Transcript Unit 9 Project

“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?”
HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND THE
SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT
UNIT 8: CHAPTER 11
MIDDLE ADULTHOOD: AGES 35-60 YEARS
Welcome
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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
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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
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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:
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 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
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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
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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
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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
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Mid-life
Men: approximately age 35
 Women: approximately age 39
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Cohorts
What is a cohort?
 What cohort are you in?
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Quiz
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Just to test your knowledge of the unit
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It does not count against your grade, but it will help you with your actual
quiz
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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.
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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
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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.
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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
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Empty nest syndrome:
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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.
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B. no longer exists because most women in today's society do not devote themselves full
time to raising children.
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C. is synonymous with launching children and usually results in a decrease of marital
satisfaction.
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D. is synonymous with launching children.
Levinson's theory about midlife career change is that:
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A. many adults become increasingly competitive as they enter mid-career and search for
a job with more status.
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B. many adults become reflective about their experience in a job and must reconcile
their idealistic hopes with realistic possibilities.
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C. many adults seek new adventures and desire a new job because of this.
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D. many adults realize they need more money than they realized for retirement and
search for a higher paying job.
Quiz
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In middle adulthood, ethnic identity:
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A. is less important than it was in early adulthood.
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B. is more important than it was in early adulthood.
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C. shows sharp differences between men and women.
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D. remains constant and does not change across life stages.
At midlife, a major difference between men and women is that:
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A. there are no significant differences between men and women at midlife.
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B. men are focused on their one primary role whereas women have multiple
roles.
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C. men are more depressed than women due to impending retirement.
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D. men continue to be more involved in outside activities in comparison with
women.
Quiz
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The fastest growing group among the homeless is:
 A. families.
 B. the elderly.
 C. single women.
 D. adolescents.
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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
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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
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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
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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
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What is cancer?
How deadly is cancer? Cancer is the second leading cause of death for both men
& women
How prevalent is cancer?
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Breast Cancer:
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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
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The Psychological Dimension
Cognitive Development
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Piaget’s theory
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Sensorimotor stage
Preoperational stage
Concrete operational stage
Formal operational stage
Cognitive ability in middle adulthood
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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
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Four stages of forgiveness
Uncovering the anger
 Deciding to forgive
 Working on forgiveness
 Discovery and release
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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
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GENERATIVITY versus STAGNATION (Erikson)
Well-being and anxiety
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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?”
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Social Cognition and Regulation
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Adults often reach out and become more involved in
socially responsible activities
Issues: Alcoholism
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What is alcoholism?
Who does it affect?
Stages of alcoholism
Early
 Middle
 Late and final
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The Social Dimension
Stepfamilies
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How many children will live in a stepfamily at some point?
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Keep in mind
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A “one pot” philosophy about family money & a new home together leads to
greater satisfaction
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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
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Both boys & girls prefer verbal affection such as praises & compliments
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Girls are uncomfortable with physical closeness
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Boys accept a stepfather more quickly than girls do
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What is your experience with stepfamilies? The ups? The
downs?
Caregiving
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Quite often middle age adults will be caring for their adolescent
children as well as their aging parents
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According to research by Steinberg (2004) the most difficult time
for parents is when their kids are between 11 and 14 years old.
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Approximately 20% of midlife adults are involved with caring for an
aging parent
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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:
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Much needed respite
Reduce isolation and loneliness
Affirm and validate feelings about the situation
Encourage mutual sharing of coping strategies
Instill hope
Closing
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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
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Ashford, J.B., LeCroy, C.W., & Lortie, K.L. (2009). The social environment and
human behavior. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.