Elise Schmidt
Developmental Psychology
Adulthood Comparisons
1
Learning Plans 7-9: Adulthood Comparisons
Complete a chart for three adults. One adult must be in early adulthood (approximately ages 20-40), one adult must be in middle
adulthood (approximately ages 40-60), and one must be in late adulthood (approximately ages 60+). You must do yourself for one of
the adults.
Young Adult
Genetic Influences (See
Chapter 2 for
concepts/theories related to
genetic influences on
development).
Biological/Physical
Development
(Also remember to comment
on normal vs. atypical
development using textbook
information to support your
Adult (Describe the characteristics of the adult for each
Developmental Concepts and Theories (Explain concepts
domain or category listed on the left)
/theories to explain the characteristics of the adult you described in
the first column)
Elise is both genetically influenced by her
mother and father. Physically she shows more
of her father’s genes although they are not
considered to be dominant characteristics;
blonde hair, blue eyes. These genes are
referred to as phenotypes and although
physically shows genes from her father her
personality is very much like her mothers’.
Elise also received her father’s fast metabolism
and thin body type which impacted her life
dramatically in other aspects as psychological
and social. These genetic influences were the
blueprint to make Elise who she is today.
Elise is 22 years old and has peaked for her
physical performance. She has not started to
show physical signs of declining. During
adolescence Elise acquired a bad habit of
smoking and it continued into early adulthood.
Genes- units of heredity information (Santrock, 2011)
Phenotype- way the child’s genotype is expressed in
observed and measurable characteristics (Santrock, 2011,
pg 60)
Genetic Principles- Dominant-recessive genes, sex-linked
genes, genetic imprinting, and polygenetic inheritance are
genetic principles that show why a genotype is expressed.
(Santrock, 2011)
Physical Performance and Development- In early
adulthood individuals peak in their physical performance
before age 30; average adults and athletes. During this age
frame in development adults begin to decline physically;
muscle tone decline, muscle strength decline, sagging
Elise Schmidt
Developmental Psychology
Adulthood Comparisons
2
conclusions)
She has no other substance addictions like
alcoholism. At 18 Elise was sexually active
with one partner and took precautions but
ended up getting blessed with twin boys. Being
19 and a mother of two made binge drinking
not an option and lead to a very active
lifestyle. During early adulthood some adults
start to decline in physical activity but she had
four feet to chase. Having children means
making good choices about their diet. She only
had nutritional food in the household for her
children and ate healthy with them. Also
because of having children she was in the
hospital frequently for their checkups and
appointments so she had appointments when
they did to be examined. Elise’s behavior in
early adulthood fits the ethology theory
because she is influenced by her biology and is
affected by critical periods during her life so
far.
chins, and protruding abdomens. (Santrock, 2011)
Health-In early adulthood an individuals morality rate
increases. Bad habits from adolecence cross over into
early adulthood; substance use, diet/obesity, inactivity,
reproductive health care, and health care acess. Studies
show that health behaviour has a direct effect on your
satisfaction in your life. (Santrock, 2011)
Substance Abuse- In early adulthood individuals start to
decline their use of drugs and alcohol espcially by the
time they are in their midtwenties. In this age range
alcohol has two main categorys for problems; binge
drinking and alcoholism. In the United States less people
smoke than ever before but 30% of cancer deaths are due
to smoking. (Santrock, 2011)
Sexuality- In Early adulthood the majority of individuals
have had sexual experiences with at least one partner.
Males are more likely than females to have more partners
and get married on adverage at a higher age. (Santrock,
2011)
Ethology- stresses that behavior is strongly influenced by
biology, is tied to evolution, and is characterzied by
critical or sensitive periods. (Santrock, 2011)
Cognitive Development
According to Piaget’s formal operation stage
Elise still processes information like an
adolescent but has more knowledge and life
experience to apply to her abstract thinking.
Elise has postformat thought because she
understands the correct answer to problems
and that it may be different in different
situations. She uses this form of thought
Piaget’s formal operational stage applied to early
adulthood- individuals reason more abstract, idealistic,
and logical ways. Piaget thought young adults are more
quantitatively advanced because of more experience.
(Santrock, 2011)
Postformal thought- a form of thought that is
qualitatively different from Piaget’s formal operational
thought. It involves understanding that the correct answer
(Also remember to comment
on normal vs. atypical
development using textbook
information to support your
conclusions)
Elise Schmidt
Developmental Psychology
Adulthood Comparisons
3
Psychological/Social/Emo
tional Development
(Also remember to comment
on normal vs. atypical
development using textbook
information to support your
conclusions)
especially in ethical situations. Elise is at a
stay-at-home mother, and this dramatically
affects her life. Her household is affected by
her work because they live off of one income.
She spends her days doing household duties
and taking care of her children. Her
relationships are also affected by this because
the majority of her friends are still her social
network from high school due to not having
work colleagues. She also gets to spend a lot of
time with her boyfriend and family because
there are no conflicting work hours. Elise’s
behavior and lifestyle is much like her
mother’s was while Elise was growing up. The
social cognitive theory supports that Elise’s
humor, personality, and life style can be
learned traits from her mother.
to a problem can require reflective thinking, which the
correct answer can vary from situation to another.
Searching for the truth is an ongoing process. Emotions
and subjective factors influence thinking and this thought
holds the belief that problems are realistic. (Santrock,
2011)
The Impact of Work- influence on an individual’s
finances, housing, the way they spend their time, their
relationships, and their health. It can define an individual,
add structure, and add rhythm to their life. Individuals out
of work can feel emotional distress. More and more
college students are working full time ontop of going to
school. Unemployment can lead to several physical
problems such as heart attacks and emotional issues.
