Adulthood and Aging 3270 EXAM 1

Internal change processes

At deeper level, shared inner changes may result from pressures individual feels from the biological and social clocks. (ex: exaggerate then balance masculine/feminine traits after childbirth vs. grown child.)

Life-span developmental psychology approach

Development is lifelong, multidimensional, plastic, contextual, and multiple causal

positive correlation

When one factor increases, the other factor also increases. shows how high scores on the two dimensions occur together.

Negative correlations

When one factor increases, the other factor decreases. -indicate high scores on one dimension go with low scores on the other.

obesity

When the weight-height ratio increases to the point that is has an adverse effect on the person's health. -1/3 of U.S. adults have this condition

suvey questionnire

a paper and pencil for consisting of structured and focused questions that participants can fill out on their own. -can reach a large number of people in a wide geographic range.

Epigenetic inheritance

a process in which the genes one receives at conception are modified by subsequent environmental events that occur during the prenatal period and throughout the lifespan.

cross-sectional designs

a study that is based on data gathered at one time from groups of participants who represent different age groups. Each subject measured/tested only once. -Results only show age differences, not change.

ageism

a type of discrimination in which opinions are formed and decisions are made about others based solely on the fact that they are in a particular age group

visual acuity

ability to perceive detail in a visual pattern.

____ studies combine the preceding methods by combining two longitudinal studies during different time periods.

cross-sectional studies

Normative age-graded influences

influences that are linked to age and experienced by most adults of every generation as they grow older. These are biological and environmental influences that are similar for people in a particular age group, regardless of when or where they are raised. -influences include: Biology, shared experience, and Internal change processes.

biological age

is a measure of how an adult's physical condition compares with others.

macrosystem

larger cultural influences such as value systems of government, church, political system

The text uses the tenets of ____ and the ______.

lifespan developmental psychology, and ecological systems.

Pupils (during aging)

lose ability to open efficiently in response to reduced light.

. ____ combines data from previously published studies on the same research question.

meta-analysis

Hayflick limit

number of cell divisions species undergo before reaching "replicative senescence. -Primary aging occurs when species limit is approached.

chronological age

number of years that have passed since your birth. Does not cause developmental changes.

stages

parts of the journey where there seems to be progress for some time, followed by an abrupt change.

Oxidative damage theory

primary aging occurs due to random damage that takes place on the cellular level. -Involves release of free radicals. -resistance to and repair potentially damaging chemical reactions decline with age.

overweight

when a person's total body weight is more than is considered optimally healthy for their height. .

In addition to change, adult development is characterized by 3 periods of stability

-Genetics -environment -Interactionish view

2 Theoretical Approaches to Development

-Life-span developmental psychology approach -Bioecological model of development

5 Systems of Bronfenbrenner's Bioecological Approach

-Microsystem -Mesosystem -Exosystem -Macrosystem -Chronosystem

Influences of adult development that result in change

-Normative age-graded -influences. -Normative history-graded influences. -Non-normative life events.

What are 3 theories of Primary aging

-Oxidative damage -Genetic limits -Caloric restriction

Weight and body composition

-Rises in 20,30 and 40's, stays level into 50's & 60's. -2/3 of US adults are over normal BMI range

Two most common ways of looking at results of studies of adult change and stability

-comparison of mean scores -correlational analysis

Sources of change in adulthood are classified into three types:

-normative age-graded influences -Normative history-graded influences -Nonnormative life events.

Physical Changes During adulthood

-outward appearances -senses -Bones and muscles -Cardiovascular and repiratory systems -Brain and nervous systems -Immune system -Hormonal system

BMI (body mass index)

A measurement representing the raio of a persons body weight to his or her height

Vision

A sensory system with the most complex structure Last sense to develop in infants and first to show signs of decline in middle adulthood.

Correlational Analysis

A statistic that tells us the extent to which two sets of scores on the same people tend to vary together.

reliability

A test measures what it claims to measure CONSISTENTLY.

Normative age-graded influences are linked to ___ and happens to most people as they grow older

AGE

Caloric Restriction Theory

Aging is connected with our diets, specifically how many calories we metabolize per day.

_____studies gather data on a group of people representing different age groups.

Cross-sectional studies

Normative History-Graded Influences

Biological and environmental influences associated with a particular historical moment. -Influences include: Culture and Cohorts.

Exosystem

Broader influences such as societal institutions like local government, schools, church

Developmental psychology includes the study of ______ and ___ over time during childhood, adolescence, and adulthood

Change, stability

Developmental psychologists rarely depend on____age alone. Most use age groups of stages in life.

Chronological age

meta analysis

Combination of data from a large number of studies that deal with the same research question

The study of adult development covers the time from emerging adulthood to the end of life and is based on_____research.

