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Chapter 15Chapter 15

Physical and Cognitive Physical and Cognitive Development in Middle Development in Middle

AdulthoodAdulthood

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I. Physical DevelopmentI. Physical Development

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Physical TransitionsPhysical Transitions

Middle adulthood is the first time most Middle adulthood is the first time most people begin to become aware of the people begin to become aware of the changes that their bodies are going changes that their bodies are going through as a result of through as a result of agingaging and and lifestyle lifestyle choiceschoices (diet, exercise, smoking, alcohol (diet, exercise, smoking, alcohol or drug use).or drug use).

In most Western societies that In most Western societies that place a place a high value on youthfulnesshigh value on youthfulness, this aging , this aging process can have a psychological impact process can have a psychological impact on middle-aged adults—particularly those on middle-aged adults—particularly those whose self-concept depends highly on whose self-concept depends highly on physical attractiveness.physical attractiveness.

There is a There is a double standarddouble standard in many in many cultures that value the mature look of a cultures that value the mature look of a middle-aged man but view middle-aged middle-aged man but view middle-aged women in unflattering terms.women in unflattering terms.

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Height, Weight and Height, Weight and StrengthStrength

Around age 55, Around age 55, there is a steady loss of there is a steady loss of height—women lose height—women lose about 2 inches and about 2 inches and men about 1 inch.men about 1 inch.

Women are more Women are more prone to a loss of prone to a loss of height due to their height due to their higher risk for higher risk for osteoporosisosteoporosis..

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Height, Weight and Height, Weight and StrengthStrength

Both women and men continue to gain weight and Both women and men continue to gain weight and increase their levels of body fat during middle increase their levels of body fat during middle adulthood.adulthood.

People lose on average 10 percent of their People lose on average 10 percent of their maximum strength; maximum strength; lifestylelifestyle can influence changes in can influence changes in height (by working to prevent osteoporosis), weight, height (by working to prevent osteoporosis), weight, and strengthand strength..

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The Senses: VisionThe Senses: Vision

Visual acuity begins to decline around age Visual acuity begins to decline around age 40; a loss of near vision—40; a loss of near vision—presbyopia presbyopia 老花眼老花眼 : : loss of the ability to hear sounds of high loss of the ability to hear sounds of high frequencyfrequency---is almost universal during this -is almost universal during this Period.Period.

Declines tend to occur in Declines tend to occur in depth perception, depth perception, distance perceptiondistance perception, and the ability to , and the ability to see in see in three dimensionsthree dimensions; ; adaptation to darknessadaptation to darkness also also declines.declines.

1 to 2 percent of the population is afflicted 1 to 2 percent of the population is afflicted with with glaucoma glaucoma 青光眼青光眼 which can lead to which can lead to blindness if untreated.blindness if untreated.

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The Senses: HearingThe Senses: Hearing

Hearing acuity begins to decline in Hearing acuity begins to decline in middle Adulthood.middle Adulthood.

Some hearing loss is due to Some hearing loss is due to environmental influencesenvironmental influences but most is due but most is due to aging as a result of to aging as a result of loss of hair cells in loss of hair cells in the inner earthe inner ear, reducing sound sensitivity., reducing sound sensitivity.

PresbycusisPresbycusis, loss of sounds of high , loss of sounds of high frequency, is the most common loss.frequency, is the most common loss.

Loss in hearing is more common in Loss in hearing is more common in men than in women.men than in women.

Most people in this age period are not Most people in this age period are not affected by the loss of hearing they affected by the loss of hearing they experience (if any) during this period.experience (if any) during this period.

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Reaction TimeReaction Time

Reaction timeReaction time increases a small amount increases a small amount during middle adulthood as a result of small during middle adulthood as a result of small changes in the speed of processing in the changes in the speed of processing in the nervous system.nervous system.

Practice with certain skillsPractice with certain skills impacts reaction impacts reaction time.time.

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Sexuality in Middle Sexuality in Middle AdulthoodAdulthood

Approximately half of Approximately half of people in their middle people in their middle adulthood report having adulthood report having sexual intercourse sexual intercourse once a once a weekweek or more. or more.

Age Age does impactdoes impact sexual sexual intercourse—some middle-intercourse—some middle-aged adults feel that their aged adults feel that their lives are more flexible allowing lives are more flexible allowing more freedom and time to more freedom and time to enjoy intercourse. If the enjoy intercourse. If the female has passed through female has passed through menopause, birth control is no menopause, birth control is no longer necessary.longer necessary.