(Santrock, 2011)
Social cognitive theory- the view of pschologist who
emphasize behavior, enviroment, and cognition as the key
factors in development. (Santrock, 2011)
Elise as an adolescent displayed her emotions
quite frequently and switched often. Now that
she is developing more and more into
adulthood she has less frequent mood swings.
Although she is more emotional than the
average person she has lessened compared to
early years. As a child she was more over
dramatic about things compared to her brother
and that has not changed in adulthood. Elise
has attachment towards her boyfriend and
receives comfort from him and he helps relieve
Temperament- In early adulthood individuals start to
display less mood swings and partake in less high risk
activities. Your childhood temperament also is correlated
with your personality as an adult. (Santrock, 2011)
Attachment- Throughout our life attachment plays an
important role. In adulthood attachment with a romantic
partner is similar to the same needs as the previous
attachment we had with our parents. (Santrock, 2011)
Secure attachment style- an attachment style that
describes adults who have positive views of relationships,
find it easy to get close to others, and are not overly
Elise Schmidt
Developmental Psychology
Adulthood Comparisons
4
some of the stress in her life. Elise’s type of
attachment towards her boyfriend would be
considered secure attachment style. Elise has
little to no reason to stress out about her
relationship and looks at it in a very positive
light. Her boyfriend has the same attitude
towards the majority of things in life and she
has consensual validation because of that.
Elise is in Erikson’s sixth stage had so far has
found intimacy instead of isolation. She cares
about her boyfriend and shows affectionate
love. Elise is on her way to achieving the
greatest kind of love because of passion,
intimacy and commitment. Elise and her
boyfriend are not yet married in their life and
are cohabiting adults. Together they have
experienced one of life’s greatest adventures
and have become parents. We have taken the
skills we liked from our parents and
incorporated them in our own way. Elise is a
woman and is very relationship oriented.
Whether it is her family, boyfriend, children,
or friends all her relationships are there to
improve their development. Elise is very selfmotivated to do everything she does. Elise puts
a lot on her plate so others have less and she
has to manage her time wisely and motivate
herself to do everything she needs to do for
herself and for others.
concerened or stressed out about their romantic
relationships. (Santrock, 2011)
Consensual validation- an explanation of why individuals
are attracted to people who are similar to them. Our own
attitudes and behaviors and supported and validated when
someone else’s attitudes and behaviors are similar to our
own. (Santrock, 2011)
Eriksons Stage of Intamcy versus Isolation- Erikson’s
sixth developmental stage where individuals experience
the task of forming intimate relationships creating intamcy
otherwise isolation will occur. (Santrock, 2011)
Affectionate love- in this type of love an individual
desires to have the other person near and has a deep,
caring affection for the other person. (Santrock, 2011)
Consummate love- a love trianglaglated by passion,
intamcy, and commitment. It is Sternberg’s thought of the
greatest love. (Santrock, 2011)
Cohabiting Adults- living together without marriage. In
the last forty years the number of couples that cohabitate
have dramatically increased. (Santrock, 2011)
Becoming a Parent- Many adults have planned prental
roles others do not or have false ideas what a child will
bring. Parents often learn their skills from their parents,
keeping ideas they like and discarding the others.
(Santrock, 2011)
Women’s Developmental- women interact with others in
a way that will improve the others development;
emotionaly, intellectually, and socially. Women should try
to be self-motivated and maintain competency. Women
are also more relationship oriented. (Santrock, 2011)
Elise Schmidt
Developmental Psychology
Adulthood Comparisons
5
Influences of family,
peers, education, and
media
Cultural Influences (This
can include socioeconomic
differences, different cultures,
race, ethnic, religious
differences, rural/urban, etc.)
Elise is influenced by multiple environments
and her development is affected by that. Elise
is greatly influenced by past environments like
her family of origins household, her high
school environment, and her adolescent social
life. She is also influenced by her current
family household, college, and her current
peers. The majority of Elise’s friends she has
known for a very long time. She has known
her best friend for 18 years and has been
friends with her that entire time period. Elise
has known her boyfriend, his friends, and the
majority of her friends for around 12 to 18
years.
Elise is strongly influenced by cultural
influences. One way she is influenced is by her
socioeconomic status. This status allows Elise
to be healthy by having the advantage of
having healthy food, a roof over her head, and
warmth within the home. It allows her to stay
at home with her children and still be able to
pay the bills without government assistance.
Elise is strongly influenced by culture because
it affected the way she was raised and how she
raises her children. It has affected her values,
morals, and beliefs. Her food choices are
greatly affected by this and some of how she
spends her free time.
Ecological theory- development reflects the influence of
several environments (Santrock, 2011)
Friendship- Is an important part of development
throughout of our life. The majority of adults have a best
friend they have known for 10 or more years. In early
adulthood individuals have multipe chances to make
friendships. (Santrock, 2011)
Socioeconomic Status- grouping of people with similar
occupation, education, and economic status. (Santrock,
2011,PG10)
Culture- the behavioral patterns, beliefs, and all other
products of a group passed on from one generation to the
next. (Santrock, 2011,pg.10)
Elise Schmidt
Developmental Psychology
Adulthood Comparisons
6
Middle Adult
Genetic Influences
Biological/Physical
Development
(Also remember to comment
on normal vs. atypical
development using textbook
information to support your
conclusions)
Adult (Describe the characteristics of the Adult for
Developmental Concepts and Theories (Explain concepts
each domain or category listed on the left)
/theories to explain the characteristics of the adult you described in
the first column)
Sheila has been genetically influenced by her
genes. All of the genetic influences she
received are referred to as her genotype. Sheila
displays physical appearance genes from her
father’s side of the family which are dominate
genes; brunette hair, large hands and feet. Her
personality is much like her mother’s that she
received through heredity. Both of these things
that make Sheila, Shelia are known as her
phenotype.
