Presentation Plus! Understanding Psychology
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CHAPTER FOCUS
SECTION 1 Adulthood
SECTION 2 Old Age
SECTION 3 Dying and Death
CHAPTER SUMMARY
CHAPTER ASSESSMENT
3
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Chapter Objectives
Section 1: Adulthood
• Describe the shifting priorities and outlooks
on life that occur from adolescence
throughout the remainder of life. 
Section 2: Old Age
• Discuss how our priorities and
expectations change to match realities
during old age.
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the information.
Chapter Objectives (cont.)
Section 3: Dying and Death
• Understand that most people face death
by going through stages or an adjustment
process.
5
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Reader’s Guide
Main Idea
– Adulthood is a time of transition-it involves
shifting priorities and outlooks on life from
adolescence and throughout the remainder
of life. 
Objectives
– Characterize the physical changes that take
place during adulthood. 
– Describe the social and emotional changes
that occur during adulthood.
7
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information. Section 1 begins on page 129 of your textbook.
Reader’s Guide (cont.)
Vocabulary
– menopause 
– generativity 
– stagnation
Click the Speaker button
to listen to Exploring
Psychology.
8
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information. Section 1 begins on page 129 of your textbook.
Introduction
• Many people face questions and
adjustment in adulthood. 
• What is adulthood like? 
• For one thing, adulthood is a period when
opposite factors affect lives. 
• There is change and sameness,
success and failure, crisis and stability, joy
and sadness.
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Introduction (cont.)
• Adulthood can be a time when a person
matures fully into what he or she is, or it
can be a time when life closes in and what
was once possibility is now limitation. 
• How each of us reacts depends on
circumstances and our general outlook
on life.
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Physical Changes
• One theory of aging claims that our
bodies age as a result of breakdowns in
our body’s cells. 
• In general, young adults are at their
physical peak between the ages of 18
and 30. 
• This is the period when we are the
strongest, healthiest, and have the
quickest reflexes. 
• In middle age, appearance changes.
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Physical Changes (cont.)
• With time the senses require more and
more stimulation. 
• During their 40s, most people begin
having difficulty seeing distant objects,
adjusting to the dark, and focusing on
printed pages, even if their eyesight has
always been good. 
• Many experience a gradual or sudden
loss of hearing in their later years. 
• In addition, reaction time slows.
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How Our Bodies Age
13
Health Problems
• Some of the changes we associate with
growing older are the result of the natural
processes of aging; others result from
simple disuse and abuse. 
• Three of the most common causes of
death in later adulthood–heart disease,
cancer, and cirrhosis of the liver–may be
encouraged by the fast-moving lifestyle
of young adults. 
• All three of these contributing factors are
psychological, although their ultimate
effects have biological consequences.
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Menopause
• Between the ages of 45 and 50, every
woman experiences a stage called the
climacteric, which represents all of the
psychological and biological changes
occurring at that time. 
• A woman’s production of sex hormones
drops sharply–a biological event called
menopause.
menopause
the biological event in which a
woman’s production of sex
hormones is sharply reduced
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Menopause (cont.)
• One study shows that the negative effects
of menopause are greatly exaggerated. 
• Many said the worst part of menopause
was not knowing what to expect
(Neugarten et al., 1963). 
• Men do not go through any biological
change equivalent to menopause. 
• It appears as if men go through
psychological changes related to
expectations about work, the death of
parents, illness, and aging in general.
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Marriage and Divorce
• About 90 percent of adults in the
United States will marry at some time
in their lives. 
• Forty to sixty percent of new marriages,
though, end in divorce. 
• Researchers who have performed
longitudinal studies on married couples
have proposed that success or failure
largely depends on two factors: how
couples handle conflicts and how
often couples share intimate and
happy moments.
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Sexual Behavior
• Studies have shown that sexual activity
does not automatically decline with age. 
• Indeed, as sex researchers William
Masters and Virginia Johnson point out,
there is no physiological reason for
stopping sexual activity with advancing
age (1970). 
• Those who are inactive cite boredom with
a partner of long standing, poor physical
condition or illness, or acceptance of the
stereotype of loss of sex drive with aging
(Mulligan & Moss, 1991).
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Cognitive Changes
• People are better at learning new skills
and information in their mid-20s than
they were in adolescence. 
• At one time many psychologists thought
that intellectual development peaked in
the mid-20s and then declined; further
investigation revealed that some parts
of these tests measure speed, not
intelligence. 
