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WELCOME STUDENTS

WELCOME STUDENTS. Dr B’s ADULT PSYCHOLOGY. Week 1 ( ch 1,setting the context) . Who we are and what we study ( gerontologists/ multidisciplinary ) Stereotypes about later life (T or F) In old age, most people live in nursing homes

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WELCOME STUDENTS

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  1. WELCOME STUDENTS Dr B’s ADULT PSYCHOLOGY

  2. Week 1 (ch 1,setting the context) Who we are and what we study (gerontologists/ multidisciplinary) Stereotypes about later life (T or F) • In old age, most people live in nursing homes • In old age, memory seriously declines; many older people have Alzheimer’s disease • In old age, people are more unhappy than at other life stages • In old age poverty is rampant. • In other cultures and historical times, the elderly were treated better than they are today 

  3. Stereotypes about Young Adults (T or F) • Adulthood starts at age 18 (see below) • Young people are less interested in having committed relationships, or being married, than in the past • Young people don’t have the same work ethic; they work less hard than in “the good old days” • College lasts for 4 years • Academic talents outweigh everything else in getting a college degree

  4. Scanning our evolving adult life: COHORTS traveling though time PRINCIPLE ONE A FAR FARLONGER ADULTHOOD AVERAGE V.S MAXIMUM LIFE EXPECTANCY Average life expectancy in colonial times- about age 25 Average life expectancy today– the 70s (with major qualifications) Maximum life-expectancy (How long its possible to live)??? Exploring the super-centenarians Is the maximum lifespan evolving?

  5. Exploring the 20TH CENTURY LIFE EXPECTANCY REVOLUTION When it (mainly) happened (early 20th century) 1900-1930s approx= added 25+ years to life!! What happened (causes and consequences) • Shift from infectious to chronic disease • People expect to live to later life • Old age starts later YOUNG OLD and OLD- OLD (from frisky-60s & 70s- to frail 80+ • Getting it to full adulthood doesn’t happen till later: EMERGING ADULTHOOD

  6. Scanning affluent world life-expectancy variations Why do women outlive men?Why do so many nations live longer than us?IS THE 20th cent LIFE EXPECTANCY REVOLUTION REVERSING? ?

  7. PRINCIPLE 2: A late 20th century lifestyle revolution CAUSES: THE BABY BOOMERS REACH THEIR TEENAGE YEARS (Baby boom cohort b 1946-64ish) TRACKING THE BABY BOOM 1950s----------- l960s ------------------------ 2012 2030 (born/child) teens young old old-old THE lifestyle revolutionsThe age boom arrives THE lifestyle REVOLUTIONS: An in depth view • Women’s movement= women and men are “equal” at work; no defined gender roles in the family (theoretically) • Sexual revolution= you can have sex before marriage; no sexual double standard= women are allowed to have sex too!( a note: the civil rights movement; What is the last freedom movement?

  8. The downside of the 60’s family revolutiongreat rise in divorcegreat rise in single parents (as of today more women in their 20s give birth outside of marriage than withingreat rise in child poverty

  9. ANOTHER NEW NEGATIVE TREND: The GREAT Recession of 2008; and income inequalities Housing bubble meltdown; Income inequalities: Richest fifth Drop in spending; layoffs; richer( L) very rich much richer(R) Unemployment Part-time/wants to be full time

  10. MARKERS SHAPING OUR ADULT PATHImpact of socioeconomic statusdeveloped and developing worldImpact of culturecollectivist and individualistic societiesImpact of GENDER—tracking different pathsWomen, men, disease, and health Women, men, socioeconomic status, and family life

  11. WEEKS 2 and 3 (rest of chapter 1)LENSES FOR INTERPRETING THE LIFESPAN: THEORIES General theories of behavior and thenature/ nurture perspective Nature= heredity Nurture= the environment

  12. Traditional BehaviorismEmphasis on finding basic laws; who we are is shaped by nurture; no definite changes “with age Decoded: Want to be “scientific” WANT SIMPLE PRINCIPLES • The environment causes everything (no such thing as heredity!!!???) • I can explain the behavior of 1 year olds and 100 year olds using the following principle Operant conditioning- Voluntary learning; learns through reinforcement Decoded: get rewarded=learn! . variable reinforcement schedule:Get rewarded irregularly and so keep going

  13. BASIC BEHAVIORAL PRINCIPLES SUMMARIZED * it’s the reinforcer’s fault not the person’s.. In other words people are not basically good or bad; impaired or not (they easily change if we change the reinforcers) * to extinguish “bad” behavior be consistent. Never give in • to cement “good” behavior in you need to fail (but only sometimes) • Pay attention to positive behavior(ignore negative behavior)

  14. APPLICATIONS OF BEHAVIORISMto marriage and careerto old ageWhy behaviorismqualifies as themost positive theory of later life

  15. Social learning theory/cognitive behaviorism --human beings as thinkersA note on modelingwho we modelModeling as an explanation for the new young meaning of old ageSelf-efficacy– “I can do it if I work” Using efficacy feelings to predictAdult career and college choices Memory in old ageCan efficacy as a teen predict career success?Exploring efficacy’s ethical downside

  16. Psychoanalytic theory 2)Basic A historical perspective child BASIC POINTS childhood is all important—personality doesn’t change (Unless you go into analysis) “unconscious” irrational motives drive behavior exploring the concept of adult ego strength A contemporary basic message !!!SELF UNDERSTANDING is the key to adult success!!!!!! .

