•Physical and Cognitive Development in Middle Adulthood

Chapter 13Danielle Miller

What is Middle Adulthood?

•Middle Adulthood- The developmental period beginning at aprox. 40 to 65 years of age.•declining physical skills•expanded responsibilty•consciousness of young-old•awareness of time left in life•Reaching and maintaining satisfaction in career•need to pass along a legacy

Physical Changes

•Apperance is the most visible sign of middle adulthood•Skin wrinkles/sag•Aging spots appear(hand,face)•Hair becomes thinner and gray•Finger and toe nails become thicker and more brittle

With emphasises being on beauty and youthfulness in American culture, alot of people try to maintain themselves in many ways:

•cosmetic surgery•hair dyes•wigs and weaves•exercise regiemns•heavy doses of vitamins/supplements

Physical Changes con't

Height and Weight

Men :•Men lose about 1/2 inch in height(30-50)•Men lose another 3/4 inch in height(50-70)

Women:•Women can lose up to 2 inch over a 50 year span(25-75)

Decrease in height is due to bone loss in the vertebrae

Both man and women gain weight, on average body fat accounts for more than 20 percent of body weight in middle adulthood.

More Physical Changes•loss of strenght and bone density•loss of flexibility in joints•vision and hearing •Cardiovascular system (<BP,<cholesterol)•sleep changes(awake more, loss of deepest sleep)

Health and Disease•Disease and health concerns become more prevelant in middle adulthood•Stress is an increasing factor in disease

Leading causes of death in middle adulthood (1) heart disease,(2) cancer,(3) cerebrovascular disease

Men have a higher rate of mortality than women for each of the above

Sexuality

•Middle life transition when fertility declines a.k.a. Climacteric

Women-•menopause-the complete cessation of menstruation •average age for women's last period is 51•symtoms:hot flashes, nausea, fatigue,and rapid heartbeat•Treatments: Hormone replacement therapies

Men-•Testosterone levels and sexual activity decline•ability to father children is not lost•erectile dysfunction becomes common•treatments: prescription drugs ie. viagra

Cognitive Development

Concepts of Intelligence

Crystallized-accumulated information and verbal skills which increase in middle age(Horn)

Fluid-the ability to reason abstractly, which steadily declines from middle adulthood onward(Horn)

Schaie(Seattle Study)

The highest level of functioning of intellectual abilities in middleadulthood:vocabulary, verbal memory, inductive reasoning and spatial orientation

Cognitive Development con'tProcessing information declines as well as the working memory

Use it or lose it

Careers, Work and Leisure

•The role of work is central•Middle aged adults reach their peak in position and earnings•More financial responsibilties•various career paths

Challenges/Changes•Some experience midlife career changes due to company downsizing, rapid change in technology, concerns about pension and retirement, etc..

Leisure is defined as the pleasant times after work when individuals are free to pursue personal activites and interest.

Leisure is important for adults in he middle ages.

Religion and Life Meaning

Religion is important to Lives all across the world

Religion and Life Meaning

Females tend to show a stronger interest in religion than males

Religion can play an important role in offering comfort and support when individuals are faced with stressful events

Frankl's book ,Mans's Search For Meaning, •belief in examining the finiteness of our exsistence and the certainity of death adds meaning to life

Human qualities are spirituality, freedom and responsibility

For many people , midlife is a time of evaluation, assessment and reflection.

Thankyou & The End