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SexualitySexuality

ChallengesChallenges that come with aging include: that come with aging include:– men needing more timemen needing more time to achieve an to achieve an

erection and women needing more time to erection and women needing more time to reach orgasm,reach orgasm,

– in men, levels of in men, levels of testosterone testosterone decline as decline as does that amount of fluid ejaculated,does that amount of fluid ejaculated,

– in women, the walls of the vagina become in women, the walls of the vagina become thinner and less elastic and the vagina thinner and less elastic and the vagina shrinks and is compressed making shrinks and is compressed making intercourse painfulintercourse painful for some. for some.

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The Female Climacteric The Female Climacteric and Menopauseand Menopause

Menopause is the most Menopause is the most notable sign that females have notable sign that females have entered the entered the climactericclimacteric periodperiod: : the period that marks the the period that marks the transition from being able to transition from being able to bear children to being unable to bear children to being unable to do sodo so..

Menopause marks the period Menopause marks the period at which traditional pregnancy is at which traditional pregnancy is no longer possible and during no longer possible and during which the which the production of the production of the female sex hormones decreasesfemale sex hormones decreases..

Changes in levels of female Changes in levels of female sex hormones can produce sex hormones can produce hormone-related changeshormone-related changes such such as hot flashes; the degree to as hot flashes; the degree to which women experience these which women experience these changes varies.changes varies.

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Psychological Psychological Consequences of Consequences of MenopauseMenopause

Menopause was once thought to have Menopause was once thought to have a a negative psychological impactnegative psychological impact on on women.women.

Today, menopause is thought to be a Today, menopause is thought to be a natural part of agingnatural part of aging that does not solely that does not solely contribute to psychological difficulties.contribute to psychological difficulties.

One’s expectationsOne’s expectations about menopause about menopause and one’s culture and race all impact the and one’s culture and race all impact the nature and extent of the experience of nature and extent of the experience of menopause.menopause.

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The Male ClimactericThe Male Climacteric

The male climacteric period is a period of The male climacteric period is a period of physical and psychological change relating to physical and psychological change relating to the male reproductive system.the male reproductive system.

The changes related to the period are so The changes related to the period are so gradual, it is gradual, it is difficult to pinpoint a timedifficult to pinpoint a time at which at which the period begins.the period begins.

There are progressive declines in amount of There are progressive declines in amount of testosterone produced and the testosterone produced and the prostate glandprostate gland does begin to enlarge.does begin to enlarge.

As with women, the extent to which As with women, the extent to which psychological changes are directly related to psychological changes are directly related to climacteric changes is unclear.climacteric changes is unclear.

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II. II. HealthHealth

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Wellness and IllnessWellness and IllnessGenerally, middle adulthood is defined by Generally, middle adulthood is defined by

good healthgood health and, in some ways, middle and, in some ways, middle adulthood is a healthier period than other adulthood is a healthier period than other times of life.times of life.

People in middle adulthood are susceptible People in middle adulthood are susceptible to chronic diseases such as to chronic diseases such as diabetes, arthritis diabetes, arthritis

關節炎關節炎 and hypertensionand hypertension 高血壓高血壓 ..As a result of higher susceptibility to As a result of higher susceptibility to

chronic disease, the death rate is higher than chronic disease, the death rate is higher than in earlier periods of life.in earlier periods of life.

Some of the causes of poor health during Some of the causes of poor health during middle adulthood are related to middle adulthood are related to racial racial differences in SESdifferences in SES..

Middle-aged women are more susceptible Middle-aged women are more susceptible than men to minor short-term illness and than men to minor short-term illness and chronic, but not life-threatening deseases.chronic, but not life-threatening deseases.

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Stress in Middle Stress in Middle AdulthoodAdulthood

Stress has direct Stress has direct physiological effects such as physiological effects such as causing an elevated causing an elevated blood blood pressurepressure and and decreased decreased immune functioningimmune functioning..

Stress leads people to Stress leads people to engage in harmful behaviors engage in harmful behaviors such as such as decreased levels of decreased levels of sleep and increased drug usesleep and increased drug use..

Stress leads to indirect Stress leads to indirect health-related behaviors such health-related behaviors such as as increased delays in seeking increased delays in seeking medical caremedical care..

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Risk Factors for Heart Risk Factors for Heart DiseaseDisease

Men are Men are more likely than women to more likely than women to die from heart diseasedie from heart disease in middle in middle adulthood.adulthood.

There is a There is a genetic componentgenetic component to to heart disease, men suffer more than heart disease, men suffer more than women and the risk rises as people women and the risk rises as people age.age.

Lifestyle choicesLifestyle choices like smoking and like smoking and high fat diets are linked to heart high fat diets are linked to heart disease.disease.

Psychological factorsPsychological factors are are associated with heart disease.associated with heart disease.

