040309F Erickson‟s Theory: Intimacy vs. Isolation o Intimacy Making permanent commitment to intimate partner o Isolation Loneliness Self-absorption Levinson‟s Early adult season o Stages Early adult transition (age 17-22) college students (may have problems, limited) choosing path, making choices Men-est good career Women too but also more about family and family dreams than men Entering adult world (age 22-28) again college pop. Studied Focus more on what erikson says we do in early adulthood o Initial choices abt love o Occupations o Values, lifestyles o Focus more on intimacy Age 30 transition (30-33) Commit with respect to career Start to settle down, commited to intimate relationships (marriage) Not est abv, then really difficult time for people Settling down (34-40) Men and women, focus away from self Less about ourselves Sacrifice a lot to meet obligations (personal interests set aside, etc) Unsettling time (women) invested in career o Societal expectation to sacrifice more (leave career for children) o Path does not always go as planned Mid-life transition (40 – 45) Entering middle adulthood (45 – 50) Chart (loneliness and emotional distress at different ages) Something peaceful with settling down even with sacrifices made Vaillant‟s adaptation to life o 20‟s: intimacy concerns o 30‟s: career consolidation o 40‟s: generativity
Start to look behind more (younger generations) o 50‟s – 60‟s: “keepers of meaning” o 70‟s: spirituality and reflection Problems with work of levinson and vaillant o Cohort effects Subjects studied vs adults today All grew up around same time Peculiar social setting Did not look at different groups of people (getting married later) (avg age 19 in 60‟s now 26 and 27) o Sample effects Were both college educated samples “V” used all exp liberal arts students upper middle class at least “L” studied college ed or solid in careers Social class effects us Divorce Lower ses then what you do to make money may not be considered a career Doesn‟t not represent everyone Social clock-culturally normative for us to do at different stages of adulthood o Less rigid than before non traditional students, finishing college degree now more normal o Following lends confidence, assoc. w/social stability Easier, not as much negative pressure (social feedback) o Distress if not following or falling behind Social stigma Family life cycle o Early adulthood-(being launched) Leaving home Joining families in marriage Parenthood Meeting own needs o Middle adulthood Meeting needs of others Launching children Accepting new members In-laws and struggles assoc with it o Late adulthood Retirement Death of spouse-particularly with women Chart-emerging adults living at home May sometimes cause stress, men and women in different age groups; % living at home, African Americans live at home for longer periods of time, followed by Hispanics then
whites; has to do with access to resources (ethnic minority groups less likely to have resources 70% guys in italy to live at home (until when?) differences culture by culture Clip: failure to launch About est intimacy, conflict within family, past social age to be at home Launching o Avg age decreasing College has become more normative (still minority 40 some percent) o Boomerang generation Being launched Increasing in prevalence Go to college Job after, maybe not Then return home Due to job market Divorce Birth outside of marriage-need support from family May keep increasing because of economy o Family relationships often improve Expectations Social clock says this is what we out to be doing Being independent Selecting a mate o Most select partners who are similar o Gender differences Women: intelligence, ambition, financials, morals Men: attractiveness, domestic skills o Research on online dating Women (pickier, but can be compensated by financial earnings) Men: look at bigger pool o Social pressure for us to pair up (endogamy) with someone similar o Homogamy - actually marrying someone who is similar as far as class, cohort 040609M Friendships in Early Adulthood o Friends usually similar SES or one or two steps removed Not likely upper inc with working class Age, ethnicity o Positive effects Higher self-esteem Makes life more interesting
