Question

• Examine the cognitive and personality changes that lead some people to refer to middle age as the "prime of life."
• Why do you think many people view someone in mid-life as "over the hill?"
• Why do you think there is a divergence between what we consider middle age and calling someone "over the hill" once they reach that age?
• Has your view of aging changed as you get older? How?

Answer 1

• Middle ages people are mostly referred to as the over the hill or caught in the rut.This stage of life is mostly the prime of life since it is the midpoint in a person's life who has worked enough,has build a home,is financially secure and has achieved almost everything one wanted to lead a comfortable life with their family.
• This stage is often associated with graying hair,wrinkles,receding gums,memory loss,depression,a time of stagnation,restlessness and the just experience of midlife crisis.Aging becomes more apparent in middle age.
• Cognitive abilities which were at peak during our 20s,also start to slowly decline during middle age.Though it can remain steady of people during middle age engage in mentally stimulating activities which decreases the risk of memory loss or dementia.
• Fluid intelligence is more dependent on basic information-processing skills and starts to decline even prior to middle adulthood. During middle age,cognitive processing speed slows down during as does the ability to solve problems and divide attention.
• Even our personality changes with age.Conscientiousness grows as people mature and become better at managing their jobs and relationships, and agreeableness changes,starting from 30s and going till middle agen when one is raising a family and need to be nurturing.
• Openness to experience also changes and people in middle age mostly are not interested in forming new relationships but rather enjoy their time with a small group of people they know.
• Middle adulthood is the phase of  substantial psychological growth as individuals are playing a variety of roles in this phase,which is why it is the prime of life.Personality more or less becomes stable around this age,and people start looking for opportunities to do things which they couldnt do when they were younger,since they were buiilding a life then.
• It is considered a prime of life,since one's identity is still growing.Middle aged people almost have a new life,which they either make most of or stagnate.
• Due to time limit,remaining questions can be asked as another question,they will be answered,thankyou for your cooperation