Adulthood and Aging-Exam 1

continuity theory: what is it? example?

--behavior in old age is an expression of one's personality attributes -ex: if anxiety increased by heights as a child, they may not pursue travel to mountainous areas when they are older

Activity Theory: what is it? example?

--disengagement as path of pursuit of increased life activity pursuits that were put "on hold" or never attempted -ex: retirement=more time to spend with grand kids or hobby

inconclusive data points: why? issue because?

--interference of sensory/motor abilities, mental fatigue, survey length, etc. --issue: missing data, lack of reliability in scores, etc.

What is molecular aging?

--rate of cellular death (metabolism) is determined by random mollecular damage that accelerates age-associated physiological symptoms, diseases, etc.

participation of participants with similar attributes: why? issue because?

--sex/gender, race/ethnicity; educ. level; geographic area; etc --issue: lack of variation in scores

disengagement theory: what is it? example?

--social normative expectations to withdrawl from social roles and expectations -ex: timing of life events dictates retirement; expectation for younger persons to enter workforce

What is the current US life expectancy by gender?

-Females: 81 -Males- 76

Personal Vs. Social Aging

-Personal: changes that occur within the individual and reflect the influence of time's passage on the body's structures and functions -Social: the effects of a person's exposure to a changing environment

Compensation

-adaption to limitation and constraint --assumption: practice enhances resilience in the form of improved functional capacity

what is the "programmed assumption" of the biological theory of aging? What term is related to this?

-aging is genetically pre-determined --Cellular Aging

participation due to characteristics of the participant: why? issue because?

-better health, education, greater SES, etc --issue: halo effects, positivity bias

k selection

-density-dependent or sustainability of population resources --investment in fewer offspring --population is dense and crowded --higher probability of survival

r selection

-density-independent component of natural selection or reproductive rate --greater number of offspring --less crowded environment --less probability of survival

What is the KEY issue in Aging Research (hint..formula)

-development is a function of age, cohort, and time R=f (A, C, T)

Cross sectional Designs

-different groups at one period in time (ex: comparing older adults with younger adults once) -problem: don't know if results are from age or cohort since only tested one time; quick, easy and sleazy

Futurist

-immortality is within reach -technological advancement -isolation of aging genes will allow persons to live 500-1000+ years

Optimization

-increased efficiency in everyday functioning --assumption: aging requires practice of selective attributes

dependent vs. independent variables

-independent: factor that the researcher manipulates -dependent: what the researchers observe

What is the Life Course Theory (social gerontology)?

-life course as a basis of understanding human agency within the timing of life --three LEVELS of understanding human aging and development

Realist

-life expectancy unlikely to exceed beyond 85 years -absence of radical "aging" controls in presence of real threats -physical, mental, or social threat/ailment (s) make humans mortal beings

Longitudinal Research Designs

-looking at a group over a period of time (ex: as they age) -problem: don't know if change is from time or age; also, people may drop out or become ill

What is the Geriatrics-Gerentology link?

-maximization of quality-of life --population health (individuals) --population aging (age groups)

Optimist

-most humans will reach 100 years within the century -half of all persons born year 2000 and after will reach 90 or greater

Primary (normal) aging

-normative and expected changes in biopsychosocial functioning (on time aging and development)

participants dropout (sample attrition): why? methodological issue because?

-participants move, die, etc. -issue: survival bias (more healthy, educated, etc); incomplete data

Selection

-specific "goals" one seeks to attain --assumption: older adults become more "selective" relative to what they can or cannot do given biological, psychological, or social constraints

The PIG in the Python: why is this graph important?

-the baby boomer generation (1946-1964) will cause the population of older adults in the US to double by 2050 --concerning because not all of them will be well ---will need help and support

What are some important aspects of the "Why I hope to die at 75" article?