Particularly in early adulthood o Friendship basis Different than in early and middle childhood Less based on what we do together More abstract (like self-definition) less concrete Trust, confidence o Centrality in life (changes) At the beginning take a primary role (age of marriage – mid 20‟s) Help us establish identity – extension of ourselves Backseat once we est marriage or more intimate relationships (spouse or children) o Siblings Often close friends Bicker more but become closer and closer as launching into the world Trends in marriage o Marrying later Mid 20‟s (26 and 27) o More cohabitating before marriage „90‟s became path into marriage (norm) o Fewer marriages Staying single, cohabitating, not remarrying Delayed until middle or not at all Less than half households with couples were married in U.S. (2005) Typical person is likely to remarry but is becoming less common o Legalization of same-sex marriage/civil unions in a few states Civil unions-same rights or some of the same rights Iowa California (but rescinded) Gender and housework (SLIDE) o Mean hours of housework per week in US o 15 to 16 hours (men) o 27 to 28 hours (women) o Becoming more equal (slowly) but still a big difference o Unsettling period (women) Women have bigger expectation esp domestic labor, child care (bigger difference between men and women-close to twice) Factors related to marital satisfaction o Family backgrounds When similar in SES, religion, and other things report more happiness o Age at marriage After age of 23 report more satisfaction and lower divorce rate More emotional maturity o Length of courtship
At least 6 mos o Timing of 1st pregnancy Having time as couple before child is very helpful At least 1 year into marriage (pregnancy-not birth) is very good o Relationship to extended family Very important o Financial and employment status Consistent trouble often lead to divorce o Family responsibilities Equality Sharing of responsibilities Is everyone happy? o Personality characteristics Refers to relationship skills Positive personality Conflict resolution skills important Divorce rates o Stabilized since 1980s Gone down o 45 % in US do end up in divorce Higher when it is a remarriage st o 1 seven years, midlife most common times Toddler in picture, not as likely 18 years and later rates rise again Chapter 15 – Middle Adulthood – Physical and Cognitive Vision changes in MA (40 – 65 yrs) o Presbyopia – “old eyes” Changes in eyes Do not see until around 43 yrs old Lens enlarges, image is not projected onto retina as it should Lens becomes less flexible Focal point behind retina Have difficult time seeing up close (bi-focals needed) o Difficulties in dim light o Reduced color discrimination o Glaucoma risk Too much pressure built up in eye Hearing changes in MA o Presbycusis – “old hearing” Earliest, most loss in high frequencies Gender, cultural differences Men lose more hearing Hearing aids can help “mosquito ring tone” teenbuzz.org
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At least 18 kHz once reach 30 yrs old, can‟t hear Teens can hear it
Skin changes in middle adulthood o Wrinkles Forehead – starting in 30‟s Crow‟s feet – 40‟s o Sagging Face, arms, legs o Age spots After age 50 o Faster with sun exposure, for women UVB rays particularly damaging to skin (peak between 11am and 4pm Don‟t penetrate deeply but can damage DNA (heart of skin cells) UVB rays foremost cause of skin cancer Sunburn-white blood cells damaged) Cold soars happen soon after (reduced immunity) Abt 2 wks to recover Fair, freckly-highest risk people May be decades before seeing effects of damage (cancers) o Why? Epidermis (first layer) becomes less firmly attached to dermis (next layer); dermis has collagen, lose 1% per year once hit middle adulthood see chart of the skin (text?) muscle-fat makeup in MA o middle-age spread common – fat gain in torso slow twitch and fast twitch decrease in numbers men – upper abdomen, back women – waist, upper arms (“hi helen”) o very gradual muscle declines o can be avoided low fat diet with fruits , veggies, grains exercise – resistance training muscle weighs more than fat scale may not be representative in MA expanding waist line more of a predictor waist to hip ratio? Girth – how wide you are climacteric (preceeds-transitional period in life of women, esp in function of ovaries start to decline) and menopause o gradual end of fertility climacteric begins about age 41 and last abt 20 yrs? Menopause follows 10 yr climacteric
Age range extends from late 30‟s to late 50‟s o drop in estrogen & progesterone (even further and more quickly) (chart) shorter monthly cycles, eventually stop can cause problems sexual functioning cholesterol estrogen o bone density o skeletal growth o helps bone absorb and retain calcium in bones o skin o electrolyte balance progesterone o building block for a lot of other hormones o blood pressure o electrolyte balance estrogen prepares uterine lining progesterone main preg hormone, prevents shedding of lining in preg men – levels decline also in MA menopausal symptoms o research shows menopause link hot flashes/night sweats sexual problems o not linked to menopause, other causes should be investigated irritability sleep difficulties depression may be linked more to change in life status (socio-cultural rather than biological issues) (con‟t) around the world (chart) o Variation among women in diff cultures o Not many women in japan exp hot flashes (not even a word for it in vocab) o Lower in other asian nations also o High in africa, north america, middle east, europe o With age comes honor, higher status but in america youthful beauty is ideal o African american women report more HF than white women but perceive it less negitively (perhaps related to life stress perceptions) o Some asian, middle eastern countries, cast aside and separated from society when menstruation begins o May also be biological and cultural differences (foods) Hormone replacement therapy for menopause o Benefits Reduces hot flashes, vaginal dryness