Sheila is currently in middle adulthood. Her
chorological age is 44, so she is in the
beginning part of this developmental stage of
the human life span. Sheila is starting to
display some signs of aging. She does not have
grey hair or age spots but you can tell her face
is starting to age. She uses ointments and
creams to try to prevent age spots and keep her
skin looking slightly younger. Since she is in
the beginning of middle adulthood her
strength, joints, and bones have not
noticeably declined. Sheila has always had
perfect vision but she is starting to notice a
slight decline. Sheila has never had good
sleeping patterns. Her body is still used to
Genes- units of heredity information (Santrock, 2011)
Genotype- genetic heritage (Santrock, 2011)
Phenotype- way the child’s genotype is expressed in
observed and measurable characteristics (Santrock, 2011,
pg 60)
Genetic Principles- Dominant-recessive genes, sex-linked
genes, genetic imprinting, and polygenetic inheritance are
genetic principles that show why a genotype is expressed.
(Santrock, 2011)
Middle adulthood- the developmental period that begins
at about 40 to 45 years of age that extends to 60 to 65
years of age. (Santrock, 2011)
Visible signs- In middle adulthood there are visible signs
of aging. In this stage of life skin begins to wrinkle and
sag, individuals start to have aging spots, they start to
display grey and thining hair. In todays society many
individuals use dyes and oinments to try to appear more
youthful, some even use plastic surgry because of our
culures. (Santrock, 2011)
Strength, joints, and bones- In middle adulthood the
term sarcopenia refers to the natural loss of muscle mass
and strength because of aging. Around 50 individuals
reduce about 1 to 2% each year. This is also a time in
development when joints become stiff and difficulty in
Elise Schmidt
Developmental Psychology
Adulthood Comparisons
7
Cognitive Development
(Also remember to comment
on normal vs. atypical
development using textbook
information to support your
conclusions)
working at night and being a mother by day.
During her adulthood she has never received
the recommended amount of sleep but now is
noticing that she does not sleep constant when
she does. After she had her two children Sheila
had developed very bad ovarian cysts and had
ovarian cancer. When she was 25 and still
going through early adulthood she had to have
her reproductive organs removed because of
the cancer and cysts. Due to her surgery Sheila
will not experience menopause in middle
adulthood, but went through a less version of it
in her early adulthood.
movement. Bone density also starts to slowly decline in
the beginning of middle adulthood than starts to rapidly
decline around 50. Women decline in bone mass more
than men. (Santrock, 2011)
Vision and hearing- In middle adulthood individuals start
to have difficulties focusing in on close objects. Hearing
also starts to decline starting with high pitch frequency.
(Santrock, 2011)
Sleep- During this stage in development individuals sleep
about the same amount of hours as in early adulthood but
wake more frequently in their sleep and loose more of
their stage 4 sleep. (Santrock, 2011)
Menopause- cessation of a woman’s menstrual periods,
usually in the late forties and fifties. (Santrock, 2011)
Sheila has increased in her cognitive
development over her life span. She has
impeccable verbal skills and has gained a lot of
information over the years. Her constant drive
to know more and her life experiences have
given her Crystallized Intelligence. Now that
she is in this stage of life she is going to be
able to reason less abstract more and more and
have fluid intelligence. Since she is new to
middle adulthood she still can process
information with the same amount of speed.
As she grows more into middle adulthood this
will start to decline. She still has a very good
working memory. Her work, family, and
hobbies help this because she is constantly
Crystallized Intelligence- accumulated information and
verbal skills, which increases in middle adulthood
according to Horn. (Santrock, 2011)
Fluid intelligence- the ability to reason abstractly, which
begins to decline from middle adulthood on, according to
Horn. (Santrock, 2011)
Speed of Information Processing- In middle adulthood
the speed of processing information begins to decline. A
simple way to test this is through reaction time testing.
(Santrock, 2011)
Working memory- the mental “workbench”, where
individuals manipulate and assemble information when
decision making, problem solving, and comprehending
language. (Santrock, 2011)
Work in Midlife- During this stage work is the centeral
Elise Schmidt
Developmental Psychology
Adulthood Comparisons
8
using cognitive skills like problem solving,
decision making, and comprehending
language. Sheila is facing the choice many
adults are now facing in this time in the United
States; should I stay in my career or find
something else? Sheila loves her job but there
is no more room to go up and adults have to
work longer and have less retirement at this
time in our country. She is faced with the
question of do I want to do this for twenty
more years and can I? Sheila works with
children with various mental disorders and
behavioral problems. Some of them demand a
lot of physical labor and she may not be able to
this career for as long as she needs to. She is
faced with the debate if going back to school is
worth the expenses and the time. Going back
to school would eliminate her leisure time.
Sheila would have less time for puzzles,
crosswords, gardening, household
responsibilities and her grandchildren.
