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MIDDLE ADULTHOOD: Physical and cognitive development

Chapter 15. MIDDLE ADULTHOOD: Physical and cognitive development. Defining (or Defying) Middle Age. Middle Age: Life expectancy: 76 Mid-life: 38. Sensory and Physical Changes. Vision

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MIDDLE ADULTHOOD: Physical and cognitive development

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  1. Chapter 15 MIDDLE ADULTHOOD: Physical and cognitive development

  2. Defining (or Defying) Middle Age • Middle Age: • Life expectancy: 76 Mid-life: 38

  3. Sensory and Physical Changes • Vision • Presbyopia: normal condition in which the lens of the eye starts to harden, losing its ability to accommodate as quickly as it did in youth

  4. Vision • Glaucoma: increased pressure caused by fluid buildup in the eye, can damage the optic nerve and lead to blindness if untreated • Cataracts: clouding of the lens, typically occur in 30-50% of people over 65 • Floaters: Annoying floating spots; particles suspended in the gel-like fluid that fills the eyeball and generally do not impair vision

  5. Vision • Dry eye: stemming from diminished tear production can be uncomfortable and can be eased with drops • Macular degeneration: first signs are faded, distorted or blurred central vision

  6. Hearing • Decline in prebycusis: the ability to hear high-pitched sounds such as speech • Cochlear damage due to prolonged exposure to loud noises: hearing loss

  7. Taste and Smell • Reduction of taste buds • Decline in sense of smell after 50

  8. Appearance • Periodontal disease: loss of teeth • Skin becomes dryer thinner and less elastic • Carcinomas • Double-standard of aging: Men more “sophisticated”: women, less kind expressions • Cosmetics, cosmetic surgery • Hair color, loss of hair

  9. Body Composition • Muscles begin to atrophy • Weight • Exercise and nutrition • Osteoporosis: a disorder of thinning bone mass and microarchitectural deterioration of bone tissue

  10. Rheumatoid Arthritis • An inflammatory disease that causes pain, swelling, stiffness, and loss of function of the joints

  11. Hormones • Human Growth Hormone: powerful hormone used to treat children afflicted by dwarfism has become a trendy anti-aging potion

  12. Menopause and Female Midlife Change • Menopause: a process culminating in the cessation of menstrual activity • Perimenopause: The time period preceding menopause • Climacteric: Changes in the ovaries and hormonal processes

  13. Menopause and Female Midlife Change • 45-55; average 51 • Estrogen Replacement Therapy: a regimen often recommended to menopausal women by physicians to maintain cardiovascular fitness, low bone loss and slow memory loss • May increase incidence of breast cancer

  14. Menopause and Female Midlife Change • Reproduction After Menopause • Medical procedure makes it possible

  15. Male Midlife Change • Prostate gland: enlargement of this gland located at the base of the urethra. • 10% of men over 40 • Universal in men at 60 • Cancer of the prostate: Most common malignant cancer in North America • Impotence: the inability to have or sustain an erection

  16. Health Changes • Sleep • Certain drugs interfere with sleep patterns • Cardiovascular Fitness • Blood Pressure: 1in 4 American adults has high blood pressure • Can lead to arteriosclerosis, heart attack, enlarged heart, kidney damage or stroke

  17. Health Changes • Who is at Risk? • African Americans, middle aged adult men, post-menopausal women

  18. Lifestyle changes to reduce risks • Healthy weight • Eat food high in starch and fiber • Increase activity level • Choose foods lower in salt • Drink alcohol in moderation • Learn stress management skills

  19. Cholesterol • A waxy fat that occurs naturally in the body and is used to build the cell walls and make certain hormones • How to reduce: • Reduce fats in diet • Increase activity level • Stop smoking

  20. Cancer • 80% of all cancers are caused by environmental factors • Smoking is the number one controllable cause of cancer

  21. The Brain • Stroke: or “brain attack” occurs when blood circulation to the brain fails • Parkinson’s disease: motor system disorder

  22. Alzheimer’s Disease • Alzheimer’s disease: develops in middle adulthood but shows up after age 65 • Alcohol consumption: slows down brain activity, alertness, judgment, coordination and reaction time; increased risk of accident

  23. HIV/AIDS • Number of cases in midlife has been increasing • Risk factors: • Childhood sexual abuse • Adolescent or adult sexual assault • Female-to-Male transmission of HIV/AIDS • Women higher risk to become infected

  24. HIV/AIDS • Female-to-Female Transmission of HIV/AIDS • Of 85,500 women with HIV/AIDS, 1,648 were infected by other women • Prevention: condoms

  25. Stress and Depression • 2.2% of midlife adults experience major depression • Associated with increased mortality and suicide

  26. Sexual Functioning • Stereotype: erotic interest by older adults: unnatural and undignified • Age does not eliminate sexual desire • Changes: • Longer to achieve erection for men • Frequency of sexual activity declines • Same level of sexual activity from 20s

  27. Laumann Survey • Findings in Laumann survey: • Marrieds had most sex • 2.7% of men and 1.3% of women had homosexual sex in past year • 20% of men and 31% of women had only 1 sex partner since age 18 • Extramarital sex is the exception, not the rule. 75% of men and 85% of women say never unfaithful

  28. Cognitive Functioning • Research Findings: A Methodological Problem • IQ reaches peak in 20’s, remains stable for 20 years, then drops • The Varied Courses of Cognitive Abilities • No decline in verbal abilities • Decline in performance abilities

  29. Cognitive Functioning • Fluid versus Crystallized Intelligence • Fluid intelligence: the ability to make original adaptations in novel situations • Crystallized intelligence: the ability to reuse earlier adaptations on later occasions • Fluid intelligence declines, but crystallized intelligence increases (Gilinsky & Judd)

  30. Cognitive Functioning • Maximizing Cognitive Abilities • Maintaining Expert Performance • Length of time and duration committed to practicing their skill • The Role of Deliberate Practice • Ability to retain superior performance in sports: maintaining practice during adulthood

  31. Cognition and Dialectical Thinking • Dialectical thinking: organized approach to analyzing and making sense of the world one experiences that differs fundamentally from formal analysis • Convergent thinking: the application of logic and reasoning to arrive at a single correct answer to a problem.

  32. Dialectical Thinking • More open-ended, multiple solutions are sought, examined and probed, thereby leading to what are deemed creative responses on measures of creativity

  33. Moral Commitments • Moral exemplars • Moral ideals that respect humanity • Consistency between ideals and actions • Willingness to risk self interest for sake of moral values • Being inspirational force for others • Humility; unconcerned with ego

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