Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Adult development encompasses the changes that occur in biological and psychological domains of human life from the end of adolescence until the end of one's life. Changes occur at the cellular level and are partially explained by biological theories of adult development and aging. [1]
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.
Historical context also affects personality change. Major life events can lead to changes in personality that can persist for more than a decade. [18] 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. [38]
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]
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.
This particular study revealed that the older a participant was the less personality change they reported or predicted. Despite this, the magnitude of the end-of-history illusion did not change with age as predictors consistently predicted their personality would change less over the next decade than reporters believed it changed in that time.
Reduced mental and cognitive ability: [86] [87] 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. [88] The prevalence of dementia increases in old age from about 10% at age 65 to about 50% over age 85. [89]
Biological changes in brain structure and connectivity within the brain interact with increased experience, knowledge, and changing social demands to produce rapid cognitive growth (see Changes in the brain above). The age at which particular changes take place varies between individuals, but the changes discussed below begin at puberty or ...