1. Transitions - Middle Age & Successful Aging 

    1.     Two Interpretations
      1. Crisis - "Over the hill"
      2. No inevitable Crisis - "Life begins at 40"

    2. Research that supports midlife crisis interpretation
      1. UCLA study (Gould)
      2. Harvard Grant study (Valliant)
      3. Yale study (Levinson)
      4. Critique of "crisis" research

    3. Research that supports no inevitable crisis interpretation

      1. Costa & McCrae longitudinal research
      2. Personality traits

        1. Neuroticism
        2. Extraversion
        3. Openness to Experience

      3. Results

        1. Impressive variability at all ages
        2. Substantial individual stability after age 30
        3. Relationship between traits and middle age events

    4. Midlife transitions: Gender Differences

  2. Successful Aging

    1. Aging includes adjustments to:

      1. Changes in income
      2. Changes in work role
      3. Changes in physical strength, health and endurance
      4. Changes in family

    2. Theories

      1. Activity
      2. Disengagement
      3. Social Reconstruction

    3. Living Conditions
      1. Aging in place
      2. Control over living conditions


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