Chapter 15- part 1:
Middle Adulthood
Module 7
Physical Development
in Middle Adulthood
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT IN
MIDDLE ADULTHOOD
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
Age Changes
• What stays the same as we age?
• What changes with age?
374
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
Changes with age = Aging
“Layers of Aging”
–
–
–
–
Socioeconomic
Cognitive
Spiritual
Biological functions
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
How is aging like or NOT like
other social categories?
• What are the “isms”?
• Does ageism exist?
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
Physical Transitions in Middle
Adulthood
• Gradual psychological and emotional
changes in body’s capabilities
• Depends in part on self-concept and
lifestyle
374
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
Height, Weight, and Strength:
Benchmarks of Change
• After age 55, bones become less dense
– Ultimately women lose 2 inches and men lose
1 inch in height
• Women are more prone to declining height
due to OSTEOPOROSIS
• Both men and women continue to gain
weight in middle adulthood
375
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
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There was an old lady….
• Society applies a double standard to men
and women in terms of appearance
– Older women tend to be viewed in unflattering
terms
– Aging men more frequently perceived as
displaying a maturity that enhances status
375
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
Sights and Sounds of Middle Age
• Starting at age 40, visual acuity declines
– Changing eye's lenses in shape and elasticity results
in loss of near vision, called PRESBYOPIA
– Declining depth perception and night vision
• GLAUCOMA
375
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
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Do you hear what I hear?
• PRESBYCUSIS
– About 12 percent of people between 45 and
65 suffer from presbycusis
– Men more prone to hearing loss
– Sound localization is diminished
375
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
Reaction time:
Not-so-slowing Down
• Decreases slightly in middle adulthood
• Improves or compensated for by being
more careful and practicing the skill
• Exercise can slow this loss
376
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
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“Use It or Lose It”
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
377
Review and Apply
REVIEW
• People in middle adulthood experience gradual
changes in physical characteristics and
appearance.
• The acuity of the senses, particularly vision and
hearing, and speed of reaction declines slightly
during middle age.
• Weight gain—commonly referred to as “middle
age spread” —can be controlled through regular
exercise and a healthy diet.
377
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
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Review and Apply
APPLY
• Would you rather fly on an airplane with a
middle-aged pilot or a young one? Why?
377
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
Sexuality During Middle Age
• Frequency of sexual intercourse
decreases with age
– Sexual activities remain a vital part of most
middle-aged adults’ lives
– Adults have more freedom
– Women no longer need to practice birth
control
378
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
Sexual Intercourse
• Men typically need more time to get an
erection
– Volume of fluid in ejaculation declines
– Production of testosterone also declines
• In women, walls of the vagina become
less elastic and thinner
– Vagina shrinks, potentially making intercourse
painful
378
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
Female Climateric
• Starting about age 45, transition from
being able to bear children to being unable
to do so
• Lasting about 15 to 20 years
• MENOPAUSE
378
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
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Menopause
• Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT)
• Women's expectations about menopause
relate to their experience of menopause
– Variations by race and culture
378
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
From Research to Practice
The Dilemma of Hormone Therapy
Estrogen and progesterone administered to alleviate menopausal
symptoms
PRO
CON
• Changes ratio of “good” • Increases risk of breast
cholesterol to “bad”
cancer and blood clots
cholesterol
• higher risk for pulmonary
• Decreases thinning of
embolism and heart
bones
disease
• Associated with reduced
risks of stroke and colon
cancer
• Cognitive advantages
• Enhances sex drive
380
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
What do you think?
• How might the fact that the medical advice of
experts on hormone therapy has changed
frequently over the last decade affect women’s
decisions about what course of action to follow?
• What are the most important factors a woman
should take into account in deciding whether or
not to embark on a course of hormone therapy?
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
The Psychological
Consequences of Menopause
• Early research
– Menopause was linked directly to depression, anxiety,
crying spells, lack of concentration, and irritability
• Current research
– Normal part of aging that does not, by itself, produce
psychological symptoms
• Effects influenced by personal and cultural
expectations of menopause
381
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
Do men experience the
equivalent of menopause?
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
Male Climacteric
• Male changes during middle age
– Period of physical and psychological change relating
to male reproductive system that occurs during late
middle age.
– Enlargement of the prostate gland
– Problems with urination, including difficulty starting to
urinate and frequent need to urinate during night
• Men still produce sperm and can father children
through middle age
381
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
Review and Apply
REPLY
• Sexuality in middle adulthood changes slightly, but middleaged couples, freed from concerns about children, can enjoy
a new level of intimacy and enjoyment.
