lifespan psychology lesson 9 middle adulthood
TRANSCRIPT
Developmental Tasks
Losing parents/grief Launching children Adjusting to life without children Dealing with adult children who
return Becoming grandparents Preparing for late adulthood Acting as caregivers
Physical Changes Most experience good health Risk of disability Vision Hearing Joint Pain Weight Gain
Impact of Lifestyle Risks to health
Poor diet Stress Smoking
tobacco Drinking alcohol Physical
inactivity Chronic disease
Preventative Measures Challenging
physical and mental activity
Weight bearing exercise
Good nutrition Social resources
Physical Changes: Climacteric (Menopause) Loss of estrogen Mid 40s to Mid 50s All complete this by 58 Change in menstrual cycle Other changes No more reproduction Cultural variation
Andropause? Reproductive ability continues Lowered testosterone levels due to
stress/sexual inactivity
Climacteric and Sexual Expression Climacteric affects reproduction in
females Physical intimacy still important Practicing safe sex still important
Lifestyle Changes: Exercise Exercise helps keep muscles strong Reduces stress Increases energy Weight training promotes bone
density
The Ideal Diet Low in cholesterol (<300 mg
per day) HDL/LDL should be 4 to 1
Low in sodium High in fiber Low in sugar/starch Alcohol in moderation (1-2
servings per day)
Formal Operational Thought
Formal operational thought varies
Not achieved in all areas Tied to experience Tied to education
Increases and Decreases Increases with
age: Tacit knowledge Verbal memory Spatial skills Inductive
reasoning Wisdom? It
depends
Decreases: Working memory Speed of process
Older Adult Students Relevance not rote Accuracy over speed Minimize distractions Harder to learn when fatigued Learn better with slower pace
The Expert Vs the Novice Midlife is a time of gaining
expertise Experts and novices work
differently Experts: intuition Experts: less conscious Experts: are better at handling
unusual situations
Levinson’s Theory
Does everyone have a “midlife crisis”?
Why do some people have them?
What does it look like? How long does it last? Why is it more extreme than
the age 30 transition?
Erikson
Generativity vs. Stagnation Feeling either productive or
stuck Productivity can occur in work,
in an avocation, or in family life
Encore careers?
Family Relationships
Adult Children and tolerance Overload stressors Launching concerns Kinkeepering Caregiving
Singles
25% households Marrying older; more staying
single Are singles happier than
married people? Happiness depends on reasons
why (single or spouse-free?)
Stein’s Types of Singles
Voluntary temporary Voluntary permanent Involuntary temporary Involuntary permanent
Remarriages Half of all marriages are a remarriage Courtships, quicker, sex sooner, kids
faster, redivorce quicker Divorce rates are higher if children
involved
Productivity at Work
Varied experiences Peak of career New skills training
Encore Careers Flexibility