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PYC2603 complete summary of text book
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- University Of South Africa (Unisa)
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Content preview
CHAPTER 1: ADULT DEVELOPMENT AND AGEINGSub-stages of adulthood
Adulthood is divided into 3 sub stages: Early adulthood (20- 39), Middle adulthood (40 to 59), and Late adulthood (60 to death).
They shouldn’t be used rigidly, age is a relative concept and can be defined from different perspectives.
Perspectives on age
Chronological age: The number of years passed since birth. Used as a measure in psychological research but has little meaning in
itself. What’s key is the extent to which development has taken place during the chronological lifespan. Developmental changes
can vary a lot among people of the same chronological age. Also, the rate of development can differ from one area to another in
the same individual. Equally important (especially in the multi-cultural South African context), is the influence of cultural factors
to determine a person’s age. (Eg: legally childhood is until age 18, but in some cultures in South Africa, children are accepted into
adulthood through initiation rites/ceremonies at 13.)
Psychological age: The ability of the person to adjust to the environment and to cope with associated challenges, as compared to
individuals of the same age. The ability to deal with the demands of the environment such as a move, an unexpected pregnancy,
an accident, or a change in job depends on psychological age.
Social age: The degree in which the person’s role in a society meets/conforms to the expectations/perceptions of that society.
Eg: a 23 year old widow is relatively advanced in social age. These expectations are influenced by the norms/expectancies of the
specific society, which in turn are, to a large extent, dictated by factors such as culture/gender/race/ethnicity. Social age can also
be regarded as a synonym for cultural age.
Biological age: The physical condition of a person, in comparison with their peer group. We measure biological age by examining
how well vital organs, like the respiratory/circulatory systems are functioning . Eg: a health conscious 50 year old can be in better
physical condition that a 30 year old who neglects their health. It’s possible to reverse biological age by making healthy lifestyle
changes, like quitting smoking.
Psychological age, social age, and biological age are often used as a unit to determine an individual’s functional age; the total
ability of an individual to function effectively in his or her environment.
Gerontologists also distinguish between primary/secondary/tertiary aging. Primary ageing is typical ageing, especially gradual
physical deterioration. It’s universal/inevitable/caused by inborn biological factors. Secondary ageing is physical deterioration
accelerated by disease (e.g. Alzheimer’s/Parkinson’s) or external factors like stress/unhealthy lifestyle. Therefore it’s not
universal and is often preventable. Tertiary ageing is a terminal decline that occurs in a short time (months, weeks, or days)
before death. It is characterized by a significant increase of physical and cognitive deterioration in a relatively short period after
which the individual dies. Tertiary ageing is not primarily related to age, but rather signifies the approach of death.
Research published in the UK shows that people over 50 are more ambitious/financially more secure/less stressed/eat healthier/
have better prospects in later life than their parents did, leading to the viewpoint that ‘50 is the new 30.’ The relativity and
subjectivity of age have also led to the coining of two concepts: personal age and the ageless self. Personal age is how a person
perceives and experiences his or her own age. Most adults report feeling younger than their actual age. This experience by adults
that the self (the ‘core’ of the personality) remains the same, regardless of biological and chronological ageing is referred to as
the ageless self. With regard to gender differences in the experience of age, women tend to be more anxious about growing old.
Most societies place a higher value on women’s physical appearance and reproductive abilities than they do on men. However,
women seem to be more competent and confident in their 40’s than in their 30’s.
The legal definition of adulthood, although it does not take into account the individual’s psychological or physical maturity, will
always be the determining criterion. Up until 2007 however, one had to be 21 to enjoy legal privileges, the change from 21 to 18
was bought about to be in line with the international trend.
A Life-span developmental perspective
Development is viewed as a life-long process which starts before birth and ends with death. This concept of development as a
lifelong process of adaptation is known as life-span development. Paul Baltes, a leader in the study of life-span developmental
psychology, has identified key principles of a lifespan developmental approach, which also provides a framework from which to
study adult development.
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