Activity theory Essay

Cognitive changes in that location argon several changes that occur with agedness, one of which is cognitive slowing. The slowing that occurs in all cognitive tasks where speed of response is a component is considered the close pervasive cognitive change in developmental aging. The probable venue of slowing is in the central nervous system (Bob & McCallum, 1998). hue lipofuscin builds up in the brain during old time and it gradually results in brain degeneration. The get along withd brain weighs less(prenominal), the lateral ventricles tend to be dilated, and the palm tree of cortical tissue is narrowed (Hurlock, 1986).Such degeneration is held accountable for a decline in the brains capacity to function. But the bonny persons intelligence is not likely to be severely impaired before age 70 or 75 (Peterson, 1989). With grievous sensual and mental health, adequate educational levels, and intellectual stimulation, it get alongs that there is not as a great decline in in tellectual abilities with age as previously thought, especially in the 60 to 75 age group. Emotional changes Emotional changes over the adult life span are a topic of considerable importance for psychotherapists working with older adults.At the mental level, the older adults are more difficult to arouse moreover also have more difficulty returning to a narrate of calm once aroused (Woodruff, 1985). The accumulation of experiences leads to more complex and less extreme emotional experiences in later life. A review of research, utilise the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory with older adults, noted that older adults were press down on scales associated with anger, impulsivity, and confusion and argued that people may become less whimsical with maturity (Gynther, 1979, in Bob & McCallum, 1998).It was concluded that as a whole, emotionality in older adults may be both more complex and subtler than that of younger adults. Theories on Aging Attempts to understand and e xplain the lives and activities of those who appear to age successfully have led to the different formation of theories on aging. There are fourmain theories (a) Disengagement theory It is based on the supposition that as people age they progressively withdraw from social, physical, and emotional fundamental interaction with the world.As they gradually disengage themselves, the society too withdraws from its engagement with the aging person (b) Activity theory It stresses that older people should remain active as long as they possibly can. When certain activities and associations must be given up (for example, employment), substitutes should be found because life satisfaction is super dependent upon continued social, emotional, and physical involvement.In a positive milieu older people generally moved toward activity and informal contacts, quite a than disengagement (butler, Lewis & Sunderland, 1998). (c) Socioenvironmental theory This approach is based on the intellect tha t people respond to the social meaning of events. Two factors that affect the meaning old people place on events-and thus their interaction patterns-are the physical proximity of other persons and the age homogeneity of an environment (Gubrium, 1973, 1975, cited in Butler et al. , 1973).(d) Developmental theory Erickson (1963) and Peck (1997) present a theory that describes human beings development in terms of progression through a serial of stages. Old age is a stage of life in which the psyche must try to balance the search for ego integrity with a sense of despair. Out of this conflict emerges wisdom the human virtue nearly commonly associated with old age. The negative emotions associated with this stage, are in part a result of the limitations of a persons physical and psychological strength (Butler, Lewis, & Sunderland, 1991).(e) Biological or medical perspective. Moberg (2002) further elaborates this physical and psychological decline and its effect on the elderly. H ighlighting aging from the biological/medical perspective of physical decline along with losses of friends, employment, mobility, income, and so forth, has contributed to a pervasive negativism among biosocial scientists that is evident in their different direction of talking to (hardly with) elderly persons, avoidance of touching seniors, and other indications of ageism.Opportunities for service are withdrawn from many who are retired, even in churches that use the give-and-take with its high value for elders, so disengagement theory becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. beat spent in solitude and meditation can be wholesome, cussed to assumptions of Activity theory that lonely outer activities are worthwhile, for being wholly is not the same as being lonely