Psychology lifespan
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Physical and Cognitive Development
in
Early Adulthood
DISCUSSION
“Lumosity”
Bronfrenbrenner
Biopsychosocial shifts
Chronosystem
OVERVIEW
Physical Development
Cognitive Development
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
AGING
Possible Life Span:
A theoretical study suggested the maximum human lifespan to be around 125 years using a modified stretched exponential function for human survival curves. In another study, researchers claimed that there exists a maximum lifespan for humans, and that the human maximal lifespan has been declining since the 1990s.
Theories
Wear and Tear Theory: The effects of environmental assaults.
Biological Clock Theory: The role of genetics (telomeres)
BIOLOGICAL AGING, p. 1 a.k.a Senescence
Senescence or Biological Aging: the gradual deterioration of function characteristic of most complex lifeforms
Specifics
Varies by individual
Varies by part of the body
We are living longer
BIOLOGICAL AGING, p. 2 Genetic Aging: Actual Effects / Factors
Telomeres: Part of cellular duplication. With age this part of the chromosome gets smaller to the point where it can no longer do it’s job regarding cellular duplication.
Free Radicals: These emerge and destroy cellular material. (form in the presence of oxygen)
BIOLOGICAL AGING, p. 3
Tissues and Organs
Cross-Linkage Theory of Aging: With increasing age, tendons, skin, and even blood vessels lose elasticity. This is due to the formation of cross-links between or within the molecules of collagen (a fibrous protein) that give elasticity to these tissues
Endocrine (hormones) system failure
PHYSICAL CHANGES
Body Systems
Cardiovascular: Issues such as elasticity of the vessels
Reproductive: Cultural and biological issues
Motor Skills
Gradual muscle loss begins
Changes in speed of processing
Immune System
Gradual declines after age twenty
The effects of stress (more later)
HEALTH AND FITNESS, p.1
Overall
Differences exist based on SES
Life long fitness / U.S. vs. Europe
Relevant issues
Gun control (from text)
Stress
Poverty
Bad decision making (life coaches)
Nutrition
Poor diet
Changing reports
Exercise
What is “exercise”?
Health clubs (social and physical)
Self-esteem
Time (having the time to exercise)
The World Health Organization ranks Europe as having the second highest proportion of overweight and obese citizens behind the Americans. 65 percent of men and 58 percent of women in the UK are overweight compared to ¾ of American men and 60 percent of American women. An interesting common theme is that women in both countries with higher levels of education are less likely to be obese, but there’s no connection with men.
In general American children are twice as likely to be overweight than European children.
HEALTH AND FITNESS, p.2
Stress
HEALTH AND FITNESS, p.3
Sleep (not in the text)
Energy drinks
Coffee
Substance Abuse
Changes in drug of choice
Use starting younger and younger
We now know better
Sexuality
Starting earlier
Attitudes
Sexual preference
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
THEORIES, p.1
Perry (1968, Epistemology)
Epistemic Cognition: Our reflections on how we arrived at facts, beliefs, and ideas.
More so at the social level
We now think in terms of the justifying our conclusions versus the idealism of adolescent thought (maturing?)
Specifics:
Dualistic Thinking: Late Adolescence (College Freshman) – Polarized thinking: Good and Evil
Relativistic Thinking: Late college years – Can process the role of the situation and realize there are other thoughts (perspectives) than can be reasonable.
THEORIES, p.2
Labouvie-Vief:
COGNITIVE-EMOTIONAL THEORY
Pragmatic Thought
Adulthood moves from hypothetical to pragmatic or practical/logical thought
Logic is a tool for solving real world problems
Pragmatic thinkers accept inconsistencies as part of life and develop thinking that thrives on imperfection and compromise.
Cognitive-Affective Complexity
Awareness of positive and negative feelings and coordination of them into a complex, organized structure taking cognition into perspective
A greater awareness of not only our perspectives and motives but, others’ as well
COLLEGE
Choosing
How and Why
Applying
SAT
The Experience
Social
Academic
Other
CAREER, p.1
Theories
Donald Super—relies on self-concept
Super’s career development stages (abridged):
Fantasy Period – Early / Middle childhood - fantasize
Tentative Period – 11 to 16 / Think about career more complexly and you start to include abilities and values
Realistic Period – Late teen’s early twenties / More exploration and an ultimate choice
John Holland—relies on personality characteristics
Holland’s person-environment fit
Six personality types, six work environments
Personality (values, skills, interests, etc.) viewed as constant and stable
We seek work environments similar to our personality
Super’s
http://career.iresearchnet.com/career-development/supers-career-development-theory/
Holland’s
CAREER, p.2
Influences
Personality
Family (innate?)
Teachers
Stereotypes
Role Models
Inventories
Strong Interest Inventory (SII): The SII is all about your interests, or what you like to do. You answer questions about various activities, and then the test results suggest some general-interest areas and specific occupations you may want to consider. You also wind up with a sense of where your interests lie in six broad areas: social (helping, instructing), investigative (researching, analyzing), conventional (accounting, processing data), artistic (creating or enjoying art), enterprising (selling, managing) and realistic (building, repairing).
Self-Directed Search (SDS): Similar in scope to the SII but shorter and quicker, the SDS is another popular tool that measures your interests and points you toward -- or away from -- the six areas listed above.
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI): The MBTI measures your personality -- in essence, what makes you tick. The first of its four scales tells you how you prefer to focus your attention -- whether you're extroverted or introverted. The other scales measure how you look at things (sensing versus intuitive), how you generally make decisions (thinking versus feeling) and how you deal with the world around you (judging versus perceiving). Combined, this information can help you understand what type of work you'd like to do, with whom, how, why and even where.
Career Ability Placement Survey (CAPS): The CAPS is one of the few career tests that does have right and wrong answers, and it is also timed. Essentially, you attempt to answer questions in eight different areas -- ranging from mechanical reasoning and spatial relations to verbal reasoning and language usage -- all in a predetermined amount of time. When you're done, you have a wonderful idea of where your natural abilities lie. You haven't just guessed about them -- you've actually demonstrated them, if only on a test.