• Even with a decline in speed, people
continue to acquire information and expand
their vocabularies as they grow older.
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Social and Personal Development
• An individual’s basic character–his or her
style of adapting to situations–is
relatively stable over the years. 
• Despite the stability of character, people
do face many changes in their lifetimes
and adjust accordingly. 
• Adults encounter new developmental
tasks, just as adolescents do. 
• Learning the skills needed to cope with
change seems to occur in stages for both
adult males and females.
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Levinson’s Theory of
Male Development
• Daniel Levinson proposed a model of
adult development for men. 
• There is similarity between Levinson’s
eras and the last three of the eight stages
of Erikson’s psychosocial theory, which
was discussed in Chapter 3. 
• Between these eras, Levinson identified
important transition periods at ages 30,
40, 50, and 60 that last approximately
5 years.
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Levinson’s Theory of
Male Development (cont.)
Entering the Adult World
• From about age 22 to age 28, the young
man is considered, both by himself and
by society, to be a novice in the adult
world–not fully established as a man, but
no longer an adolescent. 
• During this time, he must attempt to resolve
the conflict between the need to explore
the options of the adult world and the need
to establish a stable life structure.
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Levinson’s Theory of
Male Development (cont.)
The Age-Thirty Crisis
• Levinson’s data reveal that the years
between 28 and 30 are often a major
transitional period. 
• The thirtieth birthday can truly be a
turning point; it could be called the “agethirty crisis.” 
• During this transitional period, the tentative
commitments that were made in the first
life structure are reexamined.
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Levinson’s Theory of
Male Development (cont.)
Settling Down
• The questioning and searching that are
part of the age-thirty crisis begin to be
resolved as the second adult-life
structure develops. 
• Levinson found that near the end of the
settling-down period, approximately
between the ages of 36 and 40, there is a
distinctive BOOM phase–“becoming one’s
own man.”
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Levinson’s Theory of
Male Development (cont.)
The Midlife Transition
• At about age 40, the period of early
adulthood comes to an end and the
midlife transition begins. 
• From about age 40 to 45, the man begins
again to ask questions, but now the
questions concern the past as well as
the future. 
• Often a successful midlife transition is
accompanied by the man’s becoming a
mentor to a younger man.
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Levinson’s Theory of
Male Development (cont.)
The Midlife Transition
• This mentoring event signals the
attainment, in Erik Erikson’s terms,
of generativity. 
• By generativity, Erikson means the desire
to use one’s wisdom to guide future
generations–directly, as a parent, or
indirectly.
generativity
the desire, in middle age,
to use one’s accumulated
wisdom to guide future
generations
26
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Levinson’s Theory of
Male Development (cont.)
The Midlife Transition
• Stagnation can also occur. 
• A man may choose to hang on to
the past. 
• Or, he may become preoccupied with his
health or bitter about the direction his life
has taken.
stagnation
a discontinuation of
development and a desire to
recapture the past
27
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Levinson’s Theory of
Male Development (cont.)
Middle Adulthood
• The late 40s is a time when true adulthood
can be achieved. 
• The man who finds satisfactory solutions to
his life crisis reaches a period of stability. 
• For the man who is not as fortunate, this
period can be a time of extreme frustration
and unhappiness. 
• Instead of generativity, there is stagnation;
instead of change and improvement, there
is a mood of resignation to a bad situation.
28
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Levinson’s Theory of Male
Development
29
Female Development
• While many men experience a crisis at
midlife, married women at midlife may be
facing fewer demands in their traditional
task as mother. 
• For many, this means greater personal
freedom. 
• Rather than a time of crisis, it is a time of
opportunity for those who opted to have a
family first. 
• Evidence generally does not support the
existence of a midlife crisis for most
women in today’s world (Berger, 1994).
30
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Female Development (cont.)
The “Empty Nest” Syndrome
• A significant event in many women’s lives
is the departure from home of the last
child. 
• Contrary to popular belief, this event need
not be traumatic. 
• Of course, not all women experience the
same sense of new freedom. 
• Psychologists have found that a stable
marriage makes a difference.
31
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Female Development (cont.)
Depression in Midlife
• Depression can affect people of all ages,
but it is most common among middleaged women. 
• During the early years of a woman’s life,
she may derive a sense of personal worth
from her roles of daughter, lover, wife, and
mother. 
• These relationships change as children
grow, parents die, or marriages fail.
32
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Section Assessment
Review the Vocabulary What is
menopause? What physical
reactions does it cause?
