Lifespan Psych Exam 4

Cognitive mechanics

"Hardware of the mind" -Reflecting the neurophysiological architecture of the brain. -Involve speed and accuracy of processing, sensory input, attention, visual and motor memory, discrimination, comparison, and categorization.

Okinawa (correlating with longevity)

-Has the highest ratio of centenarians -Life expectancy: 81 years -Eat a diet heavy in grains and vegetables -Low stress lifestyle, high activity level (walks, gardening) -Caring community: do not isolate or ignore older adults -High inclination toward spirituality

Elderspeak

-Way of speaking to elderly that resembles baby talk -Characterized by simple, short sentences, exaggerated emphasis, slower rate, higher pitch, repetition. -Makes speech more difficult to understand -Includes addressing older adult as 'honey' 'sweetie' or use first name -Considered by many as demeaning Do: Remove background noise, extend natural pauses between sentences.

What is late mid-life?

55-65

According to Levinson's research, how do the majority experience the transition in mid-life?

70-80% of Levinson's sample: viewed mid-life transition as 'tumultuous and psychologically painful

Who are the oldest-old?

Aged 85 or more -Mostly female, widowed, and live alone -Face a number of problems including cognitive losses, ability to learn, high levels of frailty; majority are hospitalized at some point in the last years of life, majority die alone in hospitals or institutions.

Risk factors to Alzheimer's

Down Syndrome: Modifiable Risk Factors: -Regular physical activity and management of cardiovascular risk factors (diabetes, obesity, smoking, hypertension) may reduce cognitive decline and risk of dementia. -Health of the brain is closely related to heart health -Education: people with fewer years of formal education are at higher risk for Alzheimer's and other dementias. -Traumatic brain injury: moderate to severe, and/or repeated TBI increase the risk of AD. (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy)- from repeated blows to head during contact sports—increases risk).

What happens hormonally during menopause?

Drop in estrogen

When does the greatest change in personality occur?

Early adulthood

Review the meaning of Erikson's crisis: generativity vs. stagnation.

Generativity: adults' desire to leave legacies to the next generation, 'achieve immortality.' Can develop in 4 ways: 1. Biological generativity: having offspring 2. Parental generativity: nurturing and guiding children 3. Work generativity: develop work skills passed on to others 4. Cultural generativity: create, rennovate and conserve some aspect of culture that ultimately survives Stagnation: (self-absorption) Individuals sense they have done nothing for the next generation

What could potentially trigger a midlife crisis?

Life events such as job loss, financial problems, or illness.

What is the most common living arrangement of older adults?

Most older adults prefer to 'age in place' and live in their homes as long as possible. As they age, 95% of older adults live in the community rather than in institutions. Almost 2/3 live with family members and almost 1/3 live alone.

Prospective Memory

Remembering to do something in the future

Types of grandparents

Remote (distant) grandparents: -respected and loved-emotionally distant grandparents -infrequent interaction. Involved grandparents: -active in day to day life, -live near, see often Companionate grandparents: -independent, with own lifestyle and household -choose how generational interaction occurs (also 'fun-seeking') -Most grandparents want to be companions

Perimenopause (definition and symptoms)

The transitional period from normal menstrual cycles to no menstrual periods at all (process can take 5-10 years).

How do men and women experience bone loss differently?

Women lose twice as fast as men

Nun Study (correlating with longevity)

- 678 nuns ranging in age from 75 to 106 (Similar SES, housing, health care) Ongoing longitudinal study; donated brains to science. Results: - Level of education affected longevity and health -Those with college degree lived longer -Positive emotions in early adulthood linked to longevity - Nuns who were active, both physically and mentally, lived longer and healthier. -Intellectual stimulation of brain keeps neurons healthy and alive.

Review the results of Ursula Staudinger's cross-sectional research on the priorities (investment) of adults at various ages.

-25-34: Work (friends, family, independence) -35-64: Family (work, friends, cognitive fitness) -55-65: Family (health, friends, cognitive fitness) -70-84: Family (health, cognitive fitness, friends) -85+: Health (family, thinking about life, cognitive fitness)

How do sleep patterns change in late adulthood?

