ADULTHOOD

• There are many ways to define adulthood. What are these definitions? Do you agree or disagree with them?
• What's the relationship between chronological age and life style?
• How does the regulation of changes in adulthood differ from that which occurs during childhood? Is adulthood a time of change, or of stability?
• Describe current perspectives on adulthood.
• Summarize the various conceptions that people of different ages have of the different age periods of life; how do they perceive themselves and others. How are these perceptions affected by gender?
• Define each of the following and identify the relations between them: aging, biological aging, social aging, social norms, age norms, social clock.
• Describe the role life events play in helping people locate themselves across the life span.
• Summarize the major themes of Erikson's approach to adult development. What are the crises of adulthood and how may they be resolved? What are the developmental tasks that occur during each period?
• Describe the new social definitions and phases of development of adult women. Compare the development of men and women. Discuss the significance of family and work, reentering the paid labor force, stocktaking, unique female experiences, and depression.
• Discuss stage approaches to adult development. What are the pro's and con's of such approaches?
• List the changes during adulthood in the following areas: physical performance, physical health, mental health.
• How do adults deal with stressful life events?
• Define "Lifestyle." Describe various kinds of lifestyle options. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each.
• Define marriage; describe the ways in which societies differ in how they structure marriage relationships.
• Describe the relationships between different types of marriage and satisfaction/happiness.

• How common is divorce in the US? How does divorce relate to cohabitation?
• Describe what happens during each of the stages in the family life cycle. What difficulties and rewards accompany each stage?
• What is the significance of work for adults?
• Evaluate the physical and health-related changes that occur in middle adulthood, including the vision, hearing, menopause, climacteric, mid-life changes in males and females.
• Categorize the changes in sexual behavior and activity that occur across the adult years; summarize research findings on the sexual behaviors of Americans.
• Describe research data supporting continuity and discontinuity, as well as dynamic views of adult personality development.
• Summarize the research data dealing with the issue of discontinuity and continuity in adult gender characteristics.
• Describe the roles played by maturity, self-concept, and self-image in influencing adaptation across the adult years.
• What factors are associated with adult life satisfaction?

 

• AGING

• Why is more attention currently being paid to the elderly than was formerly the case?
• Define "gerontology," "geriatrics." Describe the demographic statistics on elderly Americans and the elderly in other cultures.
• Summarize the research data concerning why women are living longer than men.
• Appraise the concept of ageism by evaluating some common myths concerning elderly Americans.
• Describe the health status of older Americans
• What changes in perceptual abilities occur with increasing age?
• What is senescence? What physical changes accompany it?
• List and explain the theories of biological aging?
• Analyze the differing results produced by cross-sectional and longitudinal studies of late-adult cognitive development.
• Summarize the research dealing with memory processes
• Explain the different types of senility and their causes. What difficulties are involved with their diagnoses, and what are the consequences for victims and their families
• List several guidelines for caring for Alzheimer's patients.
• Name the explain the major later-adulthood personality patterns identified by Bernice Neugarten.
• How is self-concept related to life satisfaction in later adulthood?
• Compare and contrast the following theories of adjustment to aging: disengagement theory, activity theory, consistency theories. (Omit role exit and social exchange theories)
• Discuss how the social life space of adults is affected by retirement, changing marital relations, and kin and friendship ties.
• Briefly summarize the research data dealing with a)types of home care for the elderly and its consequences, and b) types of institutional care for the elderly and its consequences.
• Cite the data dealing with the following aspects of grandparenting: Demographic statistics, roles and functions performed, grandparents parenting their grandchildren
• Explain the importance of personal control and choice in influencing the well-being of elderly nursing home residents.

 
• DYING AND DEATH
• How have views of death changed historically? Describe the changing American view of death.
• What is a death-denying culture?
• What is the currently accepted definition of death?
• How do elderly people confront death? What is the life review?
• Why are thanatologists concerned that people are ill-equipped to deal with the grieving process associated with death?
• List and briefly explain Kubler-Ross' stages of the death process
• What is anticipatory grief?
• What is healthy dying, durable power of attorneys; living wills, the right-to-die movement, euthanasia?
• Explain the philosophy of the hospice movement; what kind of services do hospices provide?
• What functions do funerals serve"
• Define the following terms and discuss the functions and stages of development of each: bereavement; grief; mourning; adjusting to violent and premature death, death of a child, death of a parent.
• Summarize the data regarding each of the following topics: demographic statistics on widows and widowers, coping difficulties of widows and widowers.
• According to Nagy, how does children's understanding of death differ from that of adults?