Death, Dying And Bereavement Flashcards
The human lifespan
Men: 80 years
Women: 84 years
High risk of death in infancy. Gradual increase in risk throughout adulthood into old age
Spike in risk in adolescence (particular increase in rates of accidental death)
Impacts of increased longevity
Expectations on transitional events (marriage, children etc)
Planning
Heath care (ageing population, burden on health services)
Social policy (pension, working for longer)
Longevity (what assists it)
Nutrition (influences particular disease thus influences longevity) Medical advances Healthy lifestyles (smoking cessation = longer life, exercise)
Psychological factors:
Life satisfaction
Social interaction
Nature vs nurture
Genetic makeup influences longevity
Increased likelihood of a long-life if your parents/grandparents lived past 80 years
May explain decreased longevity in indigenous Australians ie heightened genetic susceptibility to certain diseases
Beliefs about death: children
Understanding three properties of death demonstrate mature understanding:
- Irreversibility (death is final)
- Non-functionality (something that is dead does not function ie thoughts and feelings)
- Universality (everything eventually dies)
Children often think when something dies it ‘goes to sleep’ which is an immature thought process
Beliefs about death: children
Mature understanding seems to develop between 5 and 7 years of age
With greater knowledge comes less anxiety
Many different avenues of education:
Exposure to death
Cultural or religious teachings
Media
Direct education: teaching or facts and biological process is recommended
Beliefs about death: adolescence and adulthood
We know that death is inevitable and irreversible
Capacity for abstract thought increases the complexity of our thoughts on death
Death anxiety
Death anxiety
Risk takers have similar levels of death anxiety compared to the general population
Women have higher fears of dying than men
Fear of death and death anxiety is represented in neural activity
Beliefs about death: elderly
Reduced death anxiety in the elderly
Why?
Achievement of goals
Refined coping mechanisms to better deal with thoughts of death
Resignation to accept death as it’s closer
Kubler-Ross theory- Adjusting to death: 5 step process
- Denial: shock and disbelief
- Anger: difficult time for loved ones and carers
- Bargaining: pleading or begging for more time
- Depression:
Reactive depression: mourning what has already been lost
Proactive depression: mourning what will be lost - Acceptance: final goodbye
Criticism of the Kubler-Ross theory
Method of data collection: use of interview techniques heavily criticised
Potential for experimenter bias as Kubler-Ross conducted the interviews and devised the 5-step theory
Is there a best way to die?
Kubler-Ross theory suggests that acceptance is the best state in which to meet death
It also suggests the ideal way to reach acceptance
Criticism of Kubler-Ross theory: Many variables influence the acceptance of death
Cause of death Sex differences Cultural and social factors Historical events Personality Level of cognitive development Social and physical surroundings
Bereavement
Bereavement is as inevitable as death itself
Kubler-Ross argues that bereaved people follow the same stages of acceptance as the dying loved one
Dealing with the loss of a loved one is a highly personal experience (people mourn in many different ways but there is no correct way)
Grief can promote psychological growth
Bereavement: mourning the death of a spouse
Shock and numbness Stress and threat Anger Anxiety Guilt Sadness
Bereavement: from grief we can see psychological growth
Resilience
Increased optimism
Gains in self confidence
Undertaking new roles
