physical and cognitive development in middle adulthood PDF

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CHAPTER 15: PHYSICAL AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT IN MIDDLE ADULTHOOD Middle Adulthood  Age 40-65  Contemporary view: midpoint, not end of life  Characterized by diversity regarding lifestyles and perceptions  Continuation of early adulthood changes: physical and cognitive Vision Changes  Presbyopia: “old eyes” o Inability to adjust focus to varying distances o Pupils shrink, lens yellows, vitreous changes o Poor vision in dim light o Decline in color discrimination o Glaucoma risk Hearing Changes  Presbycusis: “old hearing” o Initially, decline in sensitivity to high frequencies o Gender, cultural differences: men show earlier, more rapid decline o Hearing aids, modifications to listening environment, communication can help Skin Changes  Wrinkles – forehead (30’s), crow’s feet (40’s)  Sagging – face, arms, legs  Age spot – after age 50  Faster with sun exposure, and for women Muscle-Fat Makeup  Middle-age spread common: fat gain in torso  Men – upper abdomen, back  Women – waist, upper arms  Very gradual muscle declines  Can be avoided with low-fat diet with fruits, vegetables, grains, and exercise (especially resistance training) Skeletal Changes  Bones broaden, but become more porous: o Loss in bone density o Women at a greater risk  Loss in bone strength o Discs collapse, height shrinks o Bones fracture more easily and heal more slowly

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A healthy lifestyle can slow bone loss

Menopause  Gradual end of fertility o Menopause follows a 10-year period o Age range – late 30’s – late 50;s o Earlier in non-childbearing women and smokers  Drop in estrogen o Monthly cycles shorten, eventually stop o Can cause difficulties  Complaints about sexual functioning  Decreased skin elasticity, loss of bone mass  Symptoms o Hot flashes – sensations of warmth and rise in body temperature, and sweating; can happen day or night o Emotional systems – mood fluctuations o Many individual differences in symptoms (some report very few) o Asian, Middle Eastern, and African women report less symptoms Hormone Therapy for Menopause 

Reactions to Menopause  Individual Differences o Importance of childbearing capacity, physical attractiveness o Older adults now more accepting than previous generations  Cultural Differences o Medical approach in Western industrialized nations linked to complaints

o Ethnic differences in the US Reproductive Changes in Men  Decrease in sperm volume and motility starting in twenties  Decrease in semen after age 40  Gradual decline in testosterone; sexual activity stimulates production  Erection difficulties: o Frequent problems may be linked to anxiety, disease, injury, loss of sexual interest o Viagra and other drugs offer temporary relief Health in Middle Age  85% rate as excellent or good, a decline from early adulthood  More chronic diseases than in early adulthood  Research on women increasing Sexuality in Middle Adulthood  Slight drop in frequency among married couples: o Stability of sexual activity is atypical o Best predictor is marital happiness  Intensity of response declines as there is slower arousal due to menopause  Sex is still important and enjoyable to most Cancer in Middle Adulthood  1/3 of US midlife deaths o More men than women o Higher in low SES  Results from mutation with cell’s genetic program o Uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells  Often curable; survival brings emotional challenges

Reducing Cancer Risks  Know seven warning signs: Change in bowel/bladder habits, sores that don’t heal, unusual lumps, unusual bleeding or discharge, etc.  Get regular checkups and screening  Avoid tobacco, excessive sun exposure, unnecessary X-Rays, industrial chemicals and pollutants  Healthy diet, physical activity, and weigh risks of hormone therapy CVD   

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Responsible for 25% of middle-aged deaths “Silent killers” (high BP, cholesterol) Symptoms o Heart attack (blockage) o Arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) o Angina Pectoris (chest pain) Symptoms for women can be different Reducing Risks o Quit smoking o Reduce cholesterol o Treat high BP o Maintain ideal weight o Exercise regularly o Occasional wine or beer o Take low-dose aspirin o Reduce hostility and stress

Osteoporosis  Severe bone loss, fragile bones  Normal aging – with age, bones become more porous and lose mass  Menopause – estrogen drop speeds loss  Heredity – body build  Lifestyle – diet, physical activity, smoking, alcohol use  Women develop this earlier, and men are often overlooked  Preventing and treating: o Diet: vitamin D and calcium o Weight-bearing exercise o Strength training o Bone-strengthening medications o Early prevention Hostility and Health  Type A behavior pattern: o Angry, impatient, competitive

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o Prone to HD o Increased risk of high BP, stroke Expressed hostility: o Angry outbursts, rudeness, criticism, contempt o Predicts various CV problems Managing stress o Reevaluate the situation o Focus on events you can control o View life as fluid o Consider alternatives o Set reasonable goals o Exercise regularly o Use relaxation techniques o Constructively reduce anger o Seek social support

Exercise  Physical and psychological benefits – stress management/reduce disease risk  Barriers to beginning in middle age: time, energy, health, convenience, lack of facilities  Self-efficacy promotes exercise and is augmented by it  Activities that fit personal characteristics  Interventions to reach low-SES adults Double Standard of Aging  Aging men rated more positively, women more negatively  Media social messages o Want women to be young and look youthful o Info on how to minimize signs of aging  Appears to be declining, with new, positive view of middle age Fluid and Crystalized Intelligence  Fluid Intelligence o Depends on basic information-processing skills:  Detecting relationships among stimuli  Speed of analyzing information  Working memory  Crystallized Intelligence o Skills that depend on accumulated knowledge  Experience  Good judgment  Mastery of social conventions o Valued by person’s culture

Factors Predicting High Mental Ability Scores  Lifestyle (high education, complex job/leisure, lasting marriage, high SES)  Personal (flexible personality, healthy, perceptual speed) Attention in Middle Adulthood  More difficulties in: o Multitasking o Focusing on relevant information o Switching attention o Combining visual information into meaningful patterns o Inhibition  May be due to decline in processing speed  Experience, practice, training help adults compensate Memory  Working memory declines from 20’s – 60’s  Reduced use of memory strategies  Slower processing, attention difficulties  Adults can compensate with self-paced tasks and training in strategies  Few changes in factual, procedural, and metacognitive knowledge Practical Problem Solving and Expertise  Practical problem solving o Evaluate real-world situations o Analyze how best to achieve goals that have high uncertainty o Aided by expertise  Expertize: o Extensive, highly organized knowledge base o Provides efficient, effective approaches to problem solving o Result of years of experience Vocational Life and Cognitive Development  Job choice: o Is affected by cognitive and personality characteristics o Affects cognition: complex work enhances cognitive flexibility  Linked to SES  Designing jobs to promote intellectual challenge Becoming a Student in midlife  39% of US college students are over the age of 25 and 60% are women  Reasons are diverse o Job changes, seeking better income o Life transitions o Personal achievement, self-enrichment  Concerns

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o Academic abilities: aging and gender stereotypes o Role overload Source of Support for Midlife College Students – partner/children, extended family, friends, educational institution, workplace...