  17. Nature makes a comeback: behavioral genetics A historical look at the nature/nurture debate 0------------------------------- -l950’s/60s------------------- l970s-80’s Nature (blood/rank at birth) Behaviorism/nurture Beh genetics “the aristocracy” Hitler as an object lesson nature is A LOT!! “the master race” Exploring the medication revolution Exploring behavioral genetic research

  18. Twin and adoption studies-- their rationale; their method; the findings Twin studies described: • Identical twins== same egg and sperm then split (genetic clones) • Fraternals= 2 different egg and sperm unite; (like siblings) Adoption studies described; Compare adopted children with biological parents and adoptive parents. Thomas Me and my husband Maureen If more like bio parents (Maureen) its____________ If more like adoptive parents (my husband and I) its__________ Twin/adoption studies described Adopted at birth and go to DIFFERENT families!

  19. Scanning the findings The Swedish/twin adoption study What is most heritable?..Some surprising results how do heritabilities change at different ages? diseases of aging are more heritable if occur at younger ages (eg Alzheimer’s etc) qualities like I.Q get more heritable as we travel into adult life……. Why?????????

  20. …….. Bringing us to the basic idea: NATURE AND NURTURE COMBINE. Our nature (biology) shapes our nurture (environment) evocative/active interaction== we select our environments to fit our talents (active) our personality evokes certain responses from others (evocative). Paranoid people have enemies Loving people live in a caring world (THEREFORE: as nature + nurture go together what start out as small differences can become huge..as we develop into and through adulthood )

  21. Nature and nurture interact Bidirectional influenceschildren shape parents, spouses shape each other; teachers shape students; students shape teachers etc Fit environment to “best” self (person environment fit)== success

  22. Postscript: Human Genetics can change!! (via nurture=the environment)Exploring the (VERY tentative)triumph of our better angelsExploring the reality of the Flynn effect

  23. Age change perspective # 1Erikson’s psychosocial stages Erikson’s ideas in historical (and personal) context Emphasis on the developing self and relationships age linked adult tasks identity intimacy generativity ego integrity Do the elderly think more about the past? Exploring the research on reminiscence

  24. Age change perspective # 2:Jung’s midlife shift to maturity Jung’s ideas in historical (and personal) context • The last half of life is (potentially) the “best” • Midlife shift from self-oriented to other- oriented concerns • Women and men “reverse” personalities in later life Evaluating Jung: Any contemporary messages?

  25. Putting it all together: developmental systems theory

  26. TOOLS FOR STUDYING HOW WE CHANGE Representative question: Do people get wiser and or/ more creative with age? Step 1: Defining your concepts… How would you measure wisdom and/or creativity? self reports= questionnaires (+s-’s) Interviewer assessments= having experts/others rate behavior (+s-s)

  27. Approach # 1 Cross sectional studiesDiff ages at same timePluses= easyProblems-age differences vs age changesCan’t tell what the guys in the first pic. will be like in next photos 20 ish 40 ish 60+

  28. Approach #2 Longitudinal studiesfollow people over timeproblems-long, elite group, selective attrition, practice effectsGREAT PLUS: Can look at how individuals develop and change2013---------------------------- 2033--------------------------- 20532Oish ---------------------40ish-----------------------60 +-Did Rembrandt get wiser or more creative with age?

  29. Concluding Quiz (and a preview of some fascinating findings) • Do we get more creative/accomplished with age (and at what ages are we most creative in a field)? • Do we get wiser with age (and at what age does wisdom reach its peak)? • Do we get happier with age (and is there a happiest life stage)? (take this quiz and hand it in)

  30. BEGINNING THE ADULT JOURNEY Read: Chapter 10 Scanning the reasons for emerging adulthood* Life expectancy Education Varied paths and norms

  31. Scanning the beginnings: Nest leaving Stereotypes: A short quiz (T/F) *Leaving the nest makes us more adult * Leaving the nest at 18 is normal today ______________________________ Facts: New nest leaving realities/ motives in the face of the Great recession…Nest leaving issues worldwide

  32. Solutions: living together happily as adults

  33. Pathway Markers and Events social clocks=On time vs off timeQuestions to ask to predict someone’s personal social clock

  34. THE CHALLENGE: IDENTITY Identity statusesForeclosure diffusion

  35. Identity statuses contMoratorium Achievement

  36. Identity status issues • Is foreclosure “bad”? (moratorium in depth search) • Does identity evolve? • Special topic: Constructing an ethnic identity

  37. Choosing a careerFLOW Choosing a career; succeeding at college (Flow)

  38. College #1: Financial issues and hurdles/new trendsHow important is college to a decent career?How important is SES to entering and dropping out?

  39. College #2 Making it emotionally • Connect w faculty • Get involved in campus life (to find your flow) • Volunteer if possible (to find your flow) • Reach out to diverse people Making the case for college as a unique (and vital) inner growth zone

  40. Summing Things Up

  41. Part 2: LoveNew landscape trendsInterracial and inter-ethnic dating:stereotypes and factsGay relationships: stereotypes and research facts

  42. Finding love 1The pathway to commitment Murstein’s stimulus, value, role theory homogamy Selecting an ideal selfWh When you should be diff.

  43. Finding love 2: irrationality and unpredictability

  44. Finding Love 3: Adult Attachment styles

  45. Fun new research facts about love

  46. Evaluating your relationship(take this quiz and hand it in)

  47. LIFEROLES (read ch 11)Marriage 1:The landscapeA historical viewA tour of marriage worldwide

  48. The new demographics of cohabitation and marriage

  49. MARRIAGE #2:changes over timeU shaped curve of satisfactionEmpty nestWhy late life marriage (can be) the best

  50. Marriage #3: love types: Sternberg’s triangular theorycharting the fall off in passion and intimacy

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