Ch. 12 Midlife

What is the general age bracket for middle adulthood? How do people perceive themselves at midlife?

Define/describe crystallized and fluid intelligence. How do they change from young adulthood through midlife? When does each peak?

What is expertise? Why does expertise tend to peak in midlife?

What should you be doing now and throughout the adult years to promote cognitive health across the lifespan? (Name seven things that everybody should be doing.)

What is “the Big Five”?

Are major personality traits more on the stable side or more prone to change with age?

In Erikson’s view, what is the challenge for people in midlife?

Understand the correlations between happiness and income, possessions, and nation/culture.

What happens to self-concept in midlife? Why is this period considered to be the peak (in the U.S.)?

Describe the typical patterns of marital satisfaction in midlife.

Describe the role of parent care. Who does it? What are the challenges?

Describe the roles of grandparenthood in the U.S. What are the factors that relate to level of grandparent involvement with grandchildren?

How do vision and hearing decline in midlife?

What are the reproductive changes in midlife for women and men? Why does menopause exist for humans?

Terms to define/understand

  • Crystalized intelligence
  • Fluid intelligence
  • Big Five (Know the five traits)
  • Parent care
  • Sandwich generation
  • Acuity (vision, hearing)
  • Presbyopia
  • Menopause