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Development Through the Lifespan
Chapter 15
Physical and Cognitive Development inMiddle Adulthood
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Vision and Hearing Changes in Middle Adulthood
Vision Presbyopia
Problems reading small print Bifocals if nearsighted
Difficulties in dim light Reduced color discrimination Glaucoma risk
Hearing Presbycus
Most loss in high tones Hearing aids can help
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Skin Changes in Middle Adulthood Wrinkles
Forehead – starting in 30s Crow’s Feet
Sagging Face, arms, legs
Age Spots After age 20
Faster with sun exposure, for women
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Muscle-Fat Makeupin Middle Adulthood
Middle-age spread common – fat gain in torso Men: upper abdomen, back Women: waist, upper arms
Very gradual muscle declines Low-fat, calorie-reduced diet
and exercise can help
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Menopause Average age 51
Ranges from 42–58, 10–year climacteric period
Physical & psychological symptoms Hot flashes, headaches, sleep loss,
slower sexual response Interpretation affects adjustment
Hormone Replacement Therapy controversial Lifestyle, diet options
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Male Reproductive Changesin Middle Adulthood
Reduced sperm and semen after 40
Gradual testosterone reduction Sexual activity stimulates
production Erection Problems
Stress, alcohol, heart or other diseases increase
Viagra
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Sexuality in Middle Adulthood Slight drop in frequency among
married couples Continue patterns from early adulthood More sex in good marriages
Intensity of response declines Slower arousal; partner may seem less
attractive
Gender differences More women with no partners; lack of
opportunity
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Leading Causes of Deathin Middle Adulthood
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Cancer Sites in the Body
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Cardiovascular Disease Symptoms
Heart attack Angina pectoris – chest pain Arrhythmia
Risk Conditions High blood cholesterol High blood pressure Atherosclerosis
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Osteoporosis Bones more porous; lose bone mass
Men: 8–12% Women: up to 50%
Menopause estrogen drop speeds bone loss
Bone breaks can be life-threatening
Prevention, treatment: Diet – vitamin D, calcium Weight-bearing exercise Hormone therapy for women at low cancer risk
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Hostility and Health
Expressed Hostility Frequent angry outbursts Rudeness, contempt Disagreeable verbal and nonverbal
behavior Health Effects
Cardiovascular problems Depression and dissatisfaction Health complaints, illnesses
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Stress Management
Problem-Centered Coping Identify and
appraise problems Choose and
implement potential solutions
Emotion-Centered Coping
Control distress when problem can’t be solved
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Hardiness Control
Regard most experiences as controllable
Commitment Find interest and meaning
in daily activities Challenge
View as normal part of life, chance for growth
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Fluid and Crystallized Intelligence
Fluid Depends on basic
information processing skills: Detecting relationships
among stimuli Analytical speed Working memory
Crystallized Skills that depend on:
Accumulated knowledge Experience Good judgment Master of social
conventions Valued by person’s
culture
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Longitudinal Trends in Six Mental Abilities
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Verbal and Performance IQ
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Individual and Group Factors in High Intelligence Scores
Lifestyle High education Complex job or leisure Lasting marriage High SES
Personal Flexible personality Healthy Sex Cohort Perceptual speed
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Age-Related Slowing ofCognitive Processing
Neural Network View
Neurons in brain die Brain forms new
connections New connections are
less efficient
Information-Loss View
Information lost at each step through cognitive system
Whole system slows down to inspect information
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Coping with Age-Related Cognitive Slowing
Factual Knowledge Procedural
Knowledge Metacognitive
Knowledge
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Practical Problem Solving and Expertise Practical Problem Solving
Evaluate real-world situations Achieve goals that have high uncertainty
Expertise Efficient, effective approaches to solving
problems, including practical problems Organized around abstract principles Result of years of experience
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Vocational Life and Cognitive Development
Cognitive and personality characteristics affect job choice
Once in job, it affects cognition Complex work increases
cognitive flexibility
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Becoming a Student in Midlife
40% of North American college students over age 25
58% are women Reasons diverse
Job change, better income Life transition Personal achievement, self-enrichment
Concerns about handling class work, balancing demands outside school