1© 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc

Physical & Cognitive Development in Middle Adulthood

Chapter 15

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Did You Know…

One-third to one-half of Americans in their late sixties and seventies think of themselves as middle aged?

During the early 19th century in Western culture, menopause was seen as a disease?

Physical activity in midlife can increase the chances of remaining mobile in old age?

Positive emotions and personality traits, such as hope, optimism, and conscientiousness, tend to predict good health and long life?

Middle aged people who engage in complex work tend to show stronger cognitive performance than their peers?

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Middle Age:A Social Construct

No consensus on when it begins and ends– Your textbook defines it as 40-65 years

No specific biological or social events that mark its boundaries

In the U.S., middle-age is increasingly a state of mind– Many people in their sixties and seventies

consider themselves middle-aged© 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc

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The Aging Experience

Most younger middle-aged adults see their lives as still needing improvement.

Most older middle-aged adults are satisfied with most areas of life.– social, financial, health

For most people, at least up until about age 75, aging is a positive experience.

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Physical Changes

Behavioral and lifestyle factors dating from youth can affect physical changes.

People who are active early in life reap the benefits later in life.– ‘Use it or lose it!

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Age-Related Visual Problems

Near vision Sensitivity to light Speed of processing Loss of visual acuity

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Hearing Loss: Presbycusis

A gradual hearing loss– Rarely noticed in early life

Speeds up in the fifties Affects sounds at pitches

higher than speech

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Other Physical Losses

Sensitivity to taste and smell Sensitivity of touch and pain Strength and coordination Endurance

Decrease in basal metabolism Manual dexterity Tasks that involve choice of response

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Changes in Appearance

Skin may become less taut and smooth – Layer of fat becomes thinner

Hair becomes thinner People sweat less

– Sweat glands diminish Gain weight and lose height Lower bone density Vital capacity of lungs diminishes

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Menopause

When a woman permanently stops ovulating and menstruating

No longer able to conceive a child On average at about 52 years

– Perimenopause: 3-5 year slowing process before menopause

– Estrogen and ova production decline beginning in mid 30s

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Attitudes Toward Menopause

In the US, most women view menopause positively

Most express relief Many see it as a time of greater

independence and personal growth

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Symptoms of Menopause

Many women experience little discomfort Most common are hot flashes

– Only half of women experience Other symptoms:

– Vaginal dryness, burning, itching– Sexual appetite remains

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Exploding Menopause Myths

The following have been shown NOT to be linked to this biological change:

Irritability Nervousness Anxiety Depression Memory Loss

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Box 15.1 Cultural Differences in Menopause

Many women never experience symptoms Comparison with Japanese women

– Menopause is not seen as medical condition– No word for “hot flash”. Aging is more accepted

African American women have more positive feelings about menopause than Caucasian women

More research needed

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Changes in Male Sexuality

No evidence to support ‘andropause’ or ‘male menopause’

Testosterone decreases slowly – About 1% per year after the 30s– No strong relationship between

testosterone levels and sexual performance

– Possible erectile dysfunction

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Sexual Activity

Satisfaction with sex life diminishes gradually during 40s and 50s

Decline is related to:– Physical changes

Chronic illness

– Nonphysical changesMonotony in relationshipWorries

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Sexual Dysfunction

A persistent disturbance in sexual desire or sexual response

Forms of dysfunction:– Lack of interest– Painful intercourse– Difficulty in arousal– Premature ejaculation

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Health in Middle Adulthood

Most middle-aged Americans are healthy.– But low SES experience increasing

health problems Most middle-aged people

experience decline in energy levels.

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Health Trends

Hypertension - risk factor for cardiovascular and kidney diseases. Can be controlled through:– Blood-pressure screening– Low-salt diets– Medication

Heart Disease—leading cause of death between ages 45 and 64

Diabetes - doubled since 1990s

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Behavioral Influences on Health

Longer lives and shorter periods of disability are associated with:

No smoking Avoiding overweight Regular exercise Low stress levels

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SES and Health

Lower SES people tend to have: Poorer health Lower life expectancy More activity limitations Lower well-being More restricted access to health care

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African Americans and Health

Overall death rates from cancer have declined, but not among African-Americans– Higher death rates from lung, colorectal,

prostrate and breast cancer Hypertension is 50% more prevalent

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Hispanic Americans and Health

Increased incidence of:– Stroke– Liver disease– Diabetes– HIV infection– Cervix and stomach cancers– Homicide

Less likely to have health insurance and regular health care

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Gender and Health

Women have longer life span Women seek health treatment more than

men Gender gap in heart disease has reversed Women have greater risk after

menopause of heart disease and osteoporosis

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Health After Menopause: Osteoporosis

Bones become brittle due to calcium depletion Can result in loss of height and ‘hunchback’ African American women less likely to develop Slowing osteoporosis:

– Proper nutrition – Exercise– Avoidance of smoking

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Breast Cancer

1 in 8 U.S. women develops breast cancer– Chance increases with age– 5-10% thought to be hereditary

At risk:– Overweight women– Those who drink alcohol– Early menarche and late menopause– Family history of breast cancer– Poor diet and low physical activity

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Hormone Replacement Therapy

Artificial estrogen Benefits

– Reduces menopause symptoms– Can prevent bone loss after menopause

Risks:– Breast cancer– Heart attack– Stroke

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Common StressorsAffecting Health

Occupational stress and ‘burnout’ Unemployment Positive or negative change Illness Death of spouse or divorce Marriage

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Emotions and Health

Negative emotions often associated with poor physical and mental health– Anxiety– Despair

Positive emotion may protect against the development of disease

Not a causal relationship

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Mental Health

1 in 4 women showed depressive symptoms Highest rates among African American and

Hispanic American women Lowest rates among Chinese and Japanese

American women Women with less education and poor women

also more likely to have symptoms

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Fluid Intelligence

Ability to solve novel problemsRequires little previous knowledge

– Discovering a pattern in a set of figures

Tends to decline with age

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Crystallized Intelligence

Ability to use information acquired over lifetime– Thinking of a synonym for a word

Often improves throughout lifetime

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Expertise

Mature adults show increasing competence solving problems in their field

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Post formal Thought:Integrative Thought

Mature adults are better at integrating: Logic with intuition and emotion Conflicting facts and ideas New and old information

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Creativity and Age

Creativity develops over lifetime in a social context– Has no relationship to age

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Age-Differentiated Roles: Traditional Life Structure

Young people are studentsMiddle-aged people are workersOlder adults organize their lives

around leisure and retirement

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Work versus Early Retirement

Phased retirement — Reducing work hours or days and phasing out retirement over a number of years

Bridge employment — Switch to another company or line of work

Many more people continue to work for both financial and emotional reasons

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Work and Cognitive Development

Seeking out mentally stimulating work helps the mind stay sharp.– Complex work stimulates flexible

thinking.– Adaptability and self-management

help improve cognitive abilities.

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The Mature Learner

Night courses, independent study help nontraditional students meet their goals:– Adapting to new technology and shifting

job marketso Recertifying or trying to move up

the career ladder– Some simply enjoy learning throughout

their lives

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Literacy Training

12% of U.S. adults cannot read documents well enough to succeed in today’s economy.

Globally:– 774 million adults illiterate– About 1 in 5

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