May help mood Bone benefits o Risks Stroke, blood clots, heart attack? Cancer? Still not really clear whether estrogen was link (cause) Cognitive declines, alzheimer‟s o Alternatives Gabapentin for hot flashes Greece-roll their eyes, why is this so bothersome? Many studies done Slight help Do find effects with placebo as well Antidepressants May not be physiologically related, but sociologically Black cohosh Male reproductive changes in MA o Reduced sperm and semen after age 40 Not a great effect on reproduction o Gradual testosterone reduction Sexual activity stimulates production o Erection problems Frequent problems may be linked to anxiety, diseases, injury, loss of interest Viagra & other drugs Increase blood flow to penis Many men can‟t take safely (risk factors-heart disease, etc.) o Not a viable treatment for a lot of men By age 60 40 – 50 % of men (text) Achieving or maintaining 40% of 40 yr old 70% 70 yr old men Can be caused Cholesterol Diabetes Heart disease Alcohol, drugs, smoking Poor sexual techniques (lack of knowledge) Unsatisfying relationships o Decrease bone density, muscle mass, lower sex drive, depression, sleep problems Leading causes of death in MA o US men and women – more deaths among men, cardiovascular disease greater rates in men o Cancer o Men may be less likely to go to doctor o Unintentional injuries
Firearms more prevalent among men Cancer in MA o 1/3 of US midlife deaths More in lower SES-less likely to be caught in early stages (access to resources) o Results from mutations Germline (genetic) Somatic (occurring in a single cell) o Often curable Treatment and survival Emotionally challenging o Chart % of adults who have ever had cancer by age o Prob of breast cancer increases in MA 30 – 40 (end of EA) 1 out of 257 women have prob of getting breast cancer Age 40 – 50 prob increase to 1 in 67 women 50 – 60 1 out of 36 women 041009F Cardiovascular disease o Symptoms Heart attack Angina pectoris – chest pain Arrhythmia o Risk conditions High blood cholesterol More lipids staying on artery walls High blood pressure Systolic (amt of pressure when heart beats) and diastolic (pressure that remains in vessels when heart is at rest) More of issue in MA 75% cases in people 50 and older Normal – 120/80 High – 140/90 and up Need to focus on bottom number (diastolic) (depends on age) New research shows systolic is also very important particularly in MA o Under 40 (prior to MA) 40% of hypertension is seen in diastolic o 1st decade of MA (age 40), 33% in diastolic o After age 50, most HBP is shown in systolic Atherosclerosis – hardening of arteries Stages o Damaged intima
Smoking High blood pressure Walls become rough, like scuffed with sand paper Lipids tend to stick more, are attracted to artery walls o Cholesterol filled cells o Plaque Narrowing and hardening of arteries Skeletal system in older years o Changed Bones are broadening, not growing in length (growth plate is gone) – new cells are accumulating around 50 and beyond, bones are weakening greatly o Risk of severe bone loss, fragile bones Osteoporosis – critical point, losing density No longer building bone bank of minerals If body depleted of calcium, osteoplasts leach calcium from bones at expense of skeletal system Spinal column – one of the reasons people shrink with age, also disks shrink By age of 60, one inch o Factors effecting likelihood Women more susceptible Small frames with low BMI ¾ cases occur among white women o Prevention & treatment of osteoporosis Lead healthy lifestyle Weight bearing exercise Having adequate calcium and vitamin D Smoking and alcohol contribute Treatment Hormone – estrogen supplements Helps absorb and use calcium in bones Midlife exercise (SLIDE) o Percent inactive, percent getting enough o Moving into MA, fewer people are getting enough exercise o More are becoming inactive o Both for males and females o Males more likely to meet exercise standards in all stages, but get closer to women in MA Midlife exercise o Walk or Die Found that those regularly active (walked, gardened, danced a couple times wk) 35% less likely to die in the next 8 yrs