-50% of older adults have sleep complaints. -Total sleep decreased 8-10 minutes per decade -More light sleep, less deep sleep as age -Older people spend more time in bed, take longer to fall asleep, spend less time in deep sleep, and are often frustrated by their inability to sleep 'normally.' -Poor sleep linked to falls, obesity, lower level of cognitive functioning, earlier death. -Excessively long sleep indicator of less effective physical and cognitive functioning. -Should avoid caffeine, over-the-counter sleep aids; stay physically active, limit naps.

What vision difficulties is a middle-aged person most likely to experience?

-Ability to focus and maintain an image on the retina experiences sharp declines between 40 to 59 years. -Difficulty viewing close objects and fine print (need for readers) -Lens becomes less elastic with age (bifocals) -Pupils become smaller; age 60 retina receives 1/3 as much light as received at age 20. -Reduced night vision

Roles of grandparents

-Being There -Family National Guard -Arbitrator -Maintaining the Family's Biography

What are the 4 major conflicts that must be dealt with in mid-life?

-Being young vs. being old -Being destructive vs. being constructive -Being masculine vs. being feminine -Being attached to others vs. being separated from them

Types of generativity?

-Biological generativity: having offspring -Parental generativity: nurturing and guiding children -Work generativity: develop work skills passed on to others -Cultural generativity: create, rennovate and conserve some aspect of culture that ultimately survives

What are potential risks for metabolic syndrome?

-Cardiovascular disease increases considerably in middle age. -Level of cholesterol in the blood increases during adult years, begins to accumulate on the artery walls, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. -Exercise, weight control, and a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help.

Cognitive Pragmatics

-Culture-based 'software programs' of the mind -Include reading and writing skills, language comprehension, educational qualifications, professional skills, life skills that help people cope with life, and self-understanding.

What significant events typically happen during late mid-life?

-Death of a parent. -Last child leaving the parental home. -Becoming a grandparent. -Preparation for and actual retirement. -Losses may begin to outnumber gains

Divorce in mid-life.

-Divorce rates decreased for young adults, but increased for couples in middle and late adulthood. -AARP study reported that divorced people (40-79) postponed divorce and stayed in the marriage for the sake of their children. -66% of women initiated divorce: primary reason given: verbal, physical, or emotional abuse. -41% of men who initiated divorce, primary reason given 'falling out of love.' -Single divorcees: lowest self-rated health, more loneliness, less resilience than married and remarried counterparts

What 3 factors contribute to metabolic syndrome?

-Hypertension -Obesity -Insulin Resistance

Review the information on older workers

-Increased percentage of older adults continue to work (need for adequate money to meet living expenses). -Older workers are the most satisfied with their jobs of all age groups. -Cognitive ability is one of the best predictors of job performance. -Older workers: lower rates of absenteeism, fewer accidents, and higher job satisfaction than younger counterparts.

Characteristics of centenarians?

-Individuals 100 years and older -Increasing at 7 percent each year in industrialized countries. -15% live independently in the community -Supercentenarians live to be 110 or older. -Factors that contribute to the survival of centenarians: 1. Low rate of age-associated diseases 2. Ability to cope effectively with stress 3. Resilience 4. Longevity genes 5. Few centenarians are obese, habitual smokers, or have had a significant change in thinking skills.

Benefits of exercise in the elderly?

-Linked to increased longevity and prevention of chronic diseases -Reduces risk of stroke, breast cancer, and osteoporosis. -Associated with improvement in the treatment of diseases -Improves older adults' cellular functioning and immune system functioning -Optimizes body composition and reduces decline in motor skills as aging occurs -Reduces likelihood of developing mental health problems -Reduces negative effects of stress -Linked to improved brain, cognitive, and affective functioning

Presbycusis

-More common in men - 40 percent over 65 experience it; 63% over 70. -Rapid onset -Contributing factors: Inadequate nutrition and a lifetime of smoking. -Treatment: a hearing aid. -Most people ignore it at first, waiting 5 years to consult audiologist. -Result: miss out on normal give and take of conversation, feel excluded.

What changes take place in appearance in late adulthood?

-Most noticeable changes: wrinkles and age spots -Both men and women: lose height due to bone loss in their vertebrae -Weight drops after age 60 -Muscle loss -Exercising is beneficial for overall health and fall risk reduction. -Older adults move more slowly than young adults, slower reaction time.

