Quiz 10 (Late(er) Adulthood)

Question 1

Erikson’s Theory: Ego Integrity versus Despair

Answer 1

Ego Integrity

• Feel whole, complete, satisfied with achievements
• Serenity and contentment
• Associated with psychosocial maturity

Despair

• Feel many decisions were wrong, but now time is too short
• Bitter and unaccepting of coming death
• Expressed as anger, contempt for others

Question 2

Peck: Three Tasks of
Ego Integrity

Answer 2

Ego differentiation vs work-role preoccupation

• Finding other ways to affirm self-worth

Body transcendence vs body preoccupation

• Compensating for physical limitations with cognitive, emotional, and social abilities

Ego transcendence vs ego preoccupation

• Facing reality of death by investing in younger generations

Question 3

Joan Erikson: Gerotranscendence

Answer 3

• Beyond ego integrity
• Cosmic, transcendent perspective
• Directed forward and outward, beyond self
• Heightened inner calm, contentment
• Quiet reflection

Question 4

Labouvie-Vief:
Emotional Expertise

Answer 4

Gain in affect optimization:

• ability to maximize positive emotions, dampen negative ones
• contributes to resilience

Question 5

Visual Impairments and Aging

Answer 5

• Cataracts
• Cloudy area in lens
• Macular degeneration
• Light-sensitive cells break down

Question 6

Factors in
Psychological Well-Being

Answer 6

Control vs. dependency

• Dependency–support script: attend immediately to dependent behaviors
• Independence–ignore script: ignore independent behaviors
• Dependency demeaning and unpleasant

Question 7

Factors in Psychological well-being

Answer 7

•Physical health

• Loss of personal control
• Depressive symptoms

Negative life changes

• Deaths of loved ones
• Illnesses/disabilities
• Decreased income
• Greater dependency

Social support, interaction

•Help that is unwanted undermines mental health

Question 8

Depression and Suicide

Answer 8

• Increased suicide risk in older adults
• Highest in white men age 70 and older
• From 12.4 per 100,000 (all ages) to 29 per 100,000

Question 9

Marriage in Late Adulthood

Answer 9

Satisfaction peaks:

• fewer stressful responsibilities
• greater fairness in household tasks
• joint leisure
• greater emotional understanding, regulation

Question 10

Widowhood

Answer 10

Most stressful life event for many

Question 11

Friendships in Late Adulthood

Answer 11

Feel closest to a few nearby friends

Question 12

Relationships with
Adult Children

Answer 12

Quality of relationship affects older adults’ physical, mental health

Question 13

Relationships with Adult Grandchildren, Great-Grandchildren

Answer 13

Involvement during childhood predicts quality
of later relationship

Question 14

Phases of Retirement

Answer 14

Atchley’s (1976) phases of retirement:

• Stage 1- honeymoon
• Indefinite vacation, schedule, or rest
• Stage 2- disenchantment
• Period of disappointment, missing productivity
• Stage 3- reorientation
• Picking back up ways to improve retirement
• Stage 4- stability
• Mastering a comfortable and rewarding routine
• Stage 5- termination
• No longer living independently, disabled elder

Question 15

Language Processing in Late Adulthood

Answer 15

• Comprehension change very little
• problems retrieving specific words
• problems planning what to say
• compensation