Human development is a study from the initial prenatal developmental stage to the Late Adulthood phase of life. During each stage major physical, cognitive and psychosocial changes occur according to different theorist. This essay explores two different life stages; Adolescence and Late adulthood whilst comparing and contrasting these stages using supporting theories from Erik Erikson (1956) and Jean Piaget (1969). Within the late adulthood stage a number of factors can increase stress and cause negative effects on the quality of life. This essay also examines how elderly within the late adulthood stage cope best with stress.
Adolescence is categorized as the age between 13 and 18 years. During adolescence many physical and psychosocial changes
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During adolescence major neurological changes occur resulting in a reorganised brain, thus allowing the transition between the period of concrete operational stage of thinking, to a formal operational stage of thinking (Piaget, 1969 as cited in Thies & Travers, 2009). Formal operation thinking allows adolescence to consider all possibilities and reason realistically about the future. To attack a problem, teenager’s gather all information possible and make many variable combinations to solve the problem. This type of thinking can cause teenagers to become argumentative about certain topics (Piaget, 1969 as cited in Thies & Travers, 2009). Piaget’s cognitive development theory ends with formal operational thinking and is continually practiced and developed throughout the adult life stages. Adolescence may have the neurological changes necessary to develop processed thinking but they need practice throughout their adult life to create clear thinking, good decisions and advance problem solving (Feldman, …show more content…
However, cognitive performance can be subjected to a decline with increasing age, whilst other cognitive abilities can remain stable or improve. Cognitive mechanics such as speed of response, visual memory and motor memory decline, whilst cognitive pragmatic such as language, acquired skills, problem solving and wisdom retain good performance and may improve in late adulthood (Thies & Travers, 2009). A variety of factors including genetic predisposition, past and present environmental factors and psychological factors, can contribute to how rapidly the individual’s cognitive abilities decline (Feldman, 2014). For example, Alzheimer’s disease, poor nutrition, or major depression can occur in late adulthood and cause stress to the
The article “ Inside the Teen Brain” by Marty Wolner, states that recent resherchers on the human brain provides parents with shocking evidence abou there teenager that probably explains there irational, ilogical, and impulsive behavior. As it turns out, brain developement during the teenage years is radically more active than previously thought. Even though the brain is almost matured the grey matter in the thinking part of the brain is still making connections. The information proccesed in the limbic system, without benefit of higher level processing in the pre-frontal cortex may result in impulsive, egocentric,, and even risky behavior. Because of the construction of the teenage brain is that its not capable of fully processing information
In middle adulthood, ages (40-65) known as generativity vs. stagnation Erickson proposed this life span theory as struggle in middle adulthood. “Generativity is the ability to transcend personal interests to provide care and concern for younger and older generations” (Crain, William, 2011). This theory suggests that older people have the ability to give care, guidance, and inspiration to the younger generation, in addition, to providing for the older generation, such as aging parents or family members. In her middle adulthood years Kathleen experienced many losses.
”(healthychildren.org) It is true that the adolescent brain is still developing and not fully mature, but they should
The WHO identifies adolescence as the period in human growth and development that occurs after childhood and before adulthood, from ages 10 to19. Adolescence as a development stage is quite turbulent. Many changes occur in this developmental stage. Apart from the physical changes that are occuring in the body. Adolescence is also a time when risk taking behaviour happens.
At eight years old, my view of the world shifted when my grandfather had his first stroke. It was a frightening experience because it was my first time witnessing a loved one deal with the negative effects of aging. Since then, I have watched my grandfather’s memory change to the point where it has become somewhat of a paradox. I have seen him be at a complete loss for the word “pizza” and not two hours later quote the musical, The Music Man, verbatim. This change in my grandpa is what initially sparked my interest in studying the aging mind in hopes to eventually help improve the quality of life for those living with dementia and other age-related diseases.
Near the end of middle childhood, increased use of more theoretical knowledge allows the child to think at a more logical level (Karpov,
Firstly is there an age where a person is considered an adolescent? Adolescence usually occurs between the age of 10 to 18 and can go on till the age of 25 [apa fix me]. Usually Adolescences are portrayed quite negatively in the media and are usually associated with drugs, sex, self-abuse and violence. There is currently no set definition for the word “adolescent” [apa fix me]. It is can be described using factors such as physical, social, cognitive development as well as age or the time from puberty until one receives economic independence.
This research topics interest me because in the day to day life experiences, we journey through life encountering challenges and obstacles that may deter our mind and body, but being aware and educated on coping strategies can help maneuver and conquer bitterness while aging. For old adults who are sick, getting scientific knowledge on whatever they are going through and providing a measure of relief can bring about aging devoid of misery. The use of science on aging brings about knowledge on how old adults can prolong their lives and age gracefully by taking charge of their health; body, mind and soul. I was born in an African country; Nigeria.
As the body ages the brain follows and can start to loose normal functioning. This may be in the form of affecting memory, thinking, and social abilities. When these impairments become severe enough to interfere with daily functioning they are diagnosable as a form of dementia. The Center of Disease Control defines dementia as “an umbrella term for a group of cognitive disorders typically characterized by memory impairment, as well as marked difficulty in the domains of language, motor activity, object recognition, and disturbance of executive function” [6]. The umbrella term dementia encases many variations of the above definition.
Brief History Jean Piaget was a Twentieth century Swiss psychologist and was the first psychologist to systematically study the cognitive development of children. Thomas (2005) wrote that early in Piaget’s career he worked with children and his observations and interactions with the students led him to the theory that a young person's cognitive processes are inherently different from those of adults (pp. 188-9). According to Ahmad, et al. (2005) , Piaget showed that when compared to adults, young children think in differently and he then came to the conclusion that cognitive development was an ongoing process which occurred due to maturation and interaction with the environment (p. 72).
One of the key tasks involved in mental development at this age is logical and consistent thinking. The school-aged child also learns to create more and more sophisticated classification systems - such as the characteristics of reptiles and mammals, or the differences between towns and
Adolescence is the stage in a person 's life when they transition from puberty to adulthood. Adolescence brings changes to an individual 's body and brain. With puberty comes changes in a person 's voice, growth spurts, and the ability to sexually reproduce. As people make this transition, they will have to be more responsible and start
Late Adulthood is the stage of the human life cycle where an individual nears the end of their life. The life expectancy in the United States has slowly increased over the years therefore allowed many to further analyze the physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development during late adulthood. The stage of late adulthood has been emphasized by ageism and the stereotypical "old" person but, will be further educated by the normative development of the life cycle of late adulthood. For the “old” experience dramatic changes in their development as they face loss, death, and illness.
The study was about the crises in four areas of life such as life events and relationships, self and identity, motivation and goals and cognition and affect among 21 adults ages 60 to 69 using interview and explained findings in relation to adult development theories in later-life which included a common holistic process to later-life crisis episodes such as multiple loss-inducing stressful life events, a struggle with ego integrity, increased mortality awareness and the re-scaling of goals, activities and roles in ways that pertain to re-engagement, continuity or disengagement. This study suggested further researches exploring later-life crisis, being an understudied one, and to facilitate not only a qualitative but also a quantitative method in gathering necessary
4. Formal operations (adolescence) (Feldman, 2004). Factors that Influence Cognitive Behavior: 1. Maturation of the nervous system. 2.