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Homework answers / question archive / Gains and Losses in Middle Adulthood Discuss Baltes' theory on the gains and losses in middle adulthood
Gains and Losses in Middle Adulthood
Discuss Baltes' theory on the gains and losses in middle adulthood. Elaborate on the processes of growth, maintenance, and regulation of loss that can be adaptive for development at this stage. Describe how age-graded changes and history-graded changes help to explain development during this stage.
Unit 8 Discussion: Gains and losses in Middle Adulthood
Baltes' theory focusses on the minimizing of loses as well as the maximization of gains of the individual cultural as well as group factors for the promotion of successful development to occur. The theory identifies that development does not take place unless a loss or a gain has been incurred. The Baltes’ theory of successful development highlights that the internal resources of the individual could be used in the transformation of negative situations into something negative. Broderick and Blewitt (2014) argued that Baltes' model has shown significant influence in promoting wellbeing in the healthcare setting as it helps the client in selecting, optimizing as well as compensating for the losses. In Middle adulthood various losses are evidenced such as the loss of spouses which may lead to depression as well as physician and emotional impairments and the Balte's theory of successful development promotes the identification of resources such as emotional and psychological capabilities that enable the individual to alter the negative situation (Broderick & Blewitt, 2014).
Baltes’ theory identifies that self-regulation gained through years of cognitive and emotional development is essential in guiding the selection of approaches of alternatives that aim to reduce the level of losses while increasing the level of gains. In Middle adulthood, the individual is in a position to optimize their life as well as to gain an understanding of the sacrifices that need to be made to ensure effective optimization of personal reaction (Uttal & Perlmutte, n.d.). The process of growth and maintenance is supported by the ability of the individual to adopt the process of plasticity which is the ability to turn negative situations into positive situations. This ability enables the adult to maintain healthy development due to their ability to effectively manage emotional, physical and psychological problems that affect their life as argued by Uttal and Perlmutter (n.d.). Growth and maintenance are further supported by the study carried out by Uttal and Perlmutter (n.d.) who argued that Baltes’ theory identify that the ability to balance both losses and gains is essential in lessening the risk of age-related decline by encouraging the individual to disregard both behavioral and cognitive initiatives that are not beneficial to development.
Age-related changes and history-related changes can be used to describe the development of adults during this phase of development. According to Broderick and Blewitt (2014) the age-related changes are the environmental and biological changes that are similar to a particular age group. For instance, the development of wrinkles, the growth of grey hair, reduced sensation as well as reduced physical abilities. The age-related phases identify that development is specific to a certain age group and period in the lifespan of the individual. Baltes further notes of the history-graded influences which care defines as the biological or environmental factors that are associated with historical periods of time which influence the development of the people from that specific generation (Uttal & Perlmutte, n.d.). Those who are middle-aged were born from the 1960s to the 1970s and this was a period of significant growth of the economy in America resulting in this group experiencing better education and opportunities that helped shape their educational and cognitive development as well as emotional stability due to the ability of most of these group to achieve their desired goals in life due to access of resources and opportunities such as employment.
References
Broderick, P. C., & Blewitt, P. (2014). The life span: Human development for helping professionals (4th ed.). Person Education.
Uttal, D. H., & Perlmutter, M. (n.d.). Toward a broader conceptualization of development: The role of gains and losses across the life span. Developmental Review, 9(2), 101-132.