HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT

UNIT 8: CHAPTER 11MIDDLE ADULTHOOD: AGES 35-60 YEARS

“Midlife means that you become more reflective... You start pondering the "big" questions. What is life? Why am I here? How much Healthy Choice ice cream can I eat before it's no longer a healthy choice?”

“But midlife also brings with it an appreciation for what is important. We realize that breasts sag, hips expand and chins double, but our loved ones make the journey worthwhile.”

“Would any of you trade the knowledge that you have now for the body you had way back when?”

Welcome

Microphone check If technical issues close out seminar, my students

should meet in the classroom chat room. Unit 7 Project Tonight: End of term reminders, Unit 9 Project -

including extra credit, middle adulthood and the biophysical dimension, psychological dimension, and social dimension

End of Term Reminders

The end of term is rapidly approaching ALL late work MUST be submitted by the end of

Unit 9, no exceptions All Unit 9 Projects MUST be submitted by the end

of Unit 9, no exceptions End of term surveys Last seminar….

Unit 9 Project: Instructions

Title page Introduction: brief summary/history of Luis Perez.

End this paragraph with a CLEAR thesis statement. Body (must incorporate theory and information

from the course): Strongest influences on Luis’ behavior Changes for Luis as he transitions from middle

adulthood to late adulthood Potential biases or prejudices (refer to NOHS ethics)

Unit 9 Project: Instructions

Conclusion: what you may learn about yourself through this case, close with your thesis statement

Reference page: two required sources Format:

Five (or more) complete paragraphs 2-4 pages of text, plus the title and reference page 12 point font, Times New Roman Double spaced Free of typographical errors

Unit 9 Project: Grading Criteria

Introduction, 20 points Greatest influences, 20 points Changes over time, 10 points Prejudices and biases, 20 points Reciprocal relationship between clients and HSPs,

20 points Mechanics, 8 points Reference page, 2 points

Extra Credit: Up to 15 Points

5 points if you have your project reviewed by someone else (a classmate or the Writing Center) and you use their comments to improve your work. You must submit your paper with their comments on it along with your final project.

5 points if you review a classmate's work. You must submit their paper with your comments on it along with your final project.

5 points if you submit your final project before the end of Unit 8, rather than the end of Unit 9 when it is due. Be cautious if you do this, however, that you don't miss bringing in important information from Units 8 and 9 to your paper.

Middle Adulthood Stages

Due to the life expectancy increasing, the life course in adulthood has been re-conceptualized to include 3 phases: Provisional adulthood: 18-30 years old First Adulthood: 30-34+ years old Second Adulthood: 45-85+ years old

Mid-life Men: approximately age 35 Women: approximately age 39

Cohorts What is a cohort? What cohort are you in?

Quiz

Just to test your knowledge of the unit It does not count against your grade, but it will help you with your actual quiz The leading causes of death in middle age are:

A. cancer and heart disease. B. hypertension and heart disease. C. neurological and infectious disorders. D. cancer and infectious disorders.

Menopause occurs when: A. the ovaries stop functioning. B. the ovaries produce excessive amounts of estrogen. C. the ovaries no longer produce estrogen. D. the ovaries no longer produce estrogen and progesterone.

Quiz

Mid-life is best represented as: A. the need to explore. B. a crisis. C. a time to establish relationships. D. a time to reflect upon one's life.

The term blended family: A. is synonymous with stepfamily. B. refers to a family that includes members from the extended family

such as grandparents. C. refers to a family that has both children under the age of five and

over the age of twelve. D. refers to a family with both biological and adopted children.

Quiz Empty nest syndrome:

A. is an outdated notion; current research has found that post-childbearing years bring with them a steady climb upward in one's marital satisfaction.

B. no longer exists because most women in today's society do not devote themselves full time to raising children.

C. is synonymous with launching children and usually results in a decrease of marital satisfaction.

D. is synonymous with launching children. Levinson's theory about midlife career change is that:

A. many adults become increasingly competitive as they enter mid-career and search for a job with more status.

B. many adults become reflective about their experience in a job and must reconcile their idealistic hopes with realistic possibilities.

C. many adults seek new adventures and desire a new job because of this. D. many adults realize they need more money than they realized for retirement and

search for a higher paying job.

Quiz

In middle adulthood, ethnic identity: A. is less important than it was in early adulthood. B. is more important than it was in early adulthood. C. shows sharp differences between men and women. D. remains constant and does not change across life stages.

At midlife, a major difference between men and women is that: A. there are no significant differences between men and women at midlife. B. men are focused on their one primary role whereas women have multiple

roles. C. men are more depressed than women due to impending retirement. D. men continue to be more involved in outside activities in comparison with

women.

Quiz

The fastest growing group among the homeless is: A. families. B. the elderly. C. single women. D. adolescents.

