Middle age

Last updated

Middle age is the age range of the years halfway between childhood and old age. [1] The exact range is subject to academic debate, but the term is commonly used to denote the age range from around 45 to around 65 years. [2] [3] [4] This phase of life is marked by gradual physical, cognitive, and social decline in individuals as they age.

Contents

Middle adulthood

This time span is generally referred to as "middle age" and can be defined as the time of ages about 40–45 to about 60–65. [2] [3] [5] [6] [7] Many changes may occur between young adulthood and this stage. [8] [9] [10] There is no universal consensus on what the exact definition of middle age is, but usual characteristics include the beginning of rapid decline of fertility, graying of hair, and lessening of opportunities.

Those in middle adulthood or middle age continue to develop relationships and adapt to changes in relationships. Such changes are highly evident in the maturing relationships between growing or grown children and aging parents. Community involvement is fairly typical of this stage of adulthood, [11] as is continued career development.

Physical characteristics

Middle-aged adults may begin to show visible signs of aging. This process can be more rapid in women who have osteoporosis.[ citation needed ] Changes might occur in the nervous system. The ability to perform complex tasks remains intact. During the years surrounding the age of 51, women experience menopause, which ends natural fertility. [12] Menopause can have many side effects. Changes can occur to skin, and other changes may include a decline in physical fitness, including a reduction in aerobic performance, a decrease in maximal heart rate, and graying and loss of hair. Sensory sensitivity in middle-aged adults has been shown to be one of the lowest. [13] These measurements are generalities, and people may exhibit changes at different rates and times. [14]

Mortality rates can begin to increase, due mainly to health issues like heart problems, cancer, hypertension, and diabetes. [11] Still, the majority of middle-aged people in industrialized nations can expect to live into old age.

Starting around age 35, pregnant women are considered to be of advanced maternal age, and significant declines in fertility begin to occur that usually end with menopause around age 50. [15] The normal range for menopause is 45 to 55. [16]

Cognitive

Erik Erikson refers to this period of adulthood as generativity versus stagnation, the seventh of eight stages of Erikson's stages of psychosocial development. People in middle adulthood or middle age may experience some cognitive loss, which usually remains unnoticeable because life experiences and strategies get developed to compensate for any decrease in mental abilities. [17]

During this stage, adults often strive to have things that will outlast them. Generativity, which is the concern and the commitment middle-aged people have for future generations, is a big part of development during this stage. [18]

Social and personality characteristics

For some, marital satisfaction remains intact, but other family relationships can become more difficult. Career satisfaction focuses more on inner satisfaction and contentedness and less on ambition and the desire to advance. [11] Even so, career changes occur often. Middle adulthood or middle age can be a time when people reexamine their lives by taking stock and evaluating their accomplishments. Morality may change and become more conscious. [19] The perception that those in this stage of development of life undergo a so-called midlife crisis is a largely false one. [20] Personality characteristics remain stable throughout this period, [1] and relationships in middle adulthood may continue to evolve into connections that are stable. [11]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Developmental psychology</span> Scientific study of psychological changes in humans over the course of their lives

Developmental psychology is the scientific study of how and why humans grow, change, and adapt across the course of their lives. Originally concerned with infants and children, the field has expanded to include adolescence, adult development, aging, and the entire lifespan. Developmental psychologists aim to explain how thinking, feeling, and behaviors change throughout life. This field examines change across three major dimensions, which are physical development, cognitive development, and social emotional development. Within these three dimensions are a broad range of topics including motor skills, executive functions, moral understanding, language acquisition, social change, personality, emotional development, self-concept, and identity formation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ovary</span> Female reproductive organ that produces egg cells

The ovary is a gonad in the female reproductive system that produces ova. When an ovum is released, this travels through the fallopian tube into the uterus. There is an ovary found on the left and the right side of the body. The ovaries also secrete hormones that play a role in the menstrual cycle and fertility. The ovary progresses through many stages beginning in the prenatal period through menopause. It is also an endocrine gland because of the various hormones that it secretes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Menopause</span> Time when menstrual periods stop permanently

