Human Growth & Development Ch 13
cognitive-affective complexity
A form of mature thinking that involves emotional awareness, the ability to integrate and regulate intense emotions, and the recognition and appreciation of individual experience; Capacity to be aware of emotions, integrate positive and negative feelings about an issue, and regulate intense emotions to make logical decisions about complicated issues
free radical
A highly reactive, corrosive substance that forms when a cell is exposed to oxygen. Through chemical reactions, free radicals destroy DNA, proteins, and other cellular materials; may also contribute to male infertility
senescence
A pattern of gradual age-related declines in physical functioning
telomere
A type of DNA that caps both ends of chromosomes and shortens with each cell division. Eventually telomeres shorten past a critical length and the cell to stop duplicating
what are some reasons why it is difficult for young adults to eat healthily?
Absence of parental controls, access to an abundance of food, and busy lives
age-related physical changes by age 20
Age-related changes in the skin
describe the general physical development in early adulthood
All of the organs and body systems, including digestive, respiratory, circulatory, and reproductive systems, peak in functioning
wear and tear theory of aging
An early theory of aging stating that aging is the result of the body wearing out from use; regular exercise increases longevity in all people regardless of ethnicity or socioeconomic status
overweight
BMI greater than 25
age-related physical changes by age 30
Gray hairs Hereditary baldness Less skin elasticity and some visible wrinkles around the eyes and forehead
binge drinking
Heavy episodic drinking; consuming five or more alcoholic beverages in one sitting for men and four drinks in one sitting for women
pragmatic thought
In Labouvie-Vief's theory, a type of thinking where logic is used as a tool to address everyday problems and contradictions are viewed as part of life
reflective judgment
Mature type of reasoning that synthesizes contradictions among perspectives; recognizes that options and opinions can be evaluated and generates criteria to do so
how does smoking incr. blood pressure and heart rate?
Nicotine stimulates the adrenal glands to release adrenaline, which increases blood pressure and heart rate
Gains in cognitive-affective complexity helps young adults do what?
Participate in social interactions ; Become more open of other viewpoints; Solve day to day problems
how has today's obesity epidemic in Western nations had stronger ties to environmental pressures than genetic factors?
Physical labor is less a part of the lifestyle in industrialized nations than ever before. Food, especially sugary, fatty, and fried foods, have become more abundant at the same time as people have become more sedentary. Sedentary lifestyles, and especially the number of hours spent viewing television, are closely associated with obesity
dualistic thinking
Polar reasoning in which knowledge and accounts of phenomena are viewed as absolute facts, either right or wrong with no in-between; typical of beginning college students
which types of college students have more opportunities to interact with peers and become involved in the academic and social aspects of campus life—and show the greatest cognitive gains in the college years?
Students who live in residence halls
isometric muscle strength
Subtle contractions in which the length of the muscle does not change, is maintained through adulthood
reduced capacity for cell division theory of aging
Telomeres that shorten past a critical length cause the cell to stop dividing all together, leading to increases in disease, cell death, and body aging
crystallization stage
The earliest stage of occupational development; begins in adolescence; Adolescents from ages 14 through 18 begin to think about careers in more complex ways, considering their own interests, personality, abilities, and values as well as the requirements of each career
caloric restriction theory of aging
The practice of restricting caloric intake for the purpose of slowing aging; A nutritious diet that is extremely low in calories is associated with a longer lifespan
epistemic cognition
The ways in which an individual understands how he or she arrived at ideas, beliefs, and conclusions
postformal reasoning
Thinking and problem solving is restructured in adulthood to integrate abstract reasoning with practical considerations, recognizing that most problems have multiple causes and solutions, some solutions are better than others, and all problems involve uncertainty
relativistic thinking
Type of reasoning in which knowledge is viewed as subjective and dependent on the situation; Most knowledge is viewed as relative, dependent on the situation and thinker; relativistic thinkers recognize that beliefs are subjective, that there are multiple perspectives on a given issue, and that all perspectives are defensible
alcohol dependence
a maladaptive pattern of alcohol use that leads to clinically significant impairment or distress, as indicated by tolerance, withdrawal, and inability to reduce drinking
when does aging become visible?
about age 30
specification stage
ages 18 to 21 identify specific occupational goals and pursue the education needed to achieve them
stabilization stage
ages 25 to 35; entails becoming established in a career. Young adults settle into specific jobs, gain experience, and adapt to changes in their workplace and field
aging immune system theory of aging
an aging immune system is less able to differentiate healthy cells from pathology, may direct the body's defenses against healthy cells, and may ignore harmful cells
wha is the recommended amount of exercise?
at least 150 minutes of moderate activity each week or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, plus muscle strengthening exercises on at least two days each week
athlete vs non athlete muscle and motor skills throughout aging
athletes experience more subtle and gradual declines in physical abilities from the late 30s to the 60s. Their muscles and motor skills age much more slowly than their peers
Obesity
body mass index (BMI) of 30 or above
cellular mutation theory of aging
cellular mutations lead to a deterioration in functioning and an increase in age-related diseases and cancers
which types of colleges do nontraditional students seek?
