PSY 256 EXAM 3
Describe postformal thought
A proposed adult stage of cognitive development, following Piaget's four stages, that goes beyond adolescent thinking by being more practical, more flexible, and more dialectical (i.e., more capable of combining contradictory elements into a comprehensive whole) Openness and flexibility are characteristic of postformal thought
Explain the trends of substance abuse during emerging adulthood.
emerging adults are the biggest substance abusers, but illegal drug use drops much faster than does cigarette use or binge drinking
Name each level of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.
(low to high) Physiological basic survival: need for food, drink, and shelter safe and secure being protected and defended love and belonging being loved and appreciated as a partner, family member, and part of a group. esteem being respected, successful, and admired. self-actualization becoming your unique and wonderful self.
Describe death throughout the life span, including how individuals at different stages of their life view death and dying.
Children don't understand permanency of death Adolescents use death to find hope that they and their group are worth living Adults are more concerned about those they will leave Older adults see time with family as valuable and accept mortality
Describe how people cope with retirement and their general residential preferences.
Coping with retirement: Older adults who are best adjusted to retirement are highly involved in a variety of activities. General residential preferences: age in place To remain in the same home and community in later life, adjusting but not leaving when health fades
Explain the difference between crystallized and fluid intelligence and how they might change during adulthood
Crystallized intelligence- Those types of intellectual ability that reflect accumulated learning. Vocabulary and general information are examples. Some developmental psychologists think crystallized intelligence increases with age, while fluid intelligence declines. Fluid Intelligence- Those types of basic intelligence that make learning of all sorts quick and thorough. Abilities such as short-term memory, abstract thought, and speed of thinking are all usually considered part of fluid intelligence
Guest Lecture
David Kessler Meaning is the 6th stage of grief NASH (Main causes of death) Natural Accident Suicide Homicide All have a different therapeutic approach to counseling patients who have lost a person due to one of the causes grief is different for every person.
Epilogue
Death and Dying
Describe body development during emerging adulthood
Emerging adults are at their peak of fertility and strength. at this point, body is at lowest risk for developing medical diseases muscle growth, strengthening of the bones, and body shape changes. organ reserve- strongest in emerging adulthood. In emerging adulthood, however, organ reserve allows speedy recovery. A 20-year-old can stay awake all night, or take drugs that disrupt body function, and still get up the next day seemingly unharmed. homeostasis- quickest in early adulthood, partly because of organ reserve.
Define empty nest and the "sandwich generation." Explain what research says about marriage and happiness during these stages.
Empty nest The time in the lives of parents when their children have left the family home to pursue their own lives Marriage: happiness rises when children leave the nest. Sandwich generation a generation of people, typically in their thirties or forties, responsible for bringing up their own children and for the care of their aging parents. Marriage / Happiness: caretakers experience more burnout, feelings of depression, and often have troubling managing relationship
Define euthanasia. Describe the different types (passive euthanasia, active euthanasia, physician assisted suicide.
Euthanasia: hastening the death of someone suffering from a terminal illness or injury Passive euthanasia: When a seriously ill person is allowed to die naturally, without active attempts to prolong life Active euthanasia: When someone does something that hastens another person's death, with the intention of ending that person's suffering Physician-assisted suicide: A form of active euthanasia in which a doctor provides the means for someone to end his or her own life, usually by prescribing lethal drugs.
Name and describe each of Erikson's stages after the adolescence period.
Identity v. identity diffusion (role confusion) 12-20 years. adolescents develop a coherent sense of self and their role in society or they face identity/role confusion. 5 is a confusing skydive Identity combines values and traditions from childhood with the current social context. Since contexts keep evolving, many adults reassess all four types of identity (sexual/gender, vocational/work, religious/spiritual, and political/ethnic). Intimacy v. Isolation 20-30 years. young adults form intimate connections with others, if not, they may experience feelings of isolation. 6 is sticks who are intimate The sixth of Erikson's eight stages of development. Adults seek someone with whom to share their lives in an enduring and self-sacrificing commitment. Without such commitment, they risk profound aloneness and isolation Generativity v. Self-absorption 30-65 years. middle-aged develop concern for establishing guiding and influencing the next generation; if not, they face stagnation (lifelessness). 7 is heaven with a dead generator and a stag who is sad it is dead The seventh of Erikson's eight stages of development. Adults seek to be productive in a caring Integrity v. Disgust Dispair 65+ years. older people enter a period of reflection and life review. 8 is a plate with grits and dis pear decided that integrity, with the goal of combating prejudice and helping all humanity, was too important to be left to the elderly. He also thought that each person's entire life could be directed toward connecting a personal journey with the historical and cultural purpose of human society, the ultimate achievement of integrity
Chapter 14
Late Adulthood: Body and Mind
Chapter 15
Late Adulthood: Psychosocial Development
Describe the purpose of living wills (define health care proxy).
