A time of transition› Involves shifting priorities & outlooks on

life from adolescence to throughout the remainder of life.

As our bodies age our bodies’ cells break down and are less able to repair themselves.

Age: 20’s When people are at their physical

peak. Immune systems, senses and mental

skills operate at maximum efficiency.

Age: 30’s – 40’s Appearance changes. Tend to become less active. Weight gain, heart rate, muscle strength, eyesight decrease.

Age: 50’s – 60’s Gradual bone loss and further decrease in lung output. Skin wrinkles- joints deteriorate. Heart become less efficient.

Muscle strength, bone strength, speed of nerve connections, and heart and lung output further decrease.

90% of adults in the U.S. will marry. 40%-60% of marriages end in divorce. Longitudinal studies show that marriage relies on 2 main factors:

› How couple handles conflicts› How often the couple shares intimate and happy moments.

Occurs in women between ages of 45-50. Women no longer ovulate or menstruate

therefore cannot conceive children. More of an emotional affect rather than a

physical affect. Men do not experience an equivalent

biological change. Male sperm production declines over

years.

Better at learning new skills, information, and problem solving.

Reaction time decreases. Peak for mathematicians and scientists

in 20’s & 30’s. Peak for humanities (history,

philosophy, literature) in 40’s, 50’s & 60’s.

Recall memory declines with age, but no measurable decline in recognition tasks has been demonstrated

Crystallized intelligence = accumulated knowledge and verbal skills - tends to increase with age

Fluid intelligence = ability to reason speedily and abstractly - tends to decrease during late adulthood