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Chapter 8: Problem 1

Describe the physical changes that affect people in middle adulthood.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Middle adulthood, typically ages 40-65, is marked by several physical and health changes. Physical changes can include a decrease in muscle strength and flexibility as well as changes to vision and hearing. Health changes can see an increase in chronic conditions, changes in metabolism, and menopause in women.

Step by step solution

01

Identify the age range of middle adulthood

Middle adulthood typically spans from ages 40 to 65. These ages may slightly vary depending on cultural and societal norms.
02

Discuss physical changes

During middle adulthood, there are several physical changes that occur. These include: \begin{enumerate} \item Loss of strength and flexibility: With age, muscles lose strength and flexibility. There can also be a reduction in endurance. \item Changes in vision: Vision can deteriorate, necessitating the use of glasses or contact lenses. Presbyopia, the hardening of the lens of the eye, is a common condition that develops during middle adulthood. \item Changes in hearing: The ability to hear high-frequency sounds diminishes. This change is often gradual. \end{enumerate}
03

Discuss health changes

Health changes also occur during middle adulthood. These can include: \begin{enumerate} \item Increase in chronic health conditions: Though many people in middle adulthood are healthy, the risk for chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer increases. \item Changes in metabolism: The body's metabolism slows, potentially leading to weight gain if diet and activity levels are not adjusted. \item Menopause in women: Typically, women experience menopause, marking the end of fertility. This transition can come with various physical symptoms, including hot flashes and fatigue. \end{enumerate}

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Age Range of Middle Adulthood
Middle adulthood is a significant period in the human lifespan, generally encompassing the years from 40 to 65. This age range marks a transition from early adulthood and precedes the later stages of senior years.

During middle adulthood, individuals often experience pivotal life events such as seeing their children grow into independence, reaching the zenith of their careers, or even becoming grandparents. It is important to note that while the numerical age range provides a framework, the actual experience of middle adulthood can be influenced by a variety of factors, including lifestyle, genetics, and cultural expectations.
Muscle Strength and Flexibility
As individuals progress into middle adulthood, they often notice changes in their physical capabilities.

Loss of Muscle Strength

A common change is a loss in muscle strength, which can affect day-to-day tasks and overall quality of life.

Reduction in Flexibility

Additionally, flexibility tends to decrease, which can lead to a reduced range of motion and may increase the risk of injuries. Regular exercise, including strength training and flexibility exercises such as yoga or Pilates, can help mitigate these changes and maintain physical function.
Vision and Hearing Changes
Sensory changes are a hallmark of middle adulthood, with vision and hearing commonly being affected.

Vision Deterioration

Many individuals find that their vision deteriorates, with conditions like presbyopia — the hardening of the eye's lens — making it difficult to focus on close objects. Wearing glasses or contact lenses often becomes necessary.

Hearing Loss

Hearing difficulty, particularly with high-frequency sounds, also tends to increase during this stage. These changes can subtly influence communication and social interaction, so it's important to have regular check-ups and seek appropriate corrective measures.
Chronic Health Conditions
Middle adulthood is a time when the risk for chronic health conditions begins to rise. This includes diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and various forms of cancer.

These conditions can significantly affect life expectancy and quality, highlighting the importance of preventive measures such as maintaining a healthy diet, engaging in regular physical activity, and undergoing routine health screenings. Recognizing symptoms early can allow for prompt treatment and better management of these chronic conditions.
Metabolism in Middle Adulthood
During middle adulthood, metabolism tends to slow down. This change means that fewer calories are burned at rest and during activity, which can result in weight gain if dietary intake is not adjusted accordingly.

To combat a slowing metabolism, it is advisable to incorporate a combination of cardiovascular exercise and strength training to increase muscle mass, which in turn can help maintain a healthy metabolic rate. Watching portion sizes and choosing nutrient-dense foods also become increasingly important.
Menopause
For women, one of the most defining physical changes that occurs during middle adulthood is menopause. This natural biological process marks the end of menstrual cycles and fertility.

Physical Symptoms

Alongside the cessation of menstruation, women may experience a range of symptoms including hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, and fatigue. It's crucial for women to seek support from healthcare providers to effectively manage these symptoms and make this life transition more comfortable.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Describe the benefits and challenges of work life in middle adulthood. For many, productivity, success, and earning power are greatest in middle age, but occupational success may become far less alluring than it once was. This is particularly true for those who have not achieved the career success they had hoped for. In such cases, family and other off-the-job interests become more important than work (Howard, \(1992 ;\) Simonton, 1997 ). WORK AND CAREERS: JOBS AT MIDLIFE The factors that make a job satisfying change during middle age. Younger adults focus on abstract and future-oriented concerns, such as the opportunity for advancement or the possibility of recognition and approval. Middle-aged employees care more about the here-and- now qualities of work. They are more concerned with pay, working conditions, and specific policies, such as how vacation time is calculated. As at previous stages of life, changes in overall job quality are associated with changes in stress levels for both men and women (Peterson \& Wilson, \(2004 ;\) Cohrs, Abele, \& Dette, 2006; Rantanen et al., 2012; Hamlet \& Herrick, 2014\()\). In general, though, the relationship between age and work is positive: The older workers are, the more overall job satisfaction they experience. This is not altogether surprising, because younger adults who are dissatisfied with their jobs will quit them and find new positions that they like better. Also, because older workers have fewer opportunities to change jobs, they may learn to live with what they have and accept that it is the best they are likely to get. Such acceptance may ultimately translate into satisfaction (Tangri, Thomas, \& Mednick, 2003).

