Curtis Wright, George Gwynn, Kirby Allen, Mason DeLoach, and Risha Prasad Middle and Late Adulthood

Middle Adulthood Physical Changes Declines after 40 Women peak and mature earlier than men This is known as menopause Ability to reproduce declines Sharp drop in hormone levels Men experience manopause (Andropause) Gradual decrease in sperm count and testosterone levels More susceptible to short term illness Decrease in brain neurons Recognition memory declines Life satisfaction peaks in the 50s and then gradually declines after age 65

Physical Changes Cont Life Expectancy differs between men and women Women tend to live longer than men Sensory Ability Visual senses diminish Muscle strength, stamina, reaction time diminish Immune system weakens

MAN-O-WAR

Cognitive Changes and The Three Phases Phase I: Cross-Sectional Evidence for Intellectual Decline Cross-sectional studies: researchers at one point in time test and compare people of various ages. “The decline of mental ability with age is part of the general aging process of the organism as a whole.” Phase II: Longitudinal Evidence for Intellectual Stability Longitudinal: retesting the same people over a period of years. Intelligence remains stable until late in life, however, researchers anticipated a decline in intelligence. Cross-sectional studies compare people not only of two different ages but of two different eras. It compared generally less- educated people with the better educated people, people raised in large families, with people raised in smaller families, people growing up in less affluent families with people raised in more affluent. Phase III: It All Depends Longitudinal studies have shown to have their own pitfalls. Those who survive to the end of longitudinal studies may be bright, healthy people whose intelligence is least likely to decline. Intelligence is not a single trait. Maybe older people process things slower, but this doesn’t mean they have a lower intelligence. Crystallized Intelligence: our accumulated knowledge as reflected in our vocabulary and analogies tests-increases up to old age. Facts and Information. Fluid Intelligence: our ability to reason speedily and abstractly, logic problems decreases slowly up to age 75 and then decreases faster.

Social Developments Social clock: the definition of “the right time” to leave home, get a job, marry, have children, and retire—varies from era to era and culture to culture. Chance events can have lasting significance because they often deflect us down one road rather than another. An example of this is romantic attraction Adulthood Commitments: the two basic aspects of our lives dominate adulthood. Middle Adulthood is when the time when people take on greater responsibilities and control. Erik Erikson says they are intimacy and generativity. Intimacy (forming close relationships) Generativity (being productive and supporting future generations. Affiliation and achievement, attachment and productivity, commitment and competence.

Love… We are naturally monogamous creatures, because when we pair with a person that we love or get along with, we can do an even better job raising our children. Better odds of passing on genes Married after 20, well educated, best chances

…and Work Helps us identify Provides us with happiness when we find work that fits our comparative advantage and gives us a sense of competency.

Late Adulthood The older population uses more positive language. They tend to not focus on the negative. Studies have shown diminished activity in the Amygdala relating to the negative but it maintains its responsiveness to the positive. Measurements of brain-wave activity shows diminishing reaction to negative images.

Death and Dying Erikson says that towards the end of life, we tend to look back at our accomplishments and decide if we are satisfied with them. We try to determine if our lives were successful. This is when many people will tend to experience grief and despair for missed opportunities and failures.

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