1. Adulthood and Old Age

2. 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.

3. Adulthood

4. 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

5. 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

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

7. 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

8. 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

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

10. 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

11. 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

12. Social and Personality Development20 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

13. 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)

14. 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?

15. Old Age

16. 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

17. 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?

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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?

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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

25. Adulthood--Physical Changes
Incidence of dementia by age
Risk of dementia
increases in later
years
Age Group
40% 30 20 10
Percentage
with dementia

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

27. 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

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

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

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

31. 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
For each of the stages of psychological adjustment to death, how can you be friends to a dying person in each of these stages?

32. 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.

33. 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.

34. 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?

35. 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.

36. 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?