4

.docx

School

Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

342-01A

Subject

Arts Humanities

Date

Jan 9, 2024

Type

docx

Pages

Uploaded by MinisterScorpionPerson5504 on coursehero.com

1 4.3 Assignment: The Media, Culture, and Middle Adulthood Margaret M. Badgerow Indiana Wesleyan University SWK-342: Human Behavior in the Social Environment I Ellen Crozier, MSW, LISW, LCSW November 6, 2023

2 Middle adulthood is a time of change for both men and women. This is a time in life where a person’s physical appearance, mobility, and reproductive systems start to have substantial changes. “There are enormous individual differences in the timing and intensity of the changes, but some changes affect almost everyone, such as presbyopia (inability to focus sharply for near vision) for both men and women and menopause for women” [ CITATION Eli19 \l 1033 ]. Cultural influences have a great effect on one’s reactions to their biological changes that occur during middle adulthood. One of the most common complaints about middle adulthood is weight gain. Our culture dictates what kind of food we should eat, how active we should be, and what kind of activities we should do. Culture can dictate stress and stress can affect a person’s sleep patterns. Diet, stress, and sleep can all affect a person’s biological changes and weight gain, loss, and stability. Middle adulthood is a time of hormonal changes for both men and women. Men and women gain weight differently. “ Men tend to gain fat on their upper abdomen and back while women tend to gain more fat on their waist and upper arms” [CITATION PHY22 \l 1033 ] . A person’s culture and cultural experiences can play a huge part in creating the ideas they have on body image. The United States culture believes that to be beautiful is to be thin. As women age and gain weight, they can become depressed or feel as if they are not beautiful. This self-belief can lead to low self-esteem and a deterioration of a women’s mental health. Culture can play a part “ on whether people even seek help in the first place, what types of help they seek, what types of coping styles and social supports they have, and how much stigma they attach to mental illness” [ CITATION USR21 \l 1033 ] . If a woman does not seek help this can lead into further implications into their problem.

3 Middle adulthood is also a time of climacteric for men and women. This is when a man’s ability to reproduce starts to decline and women lose their ability to reproduce when they start menopause. Men may experience high blood pressure during this time which can lead to erectile dysfunction while women who are going through menopause may find sexual intercourse painful. “ In addition to feeling embarrassed, communication problems between partners, low self-confidence, self and partner blaming, and feeling older, also inaccurate information and limited understanding” [ CITATION Bet21 \l 1033 ] of the aging process and biological changes taught by cultures could prevent men and women from seeking help. Menopause is a time when a woman’s body starts to change in several areas. Women might gain weight, experience hot flashes, have mood swings, back and joint pain, poor memory, less interest in sexual interest, and breast enlargement and pain. “There has been a popular tendency to erroneously attribute frustrations and irritations expressed by women of menopausal age to menopause and thereby not take her concerns seriously” [ CITATION Laz20 \l 1033 ] Cultural influences seem to play a role in how menopause is perceived. Some American women see menopause as a liberating experience while a woman from Kenya stated “We do not have this in my country or if we do, it is not a big deal” referring to menopause in her psychology class according to Lazzara (2020). Images of our culture’s ideas and expectations of middle adulthoods biological changes are represented all over the tv, movies, newspapers, magazines, and social media. These platforms have a clear perception of beauty and body image. “Advertising often reinforces and perpetuates these expectations. And technology has worked to make what we see even more unattainable and literally unrealistic” [ CITATION Jac23 \l 1033 ] . Media shows women with hourglass figures,

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help