Middle age Flashcards
What determines middle age?
life expectancy
What is current life expectancy
85
What is primary ageing?
normal age-related changes
What is secondary ageing?
effects of disease or illness
When does physical functioning peak and decline?
Peaks 30, plateaus, declines about 50
What are physical changes in middle age?
strength, appearance, cardio-vascular system, respiratory system, sensory system [taste and smell, vision and hearing all decrease]
What are health compromising behaviours in middle adulthood?
smoking, alcohol, weight [62%]
What benefits do health promoting behaviours have?
physical and psychosocial
What is most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australian women?
breast
What is most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australian men?
prostate - causes unknown
young men more unlikely to be diagnosed but more likely to die from it
What is indigenous life-expectancy gap?
11 year [male], 9.7 [female]
What is impact of socio-economic status on health?
higher mortality rate, even when health risk behaviours are taking into account
What is menopause?
end of reproductive phase of life - egg production and menstruation cease
What are reproductive changes for men?
reduced fertility
longer and slower than for women
deterioration of prostate
mood swings, alterations in concentration span
What is Seattle Longitudinal Study?
longitudinal study - mental abilities of 5000 adults; representation of upper 75& of Socio economic spectrum
What did SLS test?
verbal meaning, spatial orientation, inductive reasoning, number skill, word fluency
What did SLS data show about age related change?
no uniform pattern. Women have stronger verbal meaning and inductive reasoning skills; Men have better spatial oreintation and number skills
What is only primary ability that decreases in middle adulthood?
word fluency
What are conditions for good functioning?
absence of chronic diseases
living in favourable circumstances
substantial involvement in intellectually stimulating activities
flexible personality style
married to spouse with high cognitive function
high levels of performance speed
personal satisfaction with life
What is crystallised intelligence?
learnt cognitive processes and stored responses
remains stable iwth age
What is fluid intelligence
Processing of new information and reasoning
neurological development
declines from early adulthood
What is Practical intelligence?
Application of intellectual skills to every day situations
- increase with age
What is expertise?
Specialised experience and knowledge in specific areas
compensates for declining abilities
maintained through middle age and often beyond
What might midlife crisis be caused by?
review of one’s life
awareness of mortality
- rare
What is ego-resiliency?
ability to adapt, cope and grow from negative life events
What are variable factors in perceptions of life stage?
SES, work role, age, gender
What is older age identity associated with?
lower SES and negative health status
How did Jung understand psyche
crises between
collective vs personal unconscious
unconscious vs conscious
anima vs animus
What did Jung believe happened at middle age?
unifying force of self developed
What is Jung’s process of individuation?
self takes over the role of ego
- most useful parts of unconscious are made conscious and channelled into productivty
What was Helson’s theory
social clock projects [normative and non-normative
What was Erikson’s crisis for middle adulthood?
generativity vs stagnation
personal legacy, virtue of care
What is Vaillant’s middle age normative crisis?
invincibility gives way to limitations
What is Levinson’s middle age normative crisis?
Emphasis moves from past to future
Dream of adult accomplishment must be revised; a man comes to terms with his dream not having come to fruition, must be revised for the future and make changes in lifestyle
Dream is idealised and never fully attainable
What personality traits increase iwth age?
conscientiousness, agreeableness, dominance, emotional stability
What personality traits decrease with age?
openness to experience
What did Helson discover [Mills Study] increases in women in 40s?
independence, social assertiveness, therefore revision of social clock
What decreases in women in 40s?
femininity
What is impact of longevity on marriage?
more likely to report ambivalent or indifferent relationships
perceptions of marital quality impact on marital stability
What are levels of marital satisfaction through family life cycle?
high early, drop after birth of child, all time low when children are adolescents, increase when children leave home
What is impact of delayed parenting?
better prepared and more confident
higher expectations
What are styles of grandparent caregiving?
avid [grandchildren are focus of life], flexible [prioritise personal as well as family], selective [grandparenting is important but not defining], hesitant [don’t anticipate caring for children]
What is filial maturity?
stage of life in which middle-aged children learn to accept parent’s need to depend on them
How do perceptions of parental favouritism play out in middle age among siblings?
current and retrospective perceptions important
What are tasks of grieving for middle aged person when parent dies?
stocktaking [exploration of changes caused by parent’s death]
reminiscence [harsh and meaningful memories]
internalisation and passage [discussion about present without denying the past]