High risk, b/c underlying risks – isolated them and when exercising they had an even bigger difference 45% (more benefits) in the next 8 yrs o Weight bearing exercise Weight-lifting Focus on skeletal system Maintain or increase bone density Higher impact, more positive effect on bones (running vs. walking) When we apply stress to bones, respond by becoming stronger Can be harder because of joint problems Middle – age spread Reduced inter-abdominal fat o Psychological benefits Self-efficacy – how effective do you feel, self-esteem more positive Study over several mos, considering pre-existing conditions Reductions in anxiety More energy Depression and depressive symptoms lessened o Cognitive benefits In MA find improvements in fluid intelligence Crystallized v. fluid intelligence (SLIDE) o Definitions and examples Crystallized – ability to remember and use info acquired over a lifetime (recall) Continue to see increases in EA and most of the way through MA (peaks in MA) Less education, more likely to see declines earlier Decline as we get older ? More of a reflection of life experiences, education Continues to increases throughout MA Numeric ability has not increased over time (the only aspect) may be due to reliance on technology Fluid – ability to solve novel problems that require little or no previous knowledge Peak in EA, particularly in perceptual speed (20‟s) Declines as we get older Working board, series of objects in some kind of sequence o When at maximum/peak levels Age-related slowing of information processing o Neural network view – brain neurons die as we age (decrease is due to) o V. o Information-loss view – information lost is greater once we get older, system in slower and less efficient (each step) o >Relevance of this decline to everyday functioning Slight decline, not noticeable, maybe 1 second slower
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Real life, not such a big deal Compensate using other skills as we get older
Attention in MA o More difficulties o Linked to slower processing? o Experience, practice, training help adults compensate Things you can do, mental exercises can be very important Different kinds of puzzles Memory strategies used less, may add to decrease in attention May be due to multitasking, split between priorities o Less able to inhibit things as we go into MA (ignore outside distractions) o > memory is affected Chapter 16 – emotional and social in MA erikson‟s theory: generativity vs. stagnation o generativity – maintenance of the world guiding the younger generation extension beyond self, no longer focused on self but others to society or next generation as whole family and career are focus at this stage mentoring may help in this stage comparison of women/men with and without children still getting through stage well – finding other means men with children have more generativity o vs. o stagnation – focusing on self, comfort and security of self appropriate for adolescence but not MA self absorbed way of exhisting lack of involvement or concern in younger generation (SLIDE) changes in generativity and identity certainty from 30‟s through 50‟s o Follows erikson‟s theory o Needed by people? o Influence in community? o Awareness of older people? o People due tend toward generativity o Time of inner peace and knowing can make difference in world Concern about physical aging (SLIDE) o Differences by education level and gender o Non college educated, more likely to be doing labor intensive jobs, may not be able to perform as well in later years
o College educated have been achieve without having to do with physical strength and ability o Why are college educated women so high? Looks are less important for men Women are still measured by how they look in our society May have entered work force later and may not have accomplished as much as perhaps a man would by this time period Levinson‟s middle adult season o Midlife transition (40 – 45) Looking back and looking forward o Entry life structure ( 45 – 50 ) Underlying pattern of a persons life Evolve into pattern o Age 50 transition (50 – 55) o Culminating life structure (55 – 60) Before we enter the new stage o Adjustments and changes normal o Gender differences Men have achieved or not achieved what they had wanted in career/life Start to shift away from career and more towards family? Women – time of re-entering workforce Levinson‟s four tasks of MA (SLIDE) o Finding middle ground between feeling young and becoming older o Find balance o Women becoming more masculine and men more feminine o Circle we interact in starts to become smaller and more focused Gender identity in MA o Women – increase in masculine traits o Men – increase in feminine traits o Theories Parental imperative Suggests with parenting today it requires a gender shift, men are expected to be more involved with child care (norms have shifted) Women – expected to be more assertive and independent on behalf of the child (teachers, schools, the world) Decline in sex hormones Physiologically Drops in testosterone and estrogen Demands of midlife Men have luxury to turn back and focus on family, secure in career Women go back to work and focus on self, shift towards masculine Midlife crisis?