Menopause, also known as the climacteric, is the time when menstrual periods permanently stop, marking the end of reproduction. It typically occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, although the exact timing can vary. Menopause is usually a natural change. It can occur earlier in those who smoke tobacco. Other causes include surgery that removes both ovaries or some types of chemotherapy. At the physiological level, menopause happens because of a decrease in the ovaries' production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. While typically not needed, a diagnosis of menopause can be confirmed by measuring hormone levels in the blood or urine. Menopause is the opposite of menarche, the time when a girl's periods start.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Menstrual cycle</span> Natural changes in the human female reproductive system

The menstrual cycle is a series of natural changes in hormone production and the structures of the uterus and ovaries of the female reproductive system that makes pregnancy possible. The ovarian cycle controls the production and release of eggs and the cyclic release of estrogen and progesterone. The uterine cycle governs the preparation and maintenance of the lining of the uterus (womb) to receive an embryo. These cycles are concurrent and coordinated, normally last between 21 and 35 days, with a median length of 28 days, and continue for about 30–45 years.

In social psychology, an interpersonal relation describes a social association, connection, or affiliation between two or more persons. It overlaps significantly with the concept of social relations, which are the fundamental unit of analysis within the social sciences. Relations vary in degrees of intimacy, self-disclosure, duration, reciprocity, and power distribution. The main themes or trends of the interpersonal relations are: family, kinship, friendship, love, marriage, business, employment, clubs, neighborhoods, ethical values, support and solidarity. Interpersonal relations may be regulated by law, custom, or mutual agreement, and form the basis of social groups and societies. They appear when people communicate or act with each other within specific social contexts, and they thrive on equitable and reciprocal compromises.

A toddler is a child approximately 1 to 3 years old, though definitions vary. The toddler years are a time of great cognitive, emotional and social development. The word is derived from "to toddle", which means to walk unsteadily, like a child of this age.

In medicine and the social sciences, a young adult is generally a person in the years following adolescence, sometimes with some overlap. Definitions and opinions on what qualifies as a young adult vary, with works such as Erik Erikson's stages of human development significantly influencing the definition of the term; generally, the term is often used to refer to adults in approximately the age range of 18 to 40 years, with some more inclusive definitions extending the definition into the early to mid 40s. The young adult stage in human development precedes middle adulthood.

Hypogonadism means diminished functional activity of the gonads—the testicles or the ovaries—that may result in diminished production of sex hormones. Low androgen levels are referred to as hypoandrogenism and low estrogen as hypoestrogenism. These are responsible for the observed signs and symptoms in both males and females.

Erikson's stages of psychosocial development, as articulated in the second half of the 20th century by Erik Erikson in collaboration with Joan Erikson, is a comprehensive psychoanalytic theory that identifies a series of eight stages that a healthy developing individual should pass through from infancy to late adulthood.

A midlife crisis is a transition of identity and self-confidence that can occur in middle-aged individuals, typically 45 to 64 years old. The phenomenon is described as a psychological crisis brought about by events that highlight a person's growing age, inevitable mortality, and possible lack of accomplishments in life. This may produce feelings of intense depression, remorse, and high levels of anxiety; or the desire to achieve youthfulness, make drastic changes to their current lifestyle, or change past decisions and events. Studies on midlife crises show that they are less common than popularly believed, according to Vaillant (2012): in his 75-year longitudinal study on adult development, he found midlife crises were rare experiences for people involved in the study. The term was coined by Elliott Jaques in 1965.

The anal stage is the second stage in Sigmund Freud's theory of psychosexual development, taking place approximately between the ages 18 months and three years. According to Freud, the anus is the primary erogenous zone and pleasure is derived from controlling bladder and bowel movement. The major conflict issue during this stage is toilet training. A fixation at this stage can result in a personality that is too rigid or one that is too disordered.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anti-Müllerian hormone</span> Mammalian protein found in humans

Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), also known as Müllerian-inhibiting hormone (MIH), is a glycoprotein hormone structurally related to inhibin and activin from the transforming growth factor beta superfamily, whose key roles are in growth differentiation and folliculogenesis. In humans, it is encoded by the AMH gene, on chromosome 19p13.3, while its receptor is encoded by the AMHR2 gene on chromosome 12.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Existential crisis</span> Inner conflict due to perceived meaninglessness

