The Process of Aging

Theories of aging

• The psychological approach to aging considers

When all the changes take place if
related to the biological pattern of
aging.

• Thus, it is not possible to simply establish a

linear relationship between the biological component and the

global aging of the individual.

• Psychosocial Theory of Development

Personality (Erikson)
• Teoria Psicossocial de Peck

• Bühler's Psychosocial Theory

 Theories of aging

Psychosocial Theory of Development

Personality (Erikson)

•Development results from the interaction of factors

individuals and culture processes over 8
stadiums.

•The stadiums represent critical moments in

individual development at the level of growth
physical and sexual, of cognitive maturity and adaptation
integration required by constant social requests.
 Theories of aging

Psychosocial Theory of Development of

Personality (Erikson)

•The 8 stadiums are:

(I) Early childhood (up to 12/18 months).

II) Early childhood (12/18 months – 3 years)

(III) Idade do jogo (3 – 6 anos)

(IV) School age (6 – 12 years)

Adolescence (12 - 18 years)

(VI) Young adult (18 - 35 years)

(VII) Maturidade (35 – 65 anos; vida adulta)

(VIII) Old Age (after 65 years; late adulthood)

 Theories of aging

Psychosocial Theory of Development

Personality (Erikson)

•In each of these stages, there is a conflict.

normative, before which the individual has to choose
one of two opposing positions (moment of
crisis).

•The resolution or not of this conflict contributes to the

formation of your identity, despite each stage
start independently of the nature of
resolution of the previous stadium.
 Theories of aging

Psychosocial Theory of Personality Development

(Erikson)

• It is considered that the development of children and

adolescents is relatively universal, while that of adults

it is disparate, depending much more on your experiences
personal.

• About ¾ of the life cycle is included in the last three.

proposed stages in this theory.
• This last phase corresponds to the integrity of the ego or despair.
Older adults need to evaluate their lives, summarize
and to accept them, to accept the approach of death.
 Theories of aging

Psychosocial Theory of Development of

Personality (Erikson)

•Those who, when making this analysis, do not find

great reasons for personal pride, will tend to
despair. Time has passed and there are no more conditions.
to realize new projects and goals.

•The person should not reach this stage with torment.

about what I "should have done" or "could have done better".

•The certainty of having lived a productive life will bring a

greater acceptance of the hour of death, which is approaching.
 Theories of aging

Peck's Psychosocial Theory

•Robert Peck expanded Erikson's theory and described

three important psychological adjustments:

1. Broader definitions of the ego against a

preocupação com papéis de trabalho

They are those who defined their lives by work,

directing your time towards the achievement of merits

personal professionals.
 Theories of aging

Peck's Psychosocial Theory

•Robert Peck expanded Erikson's theory and described three

important psychological adjustments:

2. Superiority of the body over concern for the body

They are those for whom physical well-being is paramount.

happy existence. They may remain immersed in despair if
we will face a progressive decline in health, with the arrival
of old age, and the onset of pain and physical limitations.

3. Superiority of the ego over an ego concern

The hardest and most important adjustment for the elderly is worry.
with death approaching.
 Theories of aging

Peck's Psychosocial Theory

•Robert Peck expanded Erikson's theory and described three

important psychological adjustments:

3. Superiority of the ego against a concern for the ego

The recognition of the lasting significance of everything they did

will help overcome the concern with the ego.

Life should lead so that all people reach

next reflection before reaching old age: to understand oneself
even giving purpose to life.
Only then will old age come without trauma and it will be a period of

proud of achievements and free from frustrations, fear, and despair.

 Theories of aging

Teoria Psicossocial de Bühler

•A person's life is in constant change due to
biological, psychological, and social factors.

•Each phase is characterized by changes in terms of

events, attitudes, and achievements during the life cycle.

•Human life development occurs in stages, which

they encompass all of their extent.

•The fifth phase, which begins around the age of 65, is marked by
a period of calm after active life, which corresponds
also a clarity of physical cadence and mental elasticity.
 Theories of aging

Bühler's Psychosocial Theory

• It is the time when primitive professions are replaced by

partial professions or hobbies often verifies the
loss of one of the spouses.

• At this moment, it is clear that there is no room for

achievement of large personal goals and objectives.

• Many times the elderly reformulate their objectives, restricting them to

a more concrete and immediate plan.

• Asensação de não se ter alcançado e cumprido de forma

satisfactory objectives is an important factor in physical decline and in
trigger of adaptation problems in old age.
 Biophysical dimensions of human aging

• The physiological modifications of aging

result from complex interactions among various
intrinsic and extrinsic factors manifest
through structural and functional changes:

• Although most elderly people report being well

The idea persists that the majority of health
health problems are chronic in nature.

• Elders consume much more of our

health system and this higher cost is not
coated with benefit.
 Biophysical dimensions of human aging

• The model of assistance to the elderly does not

suitable for your needs.

• The health problems of the elderly, besides

of being of long duration, requires personnel
qualified, teams multidisciplinary
equipment own e exams
complementary.

• The classic models of promotion, prevention,

recovery and rehabilitation cannot be
mechanically transported for the elderly without
significant and important adaptations.
 Psychological dimensions of human aging

• The aging process involves

changes at the level of mental processes, of
personality, motivations, aptitudes
relate to the person's biographical contexts.

• Aging, from the standpoint

psychological, will depend on factors of order
genetics, pathological (diseases and injuries) of
individual potentials (processing
of information, memory, performance
cognitive, etc.), with interference from the environment

environment and sociocultural context.

