FRHD 2060 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Paul Baltes, Menopause, Human Behavior
2 Apr 2016
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Document Summary
Gerontology - the study of aging from maturity through old age. Ageism - a form of discrimination against older adults based on their age: assumption that chronological age is the main determinant of human characteristics and that on age is better than another. Divides human development into two phases: an early phase (childhood and adolescence), and a later phase (young adulthood, middle age, and old age) The early phase is characterized by rapid age related increases in peoples size and abilities. During the later phase, changes in size are slow, but some abilities continue to develop as people continue adapting to the environment. View adult development and aging as complex phenomena that cannot be understood within the scope of a single disciplinary. Aging is a lifelong process meaning that human development never stops. Ex: peoples vocabulary ability tents to increase throughout life but reaction time slows down. Plasticity: one"s capacity is not predetermined or set in concrete.