Sheila has been religious throughout her life
and has not become more since entering
middle adulthood. She has found meaning in
life though. Sheila has found meaning in being
a parent and always being there, by being a
grandmother (Oma), and by always trying to
help others. Sheila has obtained a lot of
knowledge and humor from her interaction
with her friends, family, and children she
works with; Vygotsky’s theory.
part of ones life. Most individuals have reached their peak
in their career, but some may also be facing financial
burdens. (Santrock, 2011)
Career Challenges and Changes- In this century many
individuals have had career changes because they needed
to or were self motivated. (Santrock, 2011)
Leisure- the pleasant time after work when individuals are
free to pursue activities and intrests of their own choosing.
(Santrock, 2011)
Religion and Adult Lives- Many individuals in middle
adulthood increase their spiritual beliefs. (Santrock,
2011)
Meaning in Life- In this stage of life individuals search
through meaning in life and their uniqueness. They have
wants to find there purpose, values, sense of efficacy, and
self-worth. (Santrock, 2011)
Vygotsky’s theory- individual does actively construct their
knowledge and understanding by being social and through
social interaction.
Elise Schmidt
Developmental Psychology
Adulthood Comparisons
9
Psychological/Social/Emo
tional Development
(Also remember to comment
on normal vs. atypical
development using textbook
information to support your
conclusions)
Influences of family,
peers, education, and
media
Sheila’s life revolves around her children and
her grandchildren. She is in Erikson’s seventh
stage and displays it. She is always there when
her children or grandchildren need her in any
way. Becoming a grandmother or an Oma as
her grandchildren would say has dramatically
changed her life and her development. This is
one of the biggest events to occur within her
life and has shown a positive example of
Contemporary life-events approach. Sheila
has met the social clock because in early
adulthood she had married, had children, and
found a career. In terms of personality
according to the Big Five factors of
personality Sheila is imaginative, very routine,
and independent in terms of openness. Sheila
is organized, careful, and disciplined in
conscientiousness. In extraversion she is
affectionate, fun-loving, and retiring. Sheila’s
agreeable personality is softhearted, trusting,
and helpful. Sheila in terms of emotional
stability is anxious, secure, and self-satisfied.
Generatively Verse Stagnation- Erikson’s seventh
developmental stage where individuals feel the need to
help the younger generation to lead a useful life.
(Santrock, 2011)
Contemporary life-events approach- approach
emphasizing that how a life event influences the
individuals development depends not only on the life
event but also on the mediating factors, the individuals
adaptation to the life event, the life stage context, and the
sociohistorical context. (Santrock, 2011)
Social Clock- the timetable according to which
individuals are expected to accomplish life tasks; getting
married, having children, and establishing their career.
(Santrock, 2011)
Big Five factors of personality- emotional stability,
extraversion, and openness to experience, agreeableness,
and conscientiousness. (Santrock, 2011)
Sheila is greatly influenced by family in
middle adulthood. First she is influenced by
her husband, Matthew. In their marriage they
Love and marriage at midlife- During this stage in
development affection and compassion in love increase
during this time. The majority of adults during studies
Elise Schmidt
Developmental Psychology
Adulthood Comparisons
10
Cultural Influences (This
can include socioeconomic
differences, different cultures,
race, ethnic, religious
differences, rural/urban, etc.)
hold both affection and compassion. They are
both greatly satisfied with their marriage and
benefit from it. She has not experienced the
empty nest syndrome in her development. This
may be due to only having a short time when
both of her children had moved out of her
home. Her son had only moved out a little over
a year before moving back home. During this
time period she had already became a
grandparent and had her grandchildren over at
least once a week. Sheila is very close with
one of her sisters and sees her very frequently.
She has three siblings, but one has passed
away and suffered from mental retardation,
and her other sister lives in another state.
Sheila is rewarded in every way from being a
grandparent. Although her two grandsons do
not live with her they are there very often.
have increased satisfaction in their marriage during
middle adulthood. Those who get divorced during this
time were mainly those who stayed together just for their
children. (Santrock, 2011)
Empty nest syndrome- decreases in marital satisfaction
after the children leave home, because parents derive
considerable satisfaction from their children. (Santrock,
2011)
Sibling Relationships- Sibling relationships last entire
life span typically and grow. In this stage they may be
extremely close, apathetic, and highly rivalrous.
(Santrock, 2011)
Grand parenting- Most parents become grandparents
during this stage in life and play important roles in their
grandchildren’s lives. Being a grandparent gives an
individual biological reward and continuity, emotional
self-fulfillment, or a remote role. In the United States the
number of grandchildren that live with their grandparents
is increasing year by year.
Ecological theory- development reflects the influence of
several environments. (Santrock, 2011)
Social cognitive theory- the view of pschologist who
emphasize behavior, enviroment, and cognition as the key
factors in development. (Santrock, 2011)
Sheila is born and raised in the United States
where middle adulthood exist and is
considered a stage in development. She is
influenced by her culture. Her values, morals,
religion, and health have all been influenced
by culture. Sheila has been influenced by her
Socioeconomic Status throughout her
Cultural Context- In other cultures especially those that
are non industrialized middle adulthood does not exist
there is simply young and old. In these cultures women
are often relieved of certain duties during this stage in
development and they have the right to have authority
over the younger individuals. (Santrock, 2011)
Socioeconomic Status- grouping of people with similar
Elise Schmidt
Developmental Psychology
Adulthood Comparisons
11
development. Her friends are all very similar
in economic status and the majority of them
graduated with her.
occupation, education, and economic status. (Santrock,
2011,PG10)
Culture- the behavioral patterns, beliefs, and all other
products of a group passed on from one generation to the
next. (Santrock, 2011,pg.10)
Late Adult
Genetic Influences
Biological/Physical
Development
(Also remember to comment
on normal vs. atypical
development using textbook
information to support your
conclusions)
Adult (Describe the characteristics of the Adult for
Developmental Concepts and Theories (Explain concepts
each domain or category listed on the left)
/theories to explain the characteristics of the adult you described in
the first column)
Carol has been genetically influenced by her
genes. All of the genetic influences she
received are referred to as her genotype. Carol
shows physical appearance genes from her
mother’s side of the family which are
dominating genes; brunette hair, her height.
