metabolism
manual dexterity
tasks that involve choice of response
```
98
changes in appearance
skin may become less taut and smooth (layer of fat becomes thinner)
hair becomes thinner
people sweat less (sweat glands diminish)
gain weight and lose height
lower bone density
vital capacity of lungs diminishes
99
Menopause
when a woman permanently stops ovulating and menstruating
no longer able to conceive a child
typically happens around 50
perimenopause: 3 to 5 year slowing process before menopause
estrogen an ova production decline beginning in mid 30's
100
Attitudes toward menopause
in the US most women view menopause positively
most express relief
many see it as a time of greater independence and personal growth
101
symptoms of menopause
many women experience little discomfort
most common are hot flashes
only 1/2 of women experience
other symptoms: vaginal dryness, burning, itching, decreased sexual appetite
102
exploding menopause myths
the following have been shown not to be linked to this biological change; irritability, nervousness, anxiety, depression, memory loss
103
cultural differences in menopause
many women never experience symptoms
comparison with Japanese women
african american women have more positive feelings about menopause than caucasian women
more research needed
104
changes in male sexuality
no evidence to support "andropause" or male "menopause"
testosterone decreases slowly
about 1% per year after the 30's, no strong relationship between testosterone levels
and sexual performance
possible E.D.: inability for male to achieve or maintain an erect penis, can be physical,
psychological or both
count and quality diminish with age
105
sexual activity
satisfaction with sex life diminishes gradually during 40's and 50's
decline is related to: physical changes and chronic illness
nonphysical changes: monotony in relationship, worries
106
sexual dysfunction
a persistent disturbance in sexual desire or sexual response
forms of dysfunction: lack of interest, painful intercourse, difficulty in arousal, premature
ejaculation
107
health in middle adulthood
most middle aged americans are healthy
but low SES experience increasing health problems
most middle aged people experience little change
108
health trends
hypertension: risk factor for cardiovascular and kidney diseases- can be controlled
through: blood pressure screening, low salt diets, medications
heart disease: leading cause of death between ages 45 and 64
diabetes: doubled since 1990's
109
Behavioral influences on health
longer lives and shorter periods of disability are associated with: not smoking, avoiding
over weight, regular exercise, low stress levels
110
SES and health
lower SES ppl. tend to have
poorer health, lower life expectancy, more activity limitations, lower well being, more
restricted access to health care
111
Gender and health
women have longer life span
women seek health treatment more than men
gender gap in heart disease has reversed
women have greater risk after menopause of heart disease and osteoporosis
112
Osteoporosis
bones become brittle due to calcium depletion, can result in loss of height and
"hunchback", AA women less likely to develop
slowing osteoporosis: proper nutrition, exercise, avoidance of smoking
113
hormone replacement therapy
artificial estrogen
benefits: reduces menopause symptoms, can prevent bone loss after menopause
risks: breast cancer, heart attack, stroke
114
common stressors affecting health
```
occupational stress and burnout
unemployment
positive or negative change
illness
death of spouse or divorce
marriage
```
115
Emotions and health
negative emotions often associated with poor physical and mental health
anxiety, despair
positive emotion may protect against the development of disease
not a causal relationship
116
mental health
1:4 women show depressive symptoms
highest rates among AA and HA women
lowest rates among Chinese and Japanese women
women with less education and poor women also more likely to have symptoms
117
Fluid Intelligence
ability to solve novel problems
requires little previous knowledge: discovering a pattern in a set of figures
tends to decline with age
118
crystallized intelligence
ability to use information acquired over lifetime, thinking of a synonym for a word
often improves throughout lifetime
119
Expertise
mature adults show increasing competence solving problems in their field
encapsulation: information processing becomes dedicated to specific knowledge
captures fluid ability for expert problem solving
can help buffer age related cognitive declines
120
post formal thought integrative thought:
mature adults are better at integrating: logic with intuition and emotion; conflicting
facts and ideas; new and old information
121
creative performance
combination of forces: biological, personal, social and cultural
depends on the field and is not related to standard IQ
122
age differentiated roles: traditional life structure
young ppl are students
middle aged people are worker
older ppl relax
123
-the aging experience
most younger middle aged adults see their lives as still needing improvement
most older middle aged adults are satisfied with most areas of life
social, financial, health
most people up until 75 say aging is a positive
124
-age related visual problems
near vision, dynamic vision (ability to moving signs, sensitivity to light, visual search, speed of processing, loss of visual acuity (presbyopia farsighted ness associated because lens of the eye becomes less elastic)
