Tâm lý học - Chapter 19: Socioemotional development in late adulthood

Life-Span DevelopmentThirteenth EditionChapter 19: Socioemotional Development in Late Adulthood©2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved 1Erikson’s Theory:Integrity vs. Despair: involves reflecting on the past and either piecing together a positive review or concluding that one’s life has not been well spentLife review: looking back at one’s life experiences, evaluating them, and interpreting/reinterpreting themTheories of Socioemotional Development©2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved 2Erikson’s Theory (continued):Regrets:Education, careers, marriages, finance/money, family conflict and children’s problems, loss and grief, and healthMaking downward social comparisonsResolving regrets following the death of a loved oneReminiscence therapy: discussing past activities and experiences with another individual or groupTheories of Socioemotional Development©2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved 3Theories of Socioemotional Development©2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved Erikson4Activity Theory:The more active and involved older adults are, the more likely they are to be satisfied with their livesSocioemotional Selectivity Theory:Older adults become more selective about their social networks, spending more time with individuals with whom they have had rewarding relationshipsTheories of Socioemotional Development©2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved 5Socioemotional Selectivity Theory (continued):Two important classes of goals:Knowledge-relatedEmotionalTrajectory for each type of goal is differentAs older adults perceive that they have less time left, they spend more time pursuing emotional satisfactionTheories of Socioemotional Development©2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved 6Theories of Socioemotional Development©2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved 7Selective Optimization with Compensation Theory: successful aging is linked with three main factors:Selection: older adults have a reduced capacity and loss of functioning, which require a reduction in performance in most life domainsOptimization: it is possible to maintain performance in some areas through continued practice and the use of new technologiesCompensation: older adults need to compensate when life tasks require a higher level of capacityTheories of Socioemotional Development©2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved 8Theories of Socioemotional Development©2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved Insert Figure 19.49PersonalityConscientiousness predicts lower mortality risk from childhood through late adulthoodLow conscientiousness and high neuroticism predicts earlier deathHigh conscientiousness, extraversion, and openness were related to higher mortality riskPersonality, The Self, and Society©2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved 10The Self and Society Self-EsteemTends to decline significantly in the 70s and 80s because of:Being widowed, institutionalized, or physically impairedHaving a low religious commitmentDeclining healthPersonality, The Self, and Society©2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved 11The Self and Society©2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved 12The Self and Society Possible Selves: what individuals might become, what they would like to become, and what they are afraid of becomingSelf-ControlA majority of adults in their 60s and 70s reported being in control of their lives©2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved Personality, The Self, and Society13Older Adults in Society Stereotyping Older AdultsAgeism: prejudice against others because of their agePolicy Issues in an Aging SocietyStatus of the EconomyHealth CareEldercare Generational InequityIncomeLiving ArrangementsTechnologyPersonality, The Self, and Society©2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved 14Lifestyle DiversityMarried Older AdultsIn 2004, 56% of U.S. adults over 65 were married; 45% of older adult women were widowsMarital satisfaction is greater in older adults than middle-aged adultsRetirement alters a couple’s lifestyleOlder adults who are married or partnered are usually happier and live longer than those who are singleFamilies and Social Relationships©2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved 15Lifestyle DiversityDivorced and Separated Older AdultsRepresented only 8% of older adults in 2004Social, financial, and physical consequences of divorceRemarriage is increasing due to rising divorce rates, increased longevity, and better healthFamilies and Social Relationships©2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved 16Lifestyle Diversity Cohabiting Older AdultsToday, 3% of older adults cohabitRomance and Sex in Older Adults’ RelationshipsAn increased number of older adults dateWhen older adults are healthy, they still engage in sexual activitiesFamilies and Social Relationships©2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved 17Older Adult Parents and Their ChildrenAbout 80% of older adults have living children, many of whom are middle-agedAdult daughters are more likely to be involved in the lives of aging parentsAdult children often coordinate and monitor services for aging disabled parentsFamilies and Social Relationships©2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved 18Great-Grandparenting The four-generation family is more commonGreat-grandparents can transmit family historyFamilies and Social Relationships©2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved 19Friendship In late adulthood, new friendships are less likely to be forged and close friends are chosen over new friendsFriendships are more important than family in predicting mental healthIndividuals with close ties to friends were less likely to dieUnmarried older adults in a friend-focused network fared better physically and psychologically than other unmarried older adults with little friend contactFamilies and Social Relationships©2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved 20Social Support and Social Integration Social SupportConvoy Model of Social Relations: individuals go through life embedded in a personal network of individuals to whom they give and from whom they receive social supportSocial IntegrationOlder adults have fewer peripheral social contacts and more emotionally positive contacts with friends and familyEmotional and social loneliness can affect the quality of marriage in older adultsFamilies and Social Relationships©2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved 21Altruism and Volunteerism Older adults who had persistently low or declining feelings of usefulness to others had an increased risk of earlier deathVolunteering is associated with a number of positive outcomesFamilies and Social Relationships©2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved 22Ethnicity:Elderly ethnic minority individuals face both ageism and racismMore likely to become ill but less likely to receive treatmentMany never reach the age of eligibility for Social Security benefitsDespite stress and discrimination many ethnic minority individuals have developed coping mechanisms that allow them to surviveEthnicity, Gender, and Culture©2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved 23Gender:Some developmentalists believe that there is decreasing femininity in women and decreasing masculinity in men during late adulthoodOlder men often become more feminine, but women do not necessarily become more masculineOlder adult females face ageism and sexism Ethnicity, Gender, and Culture©2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved 24CultureThree factors are important in living the “good life”HealthSecurityKinship/supportEthnicity, Gender, and Culture©2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved 25CultureSeven factors are likely to predict high status for older adults in a culture:Have valuable knowledgeControl key family/community resourcesEngage in useful/valued functions as long as possibleRole continuityAge-related role changes that give greater responsibility, authority, and advisory capacityExtended familyRespect for older adultsEthnicity, Gender, and Culture©2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved 26Many abilities can be maintained and/or improved in older adults due to:Proper dietActive lifestyleMental stimulation and flexibilityPositive coping skillsGood social relationships and supportAbsence of diseaseA sense of self-efficacySuccessful Aging©2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved 27