The developing and aging personality reading: personality (personal priorities) and well being sections- 12 and

13 ;also selective optimization with compensation 378-9)

•A note on the inner meaning of middle age•A note on the difficulty of defining

And measuring personality

THE WAYS WE DON’T CHANGE (much): EXPLORING THE BIG FIVE

extraversonopenness

conscientiousnessagreeablenessNeuroticism

openness as the key to a good lifea nature-evokes-nurture explanation of personality stability

The ways we do change: In our priorities and life goals #1McAdams Explores generativitywhen does generativity flower? who are the generative adults?

( commitment script/generative strivings/redemption sequence)

Take this and Hand in

Priorities and Goals #2: Focusing on life’s finitude

Carstensen’s Socioemotional Selectivity theory

Emphasizing enjoying the present Prioritizing close attachments

Exploring happiness # 1: What does it mean to be happy?

Hedonic

Eudaimonic

Exploring happiness #2: Happiness perceptions and research facts

Exploring happiness #3:Do we get more mature and happy with age?

A better question: WHO gets happier and more mature?Impact of life stress in promoting maturity

Impact of basic values in promoting maturity

Why old age (can be) very happy and very sadMaking the happiness case:

Less life stress The late life positivity effect

Making the sadness case: being poor and alone

Keys to happiness at ANY ageFeel efficaciousBe generative

use selective optimizationwith compensation to engineer your life

The developing and aging mind read: intelligence section ch 12; memory section ch 13

Exploring the WAISExploring the age decline in verbal and performance tests

Exploring fluid and Crystallized skills

How this looks depending on the test

How this works in terms of creativity and careersExploring age friendly and unfriendly careers

Exploring the role of enduring abilities

Keeping intelligent with age

Impact of not getting ill (terminal drop)Impact of stimulating jobs with people

Alternate ideas about intelligence

What does it mean to be intelligent in life?Exploring the features of post formal thought

Exploring wisdom

YEA!! We are apt to GET WISE AFTER AGE 60—(depending on how we measure wisdom-of course!)

Memorythe dismal findings

What makes things worse (divided attention)

The aging brain (why working memory doesn’t work as well)

memory systems theoryEpisodicSemantic

Procedural(and explaining Alz. Disease)

Give another example of each memory system and hand it in

Making Your Memory Good

Use selective optimization with compensation

Use mnemonic techniques

Use external aids (when you can!)

Use external aids

Life roles (and sex!) Read: Roles and issues section ch 12—382-388; transitions section ch 13 (409- end of chapter)

SEXMales: Its mainly physical

Refractory period/erection and

ejaculation changes

Females: Its mainly social

When women are sexiestExploring the cougar effect

Menopause facts and stereotypes

STAYING SEXY WITH AGE

Older families: Myths and realitiesQuiz

• Midlife adults are stressed between caring for their children and their elderly parents (T/ F)

• Being close to your parents/grandparents means sharing your basic feelings and concerns (T/F)

• Your parents love you more than you love them (T/F).

• In collectivist nations people are happy to care for their elderly (vs in the U.S.) (T/F)

Grandparenthood: That wonderful and difficult life role

Why do we need them? (Family watchdogs)

What hurdles do they face?(maternal vs paternal grandparents; custodial grandparents)

Parent care: That difficult life job

What’s the basic issue here?Who the caregivers really are?

What makes things better or worse?

Life transitions quiz (T/F)

• The age for getting your full social security is 65• Most baby boomers expect to retire at 65• Widowhood hits men hardest—in that they die

sooner• People who have the happiest marriages have

the most trouble recovering after they lose a spouse.

• People can almost always benefit from attending a widowhood group

Life transitions 1: retirementExploring the upwardly shifting retirement age

Exploring the truth about social security (and pensions)Exploring issues of intergenerational equity

Predicting Who Will be Happy as a Retiree

Life Transitions #2:Widowhood

Exploring bereavementWhen should mourning “end”?

Continuing bonds

What makes things better (or worse)?What should you do to help (or not help!)?

Surviving widowhood

( And Exploring Our Societal Mourning Myths)