Review notes on substance abuse in late adulthood.

-Multiple medications: increase risks associated with consuming alcohol or other drugs -Frequency of binge drinking: highest among older adults -Substance abuse identified as the invisible epidemic in the United States. -Late-onset alcoholism: used to describe the onset of alcoholism after the age of 65 -Related to loneliness, loss of a spouse, or a disabling condition -Moderate drinking of red wine: linked to better health and increased longevity due to benefits of resveratrol.

Review information on retirement

-On average, workers will spend 10-15 percent of their lives in retirement. -In the United States in 2017, average retirement age for men was 64 and for women was 62. -Life paths for individuals in their 60s are less clear (e.g., some do volunteer work, some change careers, some are laid off and not retired). -Those who return to work do so for financial reasons, others to stay busy, and others to 'give back.'

Review the Big Five Personality Traits.

-Openness: Imaginative or Practical; Independent or Conforming -Conscientiousness: Organized or Disorganized, Disciplined or Impulsive -Extraversion: Sociable or Retiring; Energized by People or Depleted by People -Agreeableness: Helpful or Uncooperative; Trusting or Suspicious of Others -Neuroticism: Insecure or Secure; Self-Pitying or Self-Satisfie

Review the information on sexuality in late adulthood.

-Orgasm becomes less frequent in males with age. -Many are sexually active as long as they are healthy. -Therapies have been effective in improving sexual functioning.

Hearing loss?

-Presbycusis -Tinnitus -Elderspeak

Characteristics of the relationship between adults and their aging parents.

-Relationship improves with time -Familism—the idea that family members support one another because family unity is more important than individual freedom and success. -Stronger with ethnic minorities -Caregiver burden: The distress associated with caring for someone with a physical or cognitive impairment: -Those most likely to experience: a. Parents/spouses with behavioral problems b. Do not want to help, or help out of 'duty.' c. Lack personal resources d. Lack of social/cultural support for care giving

Marriage in mid-life.

-Security, loyalty, and mutual emotional interest becomes more important as relationships mature. -Marital satisfaction tends to increase in middle age; marriage relationships likely to get better over time: -less stress from kids -fewer financial worries, more discretionary income -more time together -Marriage relationships more positive if engage in mutual activities.

Review information on sibling relationships in middle adulthood.

-Sibling relationships in adulthood are variable: extremely close, apathetic, or highly rivalrous. -The majority of sibling relationships are close: siblings often become closer to each other in the second half of life than in early adulthood -They help one another with problems with teenage children, stressful marriages, and family contacts -Rare for sibling closeness to develop for the first time in adulthood. (If siblings not close in childhood, not likely to be close in adulthood.)

Theories on why women live longer than men?

-Social factors: health attitudes, habits, lifestyles and occupations -Estrogen production and extra X chromosome results in increased resistance to infections and degenerative diseases.

Generally, how is death viewed in the United States?

-United States 'death denying' (taboo subject for many) with few rituals associated with grieving - Many Americans have difficulty dealing with death (increasingly removed from witnessing life/death as natural part of life cycle, less opportunity to see extended family relatives die; advances in medical technology give the illusion of control over life/death) - American culture glorifies youth, beauty, health - The language we use is designed to make the pain less intense—designed to reduce the sense of loss and emotional response of mourning. - Little support for grievers (1-3 bereavement days).

Tinnitus

-buzzing or ringing - 10 percent of elderly experience it - Possible causes: damage to inner ear, age related hearing loss, exposure to loud noise, ear wax blockage, stiffening of bones in middle ear, and medications (anti-inflammatory, anti-depressants, antibiotics, and erectile dysfunction). - Only treatment is surgery, not always successful; many learn to ignore it.

Review the 4 vision problems that can occur in late adulthood (characteristics and causes).

1. Cataracts 2. Glaucoma 3. Age-Related Macular Degeneration 4. Retinitis Pigmentosa

Approximately when does middle adulthood as a developmental stage begin and end?

40- 45 years to 60-65 years of age.

What is the empty nest syndrome?

A decline in marital satisfaction after children leave home

Source Memory

Ability to remember where one learned something

What is the difference between active and passive euthanasia?