Among the skid row homeless population: A. almost 75% had a major mental illness. B. almost 50% have substance abuse problems. C. most were homeless for a short period of time. D. the majority would do fine if they were given employment.

The Biophysical Dimension

Personality Type and Disease

Type A Personality: Characterized by competitiveness, impatience & sometimes hostile perfectionists

Type B Personality: Relaxed, easygoing, & generally amicable individuals

Type B personalities are less easily agitated than Type A personalities

Cynical Hostility: characterized by angry outbursts, disagreeable behavior & criticism & feelings of contempt toward others

Most recent research today suggests that cynical hostility is the most likely key factor leading to health problems

What role does obesity play in disease?

The Changes of Menopause

Menopause occurs when a woman has not experienced a menstrual cycle for one year; Average age is 51 years old

Ovaries stop functioning & no longer produce the hormones estrogen & progesterone, which means testosterone then has a strong influence on a woman’s sexual experience

What are some contributors to the timing of menopause?

BEFORE MENOPAUSE: Irregular periods, cycle may shorten or lengthen, flow may increase or decrease

DURING MENOPAUSE: Ovaries stop functioning, periods stop

The Changes of Menopause AFTER MENOPAUSE:

Distribution of weight Bone loss Hot flashes Night sweats Insomnia Incontinence Cardiovascular changes Nervous system/touch sensitivity Dry skin and hair Vaginal dryness/libido changes Psychological effects: Irritability, short-term memory loss,

& problems with concentration are common.

Cancer What is cancer? How deadly is cancer? Cancer is the second leading cause of death for both men

& women How prevalent is cancer? Breast Cancer:

Women age 85+ have a 1 in 9 chance of developing cancer Women age 30 have a 1 in 2,500 chance of developing cancer Breast cancer is one of the biggest health fears of middle-aged women Risk factors include a family history of breast cancer, undergoing menarche

before the age of 12 or menopause after 50, being childless or having a first child after 30, being overweight, having a sedentary life style, drinking alcohol & eating a diet high in fat

Prostate Cancer: 1 in 5 American men will develop prostate cancer in his lifetime The American Cancer Society estimated that almost 50,000 men will die each

year, about the same number as women who will die from breast cancer

The Psychological Dimension

Cognitive Development

Piaget’s theory Sensorimotor stage Preoperational stage Concrete operational stage Formal operational stage

Cognitive ability in middle adulthood Verbal ability peaks in middle adulthood Intellectual function in middle adulthood is stable and significant

declines begin only after age 60 Role related achievement potential Professional obsolescence The illiterate adult

The Forgiveness Process

Four stages of forgiveness Uncovering the anger Deciding to forgive Working on forgiveness Discovery and release

Have you ever worked through the difficult process of forgiving someone who has hurt you?

If so, how did you feel before vs. after?

Attitudes and Emotions

GENERATIVITY versus STAGNATION (Erikson) Well-being and anxiety

Fear and anxiety can be prominent in midlife Midlife as a Crisis

Midlife does not usually result in a midlife crisis but it frequently involves a period of reflection

For example, “What do I want to spend the rest of my life doing?” or “Are my relationships giving me the kind of satisfaction I want?”

Social Cognition and Regulation Adults often reach out and become more involved in

socially responsible activities

Issues: Alcoholism

What is alcoholism? Who does it affect? Stages of alcoholism

Early Middle Late and final

The Social Dimension

Stepfamilies

How many children will live in a stepfamily at some point? Keep in mind

A “one pot” philosophy about family money & a new home together leads to greater satisfaction

Making decisions as a team will strengthen the new marital bond & defray some future conflicts

The new stepparent should act as a “buddy” until a solid bond is formed. Negotiating family rules frees the stepparent from acting as a disciplinarian Both boys & girls prefer verbal affection such as praises & compliments Girls are uncomfortable with physical closeness Boys accept a stepfather more quickly than girls do

What is your experience with stepfamilies? The ups? The downs?

Caregiving

Quite often middle age adults will be caring for their adolescent children as well as their aging parents

According to research by Steinberg (2004) the most difficult time for parents is when their kids are between 11 and 14 years old.

Approximately 20% of midlife adults are involved with caring for an aging parent While it may be a satisfying experience it can be quite stressful and draining A social support group is very important as it may provide:

Much needed respite Reduce isolation and loneliness Affirm and validate feelings about the situation Encourage mutual sharing of coping strategies Instill hope

Closing

Tonight: End of term reminders, Unit 9 Project - including extra credit, middle adulthood and the biophysical dimension, psychological dimension, and social dimension

Any questions? Next week:

Unit 9: Chapter 12 Late adulthood Final project

Ashford, J.B., LeCroy, C.W., & Lortie, K.L. (2009). The social environment and human behavior. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.