psych exam 5

osteoporosis

a condition characterized by severe loss of bone mass, leading to increased risk of fracture

• about half of US adults are affected

• affects both men and women

macular degeneration

a substantial loss of cells in the center area of the retina (macula), causing blurring and eventual loss of central vision

• may have relatively normal peripheral vision but unable to see clearly what’s right in front of them

  • affects 1 in 25 individuals 66-74 and one in 5 of those 75+

→ leading cause of blindness in older adults, difficult to treat

menopause

cessation of ovulation and menstruation and the cessation of a woman’s reproductive capacity

• average age : 51

life expectancy

how long a person is expected to live based on contextual factors

life span

longest a human being can live

cardiovascular disease

disease marked by high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, plaque buildup in the arteries, irregular heartbeat, and risk factor for heart attack and stroke

• 2nd most common cause of death in middle adulthood

diabetes

disease marked by high levels of blood glucose that occurs when the body is unable to regulate the amount of glucose in the bloodstream because there’s not enough insuling produced (type 1) or the body shows insulin resistance and becomes less sensitive to it, failing to respond to it (type 2)

neurofibrillary tangles

seen in those who hae Alzheimers

• abnormal accumulations of proteins inside neurons

amyloid plaques

seen in those who have Alzheimers

• misfolded proteins in between nerve cells

parkinson’s disease

chronic progressive brain disorder caused by deterioration of neurons in the substantia nigra; characterized by muscle rigidity, tremors, and sometimes dementia

• forward tilt of trunk, reduced arm swinging, shuffling gait with short steps

• damage to dopamine neurons

fluid intelligence

intellectual ability that reflects basic information processing skills, including working memory, processing speed, and the ability to detect relations among stimuli and draw inferences ; underlies learning, is not influenced by culture, and reflects brain functioning

crystallized intelligence

intellectual ability that reflect accumulated knowledge acquired through experience and learning

encapsulated

• fluid intelligence and processing that’s dedicated to specific knowledge making that knowledge easier to access and use

• cognitive performance is stable in area of expertise

semantic memory

vocabulary and knowledge; deeper comprehension

flynn effect

cohort effects suggest that people are getting smarter with each generation

• thought to be due to contextual factors

wisdom

expertise in the conduct and meanings of life, characterized by emotional maturity and the ability to show insight and apply it to problems

• applies to working on real world problems

• not always an outcome of age

• age and experience predict development of this

selective optimization with compensation (SOC)

in late adulthood : how to maintain everyday function

• improve cognitive skills of many older adults

• some loss in plasticity in late adulthood, especially oldest old

• cognitive vitality of older adults can be improved through cognitive and physical fitness training

selective attention

declines from 30s on

• performance is better when research uses everyday tasks

• practice and training can help improve this

religion with age

increases over lifespan

• participation in specific behaviors/activities

• importance of prayer/private activities

• positively associated with health behaviors, health outcomes, well-being

• buffer against stressful life events and depression

sexual activity

declines from early adulthood are modest

• 1-2 times less frequently each month than younger adults

• health status and presence of partner are main predictors

• emotional, sexual, relational satisfaction, happiness

• satisfying is associated with well-being in older adulthood

• declines in sex hormones can reduce sexual interest for some

generativity

guiding the next generation

midlife crisis

idea that people enter a time of self-doubt and stress as they evaluate their lives at mid-life

• not universal

• only 10-20% of adults experience this

• presence of crisis more related to personal history of having a crises at earlier transitions in life

big 5 personality traits

openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, neuroticism

openness

degree to which one is open to experience, ranging from curious, explorative, and creative to disinterested, uncreative, and not open to new experiences

conscientousness

tendency to be responsible, disciplined, task oriented, and planful ; relates to efforful self-regulation. individuals low in this tend to be irresponsible, impulsive, and inattentive

extroversion

social outgoingness, high activity, enthusiastic interest, and assertive tendencies. related to positive emotionality. on the opposite end, social withdrawal and constrictedness

agreeableness

trusting, cooperative, helpful, caring behaviors and attitudes toward others. opposite end seen as difficult, unhelpful, oppositional, and stingy

neuroticism

negative emotionality; moodiness, fear, worry, insecurity, and irrationality. opposite are self-confident

friendships in middle and older adulthood

• important for feelings of well-being and self-esteem

• women’s continue to be more intimate; report having more close friends and experience more pleasure and satisfaction than men, whose relationships center on activities

• effects of time limitations

• enduring ones are close

• middle-aged adults report having fewer friends and spending less time with friends than young adults, but relationships that have endured tend to be close and few/none are ambivalent or troubled

• buffer stress

sandwich generation

providing financial and material support to aging parents and younger children

• not that common (15% of midlife adults)

