PSY 336 Lecture Notes - Lecture 30: Midlife Crisis, Semantic Memory, Middle Ages
Document Summary
13% of north american population in 2000 (over 65 yrs old) Graying hair; thinning hair; receding hairline for men. Levels of human growth hormone gradually decline in young adulthood (skin becomes looser and amount of muscle mass declines: wrinkles around the eyes, forehead, and neck form. Greater illness and takes longer to recover from injuries than in ea. Fat deposits in arteries increases (typically little risk until middle adulthood) Greater emphasis on expertise rather than extensive knowledge and skills in many areas. Creativity: rises and peaks in the late 30"s and 40"s. Lens of eye enlarges and becomes less flexible and less transparent; making it more difficult to perceive images with sharp focus and to see in dim light. Rods (light receptors) and cones (color receptors) in the eye diminish to about half by age 60, limiting vision. Decline in reaction time (responded slower to stimuli; reduction in perceptual speed) Some practical significance (driving emergency) but likely not meaningful differences.
