Intro to Adult Development & Aging Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards generated strictly from the course lecture notes on Introduction to Adult Development & Aging.

Lifespan Development

The primary field in psychology that studies adult development and aging, defined as the study of change and continuity across the lifespan.

Biopsychological Model

A view of development as a complex interaction of biological, psychological, and social processes.

Continuity Principle

The principle that the changes people experience in later adulthood build on the experiences they had in their earlier years.

Individuality Principle

The principle that aging brings about greater divergence in people's physical functioning, psychological performance, relationships, interest in work, economic security, and personality.

Survivors Principle

The principle that people who live to old age are the ones who managed to avoid the many threats that could have caused their deaths at earlier ages.

Normal Aging

The normal changes over time that occur due to universal, intrinsic, and progressive alterations in the body's systems.

Chronological Age

The number of years since birth.

Biological Age

Physical functioning in comparison to others of the same chronological age.

Social Age

Social functioning in comparison to someone of the same chronological age.

Psychological Age

Psychological functioning in comparison to others of the same chronological age.

Functional Age

A combination of biological, psychological, and social age.

Personal Aging

Changes that occur within the individual, reflecting time's effects on the body.

Social Aging

Effects of a person's exposure to a changing environment.

Multidimensional Development

Development that occurs across multiple dimensions, including biological, psychological, and social dimensions.

Multidirectional Development

Development involving both gains and losses, where some abilities improve while others decline.

Plasticity

The capacity for change and adaptation throughout the lifespan.

Contextual Development

Development that is influenced by the environment and historical or cultural circumstances in which people live.

Normative Age-Graded Influences

Influences that lead people to choose experiences that their culture and historical period attach to certain ages or points in their lifespan.

Normative History-Graded Influences

Events that occur to everyone within a certain culture or geopolitical unit.

Non-Normative Influences

Random idiosyncratic events that occur throughout life with no regular predictability and are specific to the individual.

Age Norms

Expectations regarding when individuals are expected to achieve milestones and make transitions.

Social Clock

The overall pattern of age norms in a culture.

Organismic Model

A developmental model emphasizing inherited traits and change through maturation driven by internal factors.

Mechanistic Model

A developmental model emphasizing environmental influences and changes in response to learning.

Interactionist Model

A developmental model stating that development results from the interaction between the person and the environment.

Niche-Picking

The tendency for people to select or create environments that fit their abilities, interests, personalities, and needs.

Reciprocity

The principle that people influence and are influenced by the people around them, leading to developmental change.

Baby Boomers

The large generation born following World War II, generally between $1946$ and $1964$ in the United States.

Descriptive Research

Research that describes a population or phenomenon in general terms without making statistical comparisons or manipulating variables.

Correlational Research

Research that observes relationships between two or more existing variables without manipulating them, which cannot establish cause and effect.

Experimental Research

Research that manipulates independent variables to measure the effect on dependent variables to allow conclusions about cause and effect.

Cohort

A group of people who were born during the same period and therefore share certain historical experiences.

Time of Measurement

The specific point in historical time when data was collected in a study.

Cross-Sectional Design

A research design that compares different age groups at one point in time.

Longitudinal Design

A research design that studies the same individuals repeatedly over a period of time.

Attrition

The phenomenon of participants dropping out of a longitudinal study over time.

Practice Effects

Improvements in test performance that occur because participants have taken the same test before, rather than because their ability improved.

Time Lag Design

A research design that compares different cohorts at the same age but at different points in historical time.

Sequential Studies

A research approach that combines cross-sectional and longitudinal designs to separate age, cohort, and time of measurement effects.

Epigenesis

The idea that development unfolds according to a sequential pattern with each stage building on the previous stage.

Emerging Adulthood

Arnett's proposed developmental period occurring around late teens through the twenties, characterized by identity exploration, instability, self-focus, feeling in-between, and possibilities.

Erikson's Psychosocial Stage Examples

Illustrations of developmental crises: Identity vs. identity diffusion (joining a political rally), Intimacy vs. isolation (moving in with a partner), Generativity vs. stagnation (losing a job due to lack of productivity), and Ego integrity vs. despair (feeling content with life achievements).

