Adulthood and Old Age

Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development Approximate age Stage Description of Task Adolescence Identity vs. role Teenagers work at refining a sense of self by (teens into confusion testing roles and then integrating them to 20s) form a single identity, or they become confused about who they are. Young Adult Intimacy vs. Young adults struggle to form close relation- (20’s to early isolation ships and to gain the capacity for intimate 40s) love, or they feel socially isolated. Middle Adult Generativity vs. The middle-aged discover a sense of contri- (40s to 60s) stagnation buting to the world, usually through family and work, or they may feel a lack of purpose. Late Adult Integrity vs. When reflecting on his or her life, the older (late 60s and despair adult may feel a sense of satisfaction or up) failure.

Adulthood

Adult Development Genetics and lifestyle combine to determine course of physical changes Social development involves marriage and transition to parenthood Paths of adult social development are varied and include diversity of lifestyles

Physical Changes *Physical peak between 18 to 30 years old Strongest, healthiest, quickest reflexes *Gradual physical decline Theories- breakdown of cells, predetermined biological clock that stops cell growth Appearance Hair thins and grays, skin wrinkles, bones become fragile, circulation slows

Physical Changes- Health Problems Most common causes of death in later adulthood Heart disease, cancer, cirrhosis Drug abuse Inadequate diet Effects of violence

Adulthood *Crystallized Intelligence *Fluid Intelligence Social Clock *one’s accumulated knowledge and verbal skills *tends to increase with age *Fluid Intelligence *one’s ability to reason speedily and abstractly *tends to decrease during late adulthood Social Clock the culturally preferred timing of social events such as marriage, parenthood, and retirement

Physical Changes- Health Problems *Menopause *Biological event of natural cessation of menstruation and a woman’s production of sex hormones is sharply reduced Negative effects may be exaggerated; uncertainty of what to expect is common Men have no equivalent

Love and Partnerships More than 90% of Americans marry *Most marry someone of *Similar age *Race *Religion *Education *Background

Divorce Almost 50% of American marriages *Success/failure depends on how couples handle conflicts and how often couples share intimate and happy moments Effects of divorce on children *Effects on children all depend on relationship between parents after divorce School performance Self-esteem Emotional adjustment Attitudes about marriage Gender-role development

Cognitive Changes Mid-20s: better at Learning new skills and information Solving problems that require speed and coordination Shifting from one problem-solving strategy to another *Ability to comprehend new material and think flexibly improves, especially if in stimulating environment

Social and Personality Development 20 40 60 80 15 25 35 45 55 65+ Percentage “satisfied” with life as a whole Age group Multinational surveys show that age differences in life satisfaction are trivial (Ingle hart, 1990). Character seems to remain the same

Social and Personality Development *Levinson’s Theory of Male Development *Entering the Adult World: need to explore options vs. need to establish stable life structure *Age-Thirty Crisis: commitments are reassessed and changed *Settling Down: making it in the adult world BOOM- becoming one’s own man *Midlife-Transition: questions about past and future *Generativity: the desire to use one’s accumulated wisdom to guide future generations *Stagnation: the discontinuation of development and a desire to recapture the past *Middle Adulthood: satisfactory solutions or frustration and unhappiness (midlife crisis)

Social and Personality Development Female Development Motherhood means fewer demands in midlife, not likely for midlife crisis *“Empty Nest” syndrome Greater freedom, spouses reconnect *Depression in Midlife Menopause, loss of role as daughter/wife/mother/wage earner Closure Question 1: How might a childless person fulfill the need for generativity?

Old Age

Late Adulthood In last century Population of 65 and over has tripled People over 85 = fastest growing segment Currently 35 million Americans over 65 By 2030 More than 70 million Baby boomers Increased life expectancy Old age as a time of poor health, inactivity, and decline is a myth *Activity theory of aging—life satisfaction is highest when people maintain level of activity they had in earlier years

Attitudes toward Aging *Decremental model of aging: idea that progressive physical and mental decline are inevitable with age *Ageism: prejudice or discrimination against the elderly Myths, not facts Not always poor health, don’t always withdraw from life/work; not all inflexible or senile Closure Question #2: How might ageism be expressed? In what ways have attitudes changed or are changing currently?