Describe how people experience leisure time in middle adulthood. With the typical work week hovering between 35 and 40 hours - and becoming shorter for most people-most middle-aged adults have some 70 waking hours per week of leisure time (Kacapyr, 1997 ). What do they do with it? For one thing, they watch television. Middle-aged people average around 15 hours of television each week. But adults do much more with their leisure time. For many people, midlife offers a renewed opportunity to take up activities outside the home. As children leave, parents have substantial time to participate in leisure activities like sports or participate in town committees. Middle-aged adults in the United States spend about 6 hours each week socializing (Robinson \&c Godbey, 1997 Lindstrom et al., 2005). A significant number of people find leisure so alluring that they take early retirement. For early retirees who have adequate financial resources to last the remainder of their years, life can be quite gratifying. Early retirees tend to be in good health, and they may take up a variety of new activities (Cliff, 1991 ; Jopp \& Hertzog, 2010 ). Although midlife offers the opportunity for more leisure, most people report that the pace of their lives does not seem slower. Much of their free time is scattered throughout the week in 15 - and 30 -minute chunks as they pursue a variety of activities. Thus, despite a documented increase of 5 hours of weekly leisure time since 1965 , many people feel they have no more free time than they did previously (Robinson \& Godbey, 19977 One reason why extra leisure time seems to evaporate is that the pace of life in the United States is considerably faster than in many countries. By measuring the length of time average pedestrians cover 60 feet, the time it takes to purchase a stamp, and the accuracy of public clocks, research has compared the tempo of living in a variety of countries. According to a composite of these measures, the United States has a quicker tempo than many other countries, particularly Latin American, Asian, Middle Eastern, and African countries. But, many countries outpace the United States. Western European countries and Japan move more quickly than the United States, with Switzerland ranking first (Levine, \(1997 \mathrm{a}, 1997 \mathrm{~b}\) ).

Analyze changes in the nature and use of intelligence in middle adulthood. The question of whether intelligence declines in middle adulthood is complicated by limitations in cross-sectional studies and longitudinal studies. Intelligence appears to be divided into components, some of which decline, whereas others hold steady or even improve. In general, cognitive competence in middle adulthood holds fairly steady despite declines in some areas of intellectual functioning. Many people develop strategies to optimize their intellectual performance as they age, often concentrating on particular skill areas to make up for declines in other areas, a process called selective optimization with compensation. Expertise the skill or knowledge acquired in a particular area-develops as people devote attention and practice to a subject or skill and, in so doing, gain experience.

Describe typical patterns of marriage and divorce in middle adulthood. Fifty years ago, midlife was similar for most people. Men and women, married since early adulthood, were still married to each other. One hundred years ago, when life expectancy was much shorter, people in their 40 s were usually married - but not necessarily to the people they had first married. Spouses often died; people might be well into their second marriage by middle age. Today, the story is different and more varied. More people are single at midlife, having never married. Single people may live alone or with a partner. Gay and lesbian adults may have committed relationships and may be married. Among heterosexuals, some have divorced, lived alone, and then remarried. Many people's marriages end in divorce, and many families "blend" together into new households, containing children and stepchildren from previous marriages. Some couples still spend 40 to 50 years together, the bulk of those years during middle adulthood. Many experience the peak of marital satisfaction during middle age.

Analyze whether personality is stable or changes over the life span. Harry Hennesey, age 53 and a vice president of an investment banking firm, says he still feels like a kid. Many middle-aged adults would agree. Although most people say they have changed a good deal since adolescence- and mostly for the better-many also perceive important similarities in basic personality traits between their present and younger selves. The degree to which personality is stable across the life span or changes as we age is a major issue of personality development in middle adulthood. Theorists such as Erikson and Levinson clearly suggest that substantial change occurs over time. Erikson's stages and Levinson's seasons describe set patterns of change. The change may be predictable and age related, but it is substantial. An impressive body of research, however, suggests that for individual traits, personality is quite stable and continuous over the life span. Developmental psychologists Paul Costa and Robert MoCrae find remarkable stability in particular traits. Eventempered 20-year-olds are even-tempered at age 75 ; affectionate 25 -year-olds become affectionate 50 -year-olds; and disorganized 26 -year-olds are still disorganized at age 60\. Similarly, self-concept at age 30 is a good indication of self-concept at age \(80 .\) In fact, traits may become more ingrained as people age (Terracciano, McCrae, \&c Costa, 2009 ; Mottus, Johnson, \& Deary, \(2012 ;\) Curtis, Windsor, \& Soubelet, \(2015 ;\) also see Figure \(8-7\) ). STABILITY AND CHANGE IN THE "BIG FIVE" PERSONALITYTRAITS Quite a bit of research has centered on the personality traits known as the "Big Five" -because they represent the five major clusters of personality characteristics. These are: \- Neuroticism, the degree to which a person is moody, anxious, and self- critical \- Extraversion, how outgoing or shy a person is \- Openness, a person's level of curiosity and interest in new experiences \- Agreeableness, how easygoing and helpful a person tends to be \- Conscientiousness, a person's tendencies to be organized and responsible
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