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Lifespan Development

Key Terms

Lifespan DevelopmentKey Terms
allostatic load
cumulative health toll of stressors, including the body’s biological response and secondary health impacts of stress-related changes to behaviors
burnout
state in which chronic stress has led to lack of energy and disillusionment
climacteric
decline in and eventual loss of the ability to reproduce
erectile dysfunction
persistent inability to achieve or maintain penile erection
Flynn effect
phenomenon that younger generations perform better on intelligence tests than previous generations
gut-brain axis
bidirectional connections between the nerves of the digestive system and the central nervous system
menopause
cessation of the menstrual cycle
metabolism
chemical process by which bodies convert food to energy
osteoporosis
age-related loss of bone mass
postformal thought
intuitive thinking that combines the logic of formal operations with relativism
presbycusis
age-related hearing loss
presbyopia
age-related loss of visual acuity
primary aging
aging that results from inevitable and genetically influenced biological changes
proprioception
body’s sense of location and movement in space
relativism
recognizing that some problems or dilemmas may have more than one viable solution, depending on a person’s perspective and priorities
resilience
person’s ability to successfully adapt to difficult life experiences by making mental, emotional, and behavioral adjustments to cope
sarcopenia
age-related loss of muscle mass
secondary aging
aging that results from behavioral or environmental factors
wisdom
expert knowledge concerning the fundamental pragmatics of life
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