Psych Flash Cards Ch. 13 (Early Adulthood)

How do genes interact?

*Aging at the Levels of DNA and Body Cells: 1) those that emphasize the programmed effects of specific genes and 2) those that emphasize the cumulative effects of random events that damage genetic and cellular material.

With age, lung capacity decreases during physical exertion. How does it change with age?

Maximum vital capacity (amount of air that can be forced in and out of the lungs) declines by 10% per decade after age 25.

College:

More than 70% of high school graduates enroll in an institution of higher education. Besides offering a route to a high-status career, colleges and universities have a transforming impact on young people.

Nutrition: Overweight and Obesity

ObesityL a greater than 20% increase over average body weight, based on sex, age, and physical build. It has increased dramatically in many Western nations and is on the rise in the developing world as well.

What influences biological aging

genetic makeup, lifestyle, living environment, and historical period.

Biological aging or Senescence

Genetically influenced declines in the functioning of organs and systems that are universal in all members of our species.

Programmed effects of specific genes: Longevity is a family trait, does it have any support? What evidence do we have? (Heredity of longevity is modest).

Genetically programmed aging receives some support from kinship studies indicating that longevity is a family trait. Heritability of longevity is modest ranging from .15-.35 for age at death and from .27-.57 for various measures of current biological age, such as strength, hand grip, respiratory capacity, blood pressure, and bone density. Rather than inheriting longevity directly, people probably inherit risk and protective factors, which influence their change of dying.

Piaget

He recognized that important advances in thinking follow the attainment of formal operation. Post formal thought: is cognitive development beyond Piaget's formal operational stage. To clarify how thinking is restructured in adulthood, look at some influential theories along with research support. They show how person effort and social experiences spark increasingly rational, flexible, and practical way of thinking that accept uncertainties and vary across situations.

Physical Changes: Cardiovascular and Respiratory systems

Heart disease is a leading cause of death through adulthood. Both gradual timing of change.

Hypertension:

High blood pressure, occurs 12% more often in the U.S black than in the U.S white population; the rate of death from heart disease among blacks in 30% higher. Heart performance during stressful exercise declines with age.

Genetic Programming theory: evidence

proposes the existence of "aging genes" that control certain biological changes, such as menopause, gray hair, and deterioration of body cells. The strongest evidence for this view comes from research showing that human cells allowed to divide in the lab have a lifespan of 50 divisions plus or minus 10. (telomeres)

Gradual failure of the endocrine system can have widespread effects on health and survival. What are they? (Growth hormone declines in immune system functioning-how does it contribute to aging)?

the endocrine system produces and regulates hormones. Decreased estrogen production in women, which culminates in menopause. GH is associated with loss of muscle and bone mass, addition to body fat, thinning of skin, and decline in cardiovascular functioning. Healthy diet and physical activity can limit these aspects of biological aging.

How does environment interact? Telomeres and how your behaviors contribute to shortening of them. Any protective behaviors?

*Aging at the level of tissues and organs: Telomere length impacts your life circumstances and biological aging. Accelerated telomere shortening has been linked to a variety of unhealthy behaviors. Cigarette smoking, physical inactivity, overeating that leads to obesity and to insulin resistance, poor maternal nutrition during pregnancy (low birth weight), persistent psychological stress. But positive lifestyle changes can result to the telomeres to respond accordingly.

Factors Influencing Vocational Choice: John Holland identified six personality types that affect vocational choice.

1. Investigative person: who enjoys working with ideas, likely to select a scientific occupation. 2. The social person: who likes interacting with people, gravitates towards human services. 3. Realistic person: who prefers real-world problems and working with objects, tend to choose a mechanical occupation. 4. The artistic person: who is emotional and high in need for individual expression, looks towards an artistic field. 5. The conventional person: who likes well-structured tasks and values material possessions and social status, has trait well suited to certain business fields. 6. The enterprising person: who is adventurous, persuasive and a strong leader, is drawn to sales and supervisory positions or to politics.

Dropping Out

44% of U.S. students at two year institutions and 32% at four year institutions drop out, most within the first year and many within the first six weeks.

Cumulative effects of random events: Free Radicals- mutations (how can we prevent them?).

According to random events theory, DNA in body cells is gradually damaged through spontaneous or externally caused mutations. As these accumulate, cell repair and replacement become less efficient, and abnormal cancerous cells are often produced. Aged related DNA and cellular abnormalities is the release of free radicals: naturally occurring highly reactive chemicals that form in the presence of oxygen (radiation and certain pollutants and drugs can trigger similar effects). Prevent: Research suggests that foods low in saturated fats and rich in vitamins can forestall free radical damage.

Like Perry, Gisella Labouvie-Vief

Adulthood involves movement from hypothetical to pragmatic thought. Development of cognitive-affective complexity: Awareness of conflicting positive and negative feeling and coordination of them into a complex, organized structure that recognizes the uniqueness of individual experiences. Through adolescence to middle adulthood people gain in this.

Importance of Peer Interaction and Reflection:

Advances in epistemic cognition depend on further gains in metacognition, which are likely to occur in situations that challenge young peoples' perspectives and induce then to consider the rationality of their thought processes.