Role Confusion

Uncertainty about one's identity and direction, including difficulty deciding what values, roles, or goals to adopt.

Identity Diffusion

Marcia's identity status characterized by no exploration and no commitment.

Foreclosure

Marcia's identity status characterized by commitment without exploration.

Moratorium

Marcia's identity status characterized by exploration without commitment (yet).

Identity Achievement

Marcia's identity status achieved after exploring alternatives and making a commitment.

Intersectionality

The concept that people's experiences are shaped by the interaction of multiple social identities and statuses (such as gender, age, race/ethnicity, and social class).

Multiple Jeopardy Hypothesis

The hypothesis that individuals belonging to multiple disadvantaged groups experience compounding disadvantages.

Intimacy

The ability to form deep, meaningful, reciprocal relationships involving emotional closeness, trust, commitment, and vulnerability.

Isolation

Difficulty forming close relationships, often involving loneliness, withdrawal, or fear of intimacy.

Consummate Love

In Sternberg's triangular theory, a type of love that combines intimacy, passion, and decision-commitment.

Companionate Love

In Sternberg's triangular theory, a type of love that combines intimacy and decision-commitment without passion.

Generativity

Concern for contributing to and guiding the next generation through creating, nurturing, teaching, and contributing to society.

Stagnation

A state characterized by self-absorption, lack of productivity, and feeling that one is not contributing or growing.

Biological Generativity

A type of generativity according to Kotre involving producing and raising children.

Parental Generativity

A type of generativity according to Kotre involving nurturing and guiding children.

Technical Generativity

A type of generativity according to Kotre involving passing on skills, knowledge, or expertise to others.

Cultural Generativity

A type of generativity according to Kotre involving passing on values, traditions, beliefs, and cultural practices to future generations.

Agency (McAdams)

A feature of generativity representing the desire to achieve, accomplish, control, and make an impact.

Communion (McAdams)

A feature of generativity representing the desire to connect, care for, nurture, and relate to others.

Empty Nest

The life situation that occurs when children leave the parental home and parents no longer have children living at home.

Caregiver Burden

The physical, emotional, social, and financial stress experienced by individuals who provide care for another person.

Sandwich Generation

Middle-aged adults who are simultaneously taking care of their children and their aging parents.

Filial Maturity

The development of a more adult-to-adult relationship between adult children and their aging parents.

Elderspeak

Overly simplified, exaggerated, or patronizing communication directed toward older adults.

Medical Model of Menopause

A perspective viewing menopause as a biological deficiency or condition requiring medical management.

Konenki

A Japanese concept regarding menopause, historically viewed as an ailment of upper class ladies of leisure.

Prauda

A term in Northern India associated with menopause, viewing it as the happiest time of a woman's life.

Gender Crossover

The tendency for men and women to become more similar in certain psychological characteristics as they age.

Androgyny

The condition in mid- and later-life where characteristics traditionally restricted to specific gender roles become less restricted.

Ego Integrity

The feeling that one's life has been meaningful and worthwhile, accompanied by the acceptance of one's life, including successes and failures.

Despair

The feeling that life was wasted or filled with irreversible mistakes, characterized by regret, bitterness, and fear of death.

Life Review

The process of reflecting on and evaluating one's life experiences to resolve conflicts, reconsider decisions, and gain meaning.

Young-Old

Older adults aged $65\text{--}74$ who are typically relatively healthy, independent, and active.

Old-Old

Older adults aged $75\text{--}84$ who face a greater likelihood of health limitations and increasing risk of disability.

Oldest-Old

Older adults aged $85+$ who face the highest likelihood of physical limitations, cognitive problems, and need for assistance.

Matthew Effect

The concept that advantages tend to accumulate advantages while disadvantages tend to accumulate disadvantages over time.

Financial Dependency

Reliance on others for money or financial support in later adulthood.

Physical Dependency

Needing assistance with activities of daily living or other physical tasks.

Emotional Dependency

Reliance on others for companionship, emotional support, reassurance, and social connection.