Her personality is much like her mother’s that
she received through heredity. Both of these
things that make Carol who she is are known
as her phenotype.
Carol has not yet reached the maximum years
in the human life, but her life expectancy could
possibly reach to that because of modern
medicine. Carol is in the old-old category in
late adulthood because she is chronologically
75 years old. Carol’s cells because of her age
aging have less capacity states the cellular
clock theory. Inside Carol’s cells normal
metabolism is producing unstable oxygen
Genes- units of heredity information (Santrock, 2011)
Genotype- genetic heritage (Santrock, 2011)
Phenotype- way the child’s genotype is expressed in
observed and measurable characteristics (Santrock, 2011,
pg 60)
Genetic Principles- Dominant-recessive genes, sex-linked
genes, genetic imprinting, and polygenetic inheritance are
genetic principles that show why a genotype is expressed.
(Santrock, 2011)
Life span- the upper boundary of life, the maximum
number of years an individual can live. The maximum life
span of human beings is about 120 to 125. (Santrock,
2011)
Life expectancy- the number of years that will probably
be lived by the average person born into a particular year.
(Santrock, 2011)
Young old- 65 to 74 years of age (Santrock, 2011)
Old-old- 75 years and older (Santrock, 2011)
Elise Schmidt
Developmental Psychology
Adulthood Comparisons
12
molecules known as free radicals. Her body is
also decaying mitochondria causing her to age.
Due to Carol’s aging her brain has started to
loss mass and weight. This however does not
mean she can not function. Carol’s brain has
adapted to aging and the affects of it.In late
adulthood individuals are more likely to get
sick and have disease. To prevent getting sick
Carol recieves her influenza shot and a few
others to try and prevent her from getting sick
from her weaking immune system. In late
adulthood Carol has slowly showed more and
more physical signs of aging. Carol has grey
thin hair, aging spots, wrinkles and has
decreased in height. She also is slower in her
everyday movement. Tasks around the house
that used to take ten minutes may now take
twenty. Carols’ vision has also started to
decrease. Since entering late adulthood she has
gotten glasses. Carol also had catarcts in
which the glasses helped at first, but she ended
up having to have surgrey to see more clearly.
After the surgrey she was in shock in how well
and clear she could see after living with
catarcts and being used to seeing with them.
Carol has yet to show signs of the other senses
decling such as hearing, taste, and touch.
Carol is very sociable and drinks often. She is
not an alcoholic and does not use any other
substance. At her age it is uncommon to drink
like she does.
Carol does daily strength excercises and leads
Oldest-old- 85 and older (Santrock, 2011)
Evolutionary Theory of aging- the theory states that
natural selection has not eliminated many harmful
conditions and nonadaptive charachteristics in older
adults; thus, the benefits conferred by evolutionary theory
decline with age because natural selection is linked to
reproductive fitness. (Santrock, 2011)
Cellular clock theory- Leonard Hayflick’s theory that the
maximum number of times that human cells can divide is
about 75 to 80. As we age, our cells have less capacity to
age. (Santrock, 2011)
Free-radical theory- a microbiological theory of aging
that states that people age because inside their cells
normal mentabolism produces unstable oxygen molecules
known as free-radicals. These molecules ricochet around
inside cells, damaging DNA and other cellular structures.
(Santrock, 2011)
Mitochondrial theory- the theory that aging is caused by a
decay of mitochondria, tiny cellular bodies that supply
energy for function, growth, and repair. (Santrock, 2011)
Hormonal stress theory- the theory that aging in the
body’s hormonal system can lower resistence to stress and
increase the likelihood of disease. (Santrock, 2011)
The shrinking, slowing brain- In this stage of life
individuals loose brain weight and volume. This affects
physical and intellutual performance. (Santrock, 2011)
The adapting brain- In this stage of life an individuals
brain is unlike a computer because the brain does not
loose all function and ability. Only a small amount of it is
lost. They also can develop neurogensis; the generation
of new neurons. (Santrock, 2011)
The immune system- Individuals in late adulthood
Elise Schmidt
Developmental Psychology
Adulthood Comparisons
13
an active life style. She was a farmer the
majority of her life and lives by the thought
that when you stop moving you start dieing.
Carol does not diet but takes vitamins daily.
She eats three meals a day with a variety of
food and nutrition in them.
experience a weaking immune system that proper diet and
exersize can help. (Santrock, 2011)
Physical Apperance and Movement- Since middle
adulthood individuals in this stage have been physically
changing in appearance and in this stage are very imparent
by wrinkles, dark spots, decrease in height, and lower
weight. In every day tasks individuals in this stage of
development move slower than in previous stages.
(Santrock, 2011)
Vision- In this stage of life individuals vision has
noticably decreased and they have a difficult time with
dark adaptation.
Cataracts- are a disease of the eyes where the lens of the
eye thickens distorting vision and making it appear
cloudy. At age 70 about 30% of individuals have vision
problems due to cataracts. They can be helped by glasses
or surgrey if the glasses fail to help improve the vision.