Prevalence and Causes of being over weight and obese?

Among adults, a BMI of 25-29 is overweight and a BMI of 30 or greater is obese. The rate rises to 38% among hispanics, 39% among native americans, and 50% among americans. 33% americans are overweight. Combine the rates of overweight and obesity = 69%. Heredity makes some people more vulnerable to obesity. Environmental pressures, decline in physical labor in the home and workplace, average number of calories rose.

Cont.

Approximately 1/3 of US young people graduate from HS with no current plans to go to college. About 30% pf recent US high school graduates who do not continue their education are unemployed. When they do not find work, most hold low-paid, unskilled jobs.

Reproductive Capacity: What happens to it with age?

Between ages 15 and 29, 11% of U.S married childless women report fertility problems, a figure that rises to 14% among 30-34 year olds and to over 40% among 35-44 year olds, when the success of reproduction technologies drops sharply. The uterus shows no constant changes from the late 30s-40s, the decline in fertility is largely due to reduced number and quality of ova. A certain level of reserved ova in the ovaries is necessary for conception.

The College Experience: What do you get personally from going? Cognitively? Morally? Psychological Impact of Attending College:

College serves as a developmental testing ground- a time for devoting full attention to exploring alternate values, roles, and behaviors. Students become better at reasoning about problems that have no clear solution, identifying strengths and weaknesses of opposing sides of complex issues, and reflecting on the quality of their thinking, Attitudes and values broaden. Increased interest in literature, performing arts, philosophical and historical issues and greater tolerance for racial and ethnic diversity. The more students interact with diverse peers in academic and extracurricular settings, the more they benefit cognitively- in grasping complex causes of events, thinking critically and generating effective problem solutions.

Why do people drop out? How can universities work on it?

Dropout rates are higher in colleges with less selective admission requirements. And ethnic minority students from low SES families are at an increased risk of dropping out. First year students have trouble adapting because of lack of motivation, poor study skills, financial pressures, or emotional dependance on parents develop negative attitudes towards college. Colleges that do little to help high risk students, through developmental courses and other support services have a higher percentage. Reaching out to students during the early weeks and throughout the first year is crucial. Programs that forge bonds between teachers and students that provide academic support, part time work opportunities and meaningful extracurricular roles increase retention. Membership in campus based social and religious groups give students a sense of belonging.

Difference between dualistic thinking and relativistic thinking and commitment within relativistic thinking.

Dualistic thinking is dividing information, values, and authority into right, wrong, good and bad, we and they. Relativistic thinking is viewing all the knowledge as embedded in a framework of thought. Aware of diversity in opinions on many topics, they have ip the possibility of absolute truth in favor of multiple truths, each relative to its context. Commitment within relativistic thinking: Instead of choosing between opposing views, they try to formulate a more personally satisfying perspective that synthesizes contradictions.

Perry's Theory: Epistemic Cognition

Epistemic cognition refers to our reflections on how we arrive at facts, beliefs, and ideas. How does it develop? When mature , rational thinkers reach conclusions that differ from hose of others, they consider the justifiability of their conclusions. When they cannot justify their approach they revise it, seeking a more balanced, adequate route to acquire knowledge.

Vocational Choice:

Fantasy Period: in early and middle childhood, children gain insight into career options by fantasizing about them. Tentative period: Between ages 11-16 they think about career in more complex ways, at first in terms of their interests, and soon as they become more aware of personal and educational requirements for different vocations in terms of their abilities and values. Realistic period: By the late teens and early 20s with the economic and practical realties of adulthood just around the corner, young people start to narrow their options. A first step is exploration: gathering more information about possibilities that blend with their personal characteristics. In the final phase- Crystallization: they focus on a general vocational category and experiment for a time before settling on a single occupation.

Genes interact cont. Free Radicals

Free radicals are naturally occurring, highly reactive chemicals that form in the presence of oxygen.

Vocational Preparation of Non-College Bound Young Adults: What are they? Why would they be helpful here?

In Germany young people who do not go to a Gymnasium (college preparatory high school) have access to one of the most successful work-study apprenticeship systems in the world for entering business and industry. They spend the remaining two years of the compulsory education in the Berufsschule, combing part time vocational courses with an apprenticeship that is jointly planned by educators and employers. They have to pass an exam and then are certified as skilled workers and earn union set wages.

Atherosclerosis:

Is one of the most serious disease of the cardiovascular system in which heavy deposits of plaque containing cholesterol and fats collect on the walls of the main arteries. Heart disease has decreased considerably since the mid-twentieth century, with a larger drop in the last 25 years. Why? its due to a decline in cigarette smoking, improved diet and exercise among at risk individuals and better medical detection and treatment of high blood pressure and cholesterol.

What causes biological aging?

It is a combined result of many causes, some operating at the level of DNA, others at the level of cells, and still others at the level of tissues, organs, and the whole organism.

Health and Fitness: Death rates in early adulthood in the U.S. for all causes exceed those of other industrial nations?

Likely due to a combination of factors including higher rates of poverty and extreme obesity and historical lack of universal insurance.

