Psych of Aging Exam 1

Age Effects

differences caused by underlying processes, like biological or psychological processes

not caused by time

Ageism

discrimination against older people

Population Pyramid

graph that depicts developed vs developing countries median age of population

developed and developing countries are having more older populations

Chronological Age

age defined by calendar time

can not be used as an independent variable for an age effect study

Biological Age

measuring the functioning of vital human systems like cardiovascular systems

Psychological Age

age defined by psychological abilities people use in different environmental demands

Sociocultural Age

set of roles an individual has in relation to society/culture

Biological Forces

all genetic and health related factors

Ex: puberty, menopause, changes in major organ systems

Psychological Forces

all internal perceptual, cognitive, emotional, and personality factors

Ex: idiosyncratic learning experiences, private thoughts and emotions, behaviors

Sociocultural Forces

interpersonal, societal, cultural, and ethnic factors

Ex: social environment

Life Cycle Forces

differences in how the same event or combination of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors affect people at different points in their lifespan

Cohort

a group of people born at the same point in time/within a specific time span

Cohort Effects

differences influenced by experiences and circumstances unique to the generation to which a person belongs

Normative History Graded/Cohort Factors

events that most people in a specific culture experience at the same time

Ex: biological (epidemics, vaccines), psychological (gender roles, stereotypes, cultural beliefs), and sociocultural (economic factors, access to education, political events, war)

Normative Age Graded Influences

experiences associated with factors highly correlated with age

Ex: biological (puberty, menopause), psychological (planning for age associated events, role related experiences), sociocultural (entering school, graduation, marriage)

Nonnormative Influences

rando events that affect an individual but are not experienced by most people

Ex: biological (infections, injury), psychological (trauma, young child’s parent dying, winning a scholarship)

Multidirectionality

development involves both growth and decline

Ex: people’s vocabulary ability increases throughout life, but reaction time slows

Plasticity

one’s capacity is not set, many skills can be improved over time

Correlational Study

investigators examine relations between variables as they exist naturally in the world

Ex: whether the amount of time spent studying a grocery list was related to how many times you’ll remember at the store, measured by -1 to 1

Experiment

Cross Sectional Design

developmental differences are identified by testing people of different ages at the same time

Sequential Design

combination of cross sectional and longitudinal studies

studies multiple groups of people who are different ages over a period of time

Longitudinal Design

the same individuals are observed at different points throughout their lifes

Systematic Observation

watching people and recording what they say/do

Ex: naturalistic (real life situation like grocery shopping list) or structured (create a setting

Independent Variable

variable being manipulated

Dependent Variable

behavior that is observed

Confound

makes it unable to tell if your independent variable caused the dependent variable change

Reliability

the measurement being consistent

Validity

the measurement being corrected

Time of Measurement Effect

differences from events at the time the data was obtained

Ex: data about wage increases would be different based on if the economy was doing well or not

Selective Attrition

certain types of participants dropping out of a study

Internal Validity

the independent variable actually causing the change in the dependent variable

External Validity

how well the study results apply to real world

Neuron

receive, process, and transmit electrical signals throughout body

cell that consists of cell body, dendrites, neurofibers, terminal buttons

Cell Body

organelles critical for neuron survival and function

receives information from other neurons

Axon

transmits electrical signals encoded in the form of action potentials away to other cells

Dendrite

receives information from other neurons

Axon Terminal/Terminal Button

presynaptic component of the synapse

Synapse

how information travels from one neuron to the next

vesicles containing neurotransmitters lie at the axon terminal, then release neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft, then they travel across the synapse to bind on receptors receiving dendrites

Neurotransmitter

chemical messengers that nervous system uses to transmit signals between neurons or from neurons to cells

Neurocorrelational Approach

links measures of cognitive performance to measures of brain structure/functioning

Neuropsychological Approach

compares healthy older adults with those with pathological disorders of the brain

Activation Imaging Approach

links functional brain activity with cognitive behavioral data

Neural Plasticity

brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections and pruning unused ones throughout life

Cognitive Reserve

brain’s ability to adapt, improvise, and use alternative neutral pathways to keep functioning when faced with aging, damage, or disease

Compensatory Changes

younger adults use unilateral activity in left prefrontal region, while older adults exhibit bilateral activity on both left and right prefrontal areas

Executive Function

managed by the prefrontal cortex

the ability to make and carry out plans, switch between tasks, maintain attention and focus, and connect with other key brain structures that are involved with emotion

Theory of Mind

the ability to understand that others have beliefs, desires, and viewpoints different from our own

starts to decline after age 75

Hippocampus

associated with memory, in limbic system

Prefrontal and Frontal Cortex

frontal cortex: entire front section, controls voluntary body movements, speech, etc.

prefrontal cortex: very front part, controls planning, regulating feelings

Positivity Effect

as you get older individuals are motivated to derive emotional meaning from life and maintain positive feelings