(Santrock, 2011)
Hearing- In late adulthood hearing declines and often
individuals do not relize this gradual decline. Earing aids
and cochlear implants are two options to help individuals
with hearing. (Santrock, 2011)
Smell and Taste- Individuals are 60 begin to loose some
of their smell and taste and sometimes both. At around 80
individuals loss a majority of ability to smell. These
declines can decrease an individuals satisfaction with life
and enjoyment of food. (Santrock, 2011)
Touch and Pain- In this stage of development individuals
in late adulthood loss some touch sensitivty and this can
be hazardous for them. (Santrock, 2011)
Substance Use and Abuse- Medication use in this stage
of life is very common and can be dangerous because of
Elise Schmidt
Developmental Psychology
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14
use of alcohol or other drugs. Individuals in late adulthood
are not very likely to binge drink or use alcohol at all. In
this age substance abuse is often over looked in the United
States and some individuals abuse prescription drugs and
illict drugs. (Santrock, 2011)
Exercise- Adults are happy and healthier if they are
active. Although individuals in this stage have naturally
declined and move slower they should not spend their
time passively. Strength training is strongly recommended
for this age range of individuals. (Santrock, 2011)
Nutrition and Weight- individuals in late adulthood have
two reasoning’s for being under nutrition; vitamin and
mineral deficiency and calorie restriction. (Santrock,
2011)
Cognitive Development
(Also remember to comment
on normal vs. atypical
development using textbook
information to support your
conclusions)
As Carol ages more and more into late
adulthood the speed she can process things will
decline with every birthday. She wills however
skill have acquired skills like reading and
writing and not lose her ability to speak or
understand what others are saying because of
the speed reduction time. Carol still has the
ability to have good selective attention. She
often goes to bars and restaurants or at family
events where children are running around
every where can still hear what you are saying
and focus on the conversation. In simple tasks
like baking and talking on the phone Carol can
still have divided attention.
Carol being old-old in late adulthood still has a
very good memory. She can tell you where she
was during certain historical moments, where
Cognitive mechanics- the “hardware” of the mind,
reflecting the neurophysiological architecture of the brain.
Cognitive mechanics involve the speed and accuracy of
the processes involving sensory input, visual and motor
memory, discrimination, comparison, and categorization.
(Santrock, 2011)
Cognitive pragmatics- the cultural based “software
programs” of the mind. Cognitive pragmatics include
reading and writing skills, language and comprehension,
educational qualifications, professional skills, and also the
type of knowledge about the self and life skills that help
us master or cope with life. (Santrock, 2011)
Selective attention- focusing on a specific aspect of
experience that is relevant while ignoring others that are
irrelevant. (Santrock, 2011)
Divided attention- concentrating on more than one
activity at one time. (Santrock, 2011)
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her first date was, or memories as a little girl.
She worked as a bank teller for many years and
can recall moments, memories, and knows all
that her job required. Due to this she is still
very good at where to put money, when to take
it out and how much should go into it. Carol
usually used to go shopping without a list but
recently she has been jotting down important
items so she does not forget to buy them.
Carol still has a good memory for being in late
adulthood. She is responsible and remembers
everything she needs to do in the present and
future.
Carol is in control of her life and although
retired still makes money of off interests and
stocks. She has made great choices her entire
life and that has not changed because of age.
She has lived and been through a lot and when
she talks to you a person should listen and take
in her knowledge. Carol still takes care of the
finances and is constantly keeping busy.
Carol and her husband are retired now. She
used to be a bank teller and a farmer while
raising four children. She has always had great
work ethic and has only slowed down a little.
She has been retired for almost twenty years
now.
Carol does not suffer from depression, but she
has had her share of sadness in late adulthood.
Four years ago her oldest child passed away.
He had suffered from strokes and lost his battle
with cancer. She found peace of mind through
Episodic memory- the retention of information about the
when or the where of life’s happenings. (Santrock, 2011)
Semantic memory- a person’s knowledge about the
world-including a person’s filed of experience, general
academic knowledge of the sort learned in school and
everyday knowledge. (Santrock, 2011)
Explicit memory- memory of facts and experiences that
individuals consciously know and can state. (Santrock,
2011)
Implicit memory- memory without conscious recollection;
involves skills and routine procedures that are
atomatically preformed. (Santrock, 2011)
Source memory- the ability to remember where one
learned something. (Santrock, 2011)
Prospective memory- remembering to do something in the
future. (Santrock, 2011)
Decision making- Many adults in lateadulthood skill have
the ability to make good decisions on their own.
(Santrock, 2011)
Wisdom- expert knowledge about the pratical aspects of
life that permits excellent judgement about important
matters. (Santrock, 2011)
Work- Individuals in this generation were more likely to
be manul laborers than another type of cognitive work.
(Santrock, 2011)
Use it or Lose it- Not using cognitive skills can be the
result in declining or losing the skills. (Santrock, 2011)
Retirement- in the united states retirement for the
individuals that are now in late adulthood is mainly
possible because of social security. Individuals will spend
10 to 15% of their lives retired in the United States. Many
individuals return to work after retirement.
Elise Schmidt
Developmental Psychology
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16
Psychological/Social/Emo
tional Development
(Also remember to comment
on normal vs. atypical
development using textbook
information to support your
conclusions)
religion, knowing he was not suffering
anymore and in a better place. Carol was raised
in a religious home and has been religious her
entire life and has not gained any more
spirituality from late adulthood than she had
previously. Carol is a social butterfly. Since
retirement and even before her husband and
her partake in many church socials or events in
the community. If there is a new restaurant
they have tried it. She also gets her hair done
once a week and socializes with all of the
different people in the beauty salon.