In psychology and psychotherapy, existential crises are inner conflicts characterized by the impression that life lacks meaning or by confusion about one's personal identity. Existential crises are accompanied by anxiety and stress, often to such a degree that they disturb one's normal functioning in everyday life and lead to depression. This negative attitude towards life and meaning reflects various positions characteristic of the philosophical movement known as existentialism. Synonyms and closely related terms include existential dread, existential vacuum, existential neurosis, and alienation. The various aspects associated with existential crises are sometimes divided into emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components. Emotional components refer to the feelings they provoke, such as emotional pain, despair, helplessness, guilt, anxiety, or loneliness. Cognitive components encompass the problem of meaninglessness, the loss of personal values or spiritual faith, and reflections about one's own mortality. Outwardly, existential crises often express themselves in addictions, anti-social and compulsive behavior.

Emerging adulthood, early adulthood, or post-adolescence refers to a phase of the life span between late adolescence and early adulthood, as initially proposed by Jeffrey Arnett in a 2000 article from the American Psychologist. It primarily describes people living in developed countries, but it is also experienced by young adults in wealthy urban families in the Global South. The term describes young adults who do not have children, do not live in their own homes, and/or do not have sufficient income to become fully independent. Arnett suggests emerging adulthood is the distinct period between 20 and 29 years of age where young adults become more independent and explore various life possibilities.

Spermarche, also known as semenarche, is the time at which a male experiences his first ejaculation. It is considered to be the counterpart of menarche in girls. Depending on upbringing, cultural differences, and prior sexual knowledge, males may have different reactions to spermarche, ranging from fear to excitement. Spermarche is one of the first events in the life of a male leading to sexual maturity. It occurs at the time when the secondary sex characteristics are just beginning to develop. Researchers have had difficulty determining the onset of spermarche because it is reliant on self-reporting. Other methods to determine it have included the examination of urine samples to determine the presence of spermatozoa. The presence of sperm in urine is referred to as spermaturia.

Positive adult development is a subfield of developmental psychology that studies positive development during adulthood. It is one of four major forms of adult developmental study that can be identified, according to Michael Commons; the other three forms are directionless change, stasis, and decline. Commons divided positive adult developmental processes into at least six areas of study: hierarchical complexity, knowledge, experience, expertise, wisdom, and spirituality.

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. Biological changes influence psychological and interpersonal/social developmental changes, which are often described by stage theories of human development. Stage theories typically focus on "age-appropriate" developmental tasks to be achieved at each stage. Erik Erikson and Carl Jung proposed stage theories of human development that encompass the entire life span, and emphasized the potential for positive change very late in life.

Stage-crisis view is a theory of adult development that was established by Daniel Levinson. Although largely influenced by the work of Erik Erikson, Levinson sought to create a broader theory that would encompass all aspects of adult development as opposed to just the psychosocial. This theory is characterized by both definitive eras as well as transition phases, whose purpose is to facilitate a smooth transition out of one era and into the next. According to his theory, various developmental tasks must be mastered as one progresses through each era; pre-adulthood, early adulthood, middle adulthood, and late adulthood. Crises are also experienced throughout the lifecycle and occur when one become burdened by either internal or external factors, such as during the midlife crisis that occurs during the midlife transition from early adulthood to middle adulthood.

Margie E. Lachman is an American psychologist. She is the Minnie and Harold Fierman Professor of Psychology at Brandeis University, director of the Lifespan Developmental Psychology Lab and the director of the Boston Roybal Center for Active Lifestyle Interventions. She was editor of the Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences (2000-2003), and has edited two volumes on midlife development. She is a fellow of the American Psychological Association, Division 20 and the Gerontological Society of America. Lachman's research is in the area of lifespan development with a focus on midlife and later life. Her current work is aimed at identifying psychosocial and behavioral factors that can protect against, minimize, or compensate for declines in cognition and health. She is conducting studies to examine long-term predictors of psychological and physical health, laboratory-based experiments to identify psychological and physiological processes involved in aging-related changes, especially in memory, and intervention studies to enhance performance and promote adaptive functioning through active engagement and physical activity.

Jeylan T. Mortimer is an American sociologist. She is Professor Emeritus at the University of Minnesota, where she founded the Life Course Center and served as its Director from 1986 to 2006.

