Psychology 203 Human Development

Psychosocial Development

in

Late Adulthood

(Chapter 18)

Big Five Traits Model

N=neuroticism

E=extraversion

O=openness to experience

A=agreeableness

C=conscientiousness

Theory and ResearchStability of Personality Traits

• Costa and McCrae research (1996) suggest only two traits may change– Increase in Agreeableness – Decrease in Extraversion

• Hostile people will remain Hostile

• Optimistic people will remain optimistic

Theory and ResearchStability of Personality Traits

• Contrary beliefsBelief Fact

* Old people are depressed

More content and satisfied with life

All old people have negative attitudes

Extraverts will remain positive

Neurotics will remain negative

Old people personality are rigid

Rigid is caused by cultural baggage not age

Ego Integrity versus despair

• Erikson’s eighth and final stage of development a person either achieve a sense of integrity of the self or yield to despair– Integrity – Accepting the lives they have lived

and accept death– Despair – Their lives cannot be relived.

Models of CopingAdaptive Defenses

• Adaptive defenses may be unconscious or intuitive– Altruism– Humor– Suppression (keeping a stiff upper lip)– Anticipation (planning for the future)– Sublimation (turning lemons into lemonade)

• Independent of IQ, education and social class

Models of CopingCognitive-Appraisal

• Coping strategies on basis on perception and analysis of situation

• Includes anything an individual thinks or does in trying to adapt o stress, regardless of how well it works

• Coping is dynamic and evolving process

• Requires continuous reappraisal between self and environment.

Models of CopingCognitive-Appraisal Model

Models of Coping Cognitive-Appraisal

Two Strategies

• Problem – Focused: strategy directed toward eliminating, managing or improving a stressful situation

• Emotion – Focused: strategy directed toward managing the emotional response to a stressful situation to lessen its physical or psychological impact (palliative coping)

Models of Coping Cognitive-Appraisal

Emotion – Focused

• Divert attention away from a problem

• Give in to situation or problem

• Deny that the problem exists

Religion and Well Being

• Religion seems to play a supportive role – Social support – Encouragement of healthy lifestyle– Perception of a measure of control over life

through prayer (positive emotional states– Reduction of stress– External control of misfortunes (faith in God)

• Nonreligious people with secular values have similar supportive role

Successful or Optimal Aging

• Disengagement Theory

• Activity Theory

• Continuity Theory

• Role of Productivity

• Selective Optimization with Compensation

Disengagement Theory

• Successful aging is characterized by mutual withdrawal between the older person and society

• Society stops providing useful roles for older adult

Activity Theory

• Successful aging is dependent on persons ability to remain active.

• Adult’s roles are major sources of satisfaction – The greater the loss of roles the less satisfied a person will be.– Retirement– Widowhood– Distance from children– infirmity

Continuity Theory

• To age successfully people must maintain a balance of continuity and change in both the internal and external structures of their lives.

• Continuation of a lifestyle.

• Retired people are happiest pursuing work or leisure activities similar to those they have enjoyed in the past

Role of Productivity

• Productive activity, either paid or unpaid is key to aging well.

• 9 out of 10 agers engage in some form of productive activity

• On average– One-third more housework– Twice as much yard work– Three times as much paid work– Four times as much volunteer work.

Selective Optimization with Compensation

• Older adults can be:• More flexible in coping strategies

– Emotion-focusing compensate for loss of control over certain areas of their lives

• More selective about social contacts• Maintain contact with people who can best meet

their current needs for emotional satisfaction.– Compensate for narrowing of possibilities in their lives

Work, Retirement, Leisure

• * The concept of retirement became widespread during the early twentieth century

• 1950 compulsory retirement was virtually outlawed in the US as a form of age discrimination

• Most adults who can retire do retire

Work, Retirement, Leisure

• Older workers are– More productive – Slower but more accurate– Dependable– Responsible– Frugal with time and materials

Work, Retirement, Leisure

• * The size of a retiree's social support network is the most powerful predictor of satisfaction in retirement

• Family-focused lifestyle– Low-cost activities around family, home and

companions– Conversation– Watching television– Visiting with family and friends– Playing cards– Doing “what comes along”

Work, Retirement, Leisure

• Balanced investment – retirement activity allocated among family, work, and leisure.

• Serious leisure – requiring skill, attention and comment– Master a craft– Pursue an intense

Living Arrangements

• Developing countries both elderly men and women typically live with adult children and grandchildren in multigenerational households.

• Developed countries the minority of older adults living alone has increased greatly since 1960. (95.5% live in the community)

Living Arrangements

• * The growth of elderly single-person households are because of  – increased old age benefits– reverse mortgage programs enable people to live at

home longer– long-term care policies that discourage institutional

living• Factors for not living alone

– Personality– Cognitive abilities– Physical health– Depleted social network

Group Living Arrangements

• Retirement hotel – remodeled to meet needs (switchboard, made service, message)

• Retirement community (self-contained development)• Shared housing (shared informally by adult parents)• Accessory apartment or ECHO (elder cottage housing

opportunity) independent units on the grounds of family members)

• Congregated housing (private or government-subsidized rental apartment complexes or mobile homes)

• Assisted-living facility (semi-independent living in one’s own room or apartment)

• Foster-care home• Continuing care retirement community

Mistreatment of Elderly

• Physical violence• Psychological abuse• Emotional abuse• Material exploitation• Neglect• Violating personal rights

– Right to privacy– Make their own personal and health decisions

Social Contact

• Social Convoy Theory– Changes in social contact

• Coworkers and other casual friends drop away• * Retain a stable inner circle of social convoys

– Close friends– Family members

• Socioemotional selectivity theory– Become increasingly selective about the

people they spend their time with

UN’s Principles of Older Persons

• Independence– Access to adequate food, water, clothing and

health care– Opportunity to work– Participate in determining when and what

pace withdrawal from labor force– Access to appropriate educational and

training programs– Able to reside at home for as long as possible

UN’s Principles of Older Persons

• Participation– Remain integrated in society, participate

actively in formation and implementation of policies that affect their well-being, share knowledge and skills with younger generation

– Seek and develop opportunities for service to the community

– Able to form movements or associations of older persons

UN’s Principles of Older Persons

• Care– Should benefit from family and community care and protection in

accordance with values– Have access to health care to help maintain or regain optimum

level of physical, mental and emotional well-being– Able to utilize levels of institutional care providing protection,

rehabilitation and social/mental stimulation in humane and secure environment

– Able to enjoy human rights and fundamental freedoms including full respect for

• Dignity• Beliefs• Needs• Privacy• Quality for their lives

UN’s Principles of Older Persons

• Self-fulfillment– Able to pursue opportunities for the full development

of their potential– Access to educational, cultural, spiritual, and

recreational resources of society

• Dignity– Able to live in dignity and security free of exploitation

and physical/mental abuse– Treated fairly regardless of age, gender, racial/ethic

background, disability or status, and valued for their economic contribution

Long-Term Marriage

• Long-term marriage a new phenomenon• One in five marriage lasts fifty or more

years• Conflict resolution skills are key to marital

satisfaction• Long marriage tested by advancing age

and physical ills• Divorce and remarriage is rare

Friendships

• * Friends are important because they are chosen by the person

• Soften the impact of stress on physical and metal health

Relationships with Adult Children

• In US, social security and Medicare have lifted some responsibilities for the elderly from family members

• Older parents become depressed if they have to ask for help from family because of strong value of independence