PSYC 2070 : Test 4
Document Summary
Prejudice and stereotypes based solely on chronological age. Most frequent form of ageism is disrespect of older adults. How other people think of someone in a different age group. Changing population demographics- more people living into old age now. Weight/muscles- weight tends to drop due to muscle loss but exercise and healthy lifestyle will slow this down. Brain volume and shrinkage- brain loses 5-10% of its weight. Prefrontal cortex shrinks with age-leads to decreases in working memory and other cognitive areas. General slowing of function in central nervous system. By age 90 most of the reflexes are much slower. In healthy adults shrinkage is due to shrinkage of neurons and less synapses and a reduced length of axons. Lateralization- specialization of the different hemispheres and areas of the brain where they focus on caring out one specific job and not shared across the hemispheres. Older adulthood: a little bit more of biosocial development and then.
