Adulthood (Part 2): Attraction, Relationships, Midlife & Family Dynamics

Intimacy vs Isolation & Cultural Context

• Erikson’s emerging–adult task: Intimacy vs Isolation—search for “an enduring love.”

• Western cultures prioritize individual mate choice; arranged–marriage societies locate this duty in the family.

Biochemistry & Sensory Bases of Attraction

• Core neurotransmitters activated when falling in love:

  • Dopamine ⇒ reward, focused attention, high energy; excess parallels cocaine’s effect.

  • Adrenaline/Epinephrine ⇒ \text{fight-or-flight}; sweaty palms, racing heart, high cortisol.

  • Serotonin ⇒ levels drop; resembles \text{OCD} anxiety profile.

• Pheromones: excreted chemicals guiding genetically compatible partners (shirt-smell studies).

• First-kiss physiology: surge of norepinephrine → tunnel vision, warped sense of time, vivid memory.

• Video examples illustrated sweaty palms, hunger suppression, tunnel-vision moments.

Evolutionary Physical & Genetic Cues

• Bilateral symmetry signals developmental robustness.

• Optimal waist-to-hip ratio:

  • Women & men ideally ≈ 0.7 (waist ÷ hips) ⇢ lower risk of CVD, cancer, diabetes, fertility problems.

• Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC): preference for complementary immune-system alleles; communicated via pheromones.

Merstein’s Stimulus–Value–Role Theory & Homogamy

• Stimulus phase: visual/physical screening.

• Value comparison phase: evaluate shared beliefs, interests.

• Role phase: plan life logistics; long-term commitment.

• Homogamy (similarity) > “opposites.” Partners often mirror one’s ideal self; validation by family accelerates commitment.

Modern Relationship Landscape

• Greater visibility/acceptance of same-sex couples.

• Growth in interracial/ethnic dating: \tfrac{1}{3} European-Americans; >\tfrac{1}{2} of African-, Hispanic-, Asian-Americans report experience.

• Shift from institutional to de-institutionalized marriage (personal choice, egalitarian gender roles).

• Delayed marriage; financial & identity consolidation prioritized.

• Desire for marriage persists: \frac{8}{10} young adults intend to wed.

Adult Attachment Styles (Hazan & Shaver, Ainsworth extended)

• Secure: comfortable intimacy; trust; constructive conflict.

• Avoidant/dismissive: values independence; emotionally distant; casual sex; jealousy.

• Resistant/anxious-preoccupied: seeks rapid commitment; highs & lows; jealousy; clinginess.

• Styles are moderately stable (self-fulfilling cycles) yet malleable via nurturing or traumatic relationships.

Predictors of Relationship Longevity

• Highest survival when partners are intensely committed, idealize each other, & enjoy social support.

• Positive illusion (“rose-colored glasses”) nourishes satisfaction.

Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love

• Components: Intimacy, Passion, Commitment.

• Combinations:

  • Intimacy + Passion = Romantic love.

  • Intimacy + Commitment = Companionate love.

  • Passion + Commitment = “Foolish” love.

  • All three = Consummate love (ideal but effortful to maintain).

Maintaining Marital Satisfaction

• U-shaped curve: peak honeymoon; trough ≈ age 47 (adolescent kids); rebound in empty-nest.

• Gottman ratio 5{:}1 positive:negative interactions.

• Three problem-solving styles: Validating (best), Volatile, Conflict-avoiding.

• Successful couples: share exciting activities, avoid personal attacks, allow space, practice forgiveness (non-applicable to abuse).

Gottman’s Four Horsemen (Failure Predictors)

1. Criticism → character attacks (kitchen-sinking).

2. Contempt → mockery, eye-rolling; strongest predictor.

3. Defensiveness → blame-shifting, cross-complaining.

4. Stonewalling → emotional withdrawal; physiological flooding.

• Antidotes: I-statements; appreciation; responsibility; 20-minute self-soothing breaks.

