Physical, Cognitive and Psychosocial Changes in Middle Adulthood

Running head: ESSAY 0
PHYSICAL, COGNITIVE
AND PSYCHOSOCIAL
CHANGES
STUDENT DETAILS:

ESSAY 1
The stage of midlife is defined according to various perceptions made by many philosophers.
There are some problems arise in middle adult hood. The mid phase crises and recognition
crises are connected to midlife. It is require to be discussed in the context of happenings of
life. The psychosocial changes in the middle age influence the connection with spouse. The
changes also influence the relations with children. The middle adulthood is a time between
the young adulthood and the old age. This time lasts from the twenty years to forty years on
the basis of stages, age, and the defined actions. The most common age is defined as age of
forty years to age sixty-five years. However, there may a range up to ten years on either side
of this number.
The Lachman gives a complete detail of the issues, problems and the challenges to be face by
adults in their middle age of life period (Pain, 2015). These challenges involve losing
guardian, feeling life time pain, creating children in their own way, managing the life of
home in the absence of children, becoming grandparents and making preparation of old age
in their life. The psychological changes enable the future performance of a person and
specific community. There are many significant stages of life of human being. During the
stage of middle age, a person experiences in several number, giving contribution in the
personality growth (Pal, 2011).
The personal behaviour cannot be considered in respect of external aspects alone. There are
some external elements, which help in the development of personality of adult. These
external factors include status in the society, background of family, education in an early
period, relation with guardian or family, relationship with their children. The philosophers
have categorised the stages into three significant types. These types are physical changes,
cognitive changes and psychosocial changes. The physical change refers to a change of
presence, change of look and psychological health of a person and physical health of a
person. The cognitive changes are connected with the change in view and the cognitive

ESSAY 2
changes of health. The social changes are changes in feelings and socializing of person. The
social development includes the two significant areas of the social talent and social skills.
There are many theories developed for the psychosocial changes in the middle adulthood.
The main theory of psychosocial changes in middle adulthood was made by the Erik Erikson.
The Erik Erikson was the German developmental psychologist. The Erik Erikson made the
division of the procedure of psychological and the social development in the eight levels,
which correspond to the level of the physical development. It is said by Erik Erikson that a
person handles the psychological issue, which are required to be solved in respect of growth
developmentally. When coming in the old age from young age, some issues may arise. These
issues are faith versus mistrust, the autonomy versus disgrace and disbelief, scheme versus
guilt, business versus inadequacy, recognition versus dispersal and the closeness versus
separation (Bastable, 2006).
The stage of middle adulthood leads to centre on establishing a sense of object and giving the
contribution to the society. The Erikson defined it as the confliction between the generativity
and stagnation. Those who involve in the humanity, give things, which will outlive them and
put down the mark for upcoming generation appear with a sense of object. There are some
things that can give contribution to the feelings of generativity. These things include careers
of a person, family, relatives, group memberships, friends and the society. The generativity
versus stagnation is the seventh stage out of eight stages of the theory of psychological
development (Berger, 2011). The generativity refers to the creating own mark on the
humanity by caring of other people as well as making and completing things, which make the
earth as good place. On the other hand, the stagnation means the failure to search a manner to
give contribution. These people may not feel connected with society. They may not involve
in the society wholly. If people do not success in achieving the skills, then they will not be so
productive. They do not get involvement in the world. On the other hand, if people become

ESSAY 3
successful, then they will feel that they are giving contribution to the world. From the way,
they became active in their house and their society.
The philosophers have focused on psychosocial changes in middle age. They make focus on
the understanding of the areas of public intelligence and public competency (Sparks, 2016).
These are detailed as below-
Social intelligence- The social intelligence refers to the ability to notice and make the
differences between the individuals. It makes differences between individuals on the basis of
humour, nature, inspiration, and intensions. These aspects such as humour, nature,
inspiration, and the intensions have major role in framing the human behaviour. These factors
also affect the manner of interactions with another people. An individual affects the level of
maturity in his middle age. In middle age, an individual becomes publicly intellectual to
understand other individual in the given circumstances. Social competence- The next area is
social capability. The social competence is capacity to interact adaptive responses to several
personal requirements. The social competence refers to the acceptance of social behaviour in
a manner to advancing the person in according with common norms and beliefs. There are
following five competencies which provide the social growth-
1. Self-awareness- the first competency is the self-awareness. The self- awareness means
the capability to know someone. The self-awareness is depended on the self-
assurance. It is the true valuation of own behaviour.
2. Social awareness- the second competency is the social awareness. The social
awareness refers to the way to know the beliefs and react in a specific manner. The
social awareness is ability of thinking, knowing and cooperating efficiently.
3. Self-management-The next competency is the self-management. The self-
management means control of feelings and responses in the particular conditions. The