• Physical changes affecting sexuality occur in both genders.
Both the female climacteric, which includes menopause, and
the male climacteric seem to have physical and perhaps
psychological symptoms.
• Controversy attends the use of estrogen replacement therapy
and the implanting of eggs in postmenopausal women to
induce pregnancy.
382
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
Review and Apply
APPLY
• How do you think society’s view of women as
losing their sexual allure in middle age affects
women’s physical and psychological experience
of menopause?
382
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HEALTH
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
Health and Wellness
• American College of Sports Medicine and the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
– At least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical
activity daily:
• Reduces risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, weight gain,
and hypertension
• Provides psychological benefits of sense of control and wellbeing
382
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
Did you know?
• Vast majority of people in middle age
– Face no chronic health difficulties
– Fewer accidents and infections
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
Chronic Diseases in Middle
Adulthood
• Arthritis typically begins after age 40
• Diabetes is most likely to occur in people
between the ages of 50 and 60
• Hypertension (high blood pressure) is one of the
most frequent chronic disorders found in middle
age
383
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
Recommended Diagnostic
Tests
• See Table 7-1 for adult preventative health
care screening recommendations
384
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
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Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
Table 7-1, continued
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
Developmental Diversity:
Individual Variation in Health
• Ethnic differences
– African Americans death rate is twice rate for
Caucasians
– Lower family’s incomehigher likelihood of
disabling illness, more dangerous
occupations, inferior health coverage
385
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
Gender Differences
• During middle age, women experience more
non-life threatening illnesses than men but men
experience more serious illnesses
– Women smoke less; drink less alcohol; have less
dangerous jobs
• Medical research has typically studied diseases
of men with all male samples; the medical
community is only now beginning to study
women's health issues
385
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
What are the consequences of
stress in middle adulthood?
387
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
Stress in Middle Adulthood
• Stress continues to have a significant impact on
health in middle age
• According to psychoneuroimmunologists, who
study the relationship between the brain, the
immune system, and psychological factors,
stress produces three main consequences
• Leads to unhealthy behaviors
386
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
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True or False?
Heart and circulatory disease in middle age
are responsible for more loss of work and
disability days due to hospitalization than
any other cause.
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
Coronary Heart Disease
• More men die in middle age of diseases of the
heart and circulatory system than any other
cause.
– Both genetic and experiential characteristics are
involved
– Heart disease runs in families
– Men are more likely to suffer than women, and risks
increase with age
386
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
TYPE A BEHAVIOR PATTERN
• Characterized by
– Competitiveness, impatience, and a tendency toward
frustration and hostility, are more susceptible to heart
disease
• Evidence is only correlational so cannot say
Type A behavior causes heart disease
387
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
TYPE B BEHAVIOR PATTERN
• Characterized by
– Non-competitiveness, patience, and a lack of
aggression
• Evidence that Type B people have less than half
the risk of coronary disease that Type A people
have
387
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
The Threat of Cancer
• Cancer is associated with genetic and
environmental risks
– Poor nutrition, smoking, alcohol use,
exposure to sunlight, exposure to radiation,
and particular occupational hazards
• Early treatment is related to higher survival
rate
388
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
Cancer Treatment
• Takes a variety of forms
– Radiation therapy involves the use of radiation to
destroy a tumor
– Chemotherapy involves the controlled ingestion of
toxic substances meant to poison the tumor
• Surgery may be used to remove the tumor
• Early diagnosis is crucial
388
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
Breast Cancer
• Mammography, a weak X-ray, is used to
detect breast cancer
• Death rate lower for those who had a
"fighting spirit" or those who denied they
had the disease
• A positive psychological outlook may boost
the body's immune system
388
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
Review and Apply
REVIEW
• In general, middle adulthood is a period of good
health, although susceptibility to chronic
diseases, such as arthritis, diabetes, and
hypertension, increases.
• Heart disease is a risk for middle-aged adults.
Both genetic and environmental factors
contribute to heart disease, including the Type A
behavior pattern.
389
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
Review and Apply
REVIEW
• Therapies such as radiation therapy,
chemotherapy, and surgery can
successfully treat cancer, and
psychological factors.
389
Discovering the Lifespan - Robert S. Feldman
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
Review and Apply
APPLY
• What social policies might be developed to
lower the incidence of disabling illness
among members of lower-socioeconomic
groups?
389
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Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.