Divorce: Causes & Correlates

• Communication problems most cited; infidelity doubles 5-yr divorce risk ( 53\% vs 23\% ).

• Pre-marriage risks: divorced parents, <21 yrs, cohabitation, heterogamy, strong family opposition.

• In-marriage risks: financial strain, divergent parenting views, substance abuse, unsupportive relatives.

• Societal facilitators: no-fault laws, remarriage acceptance, single-parent normalization.

• Children generally resilient when post-divorce environment is stable, loving, adequately resourced.

Fertility & Transition to Parenthood

• Developed-world fertility < replacement (TFR<2) due to delayed marriage, female autonomy, economic stress.

• Parenthood effects:

  • ↓ couple intimacy; ↑ life meaning.

  • Return to traditional roles; potential marital inequity.

  • \frac{1}{3} couples report enhanced love.

• Keys to positive adjustment: strong pre-baby relationship; fair chore division.

Motherhood Specifics

• Moms with young kids record lowest daily mood yet highest peak joys.

• \tfrac{1}{2} struggle controlling temper; secure attachment dampens anger.

• Modern mothers invest double the cognitive-stimulation time vs 1965 cohort.

Fatherhood Evolution

• Rise of nurturer father—hands-on caregiving plus breadwinning.

• Fathers favor rough-and-tumble play, engage more with sons; still perform less routine care than mothers.

• Role conflict: workplace vs caregiving.

Grandparenthood

• Highly generative grandparents serve as family “watchdogs,” mentors, mediators.

• Women typically more involved; proximity decisive.

• Custodial grandparenting ( 2.9 million US 2015): role overload, health decline, financial strain.

Adult Children as Caregivers (Parent Care)

• Daughters most often caregivers, usually in 50s ("sandwich generation").

• Stressful when care is intense & support scarce; rewarding when seen as redemption & supported.

Midlife Physical & Sexual Changes

• Men: gradual decline in testosterone; erection maintenance difficulty; ads for PDE-5 drugs.

• Women: Perimenopause → erratic cycles, hot flashes; menopause = 12 mo without menses ⇒ end of fertility.

  • Post-menopause: thinner vaginal walls, ↓ lubrication; some women enjoy contraceptive freedom.

• Contrary to myth, mid-aged adults often feel better about appearance than young adults.

Personality Stability: Big Five

• Traits stabilize by midlife; measured dimensions:

  • Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism.

• Can predict friends’ future behavior with reasonable accuracy.

Erikson’s Generativity vs Stagnation

• Age 40–65 task: nurture next generation; enrich society.

• Highly generative profile: strong agency + communion, forgiveness of parents, resilience, redemption narratives.

• African-Americans statistically more generative (coping with discrimination fosters mission mindset).

Cognitive Aging & Seattle Longitudinal Study

• Earlier cross-sectional work (WAIS) overstated decline.

• Combined cross-sectional + longitudinal data show:

  • Most abilities peak late 40\text{s}–early 50\text{s}.

  • Crystallized intelligence rises until \approx65, then down; precipitous drop ⇒ "terminal drop" predictor.

  • Fluid intelligence declines earlier (reaction-time, novel reasoning).

Health Risks in Midlife

• Leading deaths: Cancer (≈\frac{1}{3}) and Cardiovascular Disease (≈\frac{1}{4}).

  • Cancer seven warning signs: bowel habits change, non-healing sore, unusual bleeding, lump, dysphagia/indigestion, mole change, persistent cough.

  • CVD “silent killers”: hypertension, atherosclerosis; events—MI, arrhythmia, angina.

• Prevention: screenings, diet, exercise, no tobacco, moderate alcohol, stress management, low-dose aspirin.

Happiness, Stress & Resilience Trajectory

• Overall affect becomes more positive with age; peak life happiness ~ early 60\text{s}.

• Moderate adversity (≤3 major events) strengthens meaning; excessive trauma undermines mental health.