References

  1. 1 2 "APA PsycNet". psycnet.apa.org. Archived from the original on 2020-01-02. Retrieved 2016-09-25.
  2. 1 2 "Middle Age: definition of middle age in Oxford dictionary (American English) (US)". Oxforddictionaries.com. Archived from the original on October 14, 2014. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
  3. 1 2 "Definition of MIDDLE AGE". www.merriam-webster.com. Archived from the original on 2016-10-27. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
  4. "The Language Of Ageism: Understanding How We Talk About Older People". Dictionary.com. 2021-05-19. Retrieved 2023-07-13. When is middle age? We define middle age as "the period of human life between youth and old age, sometimes considered as the years between 45 and 65 or thereabout."Given the different views on when old age begins, it shouldn't surprise you to learn that the exact range of middle age is not set in stone either. In general, our age range of "45 to 65" is around the age range generally used to say when middle age supposedly occurs. Polling shows that people may think middle age begins later or earlier depending on who you ask.
  5. Middle age Archived 2017-07-12 at the Wayback Machine . CollinsDictionary.com. Collins English Dictionary – Complete & Unabridged 11th Edition. Retrieved December 05, 2012.
  6. "APA Dictionary of Psychology". dictionary.apa.org. Archived from the original on 2018-04-27. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
  7. "middle age | psychology | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Archived from the original on 2022-10-04. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
  8. Gordon-Salant, Sandra; Frisina, Robert D.; Fay, Richard R.; Popper, Arthur (3 May 2010). The Aging Auditory System. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN   9781441909947. Archived from the original on 19 March 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2020 via Google Books.
  9. Infurna, F. J.; Gerstorf, D.; Lachman, M. E. (2020). "Midlife in the 2020s: Opportunities and Challenges". The American Psychologist. 75 (4): 470–485. doi:10.1037/amp0000591. PMC   7347230 . PMID   32378943.
  10. Lachman, M. E. (2015). "Mind the Gap in the Middle: A Call to Study Midlife". Research in Human Development. 12 (3–4): 327–334. doi:10.1080/15427609.2015.1068048. PMC   4734389 . PMID   26848288.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Stern, Theodore (2016). Massachusetts General Hospital comprehensive clinical psychiatry. London: Elsevier. ISBN   978-0-323-29507-9.
  12. Bourgeois, F. John; Gehrig, Paola A.; Veljovich, Daniel S. (1 January 2005). Obstetrics and Gynecology Recall. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. ISBN   9780781748797. Archived from the original on 10 January 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2020 via Google Books.
  13. Harkins, S. W.; Price, D. D.; Martelli, M. (1986-01-01). "Effects of Age on Pain Perception: Thermonociception". Journal of Gerontology. 41 (1): 58–63. doi:10.1093/geronj/41.1.58. ISSN   0022-1422. PMID   3941257.
  14. Leyk, Dieter; Rüther, Thomas; Wunderlich, Max; et al. (2010-11-19). "Physical Performance in Middle Age and Old Age". Deutsches Ärzteblatt Online. 107 (46): 809–816. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2010.0809. ISSN   1866-0452. PMC   2999945 . PMID   21151416.
  15. staff, familydoctor org editorial; Rice, Alex; Rice, Alex (September 7, 2017). "Pregnancy After 35: Advanced Maternal Age". familydoctor.org. Archived from the original on October 4, 2022. Retrieved October 4, 2022.
  16. "What is Menopause?".
  17. Gordon-Salant, Sandra; Frisina, Robert D.; Fay, Richard R.; Popper, Arthur (3 May 2010). The Aging Auditory System. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN   9781441909947 via Google Books.
  18. "APA PsycNet". psycnet.apa.org. Archived from the original on 2021-05-26. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  19. Kellner, Douglas; Habermas, Jurgen (March 1992). "Moral Consciousness and Communicative Action". Contemporary Sociology. 21 (2): 278. doi:10.2307/2075511. ISSN   0094-3061. JSTOR   2075511.
  20. Levenson, Michael R.; Aldwin, Corolyn M. (2014), "Change in Personality Processes and Health Outcomes", Handbook of Personality Development, Routledge, doi:10.4324/9781315805610.ch21, ISBN   978-1-315-80561-0

Further reading

Preceded by Stages of human development
Middle age
Succeeded by