-we are trying to prolong the dying process; not extend living -the author doesn't want to be a "burden on family" --me: he wouldn't be a burden though necessarily -once he reaches 75, his approach to health care will completely change

What are the KEY 3 of Contemporary Post-Modern Thought? (bio-psycho-social theories)

1) Life History Theory (Biology of Aging) 2) Life -span developmental theory (Psychology of aging) 3) Life course theory (social gerontology)

what are the 3 levels of the life course theory? (to understand aging and development)

1) age- chronological age (individual) 2) cohort - year of birth (socio-cultural) 3) period - historical time (systematic)

When you do research with older adults you must do do things...

1) be sensitive to their cognitive abilities (must be able to consent) 2) if they have good cognition, you must then make sure they are informed about the risks, costs, benefits, etc.

What are the "five ways to shorten your life"?

1) being overweight 2) drinking and driving 3) eating inadequate fruits and veggies 4) being physically inactive 5) smoking

What are the four principles of adult development and aging?

1) changes are continuous over the lifespan 2) only the survivors grow old 3) individuality matters 4) normal aging is different from disease

Lifespan Development Theory says that aging and human development encompasses these 7 characteristics:

1) continuous development 2) multi-directional change (aging is dynamic) 3) growth and decline (people can experience both) 4) plasticity (resiliency) (people can adapt) 5) Historical embededness (time period we live in affects us) 6) contextualism (where we live affects aging) 7) multidisciplinary study (cannot study aging with one discipline, must have multiple; psych, bio; etc)

what are the 3 designs involved in the most efficient design?

1) cross-sectional sequential 2) longitudinal sequential 3) time lag sequential

what are the four categories which to define ages?

1) emerging adulthood 2) young-old 3) old-old 4) oldest-old

What are the 3 scientific perspectives of human aging?

1) futurist 2) optimist 3) Realist

what are the 3 criteria of life expectancy?

1) it is a statistical average 2) based on year of birth 3) accounts for all reported types of death/causes

What are the four primary problems encountered in aging research?

1) participants drop out (sample attrition) 2) participation due to characteristics of the participant (sample selectivity) 3) participation of participant with similar attribute(S) (sample selectivity) 4) inconclusive data points (missingness)

What are the four types of aging?

1) primary (normal) aging 2) secondary (impaired) aging 3) tertiary aging (terminal drop) 4) optimal aging

oldest-old

85 and old

terminal decline

: individuals gradually lose their cognitive abilities as they come closer to death (may pull stats or cant be studied at all)

What is the "random error assumption" of the biological theory of aging? What is the term associated with this?

:Aging is unplanned and random --molecular aging

Cross-Sectional Sequential

:Different persons of all ages within different cohorts followed across two or more time points --can inquire if results are now due to "time" as well as age and cohort effects

Time Lag Sequential

:Different sample of persons representing different cohorts but at a particular age(s)/period followed at two or more age(s) periods --can now inquire extent to which age (maturation) impacts results in addition to time and cohort effects

Longitudinal sequential

:Same sample of persons and same ages within two or more cohorts followed across two or more time points --can now inquire if results include "cohort" effects (ex: collective group similarities) in addition to effects of age and time

Sequential Research Designs

:data collection strategies that consist of different combinations of the variables of age, cohort, and time of measurement --involves a "sequence" of studies, such as cross-sectional carried out twice (two-sequences) over a span of 10 years --sequential nature is what makes them superior

psychological age

:performance an individual achieves on measures of such qualities as reaction time, memory, learning ability, etc.

Geriatrics

Aging as "bio-physiological process" --symptom + diagnosis + treatment= cure --age as "disease" (ex: Alzheimers viewed as symptom of aging)

Gerentology

Aging as a "bio-psycho-social process" --age as underlying "intra" (within) and "inter" (between) person processes that impact biologial, psychological and social outcomes --age as "function" (example: is the person is functioning enough to do activities?)

health expectancy

the number of years a person should expect to live in good health and with relatively little disability if current morbidity rates persist

emerging adulthood

transition prior to full adult responsibilities; approx. ages 18-29

Age

an objective measure of how many years a person has lived up to the present moment

Biological

anything health related (physiological factors; genetics;etc)

Myth: older adults are sick, frail, and unhealthy Fact: ?

older adults live independently

Myth: older adults are lonely Fact: ?

older adults remain socially engaged

Myth: older adults are alike Fact: ?

older adults represent a diverse group of persons

what is the assumption of the Life History Theory?

organisms undergo changes from conception to death that are particularly on schedule with rate of reproduction and survival of a particular species

compression of morbidity

the illness burden of a society can be reduced if people become disabled closer to the time of death

What is the big study that took place in the 50s related to the life course theory? What are the 3 theories that came from this study?