Active euthanasia: (mercy killing) is deliberately and directly causing a person's death (e.g. administering lethal doses of drugs). Passive euthanasia: withholding extraordinary life-saving treatments; allowing a terminally ill person to die of natural causes (e.g. removing patient from ventilator).

What is sarcopenia?

Age-related loss of muscle mass and strength (particularly in the back and legs)

Who are the young old?

Aged 65-84: significant differences between 60-70s and 85+.

What is the current view of experts in adult development regarding midlife crises?

An identity crisis of anxiety, inner-turmoil and reexamination. The consensus of experts on adult development: the concept of a midlife crisis has been greatly exaggerated; only a minority of adults experience them.

What is the relationship between age identity and chronological age as it is experienced in middle adulthood?

As adults become older, their age identity is younger than their chronological age.

Menopause (definition and symptoms)

Cessation of a woman's menstrual periods for 12 consecutive months. -Average age: 51, however wide variation (39-59).

How does cognitive mechanics change and cognitive pragmatics (improve or decline) during late adulthood?

Cognitive Mechanics=Likely to decline with age Cognitive Pragmatics=May actually improve with age

What is the difference between fluid and crystallized intelligence?

Crystallized Intelligence: -Ones' accumulated knowledge and verbal skills -continues to increase in middle adulthood Fluid Intelligence -Ones' ability to reason speedily and abstractly -May begin to decline in middle adulthood -Need longitudinal studies to eliminate cohort effect.

What are the effects of bone loss in middle adulthood?

Cushions for bone movement become less efficient, leading to joint stiffness and more difficulty in movement

Retinitis Pigmentosa

Deterioration of light- sensitive cells outside the macula. -A group of inherited diseases causing retinal degeneration and blindness. -Light-sensitive photoreceptors degenerate and die. -Early symptom: night blindness. -Affects peripheral vision.

Review information on osteoporosis.

Disease in which a serious loss of minerals leaves the bones fragile and easily fractured, less bone mass -Causes older adults to walk with a stoop. -The leading cause of broken bones in women -Risk factors: European and Asian women with small frames, smokers, calcium deficiency, those with family history of osteoporosis. Exercise and diet rich in calcium can reduce risk.

Review the characteristics of wisdom.

Expert knowledge about the practical aspects of life that permits excellent judgment about important matters -High levels of wisdom are rare; requires experience, practice, or complex skills. -Late adolescence to early adulthood is the main age window for wisdom to emerge. No advances in wisdom for middle-aged and older adults beyond level they attained in early adulthood. -Factors other than age are critical for wisdom to develop to a high level (life experiences, difficult life problems, mentors, considering welfare of others). -Personality-related factors are better predictors of wisdom than cognitive factors (openness, creativity, generativity.)

What is the difference between explicit memory and implicit memory?

Explicit: facts and experiences that individuals consciously know and can state. Implicit: memory without conscious recollection that involves skills and routine procedures that are automatically performed

How are explicit and implicit memory impacted by aging?

Explicit=declines with aging Implicit=less likely to be adversely affected by aging

Who is likely the perpetrator in elder maltreatment?

Family Members

What are the gender differences in stress response?

Females: -more vulnerable to social stressors; more likely to become depressed, seek psychotherapy, talk to friends, read self-help books, take prescription medications, and seek comfort foods. -More likely to engage in 'tend and befriend' pattern—seeking social alliances (particularly friends) Males: -deny existence of stressors, try to solve problems themselves, have sex or use pornography, or attend support group. -When men experience stress, more likely to engage in fight-or-flight type of behavior

How is the empty nest typically experienced?

For most parents marital satisfaction does not decline, but can actually get better.

Physiological contributors to Alzheimer's

Gender -women at greater risk (live longer) -genetics (having family history) Ethnicity Age -81% of Alzheimers=75 years old or older -age of diagnosis rising (85 years=average) - The rate of Alzheimers and other dementias in the U.S. is falling. Explanation: better control of health factors such as cholesterol, hypertension, and increased levels of education

Surrogate Parents

Grandparents who become full-time caregivers for grandchildren as a result of their adult children's extreme social problems

Why is middle adulthood as a developmental stage beginning earlier and lasting longer?

Healthy lifestyles

What is age identity?

How old a person feels, or the age group they affiliate with.