Menopause is the biological event in
which a woman’s production of sex
hormones is sharply reduced. The
physical reactions include an end to
ovulation and menstruation.
33
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Section Assessment (cont.)
Visualize the Main Idea Use a
flowchart similar to the one shown
on page 136 of your textbook to
summarize Levinson’s theory of
male development.
Flowcharts should reflect an
understanding of: entering the adult
world; the “age-thirty crisis”; settling
down; the midlife transition; and
middle adulthood.
34
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Section Assessment (cont.)
Recall Information How do
generativity and stagnation affect a
person’s midlife transition?
A person with opportunities to share
wisdom with future generations will
likely begin doing so during midlife
transition. At the other end of the
spectrum are those who choose to
cling to the past. They experience
stagnation during midlife transition.
35
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Section Assessment (cont.)
Recall Information How do the
intelligence abilities of young adults
and older adults differ?
The intelligence abilities of young
adults and older adults are similar,
except that the vocabulary of older
adults continues to expand, as does
their ability to comprehend new
material and to think flexibly.
36
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Section Assessment (cont.)
A number of factors influence social
and personality development in later
life, including gender, occupation,
and ethnic or cultural background.
Discuss how these factors as well
as personal habits, interests, worries,
lifestyle, and opportunities affect
the adjustment that people make
as they age.
37
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Reader’s Guide
Main Idea
– As we age, our priorities and expectations
change to match realities, and we experience
losses as well as gains. 
Objectives
– Identify changes that occur in health and life
situation during old age. 
– Summarize how people physically, mentally,
and socially adjust to old age.
39
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information. Section 2 begins on page 137 of your textbook.
Reader’s Guide (cont.)
Vocabulary
– decremental model of aging 
– ageism 
– senile dementia 
– Alzheimer’s disease
Click the Speaker button
to listen to Exploring
Psychology.
40
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information. Section 2 begins on page 137 of your textbook.
Introduction
• Many people believe that experiencing
problems in old age is inevitable. 
• In one big-city newspaper, the photograph
of a man celebrating his ninetieth birthday
was placed on the obituary page. 
• Many people tend to regard old age as
being just one step away from the grave. 
• Indeed, some would rather die than
grow old.
41
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Introduction (cont.)
• The fear of growing old is probably one
of the most common fears in our society. 
• We are surrounded with indications that
aging and old age are negative–or at best
something to ridicule. 
• Birthday cards make light of aging;
comedians joke about it. 
• Advertisements urge us to trade in older
products for the newer, faster model.
42
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Introduction (cont.)
• We encourage older workers to retire–
whether they want to retire or
keep working–and replace them with
younger people. 
• Many do not even want to use the word
old and instead refer to “golden agers”
and “senior citizens.”
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Attitudes Toward Aging
• Many of our attitudes about aging are
based on a decremental model of
aging, which holds that progressive
physical and mental decline is inevitable
with age. 
• In other words, chronological age is what
makes people “old.”
decremental model of aging
idea that progressive physical
and mental decline are
inevitable with age
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Attitudes Toward Aging (cont.)
• The prevalence of the decremental view
in our society can be explained in part by
ignorance and a lack of contact with
older people. 
• The result is a climate of prejudice against
the old. 
• A researcher coined the word ageism to
refer to this prejudice.
ageism
prejudice or discrimination
against the elderly
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Attitudes Toward Aging (cont.)
• Young people tend to believe that the old
suffer from poor health, live in poverty,
and are frequent victims of crime. 
• Such beliefs, however, affect stereotypes
of the elderly. 
• The notion that the aged withdraw from
life and sit around doing nothing is also
very common. 
• One misconception is the notion that older
people are inflexible or senile.
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Changes in Health
• Most people over 65 are in reasonably
good health; of course, physical strength
and the senses do decline. 
• About 40 percent of the elderly have at
least one chronic disease. 
• The quality of health care for the elderly
remains by and large inferior to that of the
general population. 
• For the 1 million old people who are no
longer able to care for themselves, there
are institutions.
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Changes in Life Situation
• For younger people, transitions in life–
graduation, marriage, parenthood–are
usually positive and create a deeper
involvement in life. 
• In late adulthood, transitions–retirement,
widowhood–are often negative and reduce
responsibilities and increase isolation. 
• The symptoms of depression are very
common in older adults. 
• On the positive side, older people
continue to learn and develop skills more
than ever before.
