Question | Answer |
Senescence | decreases in efficiency in all the body systems gradually become less efficient. |
Homeostasis | the state of equilibrium of the body as a result of body organ systems adjusting to internal/external stimuli. |
Organ reserve | the extra capacity that each organ has for responding to stressful events. |
Infertility | is defined as the inability to conceive a child after 1 year or more without contraception |
Post formal approach | extension of Piaget’s stages of cognitive development; build on skills of formal operational thinking |
Psychometric approach | analyzes components of intelligence & examines its improvement or decline through adulthood |
Information processing approach | studies encoding, storage & retrieval of information & examines efficiency through adulthood |
Relativism | an understanding that one’s own perspective is only one of many potentially valid views of reality and knowledge is not fixed or absolute |
Integration | a capacity to synthesize apparently conflicting ideas or views into a more coherent whole, rather than feeling compelled to choose between them |
Dialectical thinking | most advanced form of cognition; the constant integration of one’s beliefs and experiences with all the contradictions and inconsistencies they encounter |
Burn-out | professional feels disillusioned and exhausted by demands of trying to help others (typical with people who equate success with external rewards) |
Alienation | factory or service workers feel distant from the actual product being produced or service being offered (lack of intrinsic satisfaction) |
Extrinsic rewards | “externals” such as money and prestige; characterized by a desire of tangible items |
Intrinsic rewards | rewards that come from “within” such as satisfaction and self-esteem |
Fluid intelligence | capacity to learn new material; short term memory, abstract thought and speed of thinking |
Crystallized intelligence | accumulated knowledge; vocabulary, general information, etc. |
Glass ceiling | invisible barrier between the individual and career advancement; especially for women & minorities |
Morbidity | the number of persons sickened by specific diseases; higher rate in women |
Mortality | the number of deaths due to specific diseases; higher rate in men |
Menopause | one year after a woman’s lasts menstrual period; period stops; estrogen production drastically drops |
Climacteric | the phase preceding menopause; lasts about 6 years; adjustment to lower estrogen levels; hot flashes/cold sweats; involves many biological & physiological changes |