125
-Hearing loss: prebycusis
a gradual hearing loss (rarely noticed early life)
speeds up in the 50's
affects sounds at pitches
126
-other physical losses
```
sensitivity to taste and smell
sensitivity of touch and pain
endurance
decrease in basal metabolism
manual dexterity
tasks that involve choice of response
```
127
changes in appearance
skin may become less taut and smooth (layer of fat becomes thinner)
hair becomes thinner
people sweat less (sweat glands diminish)
gain weight and lose height
lower bone density
vital capacity of lungs diminishes
128
Menopause
when a woman permanently stops ovulating and menstruating
no longer able to conceive a child
typically happens around 50
perimenopause: 3 to 5 year slowing process before menopause
estrogen an ova production decline beginning in mid 30's
129
Attitudes toward menopause
in the US most women view menopause positively
most express relief
many see it as a time of greater independence and personal growth
130
symptoms of menopause
many women experience little discomfort
most common are hot flashes
only 1/2 of women experience
other symptoms: vaginal dryness, burning, itching, decreased sexual appetite
131
exploding menopause myths
the following have been shown not to be linked to this biological change; irritability, nervousness, anxiety, depression, memory loss
132
cultural differences in menopause
many women never experience symptoms
comparison with Japanese women
african american women have more positive feelings about menopause than caucasian women
more research needed
133
changes in male sexuality
no evidence to support "andropause" or male "menopause"
testosterone decreases slowly
about 1% per year after the 30's, no strong relationship between testosterone levels
and sexual performance
possible E.D.: inability for male to achieve or maintain an erect penis, can be physical,
psychological or both
count and quality diminish with age
134
sexual activity
satisfaction with sex life diminishes gradually during 40's and 50's
decline is related to: physical changes and chronic illness
nonphysical changes: monotony in relationship, worries
135
sexual dysfunction
a persistent disturbance in sexual desire or sexual response
forms of dysfunction: lack of interest, painful intercourse, difficulty in arousal, premature
ejaculation
136
health in middle adulthood
most middle aged americans are healthy
but low SES experience increasing health problems
most middle aged people experience little change
137
health trends
hypertension: risk factor for cardiovascular and kidney diseases- can be controlled
through: blood pressure screening, low salt diets, medications
heart disease: leading cause of death between ages 45 and 64
diabetes: doubled since 1990's
138
Behavioral influences on health
longer lives and shorter periods of disability are associated with: not smoking, avoiding
over weight, regular exercise, low stress levels
139
SES and health
lower SES ppl. tend to have
poorer health, lower life expectancy, more activity limitations, lower well being, more
restricted access to health care
140
Gender and health
women have longer life span
women seek health treatment more than men
gender gap in heart disease has reversed
women have greater risk after menopause of heart disease and osteoporosis
141
Osteoporosis
bones become brittle due to calcium depletion, can result in loss of height and
"hunchback", AA women less likely to develop
slowing osteoporosis: proper nutrition, exercise, avoidance of smoking
142
hormone replacement therapy
artificial estrogen
benefits: reduces menopause symptoms, can prevent bone loss after menopause
risks: breast cancer, heart attack, stroke
143
common stressors affecting health
```
occupational stress and burnout
unemployment
positive or negative change
illness
death of spouse or divorce
marriage
```
144
Emotions and health
negative emotions often associated with poor physical and mental health
anxiety, despair
positive emotion may protect against the development of disease
not a causal relationship
145
mental health
1:4 women show depressive symptoms
highest rates among AA and HA women
lowest rates among Chinese and Japanese women
women with less education and poor women also more likely to have symptoms
146
Fluid Intelligence
ability to solve novel problems
requires little previous knowledge: discovering a pattern in a set of figures
tends to decline with age
147
crystallized intelligence
ability to use information acquired over lifetime, thinking of a synonym for a word
often improves throughout lifetime
148
Expertise
mature adults show increasing competence solving problems in their field
encapsulation: information processing becomes dedicated to specific knowledge
captures fluid ability for expert problem solving
can help buffer age related cognitive declines
149
post formal thought integrative thought:
mature adults are better at integrating: logic with intuition and emotion; conflicting
facts and ideas; new and old information
150
creative performance
combination of forces: biological, personal, social and cultural
depends on the field and is not related to standard IQ
151
age differentiated roles: traditional life structure
young ppl are students
middle aged people are worker
older ppl relax
152
-the aging experience
most younger middle aged adults see their lives as still needing improvement
most older middle aged adults are satisfied with most areas of life
social, financial, health
most people up until 75 say aging is a positive
153
