Adulthood/ Old Age

1. Adulthood/ Old Age Transitions of Life Old age

2. Objectives • Explain the social clock and Menopause • Compare and Contrast Fluid intelligence and Crystallized intelligence • Discuss the wellsprings of resistance

3. Transitions of Life • Particular times in life • Go to school, learning to drive a car, have a baby, Retiring from work= Social Clock • Different cultures= different marriages, times

4. chapter 3 The transitions of life Emerging adulthood (ages 18-25) Phase of life distinct from adolescence and adulthood In some ways an adult, in some ways not The middle years (ages 35-65) Perceived by many as the prime of life Menopause: the cessation of menstruation and the production of ova, usually a gradual process lasting several years

5. Emerging Adulthood • Do you lived at home, Who pays the bills? • Adolescence to maturity • Every society, culture differences • Middle Years 35-65 years old

6. Emerging adulthood: Women • 45-55 Menopause; Women’s ovaries stop producing estrogen and progesterone • Not strong correlation of depression because population hysterectomy & bio history of depression • Most feel relief

7. Old age • Ego-Integrity- Become aware of your own morality • Biological perspective= decline • Vision lenses, hearing decline

8. chapter 3 Lifespan intellectual changes Some intellectual abilities dwindle with age. Numerical and verbal abilities relatively stable.

9. Old age Cont. • Cognitive perspective= Possible increase • Frontal lobes loose mass but this does not mean general mental decline • Alzheimer’s disease- a degenerative disorder of the brain that produces both diminished thinking abilities and memory problems

10. chapter 3 Old age Some types of thinking change, others stay the same. Fluid intelligence: the capacity for deductive reasoning and the ability to use new information to solve problems; relatively independent of education, declines in old age Crystallized intelligence: cognitive skills and specific knowledge of information acquired over a lifetime; depends heavily on education, remains stable over lifetime.

11. Old Age Intelligence • Fluid Intelligence= Deductive reasoning and ability to use NEW INFORMATION to solve Problems. • F.E. Grandpa and your cell phone. • Has biological component, parallels other biological decline

12. Old intelligence cont • Crystallized intelligence- Knowledge and Skills built up over lifetime • Arithmetic, define words or take political positions • STABLE; like a rock, or Crystal

13. chapter 3 The wellsprings of resilience Research psychologists have questioned the psychodynamic assumption that childhood traumas have emotional effects that inevitably continue into adulthood. Considerable evidence disputes this claim.

14. chapter 3 Challenging our assumptions Recovery from war Only 20% of WWII war orphans had problems after being adopted and moving to the US. Most of these eventually established happy lives. Recovery from abusive or alcoholic parents Their children are at-risk for developing these problems, but most do not. Recovery from sexual abuse More emotional and behavioral symptoms, but most adjust and recover.

15. Summarize • Social clock • Old age intelligences • Wellsprings of resistance