Depression- Individuals are less likely to have depression
than young adults. One reason due to less financial
burdens. (Santrock, 2011)
Religion- Individuals in late adulthood are likely to have
some spiritual belief or religion. These indiviuals are more
satisfied with their life and are provided with
psychological help with aging and life meaning. It can
also provide social activities and social support.
(Santrock, 2011)
Vygotsky’s theory- individual’s actively constructed their
knowledge and understanding by being social and through
social interaction.
Social cognitive theory- the view of pschologist who
emphasize behavior, enviroment, and cognition as the key
factors in development. (Santrock, 2011)
Carol so far has lived a fulfilling life that she is
pleased with. She has done everything she has
wanted to do and has been blessed with
children, grandchildren, and great
grandchildren. Carol as stated before is a social
butterfly; she also still has small farm
obligations, house duties, and babysits some of
her grandchildren. In her spare time she is
constantly baking and is nicknamed Betty
Crocker because of this. She has a large group
of friends and spends a great deal of time with
her family. She is still very close with her
brother, who is her only sibling and his entire
family. Carol is very optimistic but with her
aging her self-esteem has gone a little. She
makes sure to always try and look her best to
Erikson’s Integrity versus Despair- the eighth and final
stage in Erikson’s development that individuals
experience in late adulthood. This involves reflecting on
the past and either piecing together a positive review or
concluding that one’s life has not been well spent.
(Santrock, 2011)
Activity theory- the theory that the more active and
involved older adults are, the more likely they are to be
satisfied with their lives. (Santrock, 2011)
Socioemotional theory- the theory that older adults
become more selective about their social networks.
Because they place high value on emotional satisfaction,
older adults often spend more time with familiar
individuals with whom they have had rewarding
friendships. (Santrock, 2011)
Selective Optimization with Compensation theory- the
Elise Schmidt
Developmental Psychology
Adulthood Comparisons
17
Influences of family,
peers, education, and
media
help with this feeling.
theory that successful aging is related to three main
factors; selection, optimization, and compensation.
(Santrock, 2011)
Personality- some personality traits are associated with
morality. Optimistic adults have been found to live longer
than pestimistic individuals. (Santrock, 2011)
Self-esteem- In late adulthood the majority of individuals
start to decline in their self-esteem due to physical
decline. (Santrock, 2011)
Self-control- Individuals in this stage of life have more
control over their lives than in any previous stage.
(Santrock, 2011)
Carol is happily married but retirement has
made her marriage interesting. Her husband
sometimes breaks some of her kitchen
appliances just to fix them to fill his time.
Carol has a very close connection to her
daughters Sheila and DeAnna. They talk every
day, see each other at least once a week, and
go shopping together. Sheila and Carol are
very close because they live only ten miles
away from one another. DeAnna often sees
Carol more times a week because Carol
babysits her children. Carol has even baby sat
her great grandchildren who are currently each
three years old. Carol is very close with her
grandchildren and great grandchildren. To her
great grandchildren she is just like a grandma;
only older. She will even get on the floor and
play with them.
Married Older Adults- In this stage of life marriage puts
a lot of satifaction in individuals lives and is known as the
last stage in marriage. Husbands may not know what to do
with their time after retirement and both individuals need
to readjust their lives. (Santrock, 2011)
Older Adult Parents and their adult childrenIndividuals that are in late adulthood are very close to
their adult children and keep close to the family. Adult
daughters are three times as likely to be close with their
parents than sons. (Santrock, 2011)
Great-Grandparenting- In this time of life there is little
research on great grandparents because they are becoming
more common but were not before. (Santrock, 2011)
Ecological theory- development reflects the influence of
several environments pg27 (Santrock, 2011)
Elise Schmidt
Developmental Psychology
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18
Cultural Influences (This
can include socioeconomic
differences, different cultures,
race, ethnic, religious
differences, rural/urban, etc.)
Carol although retired still has many friends
from the farming community. Her social
network is manly made up of individuals that
have lived in the same community as her since
they were young.
Carol has been strongly influenced by culture
and the time period she was born. Her values,
morals, and work ethic reflect that. She still
caries many German traditions from her
household as a little girl. She is also greatly
influenced by living in the United States and
having the option to retire and receiving great
health care.
Socioeconomic Status- grouping of people with similar
occupation, education, and economic status. (Santrock,
2011,PG10)
Culture- the behavioral patterns, beliefs, and all other
products of a group passed on from one generation to the
next. (Santrock, 2011,pg.10)(Culture- There are three
things that promotes a good old age; heath, security, and
support. (Santrock, 2011)
Summarize five insights/conclusions about Adult Development as a result of your comparison of three adults.
1. In comparison with the three adults of ages 22, 44, and 75 my first insight was how much more we as individuals are
negatively affected by our culture with appearance. The more we age the more problems that individuals have with selfesteem because of our cultures push for perfection in the way we look. As we age our problems turn from financial to
physical appearance.
2. The second insight I noticed is as individual’s age they are less likely to abuse substances. Although substance abuse
is still a possibility at any age or developmental stage the percentage lessens as we age furtherer into our development.
Young adults who have more financial burdens and less money are more likely to buy substances and use them or abuse
them and as individuals grow and become more financially stable they are less likely to use or abuse substances.
3. An insight that I received from comparing these three adults is how important finding love is in life and why it may be
hard for some couples to stay in love or married. As young adults finding love is pushed and keeping it with starting a
career and financial difficulties takes a toll, but the more you develop the problems you face are different. Love and
marriage never gets easy and will always take work and commitment.