Erikson

Integrity Versus Despair -As death approaches, involves reflecting on the past and either piecing together a positive review (pleased with life they've lived) or concluding that one's life has not been well spent (many regrets)

Glaucoma

Involves hardening of the eyeball due to fluid buildup within the eye; can cause loss of peripheral vision, or sudden and total blindness (optic nerve damage due to increased pressure, fluid build-up). - 1 percent of people in 70s; 10 percent in 90s

What is the difference between life span and life expectancy?

Life Span: maximum number of years an individual can live under ideal conditions. Life Expectancy: number of years the average person born in a particular year will probably live.

What is a life review?

Looking back at one's life experiences, evaluating them, and interpreting/reinterpreting them

What is a common complaint of both adult children and their parents?

Loss of privacy

Refilling the nest.

Many adult children return home for a period of time

When does maximum bone density most likely occur?

Mid to late 30s

Climacteric (definition and symptoms)

Midlife transition in which fertility declines

Socioemotional Selectivity Theory

Older adults become more selective about their social networks -Spend more time with individuals with whom they have had rewarding relationships

Retirement Adjustment

Older adults who adjust best to retirement are -Healthy -Active and have adequate income -Better educated -Connected with extended social networks and family -Satisfied with their lives before retiring

What is permaparenting?

Parents who can't let go

Selective Optimization with Compensation

People can produce new resources and allocate them effectively to the tasks they want to master. Selection: older adults have reduced capacity and loss of functioning, reducing performance in most life domains Optimization: maintain performance in some areas through continued practice and use of new technologies Compensation: older adults need to compensate when life tasks require higher level of capacity

Semantic Memory

Person's knowledge about the world (e.g. a memorized poem; calculus, statistics, history, geography)

What mediating factors can influence how a life-event is experienced?

Physical health, family support, finances

Reasons for sexual inactivity in late adulthood?

Primary reason: poor health. -Challenge to find a partner

Review information on arthritis.

Results from gradual deterioration of the cartilage that cushions the bones from rubbing against one another -Joints feel stiff, painful. -Inflammation of the joints; movement problems. -No known cure; medication and weight loss can reduce symptoms. -Exercise is beneficial.

Episodic Memory

Retention of information about the where and when of life's happenings (autobiographical)

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Retinal deterioration; difficult to treat medically (laser surgery), the leading cause of blindness in the elderly. Affects central vision. -Contributing factor: cigarette smoking. -4 percent under 75; and 18 percent over 75

Why are adults in midlife called 'the sandwich generation?'

Sandwiched between caring for own adolescent children and aging parents. Also called 'middle-generational squeeze' or the 'overload generation

Potential changes that take place in adulthood.

Studies indicate a continuous increase in conscientiousness from early to late adulthood. -Gender convergence: the tendency for men and women to become more similar to each other as they move through middle age. - Men: more nurturing, in touch with feminine side - Women: more confident and assertive.

How does control (or lack of control) affect the elderly?

The degree of control that the person has over a particular event or situation; the less control a person has, the greater the degree of stress. -Nursing home study (1977) Two groups: 'high control' and 'low control.' Residents with greater control over lives were happier, healthier, lived longer. Result of research: 'patient directed care.'

Activity Theory

The more active and involved older adults are, the more likely they are to be satisfied with their lives

Review the information on depression and Alzheimer's Disease

The most common subtype of dementia: 'Senile Dementia of the Alzheimer's type'-- 60-80% of all cases. -Depression is not more common in older adults than younger

What is a kin-keeper?

The person who takes primary responsibility for celebrating family achievements, gathering the family together, and keeping in touch with family members who live far away

Cataracts

Thickening of lens, causing vision to be cloudy, opaque, and distorted. -Risk factor: diabetes. - by age 70, 30 percent have some visual loss due to cataracts - Treatable with glasses, followed by surgery

Review information on elder maltreatment

When caregiver has feelings of resentment and social isolation, he or she - typically experiences stress, depression, and poor health - may be more likely to be abusive if he or she suffers from emotional problems or substance abuse that predate the caregiving - other risk factors: victim's social isolation, household members' lack of education and/or poverty -Maltreatment usually begins benignly but can range from direct physical attack to ongoing emotional neglect -Frail elderly particularly vulnerable to abuse -Simplest form is financial—a relative or stranger gets elderly to sign over life savings, deed to house, or other assets