PSYC 3461: Psychology of Adulthood and Aging
Students are provided an accurate overview of the psychological changes that people experience as they grow older. This includes identifying specific types of psychological changes and examining the dynamic forces that underlie and produce change. Topics include research techniques, theoretical approaches, memory, intelligence, personality, social forces and psychopathology. The course surveys the adult lifespan: young and middle adulthood and old age.
Learning outcomes
The overall aim of this course is to introduce you to the psychology of adulthood and aging. By the end of the course, you will have learned about the adult development of such important human abilities as memory, learning, and intelligence; how to relate these developments to societal conditions and expectations; and how to begin to appreciate the differences between normal and pathological change during mature life.
After successfully completing the course, you will be able to:
- Identify and describe the major models of human development.
- Evaluate the experimental techniques commonly used to study age-associated changes in human function.
- Discuss the adequacy of theories of biological aging and evaluate the relationship between biological and psychological theories by connecting the course material to the real life experience of growing old.
- Describe the types of changes that occur during adulthood in the human cognitive system, including memory, intelligence, and learning skills.
- Discuss the major life events and social processes that contribute to age-associated changes in psychological function.
- Explain possible personality changes in the older adult.
- Discuss the meaning of death and dying from several perspectives, including those of the individual, the family, and the health professional.
- Discuss ageism in society, namely, the stereotype that growing old is primarily a time of decline.
- Obtain and evaluate original research material in the area of adulthood and aging.
Course topics
Module 1: Foundations of Change
Module 2: The Aging Adult and the Environment
Module 3: Individual Differences: Personality, Stress, and Health
Module 4: Meaning, Death, and Successful Aging
Required text and materials
Students require the following e-textbook. An access card/code for this e-text can be purchased directly from the TRU bookstore site at https://thebookstore.tru.ca/site_digital.asp. Instructions on how to use the access code are provided in the course after registration.
- Bjorklund, B., (2020). Revel for Journey of Adulthood -- Access Card. (9th
ed.). Pearson: Hoboken, NJ.
Type: E-Textbook. ISBN-13: 9780134792897
Assessments
Please be aware that should your course have a final exam, you are responsible for the fee to the online proctoring service, ProctorU, or to the in-person approved Testing Centre. Please contact exams@tru.ca with any questions about this.
To successfully complete this course, students must achieve a passing grade of 50% or higher on the overall course, and 50% or higher on the final mandatory exam.
| Assignment 1: Foundations of Change in Adults | 10% |
| Assignment 2: Adults and the Environment | 10% |
| Assignment 3: Personality, Stress, & Health | 10% |
| Assignment 4: Meaning, Death, & Successful Aging | 12% |
| Reflection Questions | 8% |
| Final Exam (Mandatory) | 50% |
Open Learning Faculty Member Information
An Open Learning Faculty Member is available to assist students. Students will receive the necessary contact information at the start of the course.