o Research: wide individual differences Gender differences Men, earlier in midlife, early 40‟s Women, later, end of 40‟s and into 50‟s Men may be reassessing career, women – kids have launched Sharp disruption uncommon Regrets Healthiest way is to deal with it, think about it, reinterpret in more positive way Only ¼ MA said they have had one or are experiencing one Interpreting as a life crisis Self – perceptions in midlife o More complex, integrated self-descriptions o Increases in feelings of Self-acceptance Autonomy- more effective in the world Environmental mastery - sure of self and make difference in world o Midlife – increased well-being, happiness Factors in midlife psychological well being o Good health o Exercise – feeling happy and good about oneself o Sense of control o Social support – more you have, the better o Good marriage o Mastery of multiple roles 041509W Video clip – meeting financial goals leads to more happiness, women struggle because their lives have been delayed due to family obligations and responsibilities (cultural norms) Family life cycle o Early adulthood Leaving home Joining families in marriage 26 women, 27 for men Parenthood 25 yrs old on avg for women o Middle adulthood Launching children – if on time then (18 – 25) much easier (socio cultural norms), past that there may be tension Accepting new members – that child has bonded to (new spouse, in-laws) o Late adulthood
Retirement Death of spouse Relationships at midlife o Many people have more close relationships than any other period of life Children New family members Parents often living Friends – active in community, established in neighborhood, circles tend to be pretty wide Marriage in middle adulthood o Time as a couple o Marital satisfaction curve = u-shaped (when followed over time) High in beginning, dip at 18 yrs, goes back up after Passion (physical component- peaks early in relationship), intimacy (psychological/emotional- extremely important for lasting marriage), commitment (cognitive/cerebral) o > upward swing Divorce in midlife o Increasing prevalence Explanations (for waiting) Staying together for sake of children (#1 answer) both men and women #2 men – didn‟t believe in divorce #2 women – financial concerns ½ studied midlife divorces, was not 1st divorce Majority initiated by 66% women o Not surprising with research on happiness More men were surprised by request for divorce than women Tended to go on to have relationships within 2 years after divorce (who were in their 50‟s) and some of those dating before divorce was final Gender and divorce Women tend to wait and make a lot of concessions so as to not harm the children o Divorce & health Feminization of poverty – women are more likely to be poor More negative effects on women compared to men Study – hayward and zhang – 2006 – gender differences Significant with cardiovascular disease for women (more likely to get, 60%, CVD) o Even when remarried Issues related to financial stress after divorce Perhaps patchy work history, concessions for family o Adjustment Easier than in early adulthood
Perhaps because of wider circle of social support May be better off financially compare to younger adults Parenting in MA o Launching > “letting go” Stressful if delayed o Empty nest syndrome – more intensely felt by women who have not developed roles outside the home Grandparenthood o Become grandparent average late 40‟s o Grand parenting styles vary Detached (don‟t see often) & passive (there but don‟t interact) don‟t have a lot if interaction with grandchildren Supportive – do a lot for that family, helpful in an instrumental way Authoritative – does a lot of parenting, gives advice, reprimands, expresses how child should behave, engaged with children Influential – support and authoritative combined Factors influencing style Geography, age, gender, SES o Trends in grand parenting Skipped generation families Living w/grandchildren