Intimacy vs Isolation & Cultural Context

• Erikson’s emerging–adult task: Intimacy vs Isolation—the primary psychosocial challenge during early adulthood (ages ext{19-40}), focusing on the search for “an enduring love” or a committed, reciprocal interpersonal relationship. Failure to achieve this leads to isolation and loneliness.

• Western cultures prioritize individual mate choice, often involving romantic love and personal decision-making in selecting a partner; in contrast, arranged–marriage societies locate this duty and responsibility primarily within the family unit, emphasizing collective harmony and lineage over individual preference.

Biochemistry & Sensory Bases of Attraction

• Core neurotransmitters activated when falling in love:

  • Dopamine ⇒ associated with reward, motivation, pleasurable experiences, and focused attention; high levels contribute to feelings of elation and craving for the loved one. Excess dopamine activity can parallel the euphoric and obsessive effects seen with cocaine use, leading to intense yearning and energy.

  • Adrenaline/Epinephrine ⇒ triggers physiological ext{fight-or-flight} responses; symptoms include sweaty palms, a racing heart, increased respiration, and elevated cortisol levels, contributing to the excitement and anxiety often felt in the early stages of romantic attraction.

  • Serotonin ⇒ levels drop significantly, particularly during the intense early stages of love; this reduction resembles the neurochemical profile found in individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder ( ext{OCD}), potentially explaining the preoccupation and intrusive thoughts about the loved one.

• Pheromones: excreted chemical signals that provide information about genetic makeup (specifically, the Major Histocompatibility Complex, or ext{MHC}) to potential mates, guiding individuals toward genetically compatible partners. Studies (e.g., "shirt-smell studies") suggest humans use olfactory cues to detect these signals, preferring those whose ext{MHC} genes are different from their own.

• First-kiss physiology: a surge of norepinephrine (a stress hormone) is released, similar to adrenaline, leading to an intense sensory experience characterized by tunnel vision, a warped sense of time (either slowing down or speeding up), and the formation of a vivid, often indelible memory.

• Video examples illustrated common physiological responses like sweaty palms, a temporary suppression of hunger and appetite, and moments of intense focus or tunnel-vision related to the person of attraction.

Evolutionary Physical & Genetic Cues

• Bilateral symmetry signals developmental robustness, good underlying health, and genetic fitness, as it indicates an individual's ability to withstand environmental stressors and disease during growth.

• Optimal waist-to-hip ratio (WHR):

  • In women and men, an ideal ext{WHR} of approximately 0.7 (waist circumference divided by hip circumference) is often considered evolutionarily attractive. This ratio is associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease ( ext{CVD}), cancer, and diabetes, and in women, it correlates with higher fertility and a healthier hormonal profile.

• Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC): a group of genes that encode proteins on the surface of cells, playing a vital role in immune system function. Humans tend to show an unconscious preference for partners with complementary (dissimilar) immune-system alleles, as this genetic diversity contributes to stronger offspring immunity. This preference is believed to be communicated via pheromones.

Merstein’s Stimulus–Value–Role Theory & Homogamy

• Stimulus phase: the initial stage of relationship formation, characterized by a superficial, visual, and physical screening process where individuals are attracted by external attributes like appearance, social status, or charisma.

• Value comparison phase: follows the stimulus phase, where individuals evaluate shared beliefs, interests, attitudes, and values with a potential partner. Compatibility is assessed based on discussions, activities, and communication that reveal deeper personal alignment.

• Role phase: the third and final stage, where the couple plans life logistics, establishes routines, and negotiates complementary roles within the relationship, leading towards long-term commitment and stability (e.g., division of labor, plans for future, parenting styles).

• Homogamy (similarity) is a stronger predictor of relationship success than the belief that “opposites attract.” Partners often mirror one’s ideal self, which strengthens attraction and commitment. Validation by family and friends, who approve of the partner, accelerates commitment to the relationship.

