PHYSICAL & COGNITIVE

DEVELOPMENT
IN
MIDDLE ADULTHOOD
NOR AZWA FARHANA BT ABDULLAH
P71460
NUR SHAKILA BT IBHARIM
P71455

In This Chapter

Physical Changes
1. The Brain & Nervous System
Synaptic density begins to decline
Behavioral choices & mental health affect the adult brain
Decline in cognitive function
Brain respond differently to sensory stimuli
Less ability to control attention process
-respond more to irrelevant stimuli

Physical Changes
2. The Reproductive System
Climacteric- reproduction capacity decline/ lost in
men & women
Menopause decline in sex hormone (estrogen &
progesterone)
3 phase:
Premenopausal
phase

Perimenopausal
phase (hot flash)

Postmenopausal
phase

Psychological Effects of Menopause

Emotional

Angry

Depressed

Negative
Mood

Physical Changes
3. Sexual Activity
Hormone Replacement Therapy

4. The skeletal system osteoporosis

5. Vision presbyopia
6. Hearing - presbycusis

Health & Wellness

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Health trends at Mid-life

Cardiovascular Disease hypertension
Cancer & Heart Disease
Gender and health
Socioeconomic class, race & health

Cognitive Functioning
Physical and Cognitive Aging
Denneys Model of Physical and Cognitive Aging

Health and Cognitive Functioning

Schies Analysis of Seattle Longitudinal Study
Earlier cardiovascular disease related to earlier and larger
declines on intellectual tests
Exercise lowers mortality risks
Physical activity related to maintenance of cognitive functions

Cognitive Functioning
Memory

Memory:
Subjective experience of forgetfulness
Visual memory

Overcoming perceived memory limitations

Cognitive Functioning
Semantic and Episodic Memories
Do you know the difference?
Episodic memories

Episodic
memories slow
with age, but
not semantic
memories

Semantic
memories

Cognitive Functioning
Practiced and Unpracticed Skills
Why does practice matter?
Helps maintain or gain cognitive skill
Helps compensate for age-related deficits in cognitive
functioning
Provide practice of different strategies to remember expository
text

Cognitive Functioning
Creativity
Creativity: Ability to produce original, appropriate and valuable
ideas or solutions to problems
Simonton studied creativity and productivity of thousands of
notable scientists
Best work produced around 40; outstanding work published in
50s

What will you be doing when you

are 40 years old?

Cognitive Functioning
Creativity
Illumination
(the aha!
moment)

Preparations

Incubation

Translation