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Changes in Sexual Activity
• Just as young people tend to think
sexual activity diminishes at midlife,
they often believe it ceases altogether
in old age. 
• Yet the majority of people over the age of
65 continue to be interested in sex.
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Adjusting to Old Age
• Many of the changes the elderly face
make their adjustment to everyday life
more difficult because they represent a
loss of control over the environment. 
• The loss of control is usually gradual,
and it may involve both physical
changes (becoming sick or disabled)
and external circumstances (moving to
a nursing home). 
• Those who experience a loss of control
often develop a negative self-concept.
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Adjusting to Old Age (cont.)
• In order to help old people adjust, society
must make some basic changes. 
• Older people are beginning this process
themselves by supporting organizations
that lobby on social issues of importance
to them. 
• Attitudes toward old people are already
slowly changing. 
• Eventually a time will come when old age
will be considered the culmination of life,
not simply the termination.
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Percentage of Older Population
52
Changes in Mental Functioning
• As people age, there are also changes
in many of the mental functions they
use, although there is much less decline
in intelligence and memory than
people think. 
• John Horn (1982) has proposed two types
of intelligence: 
– Crystallized intelligence–the ability to use
accumulated knowledge and learning in
appropriate situations. 
– Fluid intelligence–the ability to solve abstract
relational problems and to generate new
hypotheses.
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Senile Dementia
• A small percentage of people develop
senile dementia in old age. 
• Senile dementia is a collective term that
describes conditions characterized by
memory loss, forgetfulness, disorientation
of time and place, a decline in the ability
to think, impaired attention, altered
personality, and difficulties in relating
to others.
senile dementia
decreases in mental abilities
experienced by some people
in old age
54
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Senile Dementia (cont.)
Alzheimer’s Disease
• The most common form of senile
dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. 
• Alzheimer’s disease is an affliction more
commonly seen among the elderly. 
• Alzheimer’s is a neurological disease
marked by a gradual deterioration of
cognitive functioning.
Alzheimer’s disease
a condition that destroys a
person’s ability to think,
remember, relate to others,
and care for herself or himself
55
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Senile Dementia (cont.)
Alzheimer’s Disease
• The causes of Alzheimer’s are complex
and still not completely understood. 
• Genetic susceptibility plays a role. 
• At present there is no cure. 
• Many patients and their caretakers
(usually their families) are offered
supportive therapy that helps them learn
to accept the relentless progression of the
disease and the limitations it imposes on
its victims.
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Section Assessment
Review the Vocabulary Describe
the decremental model of aging.
Is this an accurate model of
aging? Explain.
The decremental model of aging
holds that progressive physical and
mental decline is inevitable with age.
More realistically, great differences do
exist in physical conditions depending
on the genetic makeup and health of
the elderly.
57
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Section Assessment (cont.)
Visualize the Main Idea Use a
graphic organizer similar to the
one shown on page 143 of your
textbook to list and define the
two types of intelligence.
Crystallized intelligence is the ability to
use accumulated knowledge and
learning. Fluid intelligence is the ability
to solve abstract problems and
generate new hypotheses.
58
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Section Assessment (cont.)
Recall Information How do life
transitions in late adulthood differ
from those in early adulthood?
In early adulthood, changes are
positive and create a deeper
involvement in life. In late adulthood,
changes are likely to reduce
responsibility and increase isolation.
59
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Section Assessment (cont.)
Think Critically How might a person
differentiate between Alzheimer’s
disease and changes in mental
processes as a result of aging?
Although all nervous systems decline
with age, old people are generally still
able to remain vital and live
independently. People with
Alzheimer’s disease gradually lose
cognitive functioning to the point that
they lose their ability to comprehend
simple commands.
60
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Section Assessment (cont.)
Prepare a two-column chart titled
“Opinions on Old Age.” Label one
column Fiction and the other
column Fact. Fill in as many items
as possible that you have
discovered in reading this section.
61
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Reader’s Guide
Main Idea
– Death is inevitable. Most people face
death by going through stages or an
adjustment process. 
Objectives
– Identify the stages of dying. 
– Describe the services of hospices.
63
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Reader’s Guide (cont.)
Vocabulary
– thanatology 
– hospice
Click the Speaker button
to listen to Exploring
Psychology.
64
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information. Section 3 begins on page 144 of your textbook.
Introduction
• Dying and death are popular subjects for
many poets and song-writers. 
• Why does death mystify us? 
• Death is inevitable. 
• Death is not just biological. 