Living wills: A document that indicates what medical intervention an individual prefers if he or she is not conscious when a decision is to be expressed. For example, some do not want mechanical breathing. Health care proxy: A person chosen to make medical decisions if a patient is unable to do so, as when in a coma
Describe the current demographic trends involving life expectancy and the life span. Describe the factors influencing longevity. Differentiate maximum life span and average life expectancy
Maximum life span: The oldest possible age that members of a species can live under ideal circumstances. For humans, that age is approximately 122 years. Life expectancy: Average number of years you can expect to live (1900 - 47 years old,2015 - 79 years old) Current Demographic Trends: - Between 1950 and 2015, the average life expectancy in high income nations became twenty years longer, from 60 to 80 - In low-income nations, the average became 30 years longer, from 35 to 65 Factors influencing longevity: Health (diet, smoking, drinking) Exercise (physical and mental) resulted from fewer childhood deaths, thanks to clean water, immunization, nutrition, and newborn care. Recently, in more advanced nations, midlife deaths have also been reduced: about half because of lifestyle improvements (less smoking, more exercise) and half because of medical care (surgery, early detection).
Explain the effects of diversity on cognition
intellectual expansion comes from honest conversations among people of varied backgrounds and perspectives Critical thinking develops outside the personal comfort zone, when cognitive dissonance requires reflection. Meeting people from various backgrounds is a first step toward cognitive development Openness and flexibility are characteristic of postformal thought.
define organ reserve, homeostasis, allostasis, and allostatic load.
organ reserve- The capacity of organs to allow the body to cope with stress, via extra, unused functioning ability. homeostasis- The adjustment of all of the body's systems to keep physiological functions in a state of equilibrium. As the body ages, it takes longer for these homeostatic adjustments to occur, so it becomes harder for older bodies to adapt to stress. allostasis- A dynamic body adjustment, related to homeostasis, that affects overall physiology over time. The main difference is that homeostasis requires an immediate response whereas allostasis requires longer-term adjustment. allostatic load- The stresses of basic body systems that burden overall functioning, such as hypertension
Describe if and how personality changes throughout adulthood
personality is not static, so it does change. Psychosocial continuity is apparent amidst new achievements, with emerging adulthood called the "crucible of personality development" After adolescence, new characteristics appear and negative traits diminish Emerging adults make choices that break with the past. In modern times, emerging adulthood is characterized by years of freedom from a settled lifestyle, which allows shifts in attitude and personality. "during early adulthood, individuals from different cultures across the world tend to become more agreeable, more conscientious, and less neurotic. They also feel more in control of their own lives. rise in self-esteem / confidence
Give reasons for the high prevalence of accidental injury during early adulthood.
rush of adrenaline attraction to the excitement of avoiding the police early adulthood has higher rates of risk taking
Explain the basic differences between activities of daily life (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily life (IADLs).
ADLs Typically identified as five tasks of self-care that are important to independent living: eating, bathing, toileting, dressing, and transferring from a bed to a chair. The inability to perform any of these tasks is a sign of frailty IADLs Actions (for example, paying bills and car maintenance) that are important to independent living and that require some intellectual competence and forethought. The ability to perform these tasks may be even more critical to self-sufficiency than ADL ability
Chapter 12
Adulthood: Body and Mind
Chapter 13
Adulthood: Psychosocial Development
List the advantages and disadvantages of cohabitation.
Advantages Save money Disadvantages Living together before marriage does not prevent problems after a wedding Less likely to consolidate finances Less likely to have a close relationship with their parents or partner's parents Less likely to take care of their partner's health More likely to break the law More likely to break up Churning - when couples live together, then separate, and then get back together These relationships have high rates of verbal and physical abuse Cohabitation is fertile ground for churning because partners are less committed to each other than if they were married
Describe what we know about Alzheimer's disease, including its causes/risk factors and stages.