• not so much financial, but emotional support to aging parents and adult children is more typical

• midlife adults gain appreciation of parents sacrifices

sibling relationships in middle and older adulthood

• share long-term common history → reminiscence; more common in siblings close in age

• reported as close friends regardless of geographic distance

• provide emotional support and at times, physical help

• widowed adults rely even more on these relationships

marriage

• satisfaction increases

• less conflict, more positive emotions, humor, and respect

grandparenthood

• most midlife adults become grandparents by late 40s early 50s

women : 49 men : 52

• with increasing lifespans, grandparent could last 1/3 of life

• timing of grandparenting influences experience

• involvement associated with adolescent well-being, proximity, SES, culture

• role is a part of generativity

• show continuity and emotional closeness over time

retirement

factors :

1. financial readiness

2. health status

3. working conditions

adjusting :

• common honeymoon phase

• most adjust positively

influences :

• positive health, financial security, voluntary, social integration

erikson’s ego integrity

feel whole, complete, satisfied with achievement, serenity and contentment, associated with psychosocial maturity

socioemotional selective theory

perspective that as the emotional regulation function of social interaction becomes increasingly important to older adults, they prefer to interact with familiar social partners, accounting for the narrowing of the social network with age

• increased awareness of time

• selecting “out” relationships that aren’t as important or are “downers”

• emphasizing relationships that are important/meaningful

disengagement theory

view that declines in social interaction in older age are due to mutual withdrawal between older adults and society as they anticipate death

• mutual decline - by both individual and society’s demands to make aging smoother

• research debunks this idea

nursing home living

• small number of adults reside here

• poorer outcomes

• importance of sense of control and social interaction

parenting children

• poses challenges

• adults of all ages may experience increased risk of health problems, like obesity, stress-related reductions in immunity and depression, but middle-aged adults are especially vulnerable

• benefits include feeling more mature, competent, and generative

• increased life satisfaction after birth of children and less prone to depressive symptoms

parenting adolescents

• early adolescence = increased parent-child conflict

• emotional impact on parents

• middle-aged parents may revise their own sense of identity as childrens maturation can make them aware of passing time, age, etc.

parenting adult children

• parenting emerging adults is similar to parenting adolescents

  • more depression, anxiety, less frequent positive emotions

aging in place

staying where they’ve been

• preference to age in own home

• sense of control

• importance of support systems

life review

reflection on past experiences and one’s life, permitting greater self-understanding and the assignment of meaning to their lives

• sharing stories and knowledge with younger persons associated with well-being

• ruminating associated with poor adjustment

• family and workers in senior centers can facilitate life review to increase positive mental health

grief

emotional response to a loss

• emotional numbness, disbelief, separation anxiety, despair, sadness, loneliness that accompany loss

passive euthanasia

occurs when life-sustaining treatment, such as a ventilator, is withheld or withdrawn, allowing a person to die naturally

children and death/grief

changes with age

infants (0-2)

• sensitive to others emotions

• separation anxiety

early childhood (3-5)

• death = reversible/temporary

• transduction “i was bad”

• magical causes

• grief = increased activity, bed-wetting, anger, crying, nightmares

• good to speak to children in concrete terms

middle childhood (6-8)

• death is understood as final

• not universal

• internalization → headaches, stomach aches

• crying

• good to be included in funerals

late childhood (8-12)

• death is final, universal

• morbid curiosity

• help child connect emotions to loss

hospice

approach to end-of-life care that emphasizes a dying patients need for pain management : psychological, spiritual, and social support ; death with dignity

whole brain death

irreversible loss of functioning in the entire brain that may occur prior to clinical death

• both higher and lower brain areas (cortex and brainstem)

• resuscitation is not possible

mourning

ceremonies and rituals a culture prescribes for expressing bereavement

• how to take care of body : burial, cremation, etc.

• funeral services

• family and community have important roles : at memorials, support of bereaved

stages of death

denial and isolation, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance

durable power of attorney

document in which individuals legally authorize a trusted relative or friend to make legal, financial, or healthcare decisions on their behalf if they’re unable to

dementia

progressive deterioration in mental abilities due to changes in the brain that influence higher cortical functions such as thinking, memory, comprehension, and emotional control and are reflected in impaired thought and behavior, interfering with the older adult’s ability to engage in everyday activities

• loss of ability to care for self, recognize familiar surroundings and people

alzheimer’s disease

neurodegenerative disorder characterized by dementia and the deterioration of memory and personality; it’s marked by the presence of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the cerebral cortex

vascular dementia

neurocognitive disorder in which sporadic and progressive losses occur, caused by small blockages of blood vessels in the brain