Middle Adulthood Flashcards
(63 cards)
1
Q
physical changes
A
- changes/declines in physical functions occur gradually through 40s and 50s
- intellectual and creative peak
2
Q
brain and nervous system
A
- more synapes are lost than are formed
- brain maturation
3
Q
brain maturation: general rule
A
- last areas of the brain that develop, are the first to decline
- frontal lobes and parietal lobes
4
Q
mental health
A
- some report better mental health with increase in age
-self-esteem generally peaks from 35-54
5
Q
mental health: disorders
A
- most addictive disorders begin in adolescence and young adulthood
- frequently go undiagnosed until they become problematic in middle-adulthood
6
Q
cognitive functioning
A
- some cognitive abilities improve, others slow down
- many adults have acquired knowledge + skills that compensate for losses
- solve problems in area of expertise = more efficiently than young adults
7
Q
Nancy Denney’s theory
A
- proposes that changes with age follow a typical curve
- unexercised skills: lower peak performance
- exercised skills: higher peak in performance
8
Q
selective optimization with compensation
A
process of balancing gains and losses associated with aging
9
Q
memory function
A
- major deficits in memory and cognition do not occur until 60-65
- subjective experiences of forgetfulness increase with age
- memory demands = higher in middle-aged people than younger adults
10
Q
semantic memory
A
- category of long-term memory
- involves recollection of ideas, concepts, facts
- supposedly does not slow with age
11
Q
episodic memory
A
- includes info about recent or past events and experiences
- involves “where you parked your car” or “what you had for dinner last night”
- supposedly slows with age
12
Q
middle-aged adults’ ability with episodic memory
A
- very proficient at overcoming limitations by using reminders and cues to help remember
- believe efforts will make a difference
- actively work to improve memory
13
Q
expertise
A
helps to compensate for age-related deficits in cognitive functioning
- specialized skills and knowledge that pertain to a particular topic
14
Q
experts are …
A
-automatic
- flexible
- intuitive
-straight
- strategic
15
Q
novice
A
limited experiences with a particular task
16
Q
intelligence
A
crystallized:
- use and application of learned knowledge and experience
fluid:
- the ability to process new information and develop and apply skills
17
Q
tacit knowledge
A
- pragmatic and practical knowledge learned through experience
- increase with age
- “know-how” or “professional instinct”
18
Q
flow
A
- mental state of being completely present and fully absorbed in a task
- helps block out distractions
- person is achieving great joy or intellectual satisfaction from accomplishing goal
19
Q
new learning
A
outperform young adults on comprehension and remembering reading material
- younger adults focus on word-for-word
- middle-aged adults focus on themes and meaning, summarizing info
20
Q
education
A
- older student take longer to learn material, but forget less
- have hardest time learning meaningless and unfamiliar information
- task-oriented learners
- want to organize activity around problem solving
21
Q
creativity
A
- best work around 40
- among creatives, peak creativity may occur longer; last longer
- have divergent thinking
22
Q
divergent thinking
A
provides multiple solutions to problems that have no clear answers
23
Q
why is middle adulthood a stressful period?
A
deal with shifting and evolving roles
24
Q
Erikson’s generativity vs stagnation
A
- find meaning in contributing to the development of society
25
generativity
- feeling of making a contribution to society
- cultures with high level of respect for older adults shows more generative acts
- cultures with high level of respect for this pop have better life quality for older adults
- fosters generativity in younger generations
26
Vaillant's revision of Erikson's theory
- argues there is a stage following generativity: keeper of the meaning
- M.A. focuses on preserving values that will benefit future generations
- indigenous elders: life teacher stage
27
childhood effects on generativity
- adverse experience decreases likelihood of achieving generativity
- resiliency
- effective coping and emotional regulation helps
28
resiliency
ability to bounce back
- maintaining healthy psychological and physical life function
- despite adversity, loss, trauma
29
mid-life crisis
- mid-way between birth and death
- time since birth becomes time before death
- realization of inevitable death
- studies fail to identify specific age
30
Whitbourne's developmental pathways
- meandering path
- straight-narrow path
- downward slope
- triumphant trail
- authentic path
31
Whitbourne's developmental pathways: meandering path
- low sense of identity
- uncommitted to goals
32
Whitbourne's developmental pathways: straight-narrow path
- low risk
- reliant on routine
33
Whitbourne's developmental pathways: downward slope
- started off great
- due to regrettable decisions in life, life has not been good
34
Whitbourne's developmental pathways: triumphant trail
- started off bad
- due to resiliency, life got better
35
Whitbourne's developmental pathways: authentic path
- honest and continuous examination of life
- leading to strong goals
36
life events approach
- theoretical perspective on MA
- focuses on events and adults' responses to them
- role conflict
- role strain
37
role conflict
dealing with multiple, incompatible roles
38
role strain
difficulties keeping up with demands of a specific role
39
stressors in M.A.
- "sandwich generation"
- having children later in life = stress
- millenials live with parents longer
40
emptying the nest: feelings are shaped by ____
- ethnocultural values
- financial circumstances
- living arrangements
- relationship quality
41
emptying the nest: age when the last child is born and longevity
- increases likelihood of experiencing empty nest
- role parent does not end, content does
42
failure to launch
- adult children remain at home longer
- conflicts between parents and resident adult children are common
43
failure to launch: reasons
- delayed marriage
- extended post-secondary education
- rise in divorce
- unemployment
44
revolving door
return after living elsewhere independently
45
grandparenting
- 60% of M.A. become grandparents by the end of MA
- important source of stability in homes of children with unstable homes
46
styles of grandparenting
1. compassionate relationships
- frequent contact
- warm interactions with grandchildren
2. remote relationships
- do not see grandchildren often
3. involved relationships
- directly involved in everyday care
- close emotional ties
47
friendships
- social network is relatively small
- relationships remain intimate
- more friendships = better psychological well-being and health
48
stressors
career
- involuntary career changes
- voluntary career changes
- involuntary non-mobility
planning for retirement
49
burnout
- lack of energy, exhaustion
- results from chronic stress
50
avoiding burnout
- pacing
- rely less on external sources of job satisfaction
- work satisfaction usually at its peak
51
job performance
- selective optimization with compesnation helps maintain productivity
52
job performance: slection
- narrowing range of activties
- focus only on most central tasks
- delegate more responsibilities to others
- give up/reduce peripheral job activities
53
job performance: optimization
deliberate exercise of crucial abilities to remain on top
54
job performance: compensation
- pragmatic strategies for overcoming specific obstacles
- devise way to reduce memory loads with systemic list making
55
older employers and negative stereotypes
older employees who hold negative stereotyppes toward aging perform worse on a range of psychomotor, memory, physiological and social measures
56
shift in work goal orientation
- YA = more likely to have career growth goals
- MA = more likely to aim for personal fulfillment, nature of work, job stability, financial security
57
career change difficulties
employer tend to favour younger people as new employees
58
involuntary career transition
- when person is forced out of their position
- increase in likelihood of suffering from mental health disorders and physical illness
- employment reverses these trends
59
voluntary career transition
- leave one position to pursue another
- variety of internal reasons
60
types of voluntary career transitions
maintenance transitions
- switching companies, schools
advancement transitions
- staff to manager
new career transitions
- cook to hairdresser
61
causes of career changes
- genetics = possibility
- product of personality
62
involuntary non-mobility
- worker remains in non-prefered work situation
- perception of low employability, negatively impact well-being
- associated with depressive symptoms and lower self-rating
63
preparing for retirement
- gradual reduction in workload
- relatively new phenomenon
- baby boomers seek bridge employment or work longer