• When a person dies, there are legal,
medical, psychological, and social
aspects that need attention. 
• It is not very easy to even define death
anymore because there are medical
advances that cloud this issue.
65
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Introduction (cont.)
• Biological death becomes entangled with
social customs. 
• These customs include cultural attitudes
toward death, care of the dying, the place
of death, and efforts to quicken or slow
down the dying process.
66
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Introduction (cont.)
• Death also has social aspects, including
the disposal of the dead, mourning
customs, and the role of the family. 
• These social and cultural aspects of death
are intertwined with our own thoughts and
values about dying and death. 
• Death may sound simple, but culturally it
may be complex and confusing.
67
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Adjusting to Death
• Once terminally ill patients have been
informed of their condition, they must
then cope with their approaching death. 
• Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’s (1969)
investigations made a major contribution
in establishing thanatology–the study of
dying and death.
thanatology
the study of dying and death
68
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Adjusting to Death (cont.)
• Based on interviews with 200 dying
patients, Kübler-Ross identified five
stages of psychological adjustment. 
• The first stage is denial. 
• People’s most common reaction to
learning that they have a terminal
illness is shock and numbness,
followed by denial. 
• They react by saying, “No, it can’t
be happening to me,” or “I’ll get
another opinion.”
69
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Adjusting to Death (cont.)
• During the second stage, anger, the
reaction of dying people is “Why me?”

• They feel anger–at fate, at the powers
that be, at every person who comes into
their life. 
• At this stage, they are likely to alienate
themselves from others, for no one can
relieve the anger they feel at their
shortened life span and lost chances.
70
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Adjusting to Death (cont.)
• During the stage of bargaining, people
change their attitude and attempt to
bargain with fate. 
• For example, a woman may ask God
for a certain amount of time in return for
good behavior. 
• She may promise a change of ways, even
a dedication of her life to the church. 
• This stage is relatively short.
71
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Adjusting to Death (cont.)
• The next stage is depression. 
• During depression, dying people are
aware of the losses they are incurring (for
example, loss of body tissue, loss of job,
loss of life savings). 
• Also, they are depressed about the loss
that is to come: they are in the process of
losing everybody and everything. 
• Kübler-Ross suggests that it is helpful to
allow such people to express their
sadness and not to cover up the situation
or force them to act cheerfully.
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Adjusting to Death (cont.)
• Finally, patients accept death. 
• The struggle is over, and they experience
a sense of calm. 
• In some cases, the approach of death
feels appropriate or peaceful. 
• They seem to become detached
intentionally so as to make death easier.
73
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Adjusting to Death (cont.)
• Not all terminal patients progress through
the stages that Kübler-Ross describes. 
• Some people may go through the stages
but in different order, or they may repeat
some stages. 
• Critics note that individuals are unique
and sometimes do not follow predictable
patterns of behavior.
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Adjusting to Death (cont.)
• Most people have trouble dealing with
the thought of their own death, and they
also find it difficult to deal with the death
of others. 
• What should we do when a loved one is
approaching death? 
• What should we do after a loved one
has died?
75
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to display the information.
Hospices
• The discussion of death is one of the few
taboos left in twentieth-century America. 
• The breakdown of extended families
and the rise of modern medicine have
insulated most people in our society
from death. 
• Many people have no direct experience
with death, and partly as a result, they are
afraid to talk about it.
76
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Hospices (cont.)
• A movement to restore the dignity of
dying revolves around the concept of the
hospice–usually a special place where
terminally ill people go to die. 
• The hospice is designed to make the
patient’s surroundings pleasant and
comfortable–less like a hospital and more
like a home.
hospice
a facility designed to care for
the special needs of the dying
77
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Hospices (cont.)
• Another form of hospice service is
becoming part of the mainstream of the
health care system of the United States. 
• This program features care for the elderly
at home by visiting nurses, aides, physical
therapists, chaplains, and social workers. 
• Growing rapidly in recent years, homebased hospice care is now a more
frequently used service than inpatient
hospice care in the United States.
78
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Section Assessment
Review the Vocabulary Explain
why thanatology is a subfield
of psychology.
Thanatology functions as a subfield
of psychology because many of the
issues related to dying and death
involve the psychological adjustment
to death.
79
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Section Assessment (cont.)
Visualize the Main Idea Using a
diagram similar to the one shown
on page 147 of your textbook, list
Kübler-Ross’s stages of dying.
The five stages of dying are denial,
anger, bargaining, depression, and
acceptance.
80
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to display the answer.