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Type A and Type B Type A and Type B personalitiespersonalities

The The Type A personalityType A personality is is characterized by competitiveness, characterized by competitiveness, impatience, and a tendency toward impatience, and a tendency toward frustration and hostility.frustration and hostility.

Type A people are driven and Type A people are driven and accomplish more than others as they accomplish more than others as they often take on multiple activities at once.often take on multiple activities at once.

Type A people are at a higher risk for Type A people are at a higher risk for coronary heart diseasecoronary heart disease due to their due to their heightened levels of hostility and anger.heightened levels of hostility and anger.

Type B personalityType B personality is characterized is characterized by noncompetitiveness, patience, and by noncompetitiveness, patience, and lack of aggression, they are less urgent lack of aggression, they are less urgent in their actions and rarely hostile.in their actions and rarely hostile.

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The Threat of CancerThe Threat of Cancer

CancerCancer is a big threat to middle- is a big threat to middle-aged adults.aged adults.

Cancer is associated with Cancer is associated with genetic genetic and and environmental risk environmental risk factorsfactors such as smoking, exposure such as smoking, exposure to radiation and alcohol use.to radiation and alcohol use.

There are several There are several forms of forms of treatmenttreatment for cancer and the for cancer and the appropriate treatment depends appropriate treatment depends upon the type of cancer: upon the type of cancer: radiation, radiation, chemotherapy and surgerychemotherapy and surgery are all are all forms of treatment. forms of treatment.

The form of treatment used The form of treatment used tends to depend on how far along tends to depend on how far along the cancer has developed.the cancer has developed.

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How to Prevent CancerHow to Prevent Cancer

MammogramsMammograms are one of the most effective ways of are one of the most effective ways of detecting breast cancer in its earliest stages.detecting breast cancer in its earliest stages.

A positive attitude, an optimistic personality, having a A positive attitude, an optimistic personality, having a support group, and therapy may all support one in support group, and therapy may all support one in recovering from cancer.recovering from cancer.

These positive influences may lead some to adhere to These positive influences may lead some to adhere to medical treatment and/ or may boost one’s immune system.medical treatment and/ or may boost one’s immune system.

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III. Cognitive III. Cognitive DevelopmentDevelopment

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Crystallized and Fluid Crystallized and Fluid IntelligenceIntelligence

When When intelligence is intelligence is conceived of conceived of consisting of consisting of fluid fluid andand crystallized crystallized intelligenceintelligence, , researchers find that researchers find that whereas fluid whereas fluid intelligence tends to intelligence tends to decline with age, decline with age, crystallized crystallized intelligence tends to intelligence tends to be stable and in be stable and in some cases improve.some cases improve.

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Competence in Middle Competence in Middle AdulthoodAdulthood

Competence in middle-aged Competence in middle-aged people may come from having people may come from having extensive practice with the extensive practice with the skills with which they are skills with which they are working.working.

Some middle-aged adults Some middle-aged adults begin the process of begin the process of selective selective optimizationoptimization : the process by : the process by which people concentrate on which people concentrate on particular skill areas to particular skill areas to compensate for losses in other compensate for losses in other area. area.

wherein they concentrate wherein they concentrate on capabilities to compensate on capabilities to compensate for weaknesses.for weaknesses.

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Example: A 75 year old man has been Example: A 75 year old man has been working on cars since he was a teenager. This working on cars since he was a teenager. This is something that he loves to do. However, is something that he loves to do. However, his bones don't work like they used to, so its his bones don't work like they used to, so its hard for him to do certain tasks. So, he hard for him to do certain tasks. So, he decides to work on his car decides to work on his car one day a week one day a week instead of two days a weekinstead of two days a week. . He is selective, in He is selective, in terms of the amount of days he worksterms of the amount of days he works. By . By doing this, it doing this, it optimizes his energiesoptimizes his energies so that he so that he can perform more effectively. Finally he uses can perform more effectively. Finally he uses techniques to compensate for his frailty, such techniques to compensate for his frailty, such as using a power tool instead of a hand tool as using a power tool instead of a hand tool

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MemoryMemory

There are minimal to no losses in There are minimal to no losses in memory during the middle-aged period.memory during the middle-aged period.

There are virtually no changes in There are virtually no changes in sensory or short-term memorysensory or short-term memory during during middle adulthood.middle adulthood.

The The long-term memorylong-term memory deficits are deficits are usually due to insufficient registration and usually due to insufficient registration and storage of information and/or insufficient storage of information and/or insufficient retrieval of information.retrieval of information.

There are strategies that can help us There are strategies that can help us to remember more effectively.to remember more effectively.