4/9/2015
PhysicalandCognitiveDevelopmentinMiddleAdulthood
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MIDDLEAGE:ACULTURALCONSTRUCT
Guidepost1:Whatarethedistinguishingfeaturesofmiddleage?
[Link].
Middleadulthoodisatimeofbothgainsandlosses.
Thespanofmiddleadulthoodcanbedefinedchronologically,contextually,orbiologically.
Mostmiddleagedpeopleareingoodphysical,cognitive,[Link]
feelcompetenttohandlethem.
Middleageisatimefortakingstockandmakingdecisionsabouttheremainingyears.
PHYSICALDEVELOPMENT
PHYSICALCHANGES
Guidepost2:Whatphysicalchangesgenerallyoccurduringthemiddleyears,andwhatistheirpsychologicalimpact?
Althoughsomephysiologicalchangesresultfromagingandgeneticmakeup,behaviorandlifestylecanaffecttheirtimingandextent.
Mostmiddleagedadultscompensatewellforgradual,minordeclinesinsensoryandpsychomotorabilities,includingsuchagerelated
conditionsaspresbyopiaandpresbycusis,increasesinmyopia,[Link]
densityandvitalcapacityarecommon.
Menopauseoccurs,onaverage,ataboutage51,[Link],and
symptomsexperienced,maydependonpersonalcharacteristics,pastexperiences,andculturalattitudes.
Althoughmencancontinuetofatherchildrenuntillateinlife,manymiddleagedmenexperienceadeclineinfertilityandinfrequencyof
orgasm.
Sexualactivitygenerallydiminishesonlyslightlyandgradually,andthequalityofsexualrelationsmayimprove.
Amongwomen,sexualdysfunctiondecreaseswithageinmen,[Link]
[Link],lifestyle,andemotionalwellbeing.
The"doublestandardofaging"[Link],
anxietyaboutgettingolderisheightenedinasocietythatplacesapremiumonyouth.
HEALTH
Guidepost3:Whatfactorsaffecthealthatmidlife?
Mostmiddleagedpeoplearehealthyandhavenofunctionallimitations.
Diet,exercise,alcoholuse,[Link].
[Link]
functioning.
Leadingcausesofdeathinmiddleagearecancer,heartdisease,liverdisease,[Link].
Lowincomeisassociatedwithpoorerhealth,inpartbecauseoflackofinsurance.
AfricanAmericans'elevatedhealthrisksmaybeduetoacombinationofhereditaryfactors,lifestylefactors,poverty,andstresscausedby
discrimination.
[Link]
canceralsoincreasewithage,androutinemammographyisrecommendedforbeginningatage40.
AboutoneinthreeU.S.womenhasahysterectomybyage60,usuallybecauseofuterinefibroids,abnormaluterinebleeding,or
[Link].
Hormonereplacementtherapy(HRT)isoftenprescribedforsymptomsrelatedtomenopause,butthereismountingevidencethatitsrisks
[Link].
Personalityandnegativeemotionalitycanaffecthealth.
[Link],everydaystressorscanbemoreharmful
[Link],perhapsbecausepeoplelearnstrategiesformanagingstress.
Causesofoccupationalstressincludeworkoverload,interpersonalconflict,sexualharassment,acombinationofhighpressureandlow
control,andinabilityto"unwind."Continualstressmayleadtoburnout.
[Link].
COGNITIVEDEVELOPMENT
MEASURINGCOGNITIVEABILITIESINMIDDLEAGE
Guidepost4:Whatcognitivegainsandlossesoccurduringmiddleage?
[Link]
crystallizedintelligence.
THEDISTINCTIVENESSOFADULTCOGNITION
Guidepost5:Domatureadultsthinkdifferentlythanyoungerpeopledo?
[Link],orspecializedknowledgehavebeen
attributedtoencapsulationoffluidabilitieswithinaperson'[Link].
Postformalthoughtseemsespeciallyusefulinsituationscallingforintegrativethinking.
Theabilitytosolvepracticalproblemsisstrong,andmaypeak,atmidlife.
CREATIVITY
Guidepost6:Whataccountsforcreativeachievement,andhowdoesitchangewithage?
Creativeperformancedependsonpersonalattributesandenvironmentalforces,aswellascognitiveabilities.
[Link],accordingtoSternberg,theinsightful,analytic,andpracticalaspectsof
intelligenceplayapartincreativeperformance.
Anagerelateddeclineappearsinbothpsychometrictestsofdivergentthinkingandactualcreativeoutput,butpeakagesforoutputvaryby
[Link].
WORKANDEDUCATION:AREAGEBASEDROLESOBSOLETE?
Guidepost7:Howhaveworkpatternschanged,andhowdoesworkcontributetocognitivedevelopment?
Ashiftfromagedifferentiatedtoageintegratedrolesappearstobeoccurringinresponsetolongerlifeandsocialchange.
Ginzberg'stheory,basedonmorerecentchangesinworklife,describestwobasiccareerpaths:stabilityandchange.
[Link]
manypeople.
Guidepost8:Whatisthevalueofeducationformaturelearners?
[Link]
[Link]
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4/9/2015
PhysicalandCognitiveDevelopmentinMiddleAdulthood
skillsandknowledgeortoprepareforachangeofcareer.
Matureadultshavespecialeducationalneedsandstrengths.
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