Alzheimer's disease: The most common cause of major NCD, characterized by gradual deterioration of memory and personality and marked by the formation of plaques of beta-amyloid protein and tangles of tau in the brain. STAGES 1. forgetfulness 2. general confusion, lack of concentration, short-term memory loss, mix up words, socially withdrawn 3. memory loss becomes dangerous (ex. forget to eat) causes are mainly genetic (nature)
List and define the three forms of intelligence: analytic, creative, and practical.
Analytic- A form of intelligence that involves abstract planning, strategy selection, focused attention, and information processing, as well as verbal and logical skills Creative- A form of intelligence that involves the capacity to be intellectually flexible and innovative. Practical- The intellectual skills used in everyday problem solving. (Sometimes called tacit intelligence.)
Describe expert cognition (i.e., intuitive, automatic, strategic, and flexible)
Expert Cognition: People with highly specialized skills and knowledge for a particular activity or area of interest- Intuitive: past experience guide responses, less reliance on procedures and rules, often can't explain how they know/do things- Automatic: process new info more quickly, analyze more efficiently- Strategic: more strategies, new ways to applying knowledge-Flexible: can see more than one side, creative and curious, enjoys challenges
Define extrinsic rewards of work and intrinsic rewards of work. Explain the developmental shift that occurs as young workers become more experienced
Extrinsic rewards of work The tangible benefits, usually in salary, insurance, pension, and status, that come with employment. Intrinsic rewards of work The personal gratifications, such as pleasure in a job well done or friendship with coworkers Prospective young workers compare pay, hours, and insurance (Kooij et al., 2011). However, as time goes on, the intrinsic rewards of work, especially relationships with coworkers, keep employees at the same job, working hard
Describe what we know about research on age and intelligence.
From the research on intelligence, we know that, with increasing age, there are losses in information-processing abilities. information processing - declines information retrieval - depends on type of info Explicit memory declines (facts in one's consciousness) Implicit memory stays effective (experiences w/out consciousness practical problem solving - stays effective information processing - declines Encoding and storage declines Working memory declines
Explain different types of grief (i.e., complicated grief, absent grief, disenfranchised grief, incomplete grief).
Grief: The deep sorrow that people feel at the death of another. Grief is personal and unpredictable. Complicated grief: A type of grief that impedes a person's future life, usually because the person clings to sorrow or is buffeted by contradictory emotions. Absent grief: When mourners do not grieve, either because other people do not allow expressions of grief or because the mourners do not allow themselves to mourn. Disenfranchised grief: A situation in which certain people, although they are bereaved, are prevented from mourning publicly by cultural customs or social restrictions. Incomplete grief: When circumstances, such as a police investigation or an autopsy, interfere with the process of grieving.
Describe physical changes during the aging process (i.e., the senses and outward appearance)
On average, oxygen dispersal into the bloodstream from the lungs drops about 4 percent per decade after age 20 The brain slows down with age Neurons fire more slowly, and reaction time lengthens because messages from the axon of one neuron are not picked up as quickly by the dendrites of other neurons Brain size decrease, fewer neurons in adulthood than in adolescence Myelination is reduced 5 major causes of adult brain reduction - Traumatic brain injury, viruses, genes, substance abuse, poor circulation Senses become less sharp over time Peripheral vision narrows faster than frontal vision, some colors fade more than others Lens shape in the eye changes - causing near or far sightedness Hearing is always limited, gradual hearing loss is usually unnoticed Losing hair, getting wrinkles, moving stiffly, getting shorter, wearing glasses Skin becomes more dry, rough, and thin Muscles weaken, joints lose flexibility, agility is reduced Sexual arousal occurs more slowly and orgasm takes longer with senescence Infertility with age
Talk about the ways of preventing frailty and benefits of integrated care
PREVENTING FRAILTY exercise daily intellectual control INTEGRATED CARE Care of frail elders that combines the caregiving strengths of everyone—family, medical professionals, social workers, and the elders themselves. a professional can evaluate an impaired elder and figure out which tasks are best done by a relative, which by the frail person themselves. Multidisciplinary teams are needed, because frail elders need medical, social, and financial care. Much of the burden is emotional, and simply having someone else to explain what needs to be done, and what does not, is a comfort and relief.
List the five stages dying persons pass through as described by Kubler-Ross.
Stage 1: Denial "I am not really dying" Stage 2: Anger "I blame my doctors, or my family, or my God for my death" Stage 3: Bargaining "I will be good form now on if I can live" Stage 4: Depression "I don't care; nothing matters anymore" Stage 5: Acceptance "I accept my death as part of life"
Describe theories of adjustment to aging including self theories, socio-emotional selectivity theory, stratification theories (including disengagement theory), and activity theory.
