Chapter 10 - The lives of adults at mid-life. The main contents of this chapter include all of the following: Defining mid-life: historical and developmental questions, developmental questions, discourses about middle adulthood, physiological changes at mid-life, diversity in adult lives,. | Chapter 10 The lives of adults at mid-life Defining mid-life: historical and developmental questions What ages encompasss mid-life? Roughly mid-30s to around 60 No clear beginning or end Cohorts have different life experiences. Baby boomers Large post-WW II population New Zealand born 1946–72 Diversity in adult lives Age of having a child or losing a parent will differ across people. What's your cohort? Developmental questions There is no one universal plan for every person's development. 'Stages' are very difficult to define for adults. Erikson's theory focuses on development through the life span, while Piaget and Freud stop at physiological maturity. US-based research (. Levinson 1978, 1996) has a social and cultural context that may not be so relevant in New Zealand. Discourses about middle adulthood There are various discourses about mid-life: Middle age—its all downhill from here—there is an emphasis on the ageing process. The prime of life—mid-life is the time of peak performance and power. The mid-life crisis—the adult is facing challenges and confronting ageing. [Refresher on discourse: words and practices that seem to define reality in an unquestionable way] Mid-life crisis: commonly associated with turning 40. Physiological changes at mid-life Ageing begins from the moment you're born! Some common markers of ageing at mid-life are: grey hair, skin changes eyes having less flexible focus and requiring more light. Changes require adaptations in behaviour, . extra care when driving at night. Menopause Menopause Final cessation of menstruation in women Average age is 52 in New Zealand (Mackenzie, 1984) Peri-menopause: gradual process before cessation End of child-bearing years may signal sadness (Bart, 1972) or relief (Rubin, 1979) for women. Male menopause? There is little evidence for this, as male hormones decline gradually over time. Cultures differ greatly in their interest in physiological changes at mid-life. Diversity | Chapter 10 The lives of adults at mid-life Defining mid-life: historical and developmental questions What ages encompasss mid-life? Roughly mid-30s to around 60 No clear beginning or end Cohorts have different life experiences. Baby boomers Large post-WW II population New Zealand born 1946–72 Diversity in adult lives Age of having a child or losing a parent will differ across people. What's your cohort? Developmental questions There is no one universal plan for every person's development. 'Stages' are very difficult to define for adults. Erikson's theory focuses on development through the life span, while Piaget and Freud stop at physiological maturity. US-based research (. Levinson 1978, 1996) has a social and cultural context that may not be so relevant in New Zealand. Discourses about middle adulthood There are various discourses about mid-life: Middle age—its all downhill from here—there is an emphasis on the ageing process. The prime of life—mid-life is the time .