Exercise: Who exercises regularly? Benefits?

Over half americans are inactive. Reducing body fat, building muscle and resistance to disease. It enhances immune response, lowing risk of a cold or flu and promoting faster recovery. Less likely to develop diabetes and cardiovascular disease, health benefits

Cross-linkage theory of aging:

Over time, protein fibers that make up the body's connective tissue form bonds, or links, with one another. When these normally separate fibers cross-links tissue becomes less elastic, leading to many negative outcomes including loss of flexibility in the skin and other organs, clouding the lens of eyes, clogging of arteries and other organs, and damage to the kidneys. Can be reduced by regular exercising and a healthy diet.

Biological aging varies across what?

Parts of the body.

How does biological aging influence life expectancy?

Peak of life in terms of fitness (strength and endurance), system functioning, and creativity. The original process of senescence has begun. Genetically driven, universal process. Deterioration/decline in bodily systems start. Behavioral influences impact life expectancy. Life style change can change life expectancy.

Labouvie-Vief's Theory: Pragmatic Thought and Cognitive-Affective Complexity

Pragmatic thought: a structural advance in which logic become a tool for solving real-world problems. As adults select one path out of many alternatives, they become more aware of the constraints of everyday life. And in the course of balancing various roles, they accept contradictions as a part of existence and develop ways of thinking that thrive on imperfection and compromise.

Genes interact cont. Random events

Random events theory, DNA in body cells is gradually damaged through spontaneous or externally caused mutations.

Income, education, and occupational status shows strong, continuous relationships with almost every disease and health indicator. How does SES impact health?

SES largely accounts for the sizable health advantage of white over ethnic minority adults in the U.S. The living conditions that nations and communities provide combine wit those that people create for themselves to affect physical aging.

Casual Metabolic Rate (BMR):

The amount of energy the body uses at complete rest.

Cognitive Development: Changes in the Structure of Thought

The cognitive changes related to further development of the cerebral cortex, especially prefrontal cortex and its connection with other brain growth. Pruning synapses along with growth and myelination of stimulated neural fibers continue through at a slower pace than adolescence. Changes result in continues fine tuning of the prefrontal cognitive control network (planning, reasoning and decision making improved by major life events- higher education, career etc) fMRI evidence: reveals that as young adults become increasingly proficient in a chosen field of endeavor, regions of the cerebral cortex specialized for brain activity undergo further experience-dependent brain growth.

Immune System: What changes with it as we age? T and B cells? Thymus? How does stress affect it?

The immune response is the combines work of specialized cells that neutralize or destroy antigens (foreign substances) in the body, T cells: which originate in the bone marrow and mature in the thymus, attack antigens directly and B cells: manufactured in the bone marrow secrete antibodies into the bloodstream that multiply, capture antigens and permit the blood system to destroy them. The capacity of the immune system to offer protection against disease increases through adolescence and declines after age 20. The trend is due to changes in the thymus, which is largest during teen years. Then it shrinks until its barely detectable by age 50. The production of thymic hormones is reduced, and the thymus is less able to promote maturity of T cells. Because B cells relate far more antibodies when T cells are present, the immune system is compromised further. Psychological stress can weaken the immune response because it interacts with the nervous and endocrine systems. Conflict-ridden relationships, caring for an ill aged parent, sleep deprivation and chronic depression can also reduce immunity.

Genes interact cont. Telomeres. What are they? and how do they contribute to aging/cell death?

With each duplication a special type of DNA (telomeres) located at the ends of chromosomes, serving as a "cap" to protect the ends from destruction- shortens. Eventually so little remains that the cells no longer duplicate at all. Telomeres shorten with age. But an enzyme called telomerase prevents shortening and can even reverse the trend, causing telomeres to lengthen and protect the aging cell.

Gender Stereotypes: females stuck in stereotypical jobs? How does Gender-sterotyped messages play a role?

Women progress in entering and excelling in men dominated professions has been slow. Women remain concentrated in less-well-paid, traditionally feminine professions, such as writing, social work, education, and nursing. In virtually all fields, their achievements lag behind those of men, who write more books, make more discoveries, hold more positions of leadership, and produce more works of art. Ability cannot account for these dramatic sex differences. In elementary and secondary school, girls are advantaged in reading and writing achievement and the gender gap favoring boys in math is small. Rather, gender stereotyped messages play a key role: Although girls earn higher grades than boys, they reach secondary school less confident of their abilities, more likely to underestimate their achievement, and less likely to express interest in STEM careers. In college, aspirations decline as they question their capacity and opportunities to succeed in male dominated fields and worry about combining a highly demanding career with family responsibilities.

Psychological Stress: Is related to a variety of unfavorable health outcomes. Related to stress: SES, chronic stress linked to lots of negative consequences: What are they?

as SES decreases, exposure to diverse stressors rises- an association that likely plays an important tole in the strong connection between low SES and poor health. Chronic stress is linked to overweight and obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and atherosclerosis. Acute stress can trigger cardiac events; heartbeat rhythm abnormalities and heart attacks. low SES have stronger cardiovascular response to stress because they perceive it as unlovable.