1

What (or rather when) is adulthood?

Dividing adulthood into stages is more difficult than defining stages during childhood or adolescence

Different trajectories

What is the best stage of life?

2

Physical Decline by Middle Adulthood

• It’s true…Muscular strength, reaction time, sensory abilities and cardiac output begin to decline after the mid-twenties

• Loss of sensory abilities is often due to causes other than aging– Visual acuity and light – Auditory presbycusis and

Mosquito ring tones– Smell and taste hyposmia and

sensory interaction

3

Physical Decline by Middle Adulthood

• Around age 50, women go through menopause, and men experience decreased levels of hormones and fertility. Myths and realities?

• What about men? Andropause…Role of perception and expectation? Social clocks…

4

Middle Adulthood

• What about the brain and cognitive functioning?

• The Secret Life of the Grown-up Brain: The Surprising Talents of the Middle-Aged MindBarbara Strauch Strauch Interview

•Mid-Life Myth

• Sapolsky on Aging

5

Old Age: Life Expectancy

Life expectancy at birth increased from 49 in 1950 to 67 in 2004 and to 80 in developed countries. Women outlive men and outnumber them at most ages (except at birth). Anything funny about these statistics (reasons for increase)?

6

Old Age: Sensory Abilities

After age 70, hearing, distance perception, and the sense of smell diminish significantly, as do muscle strength, reaction time, and stamina. After 80, neural processes slow down, especially for complex tasks

7

Old Age: Motor Abilities

At age 70, motor abilities also decline. Fatal accidents also increase around this age (vision and reaction time). What about insurance rates?

8

Aging and Memory

Recognition memory does not decline with age, and material that is meaningful is recalled better than meaningless material. Recognition v. recall

David M

yers

9

Aging and Intelligence

• Longitudinal studies suggest that intelligence remains relative as we age (v. cross-sectional studies…explain)

• Fluid intelligence (ability to reason speedily) does decline with age, but crystallized intelligence (accumulated knowledge and skills) does not

10

Aging and Other Abilities

• A number of cognitive abilities decline with age. However, vocabulary and general knowledge increase with age (crystallized)

•Cognitive exercise critical

11

Old Age: Dementia

• Dementia is a loss of neurons, mental disintegration associated with brain damage (tumors, aneurysms, alcohol). The risk of dementia also increases with age however dementia is not a normal part of growing old

12

Old Age: Alzheimer’s Disease

• Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder (AcH deficit implicated). Deterioration of memory, reasoning, and language. Risk increases with age• Those who continue to “exercise” their mental abilities can

delay mental decline • Modern increases. Afflicts approximately 10% of people

over 65 and perhaps as many as 50% of those over 85

13

Social Development

Many differences between the young and old are not simply based on physical and cognitive abilities, but may instead be based on life events related to family, relationships, and work

14

Well-Being Across the Life Span

Well-being and people’s feelings of satisfaction are stable across the life span. What does this mean?

15

Death and Dying

• There is no “normal” reaction or series of grief stages after the death of a loved one (Kubler Ross Stages of Grief)

• Grief is more sudden and prolonged if death occurs unexpectedly

• People who reach a sense of integrity in life (in Erikson’s terms) see life as meaningful and worthwhile.

Chris Steele-Perkins/ Magnum

Photos