Development Through the Lifespan



Development Through the Lifespan

Chapter 18

Emotional and Social

Development in

Late Adulthood

Erikson’s Theory:

Ego Integrity versus Despair

Ego Integrity

Feel whole, complete, satisfied with achievements

Serenity and contentment

Associated with psychosocial maturity

Despair

Feel many decisions were wrong, but now time is too short

Bitter and unaccepting of coming death

Expressed as anger and contempt for others

Peck: Three Tasks of

Ego Integrity

Ego differentiation versus work-role preoccupation

Body transcendence versus body preoccupation

Ego transcendence versus ego preoccupation

Reminiscence and Life Review

Reminiscence

Telling stories about people, events, thoughts and feelings from past

Self-focused: can deepen despair

Other-focused: solidifies relationships

Knowledge-based: helps solve problems

Life Review

Considering the meaning of past experiences

A form of reminiscence

For greater self-understanding

Personality in

Late Adulthood

Secure, complex self-concept

Self-acceptance

Continuing from earlier life

Shifting characteristics:

More agreeable

Less sociable

Greater acceptance of change

Spirituality and Religion

in Late Adulthood

Over 3/4 in U.S. say religion “very important”

Over half attend services

Religious involvement fairly stable throughout adulthood; some increase in later years

Fowler’s Stages of Faith Development

Intuitive-projective

Mythic-literal

Synthetic-conventional

Individuative-reflective

Conjunctive

Factors in

Psychological Well-Being

Control versus Dependency

Health

Poor health, depression linked

Suicide risk

Negative Life Changes

Social Support

Social Interaction

Control and Dependency

in Late Adulthood

Dependency-support script

Attend immediately to dependent behaviors

Independence-ignore script

Ignore independent behaviors

Scripts work together

Both reinforce dependency

Make social contact less pleasant

Social Theories of Aging

Age-Related Changes in Number of Social Partners

Social Contexts of Aging

Communities

Most in suburbs

Minorities in cities

Neighborhoods

Fear of crime and victimization

Housing

Less like home life,

harder to adjust

Housing Arrangements

in Late Adulthood

Ordinary Homes

Own home – preferred and most control

With family

Residential Communities

Congregate housing

Life care communities

Nursing Homes

Intimate Partnerships

in Late Adulthood

Marriage

Satisfaction peaks in late adulthood

If dissatisfied, harder for women

Gay and Lesbian Partnerships

Most happy, highly fulfilling

Divorce and Widowhood

Divorce

Few divorces in late adulthood, but increasing

More likely to remarry

Widowhood

Widows 1/3 of elderly

Most live alone

Loneliness is a problem

Widowed men more likely to remarry

Changes in Aid Among Siblings

Friendships in

Late Adulthood

Friends provide:

Intimacy

Companionship

Acceptance

Link to community

Help with loss

Close to few, nearby friends

Choose friends similar to self

Sex differences continue

Relationships with Children, Grandchildren, Great-Grandchildren

Adult Children

Quality of relationship affects physical, mental health

More important with advanced age

Grandchildren & Great-Grandchildren

Half of grandchildren adults

Gradually reduced contact with grandchildren

Limited role with great-grandchildren

Elder Maltreatment

Physical Abuse

Physical Neglect

Psychological Abuse

Financial Abuse

Decision to Retire

Retire

Adequate retirement benefits

Compelling leisure interests

Low work commitment

Declining health

Spouse retiring

Routine, boring job

Keep Working

Limited or no retirement benefits

Few leisure interests

High work commitment

Good health

Spouse working

Flexible work schedule

Pleasant, stimulating work

Adjusting to Retirement

Most people adapt well

30% adjustment difficulties

Factors in adjustment

Financial worries

Workplace factors

Sense of personal control

Social support

Leisure Activities

Interests usually continue from earlier in life

Many volunteer

Frequency and variety drop with age

Involvement in rewarding leisure linked to better health, reduced mortality

Self-expression

New achievements

Helping others

Social interactions

Successful Aging

Minimizing losses and maximizing gains

Focus less on outcomes, more on processes and reaching personal goals

Some factors controllable, others not

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