 Psychological dimensions of human aging

• It is necessary to understand the importance of the

forms of compensation, that each one of

we use/prepare to cope with the losses
associated with aging, as these
will significantly influence the quality
of life and the psychological well-being of the elderly.

• Emotion is a sudden reaction of the whole

our body with components
physiological, cognitive, and behavioral that
allows the subject to free their
tensions.
 Psychological dimensions of human aging

• Background Emotions

• They are detected through details such as the

speed of movements or even the contraction
of the facial muscles, as it involves interference
external.

• They can be reported as:

• Enthusiasm
• Tension

• Calm

• Well-being

• Discomfort
 Psychological dimensions of human aging

• Primary Emotions

• Universal saints are associated with physical states.

• They can be reported as:

• Joy

• Sadness
• Happiness
• Fear
• Cholera
• Surprise
• Rage
• Repugnance
 Psychological dimensions of human aging

• Social Emotions

• They emerge due to the sociocultural relationship.

• They can be reported as:

• Sympathy
• Compassion
• Embarrassment
• Shame
• Guilt
• Pride
• Envy
• Jealousy
• Admiration
 Psychological dimensions of human aging

Characteristics of Emotional Aging

• Reduction of tolerance to stimuli.

• Vulnerability to anxiety and depression.

• Emphasis on obsessive traits.

•Hypochondriacal, derogatory or
passivity.
• Conservatism of character and ideas (mental rigidity).

• Hostile attitude towards the new.

• Diminution of will, aspirations, and initiative.

• Narrowing of affection.
 Social context of aging

• The statute of the elderly in society has changed.

significantly in recent years, being connoted with

negative form, being its role overlooked and
devalued.

• According to the importance and impact of aging

in a certain society, this is how they are assigned
in social terms, different meanings to what it means to 'be new'
or "being old".

• These meanings vary from culture to culture and from

time for time, what leads to the emergence of
different interpretations of old age.
 Social context of aging

• The individual is characterized in various dimensions.

• Cognitive dimension
• What type of reasoning, of concerns, and of
individual's sensitivity.

• Ideological/normative dimension
• What are the obligations and duties that one should have.

• Most societies have 'social clocks',

rules regarding events that should occur in the
the individual's vital cycle and regulate at what point of
life must perform a certain action or refrain from exercising
another (between the ages of 20 and 30 should get married, have children, etc.)
 Social context of aging

• The individual is characterized in various dimensions.

• Interrelational Dimension
• What type of relationships should be established with

the individuals of your age group and others.

• Collective dimension
• What is the possibility of being admitted or not in a

specific organization based on age (by

example, at 40 years old belong to a community
for teenagers or a group of retirees.
 Prejudices, myths, and stereotypes associated with
processo de envelhecimento

• Behaviors and attitudes

• In Western societies, attitudes

social relations concerning the elderly are

predominantly negative.

• From this aspect, prejudices arise

tend to relegate the elderly to conditions of
incapacity, unproductivity
dependency and senility, assumed
common characteristics of old age.
 Prejudices, myths, and stereotypes associated with
aging process

• Behaviors and attitudes

• Attitudes towards the elderly become

old age is negativity and partly is
responsible for:
• Image they have of themselves.
• The conditions and circumstances that involve the
aging.

• Negative attitudes towards the elderly exist

at all social levels: participants,
beneficiaries, rulers, among others
 Prejudices, myths, and stereotypes associated with
aging process

• Behaviors and attitudes

• The lack of scientific knowledge of

health and education professionals well
how the lack of clarification to people
about the facts inherent to the
aging, hinder the transformation
of attitudes and behaviors in
relation to old age.
 Prejudices, myths, and stereotypes associated with
aging process
While yesterday: Today, it is verified:

The elderly man had a preponderant role in the elderly lost his social status.
social structure.

The elderly are considered a deposit of The lost place in the family.
wisdom.

The elderly person, besides being the family authority, was the The elderly person is seen as an undesirable being.

transmitter of customs and traditions in a society of competition and

generation to generation. consumption.

The elderly man was respected and revered by The elderly is considered a consumer
everything is the same even after leaving the because it does not produce.

your professional activity had elevated The elderly are excluded from the plans.

"Social Statute". social, cultural, and economic

politicians.
 Prejudices, myths, and stereotypes associated with
aging process

• Stereotypes

• The ignorance about aging leads to

false perceptions that end up associating old age with
disease, to annoyance, dependence, to selfishness, to
loss of social status, to the wrinkles and white hairs that
end up leading the elderly to loneliness, accelerating the

aging process.

• Gerontology is coming to dissipate some of these

stereotypes towards the elderly, as a fragile person,
dependent, poor, asexual, forgotten, childish, and
contributing to a more realistic description.
 Prejudices, myths, and stereotypes associated with
aging process

• Some myths about old age by

society is associated ...

• The chronological-progressive process,

contrasting with the vitality of some elderly people.

• Unproductivity - some elderly people show to have

ability to carry out large works.
• Senility - confusing old age with illness.

• Non-existence of interest and sexual desire.

wedding planning and life as a couple.
• To the state of serenity - conflicts and anxieties,
strength and will to support the family.
 Prejudices, myths, and stereotypes associated with
aging process

• Some myths about old age from

society are associated ...

•Deterioration of intelligence - the elderly

presents various ways of thinking and nostalgia.
• Disassociation with the future - some have
interest in learning new and useful things

• Isolation and alienation – a taste for

intergenerational coexistence and socialization.
• Uselessness of living – collaboration with the
others and with the community through discovery.
 Stereotypes related to the elderly

Negatives Positives

Disease Wisdom

Death Kindness

Loneliness Generosity

Memory Loss Solidarity

Decrease in physical abilities Kindness

and sensory