Aging

Physical Development in Later Adulthood

• Variety of wear and tear on the body’s systems makes it less likely to be able to self- repair & regenerate.o Skin: loss of fat and collagen in underlying

tissue → wrinkleso Hair: decline in melanin production → graying

and thinningo Height: Bone loss in vertebrae → loss of

heighto vision, taste, motor speed, physical

strength

Biological Theories of Aging

• Cellular-Clock Theoryo Cells can divide approximately 100

times & then no longer able to reproduce

• Free-Radical Theoryo Unstable oxygen molecules cause

damage to DNA and other cellular structures

• Hormonal Stress Theoryo Aging lowers body’s ability to cope with

stress. Stress hormones stay around longer

Cognitive Development in Later Adulthood• Crystallized intelligence:

o Ability to use acquired knowledge, skills, and experience → increases with age

• Fluid intelligence:o Logical thinking and problem solving -

thinking about new information → decreases with age

• Processing speed: declines starting in middle adulthood

• Memory: declines in general...might take longer, but likely to be accurate

• Wisdom...INCREASES with age

Social Development in Later Adulthood• Generativity versus Stagnation

o Making a contribution to the next generation

o Usually satisfied by having children and being positively involved parenting them.

• Integrity versus Despairo Last years of life involve looking back

and evaluating one’s life...review and reminiscence!

o Strong sense of integrity = experiencing life as a meaningful and coherent whole → faces last years with sense of meaning and low fear of death.

Social Development in Later Adulthood• More selective about social relationships.

o Old view of old age: leads to loneliness and disengagement

o New view of old age: leads to enjoying life, hobbies and family

• Happiness & life satisfaction increases with age...peaking at age 65!

• Socioemotional Selectivity Theory: o awareness of limited time left → selective with social

relationships so the most important ones can be maximized.

• Embrace the moment - the present matters much more than the future or the past.

• The more active and involved → the more satisfied and healthy.