Kansas City Study of Adult Life; 1) disengagement theory 2) activity theory 3) continuity theory

Can you have one component (sociological, biological, or psychological) without the other?

No

Tertiary Aging (terminal drop)

Rapid, short decline before death

What are the three components of the SOC theory?

Selection, Optimization, and Compensation

Cohort

Term used to describe the year (or period) of a person's birth; effects refer to the social, historical or cultural influences that affected people during a certain time period

r-selection favors _________________ aging/development and _____________ life-span; ex: bacteria, insects, mice

accelerated; shorter

young-old

ages 65-74

old-old

ages 75-84

only the survivors grow old

aging individuals are increasingly self-selected (look at "five ways to shorten your life")

developmental psychologists use age as an independent variable, but it really isn't one because it cannot be __________________ or ___________________; Therefore, you can never really say aging _____________ people to receive certain scores on a variable of interest. But, you can compare __________________ between age groups

controlled; manipulated; causes; differences

What is causing the life expectancy increase?

the life span of humans has not changed, but people are living to be older

social age

evaluating where people are compared to the "typical" ages expected for people to be when they occupy positions in life

What is the reality of life expectancy?

half of persons will reach their expected life expectancy; the other half will not

functional age

how people actually perform

what is Cellular Aging?

human cells have a fixed number of times to replicate before death/senescence resulting in age-associated physiological symptoms, diseases, etc.

life span

the maximum age for a given species

changes are continuous over the life span

individuals remain the "same" even though they change

Sociological

interactions with friends, family, and neighbors; leisure pursuits (vacation); anything that's related to support from others (also related to negative side (isolation))

normal aging is different from disease

intrinsic aging processes are different from those associated with illness

time lag

looking at particular ages; age is a constant in study --problem: can't see if change is from time or cohort

Lifespan development theory says that as we age we experience more developmental _______________ than ______________; if you don't regulate ____________ on time, you may lose that potential forever

losses; gains; loss

Psychological

mental health; regulating ones emotions; cognition (cognitive functioning); reaction time; personality

Myth: older adults are cognitively impaired fact: ?

most older adults experience few cognitive limitations

Secondary (impaired) aging

non-normative & often unexpected change leading to some level of impairment in biopsychosocial functioning (disease related) --ex: skin wrinkling & development of skin cancer

Optimal Aging

normative aging with delay in expected changes in the complete or near absence of impaired biopsychosocial functioning

Myth: older adults are depressed Fact: ?

older adults are happier than young persons

myth: older adults are difficult and rigid fact: ?

older adults are open to trying and doing new things

individuality matters

people vary within and between age groups (as people age, they become different from one another)

________ and ___________ selection is related to the Life History Theory

r and k

organisms in hazardous environments will maximize _____-selection while those in non-hazardous will maximize _____-selection within performance under "crowded" conditions

r; k

because age cannot be manipulated, studies of aging have a quasi-experimental design....what is this?

researchers compare groups of predetermined characteristics

The Most Efficient Design

set of 3 designs manipulating the variables of age, cohort, and time of measurement --enables the most amount of info to be condensed into the most inclusive data framework

k-selection favors _______________ aging/development and ______________ life-span; ex: humans, tortoises, elephants, etc

slower; longer

Time of measurement

tells us the year and period which a person is tested --effects relate to the social, historical, and cultural influences that are presently affecting people participating in developmental research

biological age

the age of an individual's bodily systems

life expectancy

the average number of years of life remaining to the people born within a similar period

The General Developmental Model states that research must be sensitive to...

the effects of individual age, birth cohort, and time/period effects

The Biopsychosocial Model (ways of aging)

view of development as a complex interaction of biological, psychological and social processes