Unit 5 Pt 1; Early Adulthood: Physical and Cognitive Dev Flashcards
Why is it difficult to divide adult years?
timing of important milestones varies greatly among individuals
What is aging?
body structures reach max capacity and efficiency, then biological aging begins(senescence)
- genetically influenced declines in the functioning of organs and systems that are universal in all members
From what timing do our senses start declining?
Vision- From 30
Hearing- From 30
Taste- From 60
Smell- From 60
Respiratory- Gradual
Cardiovascular- Gradual
How does vision start to decline due to age?
- Lens stiffen and thickens= ability to focus on close objects declines
- Visual acuity(fineness of discrimination), decreases, sharp drop between 70-80
How does hearing start to decline due to age?
- sensitivity declines(significantly high frequencies) gradually extends to all frequencies
- change x2 for men than women
How does taste start to decline due to age?
- sensitivity to four basic taste decreasing due to num and distribution of taste buds decline
How does smell start to decline due to age?
loss of smell receptors reduces ability to detect and identify odors
How do our respiratory abilities start to decline due to age?
under physical exertion= respiratory capacity decreases and breathing rate increases
stiffening of connective tissues in lungs and chest muscles-> difficulty to expand lungs to full volume
How do our cardiovascular abilities start to decline due to age?
heart muscles become more rigid, max heart rate decreases= reduces hearts ability to meet bodys oxygen requirement when stressed by exercise
artery walls stiffen and accumulate plaque, blood flow to body cells is reduced
What is atherosclerosis?
- cardiovascular disease
- heavy deposits of plaque containing cholesterol and fats collect on wall of main arteries
- often begins early in life, worsens middle age, and lead to severe illness later on
- decreased significantly due to reduced smoking, better diet and exercise and improved detection and treatment of high blood pressure and cholesterol
What is the physical development of motor performance?
Peak 20-35 then decline
Peak early 20s- speed, strength, gross-motor coordination
Peak late 20s-early 30s- endurance, arm-hand steadiness, aiming
Inactivity> biological aging= age-related decline
What is the physical development of our muscular system?
FINISH
slide 12
What is the physical development of our immune system?
Gradual
Increase thru adolescence and declines after 20
Shrinking of the thymus(small gland in upper chest) limits maturation of T cells and disease-fighting capacity of B cells= impairs immune response
What is the physical development of our skeletal system?
Begin late 30s, accelerate 50s, slows 70s(women>men)
Cartilage(in joints) thin and cracks, leads bone end beneath to erode
new cells continue to be sepodited on outer layer of bones, and mineral content of bone decline= bone broader but porous= weakened and vulnerable to fracture
What is the physical development of our reproductive system?
W- faster 35+, M- faster 40+
Fertility problems and risk of having baby with chromosonal disorder up
How does reproduction decline for men and women?
Women; declines due to quality and quantity of ova
Men; semen volume and sperm motility(down G 35+) more abnormal sperms= elevates miscarriage
What is the physical development of our nervous system?
From 50
- brain weight decreases as neurons lose water content and die, mostly in cerebral cortex, and as ventricles(spaces) within the brain enlarge
- dev of new synapses+ new neurons can partially compensate for the declines
How does our skin age?
Gradual
Epidermis- held less tightly to dermis; fibers in dermis and hypodermis thin; fat cells in hypodermis decline
Result= skin looser, less elastic and wrinkled(rapid in women>men)
How does our hair age?
From 35
grays and thins
How does our height develop with age?
from 50
Loss of bone strength -> collapse of disks in spinal column-> height loss(5cm by 70s-80s)
How does our weight develop with age?
Up till 50- Down from 60
Weight change= rise in fat, decline in muscle and bone material
muscle+bone>fat heavier= pattern, wight gain followed by loss
Body fat accumulates in the torso and decreases on the extermities
How does stress affect physical dev?
Chronic psych stress= contribute to cardiovascular disease, several types of cancer, and gastrointestinal problems
Young adults= more depressive symptoms than older(reached vocational success and financial security)
What does the development of cerebral cortex in early adulthood result in?
fine-tuning of the pre-frontal cognitive-control network=
- better balance= UP planning, reasoning, decision-making
What is the stage after formal operations and what is it according to piaget?
Post-formal thought
personal effort + social experiences = increase rational. flexible, practical ways of thinking
what are the two theories of cognitive development?
- Perrys theory of epistemic cognition
- Labouvie-Viefs theory
what is Perrys theory of epistemic cognition
Focus: reflections on how we arrive at facts, beliefs, and ideas, Stages;
1. Dualistic Thinking: information divided into “right” or “wrong”, learning involves accepting knowledge without question
2. Relativistic Thinking; Awareness of multiple truths, depending on the context
3. Commitment to R. Thinking; synthesizing conflicting viewpoints to create a personally meaningful perspective
what is labouvies viefs theory
Focus; adult cognition transitions from abstract to practical(pragmatic) problem-solving, driven by need to specialize
Accordin to gottfredson what is the gradual process of vocational choice?
- Fantasy period- children explore career options by fantasizing about them
- Tentative period(11-16)- evaluate careers in terms of interests, abilities, and values
- Realistic Period- Further exploration and crystallization(focus on a general vocational category and experimenter for a time before settling
How universal is the vocational choice process?
not all follow the same process, some have direct path, others undecided, low-SES restricts choices
- is not simply a rational process
How does personality affect influences on vocational choice?
According to Holland-> 6 personality types
1. Investigative person; work with ideas-> scientific occupation
2. Social person; w/ ppl->human services
3. Realistic person; real-world problems & working w/ objects-> mechanical occ
4. artistic person; emotional/ individual expression
5. Conventional person; well-structured tasks/ values material possession and social status-> business fields
6. Enterprising person; adventurous, persuasive, strong leader-> sales/supervisory /politics
what are other influences that affect career decisions?
- parents provision of educational opportunities, vocational information, and encouragement
- Close relationships with teacher who hold high educational expectations
How does gender stereotype influence vocational choice?
Improved however W still concentrated in less-well paid, tradionally feminine professions