-age related visual problems
near vision, dynamic vision (ability to moving signs, sensitivity to light, visual search, speed of processing, loss of visual acuity (presbyopia farsighted ness associated because lens of the eye becomes less elastic)
154
-Hearing loss: prebycusis
a gradual hearing loss (rarely noticed early life)
speeds up in the 50's
affects sounds at pitches
155
-other physical losses
```
sensitivity to taste and smell
sensitivity of touch and pain
endurance
decrease in basal metabolism
manual dexterity
tasks that involve choice of response
```
156
changes in appearance
skin may become less taut and smooth (layer of fat becomes thinner)
hair becomes thinner
people sweat less (sweat glands diminish)
gain weight and lose height
lower bone density
vital capacity of lungs diminishes
157
Menopause
when a woman permanently stops ovulating and menstruating
no longer able to conceive a child
typically happens around 50
perimenopause: 3 to 5 year slowing process before menopause
estrogen an ova production decline beginning in mid 30's
158
Attitudes toward menopause
in the US most women view menopause positively
most express relief
many see it as a time of greater independence and personal growth
159
symptoms of menopause
many women experience little discomfort
most common are hot flashes
only 1/2 of women experience
other symptoms: vaginal dryness, burning, itching, decreased sexual appetite
160
exploding menopause myths
the following have been shown not to be linked to this biological change; irritability, nervousness, anxiety, depression, memory loss
161
cultural differences in menopause
many women never experience symptoms
comparison with Japanese women
african american women have more positive feelings about menopause than caucasian women
more research needed
162
changes in male sexuality
no evidence to support "andropause" or male "menopause"
testosterone decreases slowly
about 1% per year after the 30's, no strong relationship between testosterone levels
and sexual performance
possible E.D.: inability for male to achieve or maintain an erect penis, can be physical,
psychological or both
count and quality diminish with age
163
sexual activity
satisfaction with sex life diminishes gradually during 40's and 50's
decline is related to: physical changes and chronic illness
nonphysical changes: monotony in relationship, worries
164
sexual dysfunction
a persistent disturbance in sexual desire or sexual response
forms of dysfunction: lack of interest, painful intercourse, difficulty in arousal, premature
ejaculation
165
health in middle adulthood
most middle aged americans are healthy
but low SES experience increasing health problems
most middle aged people experience little change
166
health trends
hypertension: risk factor for cardiovascular and kidney diseases- can be controlled
through: blood pressure screening, low salt diets, medications
heart disease: leading cause of death between ages 45 and 64
diabetes: doubled since 1990's
167
Behavioral influences on health
longer lives and shorter periods of disability are associated with: not smoking, avoiding
over weight, regular exercise, low stress levels
168
SES and health
lower SES ppl. tend to have
poorer health, lower life expectancy, more activity limitations, lower well being, more
restricted access to health care
169
Gender and health
women have longer life span
women seek health treatment more than men
gender gap in heart disease has reversed
women have greater risk after menopause of heart disease and osteoporosis
170
Osteoporosis
bones become brittle due to calcium depletion, can result in loss of height and
"hunchback", AA women less likely to develop
slowing osteoporosis: proper nutrition, exercise, avoidance of smoking
171
hormone replacement therapy
artificial estrogen
benefits: reduces menopause symptoms, can prevent bone loss after menopause
risks: breast cancer, heart attack, stroke
172
common stressors affecting health
```
occupational stress and burnout
unemployment
positive or negative change
illness
death of spouse or divorce
marriage
```
173
Emotions and health
negative emotions often associated with poor physical and mental health
anxiety, despair
positive emotion may protect against the development of disease
not a causal relationship
174
mental health
1:4 women show depressive symptoms
highest rates among AA and HA women
lowest rates among Chinese and Japanese women
women with less education and poor women also more likely to have symptoms
175
Fluid Intelligence
ability to solve novel problems
requires little previous knowledge: discovering a pattern in a set of figures
tends to decline with age
176
crystallized intelligence
ability to use information acquired over lifetime, thinking of a synonym for a word
often improves throughout lifetime
177
Expertise
mature adults show increasing competence solving problems in their field
encapsulation: information processing becomes dedicated to specific knowledge
captures fluid ability for expert problem solving
can help buffer age related cognitive declines
178
post formal thought integrative thought:
mature adults are better at integrating: logic with intuition and emotion; conflicting
facts and ideas; new and old information
179
creative performance
combination of forces: biological, personal, social and cultural
depends on the field and is not related to standard IQ
180
age differentiated roles: traditional life structure
young ppl are students
middle aged people are worker
older ppl relax