THEORIES OF LATE ADULTHOOD self theories Theories of late adulthood that emphasize the core self, or the search to maintain one's integrity and identity socio-emotional selectivity theory The theory that older people prioritize regulation of their own emotions and seek familiar social contacts who reinforce generativity, pride, and joy. STRATIFICATION THEORIES stratification theories Theories that emphasize that social forces, particularly those related to a person's social stratum or social category, limit individual choices and affect a person's ability to function in late adulthood because past stratification continues to limit life in various ways. disengagement theory The view that aging makes a person's social sphere increasingly narrow, resulting in role relinquishment, withdrawal, and passivity activity theory The view that elderly people want and need to remain active in a variety of social spheres—with relatives, friends, and community groups—and become withdrawn only unwillingly, as a result of ageism.
Define emerging adulthood. Describe what changes have taken place in our society that have inspired scholars to rethink when adolescence ends.
The period of life between the ages of 18 and 25. Emerging adulthood is now widely thought of as a distinct developmental stage. Changes in society: married later, going to college more (more women than men), more cohabitation. People aged 26-35 feel they have reached adulthood
Explain Selective Optimization with Compensation theory and provide examples.
The theory, developed by Paul and Margaret Baltes, that people try to maintain a balance in their lives by looking for the best way to compensate for physical and cognitive losses and to become more proficient in activities they can already do well. EXAMPLES: an elderly person with fading eyesight who loves to sing could focus more time and attention on singing, perhaps by joining a new choir, while cutting back on time spent reading. suppose someone is highly motivated to learn about a particular area of the world, perhaps East Timor, a tiny nation that has been independent since 2002. That someone goes to the library, selecting key articles and the two dozen books about East Timor, ignoring other interesting topics. (selection) Then suppose that person realizes that aging vision makes it hard to read the fine print of some news articles about East Timor. Time for compensation—new glasses, a magnifier, increased font size Select - driving a car Optimize - drive during day Compensate - drive more slowly
Define stereotype threat
The thought in a person's mind that one's appearance or behavior will be misread to confirm another person's oversimplified, prejudiced attitudes.
Articulate what the acronym WEIRD stands for and why it is important to understand it.
Western Educated Industrialized Rich Democratic The problem with this is that we don't cast a wide net, trying to look at whether things might be different in other areas of the world. This is problematic because when we say "children do this etc." it is kind of intimated that we are talking about everyone and this may or may not be that case, a lot of the time we are talking about WEIRD participant It is important so that people can understand whose development is considered unusual or abnormal by knowing the criticism of those who fall under the WEIRD acronym.
Discuss the concepts of ageism and why it occurs. Evaluate some common myths concerning elderly Americans and the significance of these myths to the elderly
ageism prejudice towards older people why? society respects and admires youthfulness age segregation (young don't hang out with the old) society values innovation, fast paced ness MYTHS Increase in marital satisfaction older adults are more satisfied with life than younger adults older adults still have sex
Describe information processing, attention and memory in late adulthood.
information processing (definition) The idea that human cognition and comprehension occurs step by step, similar to the way that input, analysis, and output occur via computer. information processing in late adulthood cognition is variable and diverse. some older people grow wise and sharper, while others seem to be "slower" information processing declines (encoding and storage declines, working memory declines)
Describe neurological advances in emerging adulthood
three factors are particularly important: socioeconomic status, peer involvement, and culture sensation-seeking peaking emotional regulation peaking mentalizing (understanding the thoughts, attitudes, and emotions of other people.) develops
Describe the different theories of aging including wear and tear, genetic clock, cellular aging (define Hayflick limit and telomeres).
wear and tear theory A view of aging as a process by which the human body wears out because of the passage of time and exposure to environmental stressors. genetic clock theory DNA triggers hormonal changes and controls cellular reproduction and repair. cellular aging theory finite number of times cells divide (75-80 times) disengagement theory (social theory of aging) inevitable withdrawal from society to cope with our mortality hayflick limit The number of times a human cell is capable of dividing into two new cells. The limit for most human cells is approximately 50 divisions, an indication that the life span is limited by our genetic program telomeres The area of the tips of each chromosome that is reduced a tiny amount as time passes. By the end of life, the telomeres are very short
