Unit 4 Psychosocial Flashcards
Developmental tasks of middle adulthood - tasks relating to self
TASKS RELATING TO SELF
1) adjust to physical changes (changes in appearance, physical strength, health)
2) re-define self-concept and identity
3) reassess values and philosophy and life
4) develop generatively
Developmental tasks of middle adulthood - tasks relating to interpersonal relationships
TASKS RELATING TO INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
1) live with partner’s physical changes
2) share common interest with one’s partner
3) help children become independent and help them in their new roles
4) adjust and accept responsibility of the ageing parents
Developmental tasks of middle adulthood - tasks relating to work and leisure
TASKS RELATING TO WORK AND LEISURE
1) find renewed job satisfaction
2) become a mentor
3) prepare for eventual retirement
4) expand social activities in preparation for retirement
Developmental tasks of middle adulthood - tasks relating to the community
TASKS RELATING TO THE COMMUNITY
1) become more involved in the community and civic affairs
2) act as a mediator and bridge between generations
3) act as a conserving force and moral watchdog in the community
Factors influencing adult development
On an individual level: age, gender, personality. Environmental influences: poverty vs. affluence, urban vs. rural living, cultural prescription of socially acceptable behaviour.
1) socialisation: role models, socialisation agents
2) context: political, social, civic changes. rapid changes signify instability and conflict that may result in violence.
3) gender: role prescription for males and females
4) education: level of education impacts on all domains of life. mastery of new skills determines work.
5) ecological factors: population density, geographical situation & climate influence lifestyle
6) pop. age distribution: role prescription is correlated to age distribution of the population
7) socioeconomic factors: affects health, place of residence, type of housing, standard of living, level of education, interest and a person’s influence in society.
8) Belief and values: fundamental beliefs (especially religious) affects socialisation.
Generativity
When adults seek to produce in a caring way. Erikson’s theory @ this stage: generatively vs. stagnation. w/o generativity, adult experience a pervading sense of stagnation and personal impoverishment. Satisfaction of generativity: creativity, caregiving and employment (especially employment that allows personal growth and produce goods/services that help other people)
Satisfaction of generativity (generativity needs)
- develop and use of personal skills
- express creative energy
- be a mentor or friend to co-workers
- support the education and health of family
- contribute to the community
Occupational health and safety programme
Aimed to tackle occupational health and safety by:
1) detailed consideration of the work environment and all work tasks
2) assessment of level of risk
3) elimination of hazard and reduce risk
4) continuous monitoring
Classification of hazards
Safety hazards: hazards that cause accidents in the workplace and may result in injury and sometimes even death.
Health hazards: results from chemicals, noise, dust, and heat. Effects may not be noticed immediately.
Five main categories of hazards:
1) chemical - caused by chemicals in the forms of gases, vapours, dusts.
2) physical - caused by the environment. e.g. extremely high/low temperatures, high levels of noise, vibration, electricity, pressure, radiation. Can also affect concentration of workers, making them prone to accidents at work
3) ergonomic - caused by working conditions. e.g. cramped working spaces, poor lighting etc. exerts strain on neck, shoulder, back, legs, feet etc.
4) biological - caused by pathogens. Can be passed human to human or animal to human. e.g Aflatoxin - associated with mould in stored peanuts, mealies and cottonseed, can cause certain cancers
5) psychological - caused by stress, e.g. work overload, long working hours, low salaries, lack of child care facilities
STRESS: 2nd largest work-related ill health
Socioeconomic status vs. health
lack of knowledge & long term goals give fewer possibilities of making maximum use of health & other resources and of taking preventative measures.
among manual labour:
1) higher rate of smokers
2) lower consumption of Vit. C, carotene and fibres. High dietary intake of sodium and potassium, lower rates of vegetable intake but elevated consumption of saturated fats
3) less exercise
Poor quality, damp housing results in higher rates of respiratory disease in children. Low SES = low pay = inadequacies in diets & dietary values
cycle of health & poverty: poor people have worse health outcomes than better-off people. Poverty breeds ill health, ill health keep the poor people poor.
- higher income = more frequent & intensive use of health services
- poor = travel further for health facilities
- knowledge & literacy influences household decisions
- poor tends to die earlier
- poor children = less likely to be immunised
- diarrhoea = higher among poor
- dietary & child-feeding practices improve w/ higher levels of income, and sanitary purposes too
Age of retirement
women = 60 men = 65
Factors affecting the adjustment of retirement
- Financial security
- Voluntary retirement & health
- Attitude of others
- Attitude towards work
- Preparation for retirement
Process of retirement
- Pre-pretirement (remote phase vs. near-retirement phase)
- Honeymoon phase
- Disenchantment phase
- Reorientation phase
- Stability phase
- Termination phase
Developmental tasks of the elderly
- Adjustment to physical changes
- Maintaining intellectual vitality
- Adjustment to retirement & changes in income
- Establishment of satisfactory housing and physical life circumstances
- Rechanneling energy to new roles and activities
- Establishment of affiliation with peers
Cognitive development of the elderly
- Aesthetic sense & creativity: methodical parts of the brain become weaker, allowing previously suppressed sense of creativity to come to force
- Life review: older people become more reflective and philosophical. Assessment of own achievements and failures, examination of own life. (Erikson: integrity vs. despair)
- Wisdom: knowledge of life that enables a person to make excellent judgements and to give advice regarding important and uncertain matters of life