colleges that are readily accessible; offer training relevant to their current life needs; and are cost-effective, flexible in course scheduling, and supportive of adult lifestyle commitments
"fight-or-flight" stress response
cortisol is released and the body readies for action, raising blood pressure and heart rate
general trend of reproductive capacity
declines with age, increasing the risk for women in their mid to late 30s of experiencing difficulty conceiving
what are some factors that can prevent ovulation?
drug and alcohol abuse, environmental toxins, obesity, and being underweight
consequences of regular moderate exercise
enhances immunity, lowering the risk of, and speeding recovery to, illnesses; mental health benefits such as improved mood, energy, self-esteem, working memory, and ability to cope as well as reductions in stress, anxiety, and depression
vocational indications for artistic personality type
enjoys individual expression; likely to select a career in the arts, incl. writing and performing arts
vocational indications for social personality type
enjoys interacting with people; likely to select a human services career (e.g., teaching. nursing, counseling)
vocational indications for enterprising personality type
enjoys leading and persuading others, values adventure; likely to select a career in sales, politics
vocational indications for investigative personality type
enjoys working w/ ideas; likely to select a scientific career (e.g., biologist, physicist)
vocational indications for realistic personality type
enjoys working w/ objects and real-world problems; likely to select a mechanical career (e.g., carpenter, mechanic, plumber)
true or false: Nontraditional students are less likely than traditional students to attend college part-time, work full-time, be financially independent, and have dependents
false
true or false: Young adults who become ill or die from illness are less likely to be of low socioeconomic status.
false
which type of students often experience the most difficulty transitioning to college and are at highest risk of dropping out of college or attending discontinuously?
first-generation students and those who are from minority of low socioeconomic homes
free radicals theory of aging
free radicals destroy DNA, proteins, and other cellular materials in an attempt to replace the missing electrons. Free radicals are thought to contribute to many age-related diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disorders, and arthritis
consolidation stage
from age 35 and up, individuals accumulate experience and advance up the career ladder, moving into supervisory positions and becoming responsible for the next generation of workers
what does aging entail?
gradual changes in strength, body proportions, sensory capacities, and fertility
factors related to obesity
heredity, environmental pressures
what health problems are associated with obesity?
high blood pressure; stroke; circulatory problems; diabetes; digestive disorders; arthritis; cancer; and, ultimately, early death
when does performance on activities that require body coordination and bursts of strength peak?
in the early 20s
when does performance on activities that require endurance peak?
in the early 30s
what do advances in reasoning during the adult years entail?
integrating cognition with emotion. Young adults become better able to make rational decisions and are less swayed by emotion-fused thinking than are adolescents
how does marijuana use interfere with thinking?
it impairs a person's ability to shift attention from one item to another and to learn, form memories, and recall material
what is the most common cancer caused by tobacco smoke?
lung cancer
what is the most commonly used substance after alcohol and nicotine in the US?
marijuana
why do nontraditional college students find the practical details of college more difficult to navigate?
most colleges are oriented toward traditional students
physiological effects of chronic stress
negative cardiovascular side effects of stress, such as hypertension (high blood pressure), high cholesterol, and arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries, which places more stress on the heart and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke)
does college enrollment influence heavy drinking and alcohol-related problems among young adults?
no; heavy drinking and alcohol-related problems are more common among young adults regardless of college enrollment
The Forgotten Third
one third of high school graduates in the United States that transition from high school to work without attending college; relatively few resources are directed toward learning about and assisting them, as compared with college-bound young adults
vocational indications for conventional personality type
prefers well-structured tasks, values social status; likely to select a career in business (e.g., accounting, banking)
Successful treatments of alcohol dependence
provide individual and family counseling, group support, coping skills, and possibly aversion therapy (the use of medication that produces negative reactions to alcohol such as vomiting) to spur a distaste for alcohol
what is a common cause of female infertility?
the inability to ovulate; With advancing age, ovulation becomes less regular; Chromosomal anomalies accumulate as egg cells age, increasing the risk of pregnancy loss, or miscarriage; Ovarian cancer and ovarian cysts; Dwindling reserves of ova
what is the most important factor in selecting a career?
the match between young people's personality traits and abilities and their occupational interests; contextual influences such as family and educational opportunities also influence our choice of career
programmed genetics theory of aging
the rate of aging is influenced by DNA and heredity
which strengths do nontraditional students possess?
they show a readiness to learn and a problem-centered orientation toward learning that emphasizes acquiring the knowledge and skills needed for career advancement; experience and multiple roles can help make meaning of theoretical concepts that may be purely abstract to younger learners
ovulate
to release an ova into the fallopian tube
true or false: Attending college is associated with advanced moral reasoning and the ability to synthesize the considerations of autonomy and individual rights with promoting human welfare
true
true or false: most men remain able to conceive into older adulthood
true; However, the number and quality of sperm produced does decline in middle adulthood, beginning at about age 40
Heavy drinking
two or more instances of binge drinking within the past 30 days
why is marijuana addictive?
when inhaled, the active ingredient, THC, passes from the lungs to the bloodstream to the brain and activates the brain's reward system, making the user feel euphoric
implementation stage
young adults ages 21 to 24 complete training, enter the job market, and make the transition to become an employee