Changes in Health *Physical strength and senses decline at 1% a year through adulthood *Reaction times slow as age increases *Healthy lifestyles from younger years carry on About 35% of elderly have at least 1 chronic disease Heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, arthritis *Inferior health care

Changes in Sexual Activity *In both adulthood and old age, age does not dictate decrease *Depends on past behavior Reasons why it might decrease Poor health Death of spouse Societal attitudes Opposition from family for remarriage

Changes in Life Situation *Late adulthood can be negative, reduce responsibilities, increase isolation Retirement, widowhood Many older adults commonly show symptoms of depression Continue to learn and develop skills more than before *Adjustment to old age can be difficult when faced with loss of control over environment

Closure Question #3 In America, the elderly often lack status and are on lower rungs of economic ladder What could be done to help improve older people’s situations?

Cultural Differences In Japan Able-bodied continue to work or help their families in the home Receive a guaranteed minimum income, free annual health exams, free medical care after age 70 75% live with their children (only 25% in America) Live alone- programs that provide daily visits or calls Social activities like government’s Elders Clubs and sports programs

Changes in Mental Functioning Crystallized Intelligence one’s accumulated knowledge and verbal skills tends to increase with age Fluid Intelligence one’s ability to solve abstract relational problems and generate new hypotheses tends to decrease during late adulthood

Changes in Mental Functioning *Senile Dementia *Decreases in mental abilities experienced by some people in old age Memory loss, forgetfulness, disorientation of time and place, decline in the ability to think, impaired attention, altered personality, difficulty in relating to others *Alzheimer’s Disease *a progressive and irreversible brain disorder *characterized by a gradual deterioration of memory, reasoning, language, and finally, physical functioning 4.5 million people

Adulthood--Physical Changes Incidence of dementia by age Risk of dementia increases in later years 60-64 70-74 80-84 90-95 65-69 75-79 85-89 Age Group 40% 30 20 10 Percentage with dementia

Dying and Death Closure Question #4: Why do you think people are scared of death?

Hospices *A facility designed to care for the special needs of the dying *Not to prolong life, but to improve the quality of life for terminally ill Tranquilizers and pain relievers are key component Inpatient or home-based

Life Span *Women- 7 years longer than men Why? Differences in: Hormones Exposure to stress Genetic makeup

Life Span Cont’d Race White American child/Black American child Age 76 Why? Differences in socioeconomic well-being

Adjusting to Death *Thanatology: the study of dying and death Elisabeth Kubler-Ross is pioneer of the field

Stages of Dying: Kubler-Ross Stages *5 Stages of Dying/Grief: Denial Anger/Why me? Bargaining Depression Acceptance Not universally demonstrated; may be different order or repeat stages May just be one of the above as a style of dealing with death https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_Z3lmidmrY For each of the stages of psychological adjustment to death, how can you be friends to a dying person in each of these stages?

HOMEWORK DUE TOMORROW Ask 4 other students (not in this class) the three words or terms that come to mind when they hear “old person”. Record their responses and the age of the person you asked.

Life Goals Develop a list of goals that you would like to achieve by each of the following ages: 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 Think of goals related to personal relationships, education, choice of occupation, marriage, children, health Develop a time line identifying activities that will have to be performed or skills that will have to be developed in order to achieve these goals Write a short personal essay identifying one preeminent goal you would like to accomplish during your lifetime. Explain why it is important and how you will attempt to accomplish it.

EXTRA ACTIVITIES Research a special-interest group that lobbies on behalf of senior citizens, such as the AARP. What current legislation are they attempting to influence? What positions do they hold on major social issues? What groups or individuals may oppose their positions? How do they finance their lobby efforts? What methods do they use to influence legislation?

EXTRA ACTIVITIES Group 1: 80-year-old man who is dying of cancer Group 2: 50-year-old woman who has suffered a stroke Group 3: 30-year-old son who is dying of AIDS Group 4: 20-year-old daughter who is dying of injuries sustained in a car accident Discuss your assigned situation. Determine the advice you might offer to the family to help the patient face death.

EXTRA ACTIVITIES For each of the stages of psychological adjustment to death, how can you be friends to a dying person in each of these stages?