Developmental Process 1

The Developmental Process in an Aging Adult

Andrea Rodriguez

Psychology Department, The University of Michigan

PSYCH 250: Introduction to Developmental Psychology

Section 002

UMID: 68039276

Dr. Kathleen Jodl, Ph.D.

November 18, 2022

Developmental Process 2

Alexandrea’s Background

This interview and informal interaction aimed to assess Alexandrea’s developmental

process. At the same time, in the late adulthood phase, per the explanation done by Berger in Part

VII, Late Adulthood, “the young-old are the largest group of over 65s” (Berger, 2022). Giving a

brief life history, general health, a well-being description, and presenting her comprehensive

view of her life and reflections on aging gave access to that Alexandrea is going through the

developmental stage of late adulthood. Alexandrea made an excellent candidate for this study

because she is sixty-six years old, born in January of 1956, qualifying that she is going through

the developmental stage of late adulthood. Conducting an interview helped to understand her

contemplation on aging and her life. The informal interaction was a way to have her in a relaxed

environment to disclose aspects of her physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional development.

The informal interaction was conducted by playing the board game Monopoly, and it was played

with two other people, her husband, and son. Given Alexandrea’s age and status in her life, she is

well underway in the developmental stage of late adulthood.

Alexandrea’s sex assignment at birth was female, and she identifies as a woman. She

identifies her ethnic background as from her mother’s side, German, and her father’s side, Greek

and Eastern European, and describes herself as Caucasian. Alexandrea’s religion was an

identifying Roman Catholic, but it has changed over the years, and she is currently a liberal

catholic, as she described. Alexandrea described her economic status as in the middle-class

range. Alexandrea had around twenty years of schooling, including the entire thirteen years of

school before higher education. Following an undergraduate degree for four years and her

professional degree to be a chiropractor. Alexandrea explained that she has been married for

thirty-five years to her husband. Within those years of marriage, she had three children, ages 33,
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29, and 25. Two of them still currently live with her in the upstairs part of her house. This gives

her better contact with them daily than her child, that has moved out, which only gives her

weekly contact. She explains that her career is threefold. Being a chiropractor was her first, right

after getting her doctor of chiropractor degree. Being a mother, which is neverending, and her

current position as a school administrator, which allows her to work from home.

Brief Life History

During the interview, Alexandrea clarifies the personalities of her caregivers growing up,

her mother and father. She describes her mother as stoic, stubborn, and industrious. Given that

her mother is industrious, Alexandrea also describes how one of her mother’s values was

working. An additional value her mother demonstrated to Alexandrea was not gearing hatred

towards anyone. Her father demonstrated how vital religion and education were. This shows that

the hard work to achieve that high level of education could come from a combination of her

father and mother. She also shows some independence towards the influence her father had on

religion. Her identifying as a roman catholic to a liberal catholic shows Alexandrea’s

independent thinking to embrace some of her own beliefs.

Alexandrea has several siblings, with one older half-brother about 20 years older than

her, with two additional older brothers between 11 and 7 years apart. One younger sister from

whom she is five years older than her. Her youngest sister is the one she shares the closest bond

with her siblings, Alexandrea stated in the interview. Close relationships are imperative since

Alexandrea’s social circle will reduce in size. However, she still needs “people to share triumphs

and tragedies with others who understand and appreciate them. Siblings” are excellent models

(Berger, 2022). Her relationship with her sister has gone from playing with her in childhood to

going on road trips and creating new memories.

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Alexandrea met her husband through friends, and she mentioned that although it may

have seemed like a setup, it was not officially one between their friends. Their wedding was

small and intimate, with close family and friends. As noticed in the interaction and her claiming

during the interview that she was shy is true especially when she regarded her wedding. She

disliked being the center of attention and liked having no drama during the ceremony or

reception. Having her husband go through late adulthood with her is beneficial since “a spouse is

protective of health and wellbeing” (Berger, 2022). Noticing how the dynamic between her

husband and herself in the informal interaction and how she would whisper things in his ear. It

could be said that she depends more on her husband, which indicates that she is not lonely and

has a better chance of not developing problems mentally or physically (Berger, 2020).