Section Assessment (cont.)
Recall Information What do people
go through during the denial stage
of dying?
During the denial stage of dying,
people might be shocked, numb,
refuse to believe the diagnosis,
search for second opinions, and, in
some cases, refuse treatment.
81
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to display the answer.
Section Assessment (cont.)
Think Critically Do you think that
Kübler-Ross’s stages of dying
apply to other types of losses
(such as in sports or a romantic
breakup)? Explain your answer.
The psychological stages of dying
may be relevant to other losses in life
because there is a grieving process
that most people experience when
they lose something of value to them.
82
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to display the answer.
Section Assessment (cont.)
With a brochure of services
offered by a local hospice, identify
the services designed to assist in
psychologically adjusting to death.
83
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Section 1: Adulthood
• For most adults, the process of physical
decline is slow and gradual. 
• The adulthood years are a time when
lifestyle may set the stage for problems
that will show up then or in later life. 
• Good physical and mental health seem to
be the key factors affecting sexual activity
in adulthood.
85
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Section 1: Adulthood (cont.)
• The ability to comprehend new material
and to think flexibly improves in early
adulthood, and overall intelligence
improves with age. 
• An individual’s basic character remains
relatively stable throughout life.
86
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Section 2: Old Age
• The idea that progressive physical and
mental decline is inevitable with age has
resulted in a climate of prejudice against
the old. 
• The health of older people, for the most
part, is related to their health when
younger. 
• In late adulthood, life transitions are often
negative and reduce responsibilities and
increase isolation.
87
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Section 2: Old Age (cont.)
• The frequency and regularity of sexual
activities during earlier years is the best
overall predictor of such activities in later
years. 
• Crystallized intelligence, or the ability to
use accumulated knowledge and learning
in appropriate situations, increases with
age; fluid intelligence, or the ability to solve
abstract relational problems and to
generate new hypotheses, decreases with
age.
88
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Section 3: Dying and Death
• Elisabeth Kübler-Ross identified five
stages of psychological adjustment to
death: denial, anger, bargaining,
depression, and acceptance. 
• A hospice is a special place where
terminally ill people go to die; it is
designed to make the patient’s
surroundings pleasant and comfortable.
89
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Reviewing Vocabulary
Use the correct term or concept to complete the following
sentences.
1. During __________,
menopause a woman’s production of sex
hormones drops sharply.
2. The study of dying and death is __________.
thanatology
3. Prejudice against the old is referred to as
ageism
__________.
4. An adult who chooses to hang on to the past is
stagnation
experiencing __________.
Alzheimer’s disease is a neurological disease
5. _________________
marked by a gradual deterioration of cognitive
functioning.
91
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to display the answers.
Reviewing Vocabulary (cont.)
Use the correct term or concept to complete the following
sentences.
hospice is a special place where
6. A(n) __________
terminally ill people go to die.
7. Between the ages of 45 and 50, every woman
climacteric
experiences a stage called the __________,
which represents all of the psychological and
biological changes occurring at that time.
8. The desire to use one’s wisdom to guide future
generativity
generations is called __________.
92
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to display the answers.
Reviewing Vocabulary (cont.)
Use the correct term or concept to complete the following
sentences.
decremental model of aging
9. According to a(n) _________________________,
progressive physical and mental decline is
inevitable with age.
Senile dementia is characterized by memory
10. _______________
loss, forgetfulness, disorientation of time and
place, a decline in the ability to think, impaired
attention, altered personality, and difficulties in
relating to others.
93
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to display the answers.
Recalling Facts
Using a graphic organizer similar to
the one on page 150 of your
textbook, identify three midlife
issues faced by adult women.
menopause, empty-nest syndrome,
and concerns over physical
attractiveness
94
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Recalling Facts
Describe how the “decremental
model of aging” leads to ageism.
If one assumes that physical and
mental decline are inevitable with age,
then one makes automatic
assumptions about the abilities of
older people.
95
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to display the answer.
Recalling Facts
What is crystallized intelligence?
What is fluid intelligence? Which
type of intelligence increases with
age?
Crystallized intelligence is the ability
to use one’s accumulated knowledge
and learning. Fluid intelligence refers
to the ability to solve abstract
problems and generate new
hypotheses. Crystallized intelligence
increases with age.
96
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to display the answer.
Recalling Facts
List Kübler-Ross’s five stages of
psychological adjustment to death.
What behaviors would you expect of
someone at each stage?
