Module 11: Adulthood

Adulthood: Physical Changes Our physical abilities peak in our

twenties, but decline steadily after. Energy has more to do with health and

exercise, than with age. Worldwide life expectancy has risen

since the 50s. Women outlive men by 4 years on avg. With no diseases or other causes of

early death, our bodies only live to about 85 because of aging.

Adulthood: Physical Changes Menopause: In women, the ending of

the menstrual cycle around age 50. Decrease in estrogen, but usually does

not create psychological problems. Women felt relief when their periods

stopped! Men experience a decline in sperm

count, testosterone levels, speed of erection and ejaculation.

Sexual activity does not end with age.

Adulthood: Physical Changes Signs of old age:

Diminished hearing and vision (less light gets to the eyes)

Loss of muscle strength and stamina Slower reaction time Less acute sense of smell Immune system weakens Brain function slows Memory loss

Adulthood: Physical Changes Good news:

Less short term illnesses (colds, flu, etc) because have a lot of built up immunities.

Exercising slows signs of aging Exercise stimulates brain functions

Adulthood: Cognitive Changes Dementia: mental disintegration. Alzheimer’s disease: a progressive

and irreversible brain disorder which reduces memory, reasoning, language, and physical functioning.

Alzheimer’s attacks memory first, then reasoning, and eventually the person becomes emotionally flat, a sort of living death.

Physically active, healthy people are less at risk for Alzheimer’s.

Adulthood: Cognitive Changes Learning and remembering peak at

early adulthood. If there is meaning to what you are

trying to remember, it is easier. Prospective memory (“remember to

pick up son”) remains strong. Remembering time-based tasks

(taking pills, appointments,…) are harder for older people.

Adulthood: Cognitive Changes Cross-sectional: a study in which

people of different ages are compared with one another.

These studies concluded that mental abilities declined with age.

Longitudinal: research in which the same people are restudied and retested over a long period.

These studies found that intelligence remained stable until late in life.

Adulthood: Cognitive Changes Crystallized intelligence: your

accumulated intelligence. (vocabulary)

This increases up to old age! Fluid intelligence: ability to reason

quickly and solving logic problems. This decreases as you age. We lose recall memory and processing

speed, but gain vocabulary and knowledge!

Adulthood: Social Changes Middle adulthood occurs in the 40s

and you realize life is mostly behind you.

Midlife transition (crisis): supposedly, a time of great struggle and regret.

Midlife crisis is mostly a myth. Social Clock: the culturally preferred

timing of social events like marriage, parenthood, and retirement.

Social clock varies from culture to culture.

Adulthood: Social Changes Two aspects of life dominate

adulthood: love and work! Love is most satisfying when the

couple has common interests and values, and honesty.

Marriages are more likely to last if you marry after 20 and are educated.

Increase in divorce reflects an increase in women’s economic freedom.

Adulthood: Social Changes Divorce rate in Canada & US: 1 out of

2 marriages end in divorce! People living together before marriage

have higher divorce rates. Marriage:

Worldwide 90% get married 75% who divorce, will remarry Marriage is a predictor of health, sexual

satisfaction, and income. To stay married avoid sarcasm, insults,

and criticisms of your partner.

Adulthood: Social Changes Work:

During first 2 years in college, majors often change.

Hostile adolescents tend to have less satisfying work experiences and difficulty transitioning to the working world.

Happiness is finding a career that fits your interests and provides you with a sense of accomplishment.

Adulthood: Social Changes Older people report having as much

happiness and satisfaction with life as younger people do.

They worry less about negative things and concentrate on positives.

No extreme highs, but also no extreme lows…mostly stable emotions.

Adulthood: Death Grief is especially severe with the

sudden death of a loved one. No amount of talking can eliminate

the feeling of being alone and separated from the loved one.

Integrity: a feeling that one’s life has been meaningful and worthwhile.

Adulthood: Death Elisabeth Kubler-Ross researched

death and dying and concluded that terminally ill patients pass through five stages of coping: denial anger bargaining depression acceptance

Adulthood: Death Not all terminal patients pass through

all stages, nor do they always go through them in this order.

Terminally ill people (AIDS and cancer patients) do not go through predictable stages of grief.