Telomerase

enzyme that elongates chromosomes by adding TTAGGG sequences to the end of existing chromosmes

found in fetal tissues, adult germ cells, tumor cells

can cause cancer if activated in somatic cells

Free Radicals

highly reactive molecules that are produced during normal cell processes

cause cellular damage, may be linked to Alzheimer’s and sleep disorders

Antioxidants

molecules that neutralize free radicals by providing an electron

Telomere

sequences of DNA at the end of chromosomes

non coding, don’t have any gene

prevents loss or fusion of chromosomes

made of repeating sequences of TTAGGG on one strand of DNA bound to AATCCC on the other strand

can reach 15,000 base pairs (linked strands)

shorten each time a cell divides, shorter lives

Cross Linking

proteins within human cells and collagens interact randomly and produce linked molecules

causes stiffening of tissues

Osteoporosis

severe loss of bone mass

caused by lack of dietary calcium and drop in estrogen from menopause

Osteoarthritis

gradual onset from wear and tear

Rheumatoid Arthritis

autoimmune disease, genetic related

Presbycusis

reduced sensitivity to higher pitched tones

normal age related change

Menopause

hot flashes, night sweats, bad sleep

due to estrogen level drops

Angina Pectoris

not enough oxygen reaches the heart

results in chest pain

Myocardial infarction/Heart attack

reduction or cut off blood supply to the heart

older adults have higher mortality rates

sex based symptoms

Atherosclerosis

buildup of fat deposits on the arterial walls

reduces blood flow to organs

Cerebrovascular accident/Stroke

blood supply is cut off to an area of the brain

neurons without proper nutrients quickly die

caused by blood clots and cerebral hemorrhage

Autonomic Nervous System

part of the nervous system that controls involuntary processes (heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, respiration, body temp, sleep, etc.)

Sympathetic Nervous System: flight or fight

Parasympathetic Nervous System: rest and digest

slower for old people

Cataracts

lens is partially or completely opaque

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) (more common in women)

family of respiratory diseases including

Emphysema: membranes around the alveoli in the lungs breakdown, limits exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, caused by smoking and pollution and genetics

Chronic Bronchitis: mucus buildup, cough caused by environmental causes

Climacteric

changes in hair texture, thickness, and growth from menopause

less estrogen and progesterone

Congestive Heart Failure

heart muscle can not pump blood efficiently, causing fluid to back up into the lungs

symptoms include shortness of breath, swelling, cough, fatigue

caused by obesity, high blood pressure, etc.

Glaucoma

build up of fluid within the aqueous humor

pressure causing damage to optic nerve and blood vessels, progressive vision loss

Hayflick Limit

fixed number of times a normal human cell population will divide before stopping permanently

usually 40-60 times

Hypertension

high blood pressure

most common cardiovascular disease

force of the blood pressing on arteries is consistently too high

Light Adaptation

adjusting from being a dark place to going back outside

the time it takes to adjust increases with age

Macular Degeneration

progressive and irreversible destruction of the macula

loss of fine perception details, blindness

Wet: 10% of cases, blood vessels burst under retina, treatment by stopping blood vessel growth with injections

Dry: 90% of cases, accumulation of protein deposits, treatment by vitamins

Menopausal Hormone Therapy

replaces estrogen and progesterone from menopause loss

can cause cancer

Oxidative Stress

imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants

caused by smoking, poor diet, pollution, UV

linked to Alzheimer’s, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, speeds up aging by damaging DNA/proteins/lipids

treated by eating antioxidants, exercise

Perimenopause

the time of transition from menstruation to menopause

Presbyopia

age related condition where the lens inside your eye becomes less flexible, leading to not being able to see things close up

Sleep Hygiene

consistent sleep and wake times, stay active during the day, have a cool bedroom, establish a relaxing bedtime routine

Average Longevity

age at which half the individuals born in a particular year will have died

Maximum Longevity

the oldest age to which any individual of a species lives

Active Life Expectancy

living to a healthy, independent old age

Dependent Life Expectancy

years of living after losing independence

Acute Diseases

conditions that develop over a short period of time and cause a rapid change in health like flu/cold

Chronic Diseases

conditions that last an extended period of time (at least 3 months) and may be accompanied by residual functional impairment (diabetes, arthritis)

Coping

behaviors and individual engages in under conditions of stress

Problem Focused Coping

taking steps to fix the problem

Emotion Focused Coping

dealing with the feelings associated with a stressful event

Polypharmacy

taking 5 or more drugs regularly

Drug Metabolism

breakdown of substances and excretion of waste products

slows with age which can increase risk of build up and toxicity

Absorption

time needed for medication to enter bloodstream (go from stomach to small intestine)

rate is slower later in life

Activities of Daily Living

basic self care tasks like eating, bathing, going to the bathroom, walking, dressing

Compression of Morbidity

average age on becomes disabled for the first time iss postponed

time between onset of disability and death is compressed into a shorter period of time

Disability

effects of a chronic condition on people’s activity to engage in activities that are necessary, expected, and personally desired in their life

Drug Excretion

process of eliminating medications mainly through the kidneys in urine, but some through feces and sweat and saliva

Functional Health Status

how well the person is functioning in daily life like activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living, and social functioning

Primary Appraisal

categorize the event as stressful or not or happy

Secondary Appraisal

our perceived ability to cope with the challenge

Reappraisal

making a new appraisal resulting from changes in the situation which could lead to more or less stress