Denial: shock, disbelief, questioning doctor’s
diagnosis; anger: alienation from friends and
family, overt anger; bargaining: attempts to
make deals with fate, promises of changed
behavior; depression: sadness, realization of
losses that are occurring; acceptance: sense
of calm, realization that the struggle is over
97
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to display the answer.
Recalling Facts
What is a hospice designed to do?
What types of people might live in a
hospice?
improve the quality of life for those
who are near the end of life by
relieving as much pain and suffering
as possible; terminally ill patients, as
well as patients with Alzheimer’s
disease and senile dementia
98
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to display the answer.
Building Skills
Interpreting Graphs
Review the graphs, then answer the questions that follow.
99
Building Skills
Interpreting Graphs
With whom do most Americans 65 and
older live?
with a spouse
100
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to display the answer.
Building Skills
Interpreting Graphs
Do more men or women of this age group
live with a spouse? How can you explain
this difference?
men; men generally have a shorter life span
than women
101
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to display the answer.
Building Skills
Interpreting Graphs
How might living arrangements impact a
person’s adjustment to old age?
Living with a spouse or relatives may provide
continuity or social support while adjusting to
the transitions of old age.
102
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to display the answer.
I am a Holocaust survivor who
developed a theory on the stages of
dying. Who am I?
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
103
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to display the answer.
Click the mouse button to return to the Contents slide.
Explore online information about the
topics introduced in this chapter.
Click on the Connect button to launch your browser and go to the
Understanding Psychology Web site. At this site, you will find
interactive activities, current events information, and Web sites
correlated with the chapters and units in the textbook. When you
finish exploring, exit the browser program to return to this
presentation. If you experience difficulty connecting to the Web
site, manually launch your Web browser and go to
http://psychology.glencoe.com
You have probably heard the saying “You
can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” In your
journal, express this statement in your own
words. Then, write whether you believe this
saying is true, somewhat true, or false.
Poll adults you know on the health problems
they are experiencing. You should find an
adult to represent young adulthood, middle
age, and old age. Record your findings in
your journal.
Select a misconception about old age. Write
about a person you have encountered who
tends to confirm that misconception. Then
write about a person you have encountered
who disproves the misconception.
Psychologically
Able to Decide?
Read the case study presented on
page 148 of your textbook. Be
prepared to answer the questions that
appear on the following slides. A
discussion prompt and additional
information follow the questions.
Continued on next slide.
This feature is found on page 148 of your textbook.
Psychologically
Able to Decide?
What is euthanasia? Why is it
controversial?
Euthanasia is a deliberate termination of one’s life
with the assistance of someone else. It is
controversial on religious and moral grounds
similar to the way suicide is. It is also controversial
medically because of a doctor’s position of trust
and respect and oath to cause no harm.
Continued on next slide.
Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the
answer. This feature is found on page 148 of your textbook.
Psychologically
Able to Decide?
Why was Dr. Kevorkian convicted of
murder?
Kevorkian administered the lethal dose of drugs
to the “patient.”
Continued on next slide.
Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the
answer. This feature is found on page 148 of your textbook.
Psychologically
Able to Decide?
Critical Thinking How might you use KüblerRoss’s stages of dying to help you determine
whether a person is psychologically able to
terminate his or her life?
During the denial stage, people are unlikely to seek
euthanasia. During the anger and depression
stage, a person may not be psychologically able to
make a wise decision. If someone is in the
acceptance stage, they may be psychologically
prepared to make a decision about euthanasia.
Continued on next slide.
Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the
answer. This feature is found on page 148 of your textbook.
Psychologically
Able to Decide?
Discuss the following:
Under what conditions, if any, should
euthanasia be legal? What potential
abuses could arise if euthanasia were
legalized?
Continued on next slide.
This feature is found on page 148 of your textbook.
Psychologically
Able to Decide?
Since 1984, euthanasia has rarely been
prosecuted in Holland. In 1993 a law was
passed in Holland that basically protects
a doctor from prosecution for performing
euthanasia under certain conditions.
Continued on next slide.
This feature is found on page 148 of your textbook.
Psychologically
Able to Decide?
– The 1993 Burial Act requires the doctor to notify the
local medical examiner that the death was a result of
euthanasia. 
– As long as all guidelines were followed, no prosecution
will occur. 
– Among the guidelines are that the person was
suffering unbearably, that the decision was well
reasoned, and that the doctor consulted with another
physician for a second opinion.
Continued on next slide.
Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the
information. This feature is found on page 148 of your textbook.