Elise Schmidt
Developmental Psychology
Adulthood Comparisons
19
4. Another insight that I received is that health should always be a concern. As we age our diet and how active our
lifestyle is will always dramatically affect us. I see why now it is important to start eating right as a young adult and having
a routine of exercises or active lifestyle. It is also important to know your diet and know what you are receiving and what
you are not receiving to stay well nourished and not have any deficiencies.
5. The last insight I gained by comparing the adult developments is how adults no matter what age are always trying to
find purpose and be happy with their life. Finding their niche, being satisfied with life, and looking back at the past and
being content with choices never stops. Being the best you can be has to start at young adulthood. This gave me an
insight on how all of my choices now may affect me greatly in life.
Learning Plan 9: Scoring Guide 1 Adulthood Comparison
Target Competency(ies):




Evaluate the integration of genetics and environmental influences on development.
Analyze developmental issues related to physical/biological, cognitive, psychological/emotional
and social changes in early adulthood.
Analyze developmental issues related to physical/biological, cognitive, psychological/emotional
and social changes in middle adulthood.
Analyze developmental issues related to physical/biological, cognitive, psychological/emotional
and social changes in late adulthood.
Elise Schmidt
Developmental Psychology
Adulthood Comparisons
20
Scoring Standards:
10 points - Criterion is met in an outstanding way. Outstanding work is informative, clear, thoughtful,
thorough, specific, accurate, relevant, consistent, detailed, precise, logical, fluent, purposeful, and
valid. Complex course content is accurately applied, analyzed, synthesized and/or evaluated in a
coherent, yet concise manner. Overall impression is "Wow!"
9 points - Criterion is met in an acceptable way. Acceptable work is characterized by minor errors,
flaws, or omissions. Overall impression is "Good job."
8 points - Criterion is met in an adequate way. Adequate work shows understanding, comprehension
and/or application but at a superficial level. Work is characterized by minimal or generalized
supporting details, errors, flaws, omissions of information, inconsistency, lack of fluency, disjointed
information, and/or information that is irrelevant, invalid, or inaccurate. Response may lack clarity or
purpose. Overall impression is "Adequate job."
4 points - Criterion is substandard and needs improvement. Substandard work is characterized by
inconsistency, rambling, weak or no development of ideas, errors, missing and/or inaccurate
information, failure to adequately apply course content or to show understanding/comprehension of
course content. Response is unclear, or not relevant, valid or logical. Overall impression is "Off the
mark!"
0 points - Criterion is not addressed.
Criteria
Values
You evaluate the impact of genetic influences on
adulthood.
10 9 8 4 0
You describe the predictable biological changes in
early, middle, and late adulthood.
10 9 8 4 0
You describe the predictable cognitive changes in
early, middle, and late adulthood.
10 9 8 4 0
You describe the predictable psychological, social
and emotional changes in early, middle, and late
adulthood.
10 9 8 4 0
You describe the Influences of family, peers,
education, and media in early, middle, and late
adulthood.
10 9 8 4 0
You identify the impact of culture on development
in early, middle, and late adulthood.
10 9 8 4 0
You apply the psychoanalytic, cognitive,
10 9 8 4 0
Elise Schmidt
Developmental Psychology
Adulthood Comparisons
21
behavioral, and contextual theories (ethological
and ecological theories) of development to early,
middle, and late adulthood.
You differentiate between normal and abnormal
development in early, middle, and late adulthood.
10 9 8 4 0
You apply terminology appropriate to
development in early, middle, and late adulthood.
10 9 8 4 0
You summarize insights about adulthood
development.
10 9 8 4 0
CORE ABILITIES - COMMUNICATE CLEARLY
CORE ABILITIES COMMUNICATE CLEARLY
You demonstrate mastery of grammar, spelling,
punctuation, capitalization, word usage and
sentence structure.
10 9 8 4 0
Your writing is organized (paragraphs, headings
and subheadings, or other organizational
devices), clear (it's easy to read and understand),
concise (you use action verbs; you do not ramble
or include irrelevant information), and cohesive
(words and ideas flow logically from one idea,
sentence and/or paragraph to another).
10 9 8 4 0
You use third person voice throughout the paper.
10 9 8 4 0
CORE ABILITIES - THINK CRITICALLY AND
CREATIVELY
CORE ABILITIES THINK CRITICALLY AND CREATIVELY
You use language that is free from bias (including
loaded language), obscenities, and absolutes (all,
always, everyone, no one, totally, all of the time,
etc.).
10 9 8 4 0
You provide sufficient, specific, valid, relevant
support (i.e., facts. reasons, examples, details,
statistics, anecdotes and quotes) to aid in
understanding your ideas and information, and to
10 9 8 4 0
Elise Schmidt
Developmental Psychology
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support your conclusions and/or opinions.
CORE ABILITIES - ACT RESPONSIBLY
CORE ABILITIES ACT RESPONSIBLY
You provide APA formatted in-text citations and
references to document your sources of
information. (NOTE: Using ideas or information
that are not your own without documentation is
plagiarism).
10 9 8 4 0
You follow directions (followed Formatting
Requirements, APA Requirements, included name
on assignment, saved document per directions).
10 9 8 4 0
Total Points Possible
170
Total Points Earned
Percent grade = Total Points Earned divided by
Total Points Possible
You meet deadlines. (Points subtracted from
Points Earned score)
Submitted without scoring guide (Points
subtracted from Points Earned score)
Final Grade/Percent
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- 5 percentage points if
submitted after the due date
- 5 percentage points if
submitted without the scoring guide