General Health and Well Being

Alexandrea described herself as having good health, even with having to slow down and

having more aches. During the interaction, it was apparent that she used the table to help herself

get up at one point. During the interview, Alexandrea clarified that she has no significant health

concerns, which seems typical considering her lifestyle. Alexandrea eats a relatively healthy diet.

She eats only organic foods and does not eat anything with added sugar. This helps the normal

wear and tear that occurs in the body due to “time and overuse” (Berger, 2022). Following wear

and tear is weathering, it was noticed that she wore glasses throughout the whole duration of the

interview and interaction. Alexandrea is within the majority of late adulthoods over the age of 65

because “only 10 percent of people of over age 65 see well without glasses” (Berger, 2022).

However, considering she does exercise, scientists have found that exercising helps almost every

condition, from “strengthening the heart and lungs” to making “several cancers less likely”

(Berger, 2022). Involving her cognitive functions as an elder is generally well concluded from
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the information collected in the interview and the interaction. Since getting her chiropractic

degree, Alexandrea regularly reads for leisure, as per the interview, and reads books involving

health that may include complex concepts. Reading those types of books and having that “mental

challenge,” keeps her “brain healthy” (Berger, 2022). Another way that Alexandrea keeps her

cognitive functioning from declining is by not using drugs. Alexandrea takes a very holistic

approach to living, and by doing so, she has ways of trying to solve illnesses that do not require

drugs, thus helping to “prevent cognitive decline” (Berger, 2022).

As previously mentioned, two of her children rent out the space upstairs of Alexandrea’s

house. Her son joined the informal interaction, and it was clear that her son does not participate

in elderspeak or ageism. However, that can not be guaranteed if other younger individuals that

Alexandrea interacts with like her other child that lives there, but given that she has consistent

associations with her son since she works from home, it is beneficial that her son does not treat

her as “frail and confused” allowing her to be more independent (Berger, 2022). Alexandrea

explained that there had not been any significant intellectual functioning change over recent

years. Given her current habits and exchanges, she is ensuring that she has no significant decline

in her health, physically or cognitively.

Life Review and Reflections on Aging

For the interview, Alexandrea was asked a series of questions to reveal certain aspects of

her life. The current residence Alexandrea is in, she had lived there since her family moved in

when she was seven years old and was able to raise her own family there as well, and goes to

show that she would rather stay in that same place and age there, “that means they like to stay

where they are” (Berger, 2022). She has seen the neighborhood change over the years. She

describes how the types of people within have changed, but the sense of community is still there.
Developmental Process 6

The informal interaction showed that she enjoys structure, and community formation could

satisfy that desire.

There were a few significant events that Alexandrea lived through. She mentioned the

Detroit riots and how those made her aware of the injustices in the world. There was also a

mention of how the Detroit Tigers won the World Series around the same time the riots occurred.

Alexandrea liked how even though there was a divide happening, people could still come

together to celebrate a baseball game. Alexandrea tended to focus on the positive when

explaining those events, stating that Alexandrea exemplifies the positivity effect that most elders

“perceive, prefer, and remember positive experiences more than negative ones” (Berger, 2022).

This also applies to the best day of her life, and she found it difficult to narrow it down to solely

one day.

Regarding advice and lessons learned, there was a distinct similarity to them about not

judging others on how they do certain things and finding their unique way of doing things since

everyone is different. To find the way that works for them. There was a lesson on family and its

importance of them. She mentioned her concern for her sister when an earthquake occurred, and

she had no way of contacting her. Researchers “explain that family becomes more important

when death seems near” (Berger, 2022). That experience made her realize that family is a

priority to her.

Conclusion

Alexandrea’s developmental process is not only on the right path but accelerating through

late adulthood. Aging for Alