Middle Adulthood: Physical, Cognitive, and Social Changes

Age identity

internal sense of how old a person feels, thinks, and behaves, distinct from their chronological age

middle adulthood

ages 40 to 65, marked by physical, psychological, and social transitions

decreases

how does height change in middle adulthood

increases

how does weight change in middle adulthood

vertebrae loss

why does height change in middle adulthood

muscle loss and hormone changes

why does weight change in middle adulthood

sarcopenia

age related loss of muscle mass and strength; inevitable

1-2%

how much muscle mass do we lose per year

legs and back

what part of the body loses the most muscle mass

decreases, especially in women

how does bone mass change in middle adulthood

sharp decline for short distances

how does vision change in middle adulthood

high pitch especially in men

what kind of sound is lost first in middle adulthood hearing loss

same amount, more wakeful periods

how is sleep affected in middle adulthood

cancer, then cardiovascular disease

main causes of death in middle adulthood

menopause

female climacteric

erectile dysfunction (ED)

not a male climacteric, but they do struggle with this more as they age

less

do people have more or less sex in middle adulthood

lubrication difficulties

women's issues with sex in middle adulthood

fluid intelligence

learning new information; this type of intelligence worsens over time

crystalized intelligence

information engraved in your brain, does not change over time

slows down, but still very effecient

how does working memory change in middle adulthood

increases

how does spirituality and religion change in middle adulthood

generativity vs. stagnation

Erikson's seventh stage of psychosocial development, either leave something behind for next gen. or you are self-absorbed

seasons of live theory

describes adult development as a series of life eras and transition periods. Men said this was psychologically painful and tumultuous

young to old

step of the "seasons of life transition" where age is changing

destructive to constructive

step of the "seasons of life transition" where men go from breaking down their life to building it back up safely and soundly

masculine to feminine

step of the "seasons of life transition" where men go from being macho men to being more nurturing

being attached to being isolated

step of the "seasons of life transition" where men go from being close to their relatives and friends to choosing to be alone or with their most loved ones

midlife crisis

emotional turmoil and self-reflection in middle adulthood

Doesn't really happen that often, had a positive view of this transition

What did George Vaillant say about the midlife transition during the 40's

temporary

word used to describe early-adulthood stressors

overload stressors

term for middle-adulthood stressors

tend and befriend

how do women deal with stress

fight or flight

how do men deal with stress

Costa and McCrae Baltimore Study

Longitudinal study of personality, early adulthood is where the most personality changes happen-resulted in the "Big 5" model (ocean)

openness

O in OCEAN- how susceptible to new ideas are you

Conscientiousness

C in OCEAN- the quality of wishing to do one's work or duty well and thoroughly

Extraversion

E- in OCEAN- how outgoing and willing someone is (E is for Emma)

Agreeableness

A in OCEAN- someone who would rather agree to disagree than find every reason to argue

Neuroticism

N in OCEAN- tendency towards negative emotions (you want this to be low)

smoking and drinking at the age of 50

George Vaillant's research on predicting health and living at age 50- what was the highest predictor of being in the "dead" category at the age of 75-80

children

why do couples stay married in later adulthood

passionate to companionate

how does love change in late adulthood

abuse

Number one reason women want divorce

fell out of love

Number one reason men want divorce

empty next syndrome

A decrease in marital satisfaction after children leave home, because parents derive considerable satisfaction from their children (Not common)

sandwich generation

people responsible for the care of both their children and aging relatives

boomerang kids

adult children who return home after living independently, often due to financial hardship, job loss, relationship breakdowns, or other life challenges

refilling the nest

when adult children move back in with their parents, often after a period of independence

men

this gender refills the nest more

privacy

biggest issue with refilling the nest

79

life expectancy in general

81

life expectancy for women

76.5

life expectancy for men

122

life span

cataracts

cloudy looking eyes that can be removed with surgery

glaucoma

fluid build up in eye, painful, can be treated, can cause blindness

macular degeneration

black dot in eye that inevitably gets worse

50

what percent of late adulthood people have issues with sleep

lighter sleep

issues with sleep in late adulthood

arthritis

number one health problem in late adulthood

heart disease

leading cause of death in late adulthood

osteoperosis

extensive loss of bone tissue

marked stoop

posture issue caused by osteoperosis

integrity v. despair

Erikson's 8th stage of psychosocial development- in reflection they either decide they lived a life of integrity or they get despaired

socioemotional selectivity theory

perceived time left in life shapes human motivation, prioritizing emotionally meaningful goals as time horizons shrink

activity theory

framework for understanding human behavior as goal-directed, socially situated, and mediated by tools and cultural context

Selective optimization with Compensation

psychological framework that helps individuals manage goals and resources to maintain functioning and well-being, especially in the face of age-related changes or life transitions