7121 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Hayflick Limit, Maximum Life Span, Ageism
21 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Late Adulthood
What is late adulthood?
- Age 50-65
- Typical 60 year-olds in western nations can often anticipate approx 2 heathy, rewarding decades
The prime of life
- Decade encompassing the 50s is often regarded as the prime of life – Hori, 1994
- Mature adults are often at the peak of their cognitive abilities
- Individuals over 50 are viewed as the ‘command generation’
oLeadership roles
Historical changes
- Life expectancy in Aus and NZ has increased a lot
- Max lifespan is 120
oDon’t think it will change
oUnless biological factors can be changed
- Infant and childhood diseases, medical improvement, healthier lifestyle = improve LE
- Oldest age group is the most rapidly expanding group
oNumbers doubling every 10 years
Theories of ageing
- Cellular theories; deterioration of cells and organs is caused by environmental stressors
oWear and tear, repeated errors, inefficiency of cell
- Programming theories; suggest that the maximum lifespan is beyond human control
oHayflick limit
oAfter 50 replications, genetic material runs out, cant be re used
oArgue at birth; eventual death is already built in
Less than ideal environment; shortens lifespan
Ageism
- What is it?
oThe stereotyping of and discrimination against people because of age
Old, young etc
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oAnxieties on own ageing influences ageism
oOften negative, defined by physical traits ie hair colour, movement, illness, personality
traits, opinions, beliefs
oSome positive views; warmer and friendlier, more knowledgeable
Transition events in late adulthood
- Transition events; changes in an individuals life situation that require new patterns of coping
- Some of these changes are normative
oAverage or typical behaviour
- Other changes are idiosyncratic
oCan occur at any age
Ie divorce
- Key transition events
oAdult kids leaving home
oGrandparenthood
oRetirement from paid employment
oNew identity elements
Self growth, social contact
oRe-negotiation of marital roles
Family togetherness
Transition events in cultural settings
- Indigenous aus and maoris – key transition events
oHeightened social status
Mentors
oGreater spiritual and cultural responsibilities
Passing down historical info
Cultural expectations
- Cultures share expectations about the lifespan, including milestone events
- Social clock expectations
oMarriage
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oChild bearing
oRetirement
- Diff cultures; diff levels of importance on events
Intellectual and cognitive development
- Age of wisdom – late middle age 50+
- Experience can assist adults to make wise decisions about everyday challenges
- Higher levels of cognitive complexity and sophistication
- Age alone is no guarantee
- Driven by past experience
Age related cognitive functioning
- Positive cognitive changes
oEnrichment and training can improve cognitive performance
oPlasticity of bran neurons
Other neurons to take over damaged neurons functions
oNeuronal shrinkage, not total loss
oRegeneration of neurons can still occur
Shaie’s stage theory
- Schaie 97 – adult intellectual growth can progress to stages beyond those achieved with piagets
formal operations
- Qualitative and quantitative changes in adults thinking emerge during late adulthood
- Young adults in the achieving stage
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Document Summary
Typical 60 year-olds in western nations can often anticipate approx 2 heathy, rewarding decades. Decade encompassing the 50s is often regarded as the prime of life hori, 1994. Mature adults are often at the peak of their cognitive abilities. Individuals over 50 are viewed as the command generation": leadership roles. Life expectancy in aus and nz has increased a lot. Max lifespan is 120: don"t think it will change, unless biological factors can be changed. Infant and childhood diseases, medical improvement, healthier lifestyle = improve le. Oldest age group is the most rapidly expanding group: numbers doubling every 10 years. Cellular theories; deterioration of cells and organs is caused by environmental stressors: wear and tear, repeated errors, inefficiency of cell. Programming theories; suggest that the maximum lifespan is beyond human control: hayflick limit, after 50 replications, genetic material runs out, cant be re used, argue at birth; eventual death is already built in.
