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Chapter 5 The Physical Self. Chapter 5: The Physical Self. Genetic and environmental forces e.g. height Average: female 5’4” male 5’9” Can be affected by malnutrition Catch-up growth possible After illness or periods of malnutrition More short people in cold climates
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Chapter 5: The Physical Self • Genetic and environmental forces e.g. height • Average: female 5’4” male 5’9” • Can be affected by malnutrition • Catch-up growth possible • After illness or periods of malnutrition • More short people in cold climates • Smaller body surface for heat loss
The Endocrine System • Glands that secrete hormones • Pituitary gland: the master gland • Controls all other glands • Is controlled by the hypothalamus • Produces growth hormone • Testes secrete androgens like testosterone • Ovaries secrete estrogen and progesterone
Plasticity • Responsiveness to experiences • Can be negative • Vulnerable to damage • Environmental deprivation • Can be positive • Aids in recovery from from injury • Can compensate for each other • Can benefit from stimulation • Allows for adaptability
Brain Development 2 • Critical period: late prenatal & early infancy • Lateralization (at birth) • Left hemisphere • Analytic reasoning, language • Right hemisphere • Understanding spatial information • Visual-motor information • Corpus callosum connects the two
Brain Development 3 • Never truly complete • Changes occur across lifespan • Growth spurts in infancy, childhood and adolescence • Full adult weight by about age 16 • Processing speed increases in adolescence • Myelination continues into adulthood
BrainDevelopment4 • The Aging Brain • Gradual and mild degeneration • Elderly adults • 5-30% fewer neurons than younger adult • Greater loss in sensory-motor areas • Plasticity still possible • Main result of age is slower processing
Principles of Growth • Procession of growth is orderly • Cephalocaudal: from head, downward • Proximodistal: from the center, outwards • Orthogenic: from global, undifferentiated to specialized
The Infant • Typically 7 to 71/2 lbs., 20 inches long • Period of rapid growth • Neonatal reflexes (see Table 5.3 in text) • Survival reflexes: clearly adaptive • Breathing, eye-blink,sucking/rooting • Primitive reflexes: less adaptive • Typically disappear by 4 months • Babinski: toes fan • Grasping • Used diagnostically
The Infant 2 • Behavioral States • Short sleep-wake cycles at first • Establish more regularity at 3-6 months • REM sleep • 50% of the time for newborns • 25-30% by 6 months • May be useful for reducing stimulation • Individuality in infant patterns
TheInfant3 • Strengths and weaknesses • Sensory system in tact • Ability to learn from experience and from consequences • Limited in capacity to move voluntarily • Intentionality also limited • Cannot interpret complex stimuli
Infant Physical Behavior • Developmental norms (see Table 5.5 ) • Average age of mastery • Gross before fine motor skills • Crawling at 7–10 months • Walking at about 1 year • Study of “walkers” (Siegel & Burton, 1999) • Infants not using walkers sat up, crawled, and walked earlier • Need sensory feedback I.e.,to see feet
Physical Behavior 2 • Manipulating Objects • Grasping reflex disappears: 2-4 mo • Pincer grasp by 6 months • Motor Skills • Rhythmic Stereotypies • Rocking, bouncing, mouthing objects, banging arms and legs • Precede a skill then disappear
Dynamic Systems Approach • A self-organizing process • Trying new movements • Use sensory feedback • Motor milestones are learned • Also require maturation • A nature/nurture position
The Child • Age 2 until puberty • 2-3 inches in height, 5-6 lbs weight • Bones grow and harden • Run faster, jump higher, and throw a ball farther • Skills very responsive to practice • Hand-eye coordination, fine motor, and reaction time all improve
Adolescence • Growth spurt triggered by hormones • Peak in height: age 12/girls, 14/boys • Menarche: average age 12 1/2 • Earlier in countries with good nutrition, longer life, and higher literacy rates • Maturation different by ethnicity • AA and MA girls earlier than White • Semenarche: average age 13 • emission of seminal fluid
Rates of Development • Genes set the process in motion • Hormones responsible for changes • Environment also • Secular trend: better nutrition • Earlier maturation,larger body size • Poorly nourished/mature later • Heavy & tall/mature earlier • Regular strenuous exercise/later
Psychological Implications • Girls become concerned w/appearance • Individual reactions vary widely • Negative views about menstruation • May contribute to poor body images • Boys likely to welcome the changes • Family relations remain important • Distance & conflict with parents • Usually about only minor issues
Early vs. Late Development • Early/males: advantage • More positive reactions from others • Late/males: disadvantage • More behavior & adjustment problems • Early/females: disadvantage • Subject of ridicule,lower self esteem • Older peer group = problems • Late/ females: academic advantages • Differences tend to fade with time
Physical Behavior • Dramatic physical growth overall • Boys continue to improve • Girls tend to level off or decline • Not totally explained by biology • Gender role socialization important • Gender performance gap has narrowed • E.g., track, swimming, cycling records
The Adult • Minor changes in the 20s & 30s • Noticeable by the 40s • Wrinkles, gray hair, weight gain • In the 60s: Weight, muscle, bone loss • Osteoporosis in older women • Fair, light frame, smokers • Calcium, exercise, HRT • Osteoarthritis: joint deterioration
Functioning and Health • Most systems show decline with age • Heart & lung capacity • Temperature control • Immune system and strength • Reserve capacity • *On average, older people are less fit than younger BUT not all • Physically active remain fit
The Reproductive System • Beginning in adolescence • Sex hormones influence behavior • Males/testosterone • Levels fluctuate daily • Females/ estrogen & progesterone • monthly cycle • PMS? Expectations vs. hormones • Calcium & Vitamin D helpful
Menopause and Andropause • Menopause: estrogen production declines • age range 45-54 • Symptoms: hot flashes, vaginal dryness • Little anxiety, irritability, depression, or other stereotypes • Exercise & adequate sleep helpful • Andropause: decreasing testosterone • Symptoms: Libido, fatigue, erection, and memory problems
Slowing Down • Balance difficulty affects the ability to walk, stand, sit, and turn • Older people with strong muscles and good cardiovascular capacity can walk briskly • Central change is slowing in the CNS • Increased RT • Novel/complex tasks more difficult • *physically fit older people have quicker RT
Disease, Disuse, and Abuse • Birren (1963) study of men aged 65-91 • Healthy older same as younger • Conclusion: Aging itself has little effect on physical and psychological functioning • Disuse: “Use it or loose it!” • Includes mental exercise • Abuse contributes to decline • Alcohol, high-fat diet, smoking