Janet Belsky’s Experiencing the Lifespan, 3e Chapter 12: Midlife Robin Lee, Middle Tennessee State University

Midlife: Setting the Context This stage typically runs from forties to the fifties. Research found that half of people in their sixties and early seventies consider themselves middle-aged. Characterized by diversity regarding lifestyles and perceptions A 40-year-old with a chronic age-related disease might call be considered “old.” An 80-year-old who is still at the peak of her career might consider herself middle-aged. Bottom line, middle age is as ill-defined as emerging adulthood.

Exploring personality (and well-being) Personality: contradictory views that are both correct depending on circumstances No change (personality remains the same) Change occurs in new stages of life due to life experiences Temperamental dispositions begin to stabilize by mid-twenties Neuroticism Extraversion Openness to experience Conscientiousness Agreeableness Positive traits (agreeableness, conscientiousness) actually tend to strengthen with age.

We don’t change much: Exploring the “Big Five” Neuroticism Tendency toward mental health vs. psychological disturbance Resilient, stable and well-adjusted vs. hostile and high-strung Extraversion Outgoing attitudes (warmth, gregariousness) Social and friendly Openness to experience Tendency to be risk-takers, seeking out new experiences Conscientiousness Industrious worker Hardworking, self-disciplined, reliable vs. erratic, irresponsible, forgetfulness Tend to live longer Agreeableness Kindness, empathy, ability to compromise Pleasant, loving, easy to get along with vs. stubborn, hot-tempered, prone to fights

We do change: Examining Generative Priorities Generativity – focus on nurturing the next generation and enriching the lives of others If generativity is not achieved, stagnation occurs, having no sense of purpose in life. Dan McAdams (2001) – research focused on scientifically testing the ideas of Erikson Measures of generativity included: Generative attitudes Generative goals and priorities Generative activities

Is generativity the key to happiness during adult life? “It depends.” Is it based on hedonic happiness (i.e., feeling good)? Is it based on eudaimonic happiness (i.e., having a purpose and meaning in life)?

Does entering new stages of life or having significant life experiences change personality? Highly generative people rate their lives as much more fulfilling than non-generative people. Life events such as grandparenting are positive. Less generative people report worrying about getting older. Highly generative people have a positive impact on their children. Highly generative people report having positive childhoods. In telling their life stories, highly generative people: Describe a commitment script – childhood memories of feeling special and an enduring generative mission Describe redemption sequences – “bad” events that turned out for the good

Understanding Highly Generative People Exceptionally generative people – prize-winning community activists interested in improving society Have a strong sense of agency (personal power) and motivation to do good Tend to be more forgiving toward parents Can deal better with adversity Generativity is expressed in different ways depending on culture and gender. African Americans are more likely to be unusually generative. Perhaps dealing with traumas (such as discrimination) can make us more caring people.

Do we get more mature and happier with age? “Yes” People with no major negative life events are more distressed than adults who have experienced a few traumatic events. After a certain stress threshold (about three major events), additional traumas do impair mental health. Research indicates that maximum life happiness is in our early sixties. With age, the ratio of positive modes increasingly outweighs negative ones. With age comes greater emotional stability.

What to expect in middle age Expect to become somewhat more reliable and agreeable, although personality will not change much over the years. Expect your priorities to shift toward more generative concerns and to grow in generativity, especially during midlife. Expect to become more mature and grow happier if you have a few (but not too many) stressful life experiences, have prosocial values, and live in a trustworthy society that promotes human equality. Take each of these predictions with a grain of salt. Life can lead to different paths.

Exploring Intelligence (and wisdom) Mid-twentieth-century psychologists believed that intelligence peaks at age 20 and then begins to decline. Studies conducted at the time used the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) This research was flawed due to not taking into consideration level of education. Most middle-aged or elderly in the study were less likely to have completed high school.

Improving the Research on Intelligence: The Seattle Longitudinal Study Improvements to the research: combining both longitudinal and cross-sectional methods Controls for the biases of each research technique Findings: Overall intelligence peaks in the late SC and early SC. Age patterns differ for different tests. On a test measuring knowledge base, scores rose until the late SC. On tests involving fast performance, abilities decline at a younger age.

