Psychosocial, Physical, Cognitive, and Social Development in Midlife

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering the psychosocial, physical, cognitive, and social developments mentioned in the lecture transcript for midlife adulthood.

Generativity

The desire in midlife to contribute to the next generation through parenting, mentoring, teaching, or creating positive change to leave a legacy.

Stagnation

The feeling of having done little to help the next generation or improve the world, resulting in self-centeredness and unhappiness.

Recycling the Statuses

The process where midlife adults re-enter a period of moratorium, or active exploration, to reevaluate life choices like career or marriage.

Identity Accommodation

Integrating a new interest or value into an established identity structure, such as starting a passion project alongside a long-term career.

Senescence

Biological aging marked by noticeable physical and biological changes.

Presbyopia

A common condition of farsightedness resulting from the stiffening of the eye lens, making it difficult to focus on close objects.

Presbycusis

Age-related hearing loss, particularly affecting the ability to hear high-frequency sounds.

Menopause

The cessation of menstruation in women, typically occurring around age $51$, accompanied by hormonal shifts.

Andropause

Also known as late-onset hypogonadism, this involves a modest decline in testosterone and sperm count in men.

Chronic Illnesses

Health conditions that midlife individuals become more susceptible to, such as hypertension, type $2$ diabetes, and heart disease.

Crystallized Intelligence

Accumulated knowledge, experience, and vocabulary that tends to remain steady or increase during midlife.

Fluid Intelligence

The ability to process novel information quickly and solve new problems, which begins a gradual decline in midlife.

Postformal Thought

Thinking that is relativistic, practical, and integrative, allowing adults to handle ambiguity and dialectical thinking (contradiction).

The Sandwich Generation

A term for midlife adults who are simultaneously caring for their aging parents and supporting their own children.

U-shaped Curve

The typical pattern of marital satisfaction, which declines during child-rearing years and increases after children leave home.

Midlife Transition

A period of reflection and reevaluation occurring around age $40$ where individuals reassess career goals and mortality.