Empirical research

Genetic Limits Theory

Every species has characteristic maximum life span set by genetic program. -telomeres are the suggested mechanism behind this theory.

Microsystem

Everyday, immediate environment

____ designs include true experiments, pre-experiments, and quasi-experiments.

Experimental

Sequential designs

Family of research designs involving either multiple cross-sectional comparisons or multiple longitudinal comparisons, or both. -can analyze age changes and their variations.

Telomeres

Found at the tips of chromosomes, lengths of repeating DNA. -Timekeepers for cells; once used up, cell stops dividing. -age and chronic stress cause cell to stop dividing and shorten.

Sources of stability include_____and _____ influences and the interaction between the two

Genetics, and environment

continuous and discontinuous change

Gradual development vs. distinct steps/stages of change

Descriptive research

Informs current state of participants on measure of interest. -lacks high level of experimenter control

standardized tests

Instruments that measure some trait or behavior and have already been established in your field of interest.

Inner and outer change

Internal vs. visible/apparent changes

_____studies follow the same people over a long period of time, gather data at several points along the way.

Longitudinal studies

comparison of mean scores

Means (averages) analyzed to look for differences or continuities. -can highlight possible age changes, but cannot determine stability or change within individuals.

______are unique to the individual and cause developmental changes not shared by many

Nonnormative life events

_____influences are factors that only affect some people or groups

Normative history-graded influences

Bioecological model of development

People develop within context of multiple interacting environments that change over time. -Development must be studied within biological, psychological and social contexts.

____ follows an inductive research process and involves the collection and analysis of non-numerical data to search for patterns, themes, and other features

Qualitative

causes of wrinkles of the skin at ages 40-50

Redistribution of body fat and loss of elasticity.

Quantitative research

Research without numbers

Qualitative research

Research without numbers. -Case studies, interviews, participant observations, and exploration of documents, artifacts, and archival records.

Correlational reseach design

Show relationships between two variables;does not prove causality.

Experimental research design

Tests if independent variable caused change in dependent variable

adult development

The changes that take place within individuals as they progress from emerging adulthood to the end of life.

DNA methylation

The process by which genes are modified. Involves the chemical modification of _____ through the addition of a methyl group, resulting in reduced gene expression.

non-normative life events

aspects that influence your life that are unique to you, not shared by others.

Interactionist view

both genetics and environment play a role; one's genetic traits influence how one interacts with the environment.

Secondary aging

changes that happen more suddenly and that are usually the result of disease, injury or some environmental event.

biology

changes we see in adults that are shared by all of us because we are all members of our species undergoing natural aging processes. (biological clock)

. ____ involves computing the means of the measurement scores for each group and then statistically testing for significant differences.

comparison of means

Quasi-Experimental research design

conducted as if true experiments, but no random assignment of groups. -cannot prove factor of interest causes change in dependent variable.

mesosystem

connections among various aspects of the microsystem

stability and change

consistent set of attributes vs. differences that occur within an individual over time

environment

contributes to the parts of ourselves that remain stable over time

____ compares scores for several measurements to see if there is a relationship.

correlational analysis

Primary aging

gradual, inevitable changes that will happen to most of us as we go through adulthood.

lens of eye ( during aging )

gradually thickens and yellows.

(Data collection) Interviews

having the experimenter ask the participant questions one on one.

psychological age

how an adult's ability to deal effectively with the environment compares to others.

functional age

how well a person is functioning compared to others.

presbyopia

reduced visual acuity or less of near vision

Cohort

refers to a group of people who share a common historical experience at the same stage of life. (Influence developmental research)

Empirical research

scientific studies of observable events that are measured and evaluated objectively

shared experiences

social clock produces shared changes by (society) dictating the normal sequence of adult life experiences, such as the timing of marriage, college graduation, and retirement.

cultures

social environment in which change takes place. -Significant variations in adult life experiences from one generation to the next within a given culture.

Some of the most common methods in developmental research include personal interviews, survey questionnaires, and ____ tests.

standardized tests

antioxidants

substances that protect against oxidative damage.

validity of a test

test measures what it claims to measure

behavioral genetics

the contributions genes make to individual behavior.

social age

the expected roles a person takes on at a specific point in his or her life.

Developmental psychology

the field of study that deals with the behavior, thoughts, and emotions of individuals as they go through various parts of the life span

stability

the important parts of ourselves that make up a consistent core.

change

the opposite force of stability

Data Analysis

the process of compiling, analyzing, and interpreting the results of primary and secondary data results

Commonalites

typical aspects of adult life that most of us can relate to.

chronosystem

underlies all the above mentioned systems;involves how the TIMING of systems impacts development.

Longitudinal designs

type of research design that involves studying the same subjects over a period of time, and observing whether their responses remain the same or change in systematic ways. -enable researcher to look at change or stability within individual. -show age-related changes.