Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Sensory changes and degeneration begin to be common in midlife. Degeneration can include the breakdown of muscle, bones, and joints. Which leads to physical ailments such as sarcopenia or arthritis. [45] An elderly couple exhibiting typical signs of physical aging. At the sensory level, changes occur to vision, hearing, taste, touch, and smell.
Geriatric psychology began in 1978 with a spike in interest in mental health and the effects of aging. There was a slow increase in the number of aging adults in the U.S. population. There was a small group of 11 people who met together to talk about late-life mental health needs and the field of geriatrics.
Historical context also affects personality change. Major life events can lead to changes in personality that can persist for more than a decade. [17] A longitudinal study followed women over 30 years and found that they showed increases in individualism. This may have been due to the changes that were occurring in their country at the time. [36]
In humans, ageing represents the accumulation of changes in a human being over time and can encompass physical, psychological, and social changes. [2] [3] Reaction time, for example, may slow with age, while memories and general knowledge typically increase.
Aging entails many physical, biological, chemical, and psychological changes and the brain is no exception to this phenomenon. These various changes have attempted to be mapped by conceptual models like the Scaffolding Theory of Aging and Cognition (STAC) in 2009.
The sexual revolution describes a change in attitudes and actions regarding sex in Western cultures. It came to a head in the early 1960s, leading to emerging adulthood as a stage. This was due to young adults having sexual relations or children before marriage. [46] While it came to a head in the 1960s, the sexual revolution started long before.
Studies comparing the effects of aging on episodic memory, semantic memory, short-term memory and priming find that episodic memory is especially impaired in normal aging; some types of short-term memory are also impaired. [9] The deficits may be related to impairments seen in the ability to refresh recently processed information. [10]
Reduced mental and cognitive ability: [90] [91] Memory loss is common in old age due to the brain's decreased ability to encode, store, and retrieve information. It takes more time to learn the same amount of new information. [92] The prevalence of dementia increases in old age from about 10% at age 65 to about 50% over age 85. [93]