Modern Relationship Landscape

• Greater visibility and societal acceptance of same-sex couples, leading to more open relationships and legal recognition.

• Significant growth in interracial/ethnic dating and marriage: approximately frac{1}{3} of European-Americans, and more than frac{1}{2} of African-, Hispanic-, and Asian-Americans report having experience with interracial/ethnic dating, reflecting increasing cultural blending and reduced social barriers.

• A societal shift from institutional marriage (emphasizing specific gender roles, permanence, and procreation) to de-institutionalized marriage (characterized by personal choice, emotional fulfillment, egalitarian gender roles, and a focus on individual happiness).

• Delayed marriage has become a common trend, with young adults prioritizing financial stability, identity consolidation, and career development before entering formal marital unions.

• Despite delayed marriage, the desire for marriage persists among young adults: approximately rac{8}{10} young adults still intend to marry at some point in their lives, indicating its continued cultural value.

Adult Attachment Styles (Hazan & Shaver, Ainsworth extended)

• Secure: individuals are comfortable with intimacy and interdependence, trusting their partners and effectively managing conflict constructively. They view themselves and others positively, exhibiting low anxiety and low avoidance.

• Avoidant/dismissive: individuals value independence and self-sufficiency, often appearing emotionally distant or uncomfortable with deep emotional closeness. They may prioritize casual sexual relationships and exhibit jealousy or possessiveness when their independence is threatened. They tend to minimize attachment needs and dismiss others' emotional expressions.

• Resistant/anxious-preoccupied: individuals seek intense closeness and rapid commitment, often experiencing highs and lows in their relationships. They are prone to jealousy, clinginess, and preoccupation with their partner's availability. They have a negative view of self but a positive view of others, experiencing high anxiety and low avoidance.

• Attachment styles are moderately stable over time (often creating self-fulfilling cycles within relationships) yet inherently malleable and can be transformed through nurturing, secure relationships or negatively altered by traumatic or insecure relational experiences.

Predictors of Relationship Longevity

• Highest relationship survival rates are observed when partners are intensely committed to each other, idealize their partner (viewing them in an overly positive light), and receive strong social support from family and friends. This collective reinforcement strengthens the bond.

• The "positive illusion" (or "rose-colored glasses" effect), where partners hold idealized images of each other, nourishes satisfaction and helps maintain marital happiness by minimizing perceived flaws and enhancing positive attributes.

Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love

• Components: Intimacy, Passion, and Commitment. These three components can combine in various ways to form different types of love.

• Combinations:

  • Intimacy + Passion = Romantic love (e.g., a passionate affair in the early stages, intense attraction with emotional closeness but lacking a long-term plan).

  • Intimacy + Commitment = Companionate love (e.g., long-term friendship or a stable, affectionate marriage where passion has waned but deep intimacy and loyalty remain).

  • Passion + Commitment = “Foolish” (or Fatuous) love (e.g., a whirlwind courtship and quick marriage based on intense physical attraction and immediate commitment, but without deep emotional intimacy).

  • All three (Intimacy + Passion + Commitment) = Consummate love (the ideal form of love, characterized by physiological arousal, deep emotional connection, and a conscious decision to maintain the relationship. While ideal, it is effortful to achieve and maintain over time).

Maintaining Marital Satisfaction

• U-shaped curve of marital satisfaction: Marital satisfaction typically peaks during the honeymoon phase, declines after the first child is born, reaches a trough around age ext{47} (often coinciding with adolescent children and career pressures), and then rebounds in the empty-nest phase when children leave home and partners rediscover their relationship.

• Gottman ratio of extbf{5{:}1} positive:negative interactions: For a marriage to be stable and satisfying, there should be a minimum of five positive interactions (e.g., humor, affection, interest, validation) for every one negative interaction (e.g., criticism, contempt) during conflict.

• Three problem-solving styles in couples:

  • Validating (best): Partners listen respectfully, acknowledge each other's feelings, and compromise, even if they disagree.

