1. Chapter 13 & 14
Chapter 13: Physical & Cognitive Development in
Middle Adulthood
Chapter 14: Socioemotional Development in
Middle Adulthood
40’s - 50’s
PowerPoints developed by Jenni Fauchier,
Butchered by Professor Carney

2. Changing Midlife


Middle age starts later & lasts
longer
50 today…. 40’s a generation ago





Better shape
More alert
More productive
Increasing % middle-aged & older
Best-educated & most affluent
group
40’s - 50’s

3. Middle Adulthood

Middle adulthood:




Declining physical skills
Increased responsibility
Less time left
Reach & maintain satisfaction in
career
40’s - 50’s

4. Physical Changes

Visible signs

Skin begins:





Wrinkle
Sag
Age spots
Graying hair
Desire to take control of aging process




Plastic surgery
Botox
Weight control
Vitamins
40’s - 50’s

5. Height & Weight
Lose height
 Many gain weight


Body fat makes up:
 20%
or more of weight in midlife
 10% in adolescence
 1/3 of adults 40 – 59 obese
40’s - 50’s

6. Health Issues
 Women
loss
2x’s rate of bone
 Bones
break more easily
 Heal more slowly
 Need
for glasses &/or
bifocals
 Near
vision decreases
40’s - 50’s

7. Health Issues
 Hearing
declines
 Sensitivity
to high pitches
decreases
 Men lose sensitivity earlier
 Exposure
to occupational noise
40’s - 50’s

8. Sleep

40’s


More wakeful periods
Less deepest sleep


Feel less rested
Sleep problems more common for:





Higher # of prescriptions
Higher # of nonprescription
Obese
Depressed
Cardiovascular disease
40’s - 50’s

9. Chronic Disorders

Chronic disorders rare in early
adulthood
40’s - 50’s

10. Hormonal Changes
Women

Menopause
Menstrual periods cease
 Perimenopause

 Transitional

period
Normal menstrual to none
Side effects vary
 Cross cultural studies reveal
wide variations

40’s - 50’s

11. Hormonal Changes
Men
Most do not lose ability to
father
 Small decline in:

Sexual hormone level
 Sexual activity

40’s - 50’s

12. 
“ Male menopause”

Psychological adjustment to overall decline


Probably not due to hormonal change
Most erectile dysfunctions


Physiological problems
Treatment focused on drug therapy
40’s - 50’s

13. Memory

Some decline later in
middle age
More time needed to learn
new information
 Long-term memory

 Less
reliable
 More time to retrieve
information

Increase when strategies not
used
40’s - 50’s

14. Expertise

Expertise in middle adulthood

Having extensive, highly
organized knowledge &
understanding in a particular
domain
 Result
of many years of
Experience
 Learning
 Effort

40’s - 50’s

15. Chapter 14
Socioemotional Development in
Middle Adulthood
40’s - 50’s
PowerPoints developed by Jenni Fauchier,
Butchered by Professor Carney

16. 40’s - 50’s

17. Vailliant’s “Grant Study”

Midlife



Time of reassessing
Recalling truth about adolescence &
adulthood
Minority of adults experience a crisis
in midlife
40’s - 50’s

18. Stress in Midlife
 Experience
fewer stressors
cannot control
 Frequent stressor
 Interpersonal
tension
 “ crossover stressors”
 Simultaneous
roles
demands of multiple
40’s - 50’s

19. Stability & Change

Personality traits


NOT fixed at a certain age
Cumulative personality model

Over time people become more adept:


Interacting with their environment to
promote stability
Some change more than others
40’s - 50’s

20. Close Relationships

Divorce in middle adulthood



couples may be alienated & avoidant
lacking laughter, love, & interest in one
another
divorce may be more positive in some ways &
more negative in others



+ often more resources
+ children less “damaged” & can cope better
minus -- may be seen as personal failure or as
betrayal
40’s - 50’s

21. Close Relationships

Love & Marriage


affectionate, companionate love
increases in middle adulthood
security, loyalty, & mutual emotional
interest become more important
even difficult marriages become better
adjusted in middle adulthood
 married people express satisfaction

40’s - 50’s

22. Empty Nest

Empty nest syndrome



Decline in marital satisfaction after children leave
home
Time to pursue other interests, career, & each other
Refilling of the nest

Young adult children return home



Permaparenting


Save money
Recover from career set-back
Reluctance to let go of adult children
Parents continue to provide emotional &/or
financial support
40’s - 50’s

23. Class Exercise


Generation Gap
Newsletter
40’s - 50’s