Physical and Cognitive development in middle adulthood ch.15

Meaning in life

Viktor Frankl argued that examining the finiteness of our existence leads to exploration of meaning in life. Faced with the death of older relatives and less time ahead of them than behind them, many middle-aged individuals increasingly examine life's meaning. Baumeister and Vohs argue that a quest for a meaningful life involves fulfilling four main needs: purpose values efficacy self-worth

Mortality rates

in middle adulthood, chronic diseases are the main cause of death. Until recently, cardiovascular disease was the leading cause of death in middle age, but now cancer is the leading cause of death in this age group.

Religion, spirituality, and health

in some cases, religion and spirituality can be negatively linked to physical health, as when cults or religious sects discourage individuals from obtaining medical care. In mainstream religions, researchers are increasingly finding that religion is positively related to health. Religion and spirituality can enhance coping for some individuals

meaning- making coping

involves drawing on beliefs, values, and goals to change the meaning of a stressful situation, especially in times of chronic stress such as when a loved one dies

chronic disorders

Disorders that are characterized by slow onset and long duration. They are rare in early adulthood, increase during middle adulthood, and become common in late adulthood.

metabolic syndrome

a condition characterized by hypertension, obesity, and insulin resistance. This often leads to the onset of diabetes and cardiovascular disease

crystallized intelligence

accumulated information and verbal skills, which increase in middle adulthood, according to Horn.

religion

an organized set of beliefs, practices, rituals, and symbols that increases an individual's connection to a sacred or transcendent other (God, higher power, or higher truth)

Changing midlife

as more people live to older ages, the life stage that we think of as middle age seems to be occurring later. A major reason developmentalists are beginning to study middle age is the dramatic increase in the number of individuals entering this period of the life span.​

menopause

cessation of a women's menstrual periods, usually during the late forties or early fifties.

Physical changes

changes of mid-life are usually gradual. Genetic and lifestyle factors play important roles in whether chronic diseases will appear and when. Among the physical changes, of middle adulthood changes in physical appearance (wrinkles, age spots); height (disease) and weight (increase); strength, joints, and bones; vision and hearing; cardiovascular system; lunges, and sleep.

Spirituality

experiencing something beyond oneself in a transcendent manner and living in a way that benefits others and society

work in mid-life

for many people, midlife is a time of reflection, assessment, and evaluation of their current work and what they plan to do in the future. One important issue is whether individuals will continue to do the type of work they currently do or change jobs or careers.

Defining middle adulthood

middle age involves extensive individual variation. With this variation in mind, we will consider middle adulthood to be entered at about 40 to 45 years of age and exited at approximately 60 to 65 years of age. Middle adulthood is the age period in which gains and losses, as well as biological and sociocultural factors, balance each other. Some experts conclude that sociocultural factors influence development in midlife more than biological factors do.

fluid intelligence

the ability to reason abstractly, which begins to decline in middle adulthood onward, according to Horn

Religion, spirituality, and adult lives

religion and spirituality are important dimensions of many Americans' lives. Women show a stronger interest in religion and spirituality than men do. It is important to consider individual differences in religious and spiritual interest.

Religiousness

the degree to which an individual is affiliated with organized religion, participates in prescribed rituals and practices, feels a sense of connection with its beliefs, and is involved in a community of believers.

middle adulthood

the developmental period that begins at approximately 40 to 45 years of age and extends to about 60 to 65 years of age.

erectile dysfunction (ED)

the inability to adequately achieve and maintain an erection to attain satisfactory sexual performance

Climacteric

the midlife transition during which fertility declines

leisure

the pleasant times after work when individuals are free to pursue activities and interests of their own choosing

Career challenges and changes

today's middle-aged workers face challenges such as the globalization of work, rapid development in information technologies, downsizing of organizations, pressure to take early retirement, and concerns about pensions and health care. Midlife job or career changes can be self-motivated or forced on individuals

Leisure

we not only need to learn to work well, but we also need to learn to enjoy leisure. Midlife may be an especially important time for leisure because of the physical changes that occur and because of a desire to prepare for an active retirement

intelligence

~ Horn argued that crystallized intelligence (accumulated information and verbal skills) continues to increase in middle adulthood, whereas fluid intelligence (ability to reason abstractly) begins to decline. Schaie and Willis found that longitudinal assessments of intellectual abilities are less likely than cross-sectional assessments to find declines in middle adulthood and are more likely to find improvements. The highest level of four intellectual abilities ( vocabulary, verbal memory, inductive reasoning, and spatial orientation) occurred in middle age ~ Recent analysis shows considerable individual variation in intellectual abilities across middle adulthood and indicates that variations in some abilities are more predictive of cognitive impairment in late adulthood than others. Salthouse argues that a decline in a number of cognitive fuctions begins in early adhuthood and continues through the fifties. Declines have recently been identified in some aspects of neurobiological functioning that may be linked to age-related changes in congivitive functioning.

sexuality

~ climacteric is the midlife transition in which fertility declines. The vast majority of women do not have serious physical or psychological problems related to menopause, which usually takes place in the late forties or early fifties, but menopause is an important marker because it signals the end of childbearing capability. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) augments the declining levels of reproductive hormone production by the ovaries. HRT consists of various forms of estrogen usually combined with progestin. Recent evidence of risks associated with HRT suggests that its long-term use should be seriously evaluated. ~men do not experience an inability to father children in middle age, although their testosterone levels decline. Male menopause, like the dramatic decline in estrogen in women, does not occur ~sexual activity occurs less frequently in middle adulthood than in early adulthood. Nonetheless, a majority of middle-aged adults show moderate or strong interest in sex.

Health, disease, stress, and control

~in middle age, the frequency of accidents declines and individuals are less susceptible to colds and allergies. Chronic disorders appear rarely in early adulthood, an increase in middle adulthood, and become more common in late adulthood. Arthritis is the leading chronic disorder in middle age, followed by hypertension. Men have more fatal chronic disorders, women more nonfatal ones in middle age. Immune system functioning declines with age. ~ emotional stress likely is an important factor contributing to cardiovascular disease. People who live in a chronically stressed condition are more likely to smoke, overeat, and not exercises. All of these are stress-related behaviors are linked with cardiovascular disease. Having a sense of control peaks in middle adulthood and is linked to many aspects of health and disease.

Information processing

~speed of information processing, often assessed through reaction time, continues to decline in middle adulthood. Although Schaie found that verbal memory increased in middle age, some researchers have found that memory declines in middle age. Working memory declines in late middle age. Memory is more likely to decline in middle age when individuals don't use effective strategies. ~ expertise involves having an extensive, highly organized knowledge and an understanding of a particular domain. expertise often increases in middle adulthood. The practical problem-solving ability remains stable in early and middle adulthood but declines in late adulthood.