Two Basic Types of Intelligence: Fluid and Crystallized Crystallized intelligence: Accumulated knowledge Tends to increase with age, until about late SC Then begins to fall Fluid intelligence: Ability to reason quickly when facing totally new intellectual tasks Linked to nervous system Because of this link, begins to decline early in adult life (not much we can do about this)

Applications to Creative Work and All Jobs During midlife in many fields, people are at their career performance peak. The most important predictor of our performance is enduring competence. Studies of creative geniuses show incredibly gifted people are more competent and productive at every age.

How do we stay cognitively sharp? Healthy living (both mental and physical) − lack of major health concerns or illnesses Terminal drop – changes in crystallized intelligence can predict having a terminal disease. Mental stimulation (with people) Finding a mentally stimulating partner and/or interesting friends that expand self Engaging in mentally enriching activities (e.g., reading, attending lectures)

Keeping mentally sharp! Develop a hobby or life passion that challenges your mind. Preferably during the younger years Practicing is key Throughout life, put yourself in intellectually challenging situations and keep learning. In jobs or activities Pay attention to your physical health. Particularly guard against heart disease When you are having trouble performing, use selective optimization with compensation. Selection: Prioritize, focusing on what is most important. Optimize: Work harder in those tasks. Compensate: Rely on external aids to help you function to your best. Use this approach not just when you are older, but at every age!!

Taking a nontraditional approach: Examining Postformal Thought Does the standard IQ test measure what is important to being an intelligent adult? Is there an adult stage of Piaget’s theory? Formal operations (adolescents) Postformal thought (adults) Adult form of intelligence that involves being sensitive to different perspectives, making decisions based on feelings, being interested in exploring new questions

Postformal Thought Postformal Thought Is Relativistic. Adults acquire new life experiences. Realize that most real-world problems do not have clear-cut answers Embrace ambiguities of life Postformal Thought Is Feeling-oriented. Means relying on gut feelings to make decisions Postformal Thought Is Question-driven. Less focused on solutions Thrives on developing new questions and considering options Interested in coming up with new questions and thinking about the world in different ways

Grandparenthood Grandparent’s mission to care: Family watchdogs—step in during a crisis to help the family Can serve as mentors to “at-risk” children Act as mediators, helping resolve differences Cement that keeps the family close Gender has an impact Women tend to be more active grandparents than men Proximity also plays role in the relationship of the grandparent to the family. This role can be incredibly fulfilling but can also have problems.

Grandparent Problems Grandparents must tread lightly on spoiling vs. interfering. Careful not to criticize the parents or risk being cut off from visits Must develop emotion-regulation skills Divorce can have an impact on the grandparent’s access to grandchildren. Maternal grandmothers can typically be more involved with grandchildren than paternal grandparents. Maternal grandmothers may sometimes be over-involved. Caregiving grandmothers have increased in recent decades. May take on a full-time parenting role due to child’s serious problems Tend to be low-socioeconomic status

Adult Caregivers: Providing Parent Care Parent care – adult children’s care for their disabled elderly parents Highly stressful role because it violates the principle: “Parents care for their children, not the reverse.” Usually performed by daughters, unless there are no sisters and the dad needs care Typically occurs in the fifties, when there can also be pressure to take care of grandchildren Thus, “sandwich generation” (pulled between work and caring for children) is a myth. Another myth is that more collective cultures (Asian, African American) are “happy” to care for aging parents. Some may still be dealing with pressures of a full-time job too.

What makes parent care easier? Can offer a redemption sequence – giving children the chance to repay a beloved mother or father for years of care An enduring loving attachment to the parent Intensity of care needed Care for difficult conditions, such as Alzheimer’s, disease can be more stressful. Receiving outside help and support Balance your own needs and your family’s needs.

Body Image, Sex, and Menopause A myth is that middle-aged people may feel worse about our bodies in midlife; actually young women (as a group) feel worse about their bodies than middle-aged women! Female changes: Reach peak in the thirties Physiologically, there are far fewer changes, but many women give up having sex due to not having a partner (or not being seen as attractive). Male changes (by midlife): Trouble getting and keeping an erection Not able to have sex more than once in a 24-hour period. Erections not as intense Physiologically, men decline from a young age. Reason for sales of erection-stimulating drugs

Menopause Defining marker: not having menstruated for a year Cause: ovulation becomes erratic and then ceases Perimenopause – (winding down period) is most difficult Hot flashes, mood swings can occur Variable symptoms − Some women have less trouble; others have severe difficulties. Post-menopause − Vaginal walls thin and lubrication decreases. Major sexual consequence: Intercourse becomes painful. Effects on desire: also varies Some women report feeling sexier when they don’t need to use contraception.

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