many families “ blend ” together H e a l t h M e d i c a l
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Wellness and Illness: The Ups and Downs of Middle Adulthood LO 8.3 Describe the health of the average person in middle adulthood. Health concerns become increasingly important to people in middle age. Surveys asking what worries adults show health—as well as safety and money—to be an issue of concern. More than half of adults say they are either “afraid” or “very afraid” of having cancer (see Figure 8-3). For most people, however, midlife is a period of health. According to census figures, the vast majority of middle-aged adults report no chronic health difficulties and face no limitations on their activities.
Sexuality in Middle Adulthood: The True, the False, and the Controversial LO 8.2 Analyze the changing nature of sexuality in middle adulthood.
Does Intelligence Decline in Adulthood? LO 8.5 Analyze changes in the nature and use of intelligence in middle adulthood. For years, experts provided an unwavering response when asked whether intelligence declined in adulthood: Intelligence peaks at age 18, stays fairly steady until the mid- 20s, and then gradually declines until the end of life. Today, developmentalists view questions about changes in intelligence across the life span as more complicated, and they have come to different, and more complex, conclusions. How Does Aging Affect Memory? LO 8.6 Describe how aging affects memory and how memory can be improved.
Marriage and Divorce LO 8.9 Describe typical patterns of marriage and divorce in middle adulthood. Fifty years ago, midlife was similar for most people. Men and women, married since early adulthood, were still married to each other. One hundred years ago, when life expectancy was much shorter, people in their 40s were usually married—but not necessarily to the people they had first married. Spouses often died; people might be well into their second marriage by middle age. Today, the story is different and more varied. More people are single at midlife, having never married. Single people may live alone or with a partner. Some have divorced, lived alone, and then remarried. Many people’s marriages end in divorce, and many families “blend” together into new households, containing children and stepchildren from previous marriages. Some couples still spend 40 to 50 years together, the bulk of those years during middle adulthood. Many experience the peak of marital satisfaction during middle age.
Feldman, Robert S.. Discovering the Life Span (2-downloads) (p. 361). Pearson Education. Kindle Edition.
