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Adulthood Overheads

Carolyn R. Fallahi, Ph. D.

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T cells and B cells

What happens as we age? Thymus becomes smaller and less able

to turn the immature T cells produced by the bone marrow into fully adult cells.

Result: our protective mechanisms work less efficiently.

Adults produce fewer antibodies than do children or teenagers.

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Primary or Secondary aging?

Not sure if this is primary / secondary aging. Changes in the immune system found in healthy

adults make it look like primary aging. But…growing evidence…. Functioning of the

immune system is highly responsive to psychological stress and depression

College students – show lower levels of one variety of T cells (natural killer T cells) during exams.

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T cells and B cells

Adults recently widowed – sharp drop in immune system functioning

The role of chronic stress Many stressors over a period of years

makes our immune system become less and less efficient.

Therefore, normal aging may just be a response to cumulative stress.

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Argument

Therefore, if this is the case – that the immune system functioning is directly related to cumulative stress….

We would expect: Those with high levels of stress to have

high rates of disease Those who have higher levels of stress,

should “age” faster and have higher death rates.

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What does the research show?

There are age differences in health and death rates. Less than 2% of young adults / thousand die

each year. 65-75 rate is 15x higher Health varies from one social class to another Those in the lowest social class ages 35-44

reported 4x the number of chronic health conditions.

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Why the differences?

Health habits Smoking Drinking Life stresses, e.g. chronic stresses like financial

trouble and life changes such as losing a job, divorce, moving, etc.

James et. Al. (1992) working class adults – White and Black Americans – had poorer health habits, higher levels of stress.

Upper class adults – clear health advantage.

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Mental Health Problems

Optimal health found in young adulthood except for mental health problems

Developed countries – 25-44 highest rate of emotional disturbance

Why? Young adulthood greatest expectations Greatest role conflict and role strain

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Cognitive Functioning

Peak early adulthood IQ peaks at about 30 and steadily declines

thereafter Werner Schaie – Seattle longitudinal study

25-67 Retested every 7 years Looked at IQ changes over the life span Overall intelligence test scores rise in early adulthood,

remain constant until 60, decline IQ remains fairly stable throughout adulthood.

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Cognitive Functioning

Cattel and Horn’s Intelligences Crystallized intelligence – education and

experience Fluid intelligence – “basic” abilities Schaie: adults maintain crystallized

intelligence throughout early/ middle adulthood.

Fluid abilities decline fairly steadily over adulthood, beginning between 35 and 40

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Memory

Maintenance of memory Some decline during middle adulthood Greater decline in late adulthood Trend STM measures – drops with age Age differences in LTM greater Both encoding and retrieval more

impaired in older adults vs. early adults

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Social Support

The role of social support Lower risk of disease Death Depression Adequacy of social support matters Judith Rodin (1990) perceived control

Bandura Rotter Studies coming out of Finland Seligman – learned helplessness; learned optimism

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Grant Study

35 year Grant Study Group of Harvard men First interviewed during their freshman year

(1938-1940) Used interview data to determine degree of

pessimism Later physical health from 30 to 60 was rated by

physicians. Pessimism was not related to health at 30, 35,

40; but at every assessment between 45-60.

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Grant Study

Those who were pessimistic at 25 had significantly poorer health after 45

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What if we improve control?

Rodin and Langer Mortality rates of nursing home residents

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Love – American Style

Finding a partner Erik Erikson – intimacy vs. isolation Intimacy – the ability to fuse your identity with

someone else’s without fear that you’re going to lose something yourself

The role of attraction Murstein – at first – external characteristics Then match for atitudes and beliefs Same expectations Sexual compatibility?

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Love

The role of similarity The role of assortive mating South

National sample 2000 unmarried adults Women marry up Men marry down What do they care about?

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Love and attachment

The role of attachment Cindy Hazan and Philip Shaver 600 adults 56% - secure 25% - avoidant 19% - anxious or ambivalent Very similar to research stats on

children’s attachment percentages

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Sternberg

Intimacy Passion commitment

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Ted Huston

How marriages change 168 couples First marriage Each partner interviewed at length Early months versus later months

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Good vs. bad marriages

Skills, resources, traits Couples with better resources Gottman (1994)

Validating Volatile Avoidant Hostile/engaged Hostile/detached

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Cohabitation? Does it help?

Bumpass and Sweet Cohabitation rates Why cohabitate? Assumption

(Sternberg) Results DeMaris and Leslie Homosexual partners The role of parenthood on marriage