Psychologically
Able to Decide?
– The laws in Holland allow doctors to euthanize patients
as young as 12. 
– According to Holland’s Justice Ministry, “For 12- to 15year-olds, parental agreement is required, but in the
case of a refusal by one of the parents, the request of
a minor may be accepted if the doctor is convinced
that this will mean avoiding serious suffering.”
Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the
information. This feature is found on page 148 of your textbook.
Continued on next slide.
Continued on next slide.
Answers:
1. reduction in
muscle strength 
2. acceptance of
loss of muscle
strength 
3. experience
Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to
display the answers.
Continued on next slide.
Answers:
1. fluid intelligence 
2. the older person 
3. that crystallized
intelligence increases
with age 
4. crystallized
intelligence
Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to
display the answers.
Continued on next slide.
Answers:
1. denial, shock 
2. “Please let me live to see
my grandchild born.” 
3. You should listen, accept
their sadness, and not try
to cheer them up. 
4. a sense of calm,
detachment
Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to
display the answers.
The Aging Process
From the Classroom of James F. Connington
Liberty High School, Liberty, SC
Goal: To help you understand the aging
process.
Continued on next slide.
The Aging Process
From the Classroom of James F. Connington
Liberty High School, Liberty, SC
Step 1: Create Chart
Make four columns on a piece of paper. Label the
columns “year,” “self,” “parents,” and
“grandparents.” 
Year Self
Parents Grandparents
Continued on next slide.
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display the information.
The Aging Process
From the Classroom of James F. Connington
Liberty High School, Liberty, SC
Step 2: Add to the Chart
In the first column, write the current year (for example,
2000). Below it continue the years in five-year increments
2005, 2010… In the second column, write your age; the
third column is for the average age of your parents; and
the fourth the average age of one set of grandparents. 
Year Self Parents Grandparents
2000 15
42
67
Continued on next slide.
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display the information.
The Aging Process
From the Classroom of James F. Connington
Liberty High School, Liberty, SC
Step 3: Fill In Chart
Determine your age for each year in the column to the
left, then do the same for your parents and
grandparents. 
Year Self Parents Grandparents
2000 15
42
67
2005 20
47
72
2010 25
52
77
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display the information.
The Aging Process
From the Classroom of James F. Connington
Liberty High School, Liberty, SC
Step 4: Ask Yourself:
“When you are your parents’ age, how old will they
be?” or “When your grandparents are in their 80s how
old will your parents be?”
Males do not experience a sharp decline in
hormone production during middle age. In
men, the production of testosterone declines
gradually with age.
Sharing Information
• Although psychologists do not prescribe drugs, it is
increasingly important that psychologists discover what
medications and alternative medicines their patients are
taking. 
• Some drugs, like Viagra, may have direct psychological
effects. 
• Other drugs that treat common afflictions like high blood
pressure and diabetes can affect concentration, mood,
alertness, and other facets of mental functioning. 
• In addition to prescription drugs, over-the-counter
substances like St. John’s Wort claim to alter a person’s
mood.
Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the
information.
• Driving has been called an American pastime. 
• Except for people in a few large cities, most people use a
personal car for nearly all their transportation needs. 
• Most advocate groups claim that older drivers are more
cautious and have fewer accidents. 
• However, recent studies that factor in the number of miles
driven indicate that drivers 75 years old and above are at a
similar risk level to drivers 16–24 years old, who are
considered high risk. 
• What factors should be considered in the decision to stop
driving? What psychological factors affect a person’s
willingness to give up driving?
Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the
information.
• Read the Psychology and You feature on
page 141 of your textbook. 
• Discuss the following:
What proposals are currently being
considered by Congress to change the
Social Security system? How will these
changes affect you as you begin your
working career? As you approach
retirement age?
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information.
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
1926–
Click the picture to listen to
a biography on Elisabeth
Kübler-Ross. Be prepared
to answer questions that
appear on the next two
slides.
This feature is found on page 145 of your textbook.
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
1926–
What did Kübler-Ross
learn on a visit to the
concentration camp in
Maidanek Germany?
that anyone is capable of
doing horrible things
Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the
answer. This feature is found on page 145 of your textbook.
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
1926–
What positive impact
have her studies had on
those who are facing
their own death or
helping someone who is
dying?
Her identification of the
stages of dying helps people
cope with their feelings about
death and dying.
Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the
answer. This feature is found on page 145 of your textbook.
End of Custom Shows
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shows and return to the main presentation.
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