  • Volatile: Partners engage in intense arguments with high levels of emotion and passion, but they balance this with equal intensity of positive emotions and humor.

  • Conflict-avoiding: Partners minimize disagreements and conflict, preferring to focus on shared positives and avoid sensitive topics to maintain peace.

• Successful couples:

  • Regularly share exciting or novel activities, which helps maintain passion and closeness.

  • Avoid personal attacks or character assassinations during conflict, focusing instead on specific behaviors or issues.

  • Allow each other space and autonomy within the relationship.

  • Practice forgiveness for transgressions (with the notable exception that this does not apply to situations involving abuse).

Gottman’s Four Horsemen (Failure Predictors)

These are communication styles that are highly predictive of marital dissolution:

1. Criticism → attacks the partner's character or personality rather than addressing specific behaviors. Often involves "kitchen-sinking," where all past grievances are thrown into one argument.

2. Contempt → the most corrosive of the Four Horsemen, characterized by mockery, sarcasm, eye-rolling, insults, and disdain. It conveys a sense of superiority and disgust towards the partner's value as a person.

3. Defensiveness → involves self-protection in the face of perceived attack, often manifested as blame-shifting ("It's not my fault, it's yours!"), making excuses, or cross-complaining (responding to a complaint with a complaint of one's own).

4. Stonewalling → emotional or conversational withdrawal from an interaction, often marked by silence, unresponsiveness, or physically leaving the room. It frequently occurs when a partner feels physiologically flooded (overwhelmed by negative emotions).

• Antidotes to the Four Horsemen:

  • I-statements (for Criticism): express feelings and needs without blaming.

  • Appreciation and building a culture of respect (for Contempt): regularly express gratitude and admiration.

  • Taking responsibility (for Defensiveness): acknowledge one's own role in the problem.

  • 20-minute self-soothing breaks (for Stonewalling): take a time-out to calm down before re-engaging in discussion.

Divorce: Causes & Correlates

• Communication problems are the most frequently cited reason for divorce, encompassing issues like poor listening, frequent arguments, and emotional withdrawal. Infidelity significantly doubles the 5-year divorce risk (changing the likelihood from ext{23%} to ext{53%} if experienced).

• Pre-marriage risks:

  • Having divorced parents (modeling an unstable relationship).

  • Marrying at a young age (before ext{21} years old) due to lack of maturity, financial instability, or identity formation.

  • Cohabitation before marriage (especially without a clear commitment to marry).

  • Heterogamy (dissimilarity across key dimensions like age, education, socioeconomic status, or religious beliefs).

  • Strong family opposition to the relationship.

• In-marriage risks:

  • Significant financial strain or unemployment.

  • Divergent parenting views or styles.

  • Substance abuse by one or both partners.

  • Unsupportive or disruptive relatives, especially in-laws.

• Societal facilitators to divorce:

  • Implementation of no-fault divorce laws, making it easier to dissolve marriages without proving fault.

  • Increased acceptance of remarriage.

  • Normalization of single-parent households, reducing social stigma.

• Children's outcomes: While divorce is a stressful transition, children are generally resilient when the post-divorce environment is stable, loving, and adequately resourced, and when parental conflict is minimized.

Fertility & Transition to Parenthood

• Developed-world fertility rates are typically below replacement level (TFR < 2.1 births per woman) due to several factors: delayed marriage, increased female autonomy and educational attainment, and economic stress making larger families less feasible.

• Parenthood effects:

  • Leads to a measurable decrease in couple intimacy and sexual frequency, particularly in the initial years, as focus shifts to childcare.

  • Simultaneously brings a significant increase in life meaning, purpose, and fulfillment for parents.

  • Often prompts a return to more traditional gender roles (even in egalitarian relationships) and potential marital inequity regarding household chores and childcare, which can lead to conflict.

  • Despite the challenges, approximately rac{1}{3} of couples report enhanced love and happiness specifically related to the experience of parenthood itself.

• Keys to positive adjustment to parenthood: A strong, communicative pre-baby relationship serves as a foundation; a fair and equitable division of labor and chores is crucial for preventing resentment and maintaining marital satisfaction.

Motherhood Specifics

• Moms with young kids statistically record the lowest daily mood ratings (due to sleep deprivation, stress, and demands) yet report the highest peak joys and moments of intense happiness directly related to their children.

• Approximately frac{1}{2} of mothers report struggling to control their temper due to stress and exhaustion; secure attachment in early life is correlated with better emotional regulation and dampens feelings or expressions of anger in parenthood.

• Modern mothers invest more than double the cognitive-stimulation time (e.g., reading, teaching, playing educational games) with their children compared to the 1965 cohort, reflecting changing parenting norms and expectations.

Fatherhood Evolution

• The rise of the nurturer father indicates a growing expectation and reality of fathers being actively involved in hands-on caregiving (feeding, bathing, comforting) in addition to their traditional role as breadwinners.

• Fathers tend to favor rough-and-tumble play and engage more with sons than daughters; however, they still generally perform less routine childcare (e.g., changing diapers, consistent feeding schedules) than mothers.

• Fathers frequently experience role conflict between their workplace demands (e.g., long hours, career advancement) and their desired level of caregiving involvement.

Grandparenthood

• Highly generative grandparents (those who invest in the future generations) often serve as vital family “watchdogs” (monitoring family well-being), mentors (offering guidance and wisdom), and mediators (helping resolve family conflicts).

• Grandmothers are typically more involved and perform more direct childcare than grandfathers; geographical proximity is a decisive factor in the frequency and nature of grandparent involvement.

• Custodial grandparenting: a growing phenomenon where grandparents (estimated at ext{2.9} million in the US in ext{2015}) become the primary caregiver for their grandchildren due to crises (e.g., parental substance abuse, incarceration). This role often leads to role overload, decline in the grandparents' own health, and significant financial strain.

Adult Children as Caregivers (Parent Care)

• Daughters most often assume the role of primary caregivers for aging parents, typically finding themselves in their 50s; this demographic is often referred to as the "sandwich generation" as they balance caring for their children and their aging parents.

• Parent care is highly stressful when the care demands are intense and external support (e.g., from other family members, professional services) is scarce. However, it can be deeply rewarding when viewed as an opportunity for redemption (e.g., making up for past grievances) or if well-supported by family and community resources.

Midlife Physical & Sexual Changes

• Men: experience a gradual decline in testosterone (andropause) starting around age ext{30}, which can lead to reduced sexual desire, fatigue, and muscle mass loss. Maintaining erections becomes more difficult due to reduced blood flow, leading to widespread advertising for ext{PDE-5} inhibitor drugs (e.g., Viagra).

• Women: Perimenopause is the transitional phase leading to menopause, characterized by erratic menstrual cycles, unpredictable hormonal fluctuations, and symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats. Menopause is officially diagnosed after ext{12} consecutive months without menses, marking the complete cessation of ovulation and fertility.

  • Post-menopause: Uterine tissue and vaginal walls become thinner, and natural lubrication decreases, potentially leading to discomfort during intercourse. However, for some women, a significant benefit is the freedom from contraceptive concerns and menstrual periods.

• Contrary to popular myth, mid-aged adults often report feeling better and more confident about their physical appearance compared to their younger adult years, reflecting increased self-acceptance and reduced societal pressure.

Personality Stability: Big Five

• Personality traits, specifically the Big Five, show remarkable stability by midlife, meaning individuals' characteristic patterns of thought, feeling, and behavior are largely set.

• Measured dimensions:

  • Openness to Experience: intellectual curiosity, imagination, creativity, and a preference for novelty.

  • Conscientiousness: organization, self-discipline, goal-directedness, and dependability.

  • Extraversion: sociability, assertiveness, emotional expressiveness, and energy for social interaction.

  • Agreeableness: compassion, cooperativeness, kindness, and empathy.

  • Neuroticism: emotional instability, anxiety, moodiness, irritability, and tendency to experience negative emotions.

• Self-perceptions and accurate assessments allow individuals to predict friends’ future behavior with reasonable accuracy based on these stable traits.

Erikson’s Generativity vs Stagnation

• This psychosocial task occurs roughly between age ext{40}– ext{65}, focusing on the need to nurture the next generation, guide younger individuals, and enrich society through work, parenting, mentoring, or community involvement. Failure to do so leads to stagnation, a sense of unfulfillment or self-absorption.

• Highly generative individuals typically present a profile characterized by:

  • Strong agency (a sense of purpose and control over one's life).

  • Strong communion (a concern for others and a desire for connection).

  • Tendency to practice forgiveness of their parents.

  • High levels of resilience in the face of adversity.

  • The ability to construct "redemption narratives" (finding positive meaning in difficult life experiences).

• African-Americans statistically tend to be more generative than other groups, possibly because coping with systemic discrimination and hardship fosters a mission mindset focused on collective uplift and future generations.

Cognitive Aging & Seattle Longitudinal Study

• Earlier cross-sectional research methods (e.g., using the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, ext{WAIS}) tended to overstate cognitive decline by confounding age effects with cohort effects (e.g., younger generations having more education or better nutrition).

• Combined cross-sectional and longitudinal data (from studies like the Seattle Longitudinal Study) provide a more accurate picture:

  • Most cognitive abilities (e.g., verbal comprehension, numerical ability, spatial reasoning) generally peak in the late ext{40s} to early ext{50s}, not in early adulthood.

  • Crystallized intelligence (accumulated knowledge, vocabulary, wisdom gained from experience) tends to rise until approximately age ext{65}, and then shows a more gradual decrease. A precipitous drop in cognitive performance in later life often signals a "terminal drop," which can be a predictor of impending death or serious health decline.

  • Fluid intelligence (ability to reason quickly and abstractly, solve novel problems, process information, and react quickly) declines earlier, typically starting in the ext{30s}. This includes measures like reaction-time tests and novel reasoning tasks.

Health Risks in Midlife

• Leading causes of death in midlife are Cancer (accounting for approximately rac{1}{3} of deaths) and Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) (approximately rac{1}{4} of deaths).

  • Cancer seven warning signs (CAUTION mnemonic):

    • C: Change in bowel or bladder habits.

    • A: A sore that does not heal.

    • U: Unusual bleeding or discharge.

    • T: Thickening or lump in the breast or elsewhere.

    • I: Indigestion or difficulty swallowing (dysphagia).

    • O: Obvious change in a wart or mole.

    • N: Nagging cough or hoarseness.

  • CVD "silent killers": Hypertension (high blood pressure) and atherosclerosis (hardening and narrowing of arteries due to plaque buildup) often have no symptoms until a major event occurs. Events include Myocardial Infarction ( ext{MI}) or heart attack, arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), and angina (chest pain due to reduced blood flow).

• Prevention strategies:

  • Regular medical screenings (e.g., blood pressure checks, cholesterol tests, cancer screenings).

  • Maintaining a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

  • Engaging in regular physical exercise.

  • Complete cessation of tobacco use.

  • Moderate alcohol consumption.

  • Effective stress management techniques.

  • Low-dose aspirin regimen (if recommended by a doctor to reduce ext{CVD} risk).

Happiness, Stress & Resilience Trajectory

• Overall affect (emotional state) tends to become more positive and less volatile with age; subjective life happiness often peaks around the early ext{60s} (forming part of the U-shaped happiness curve across the lifespan).

• While excessive trauma or chronic high stress can undermine mental health, moderate adversity (defined as experiencing three or fewer major negative life events) can actually strengthen an individual's sense of meaning, purpose, and personal resilience, fostering coping skills and a deeper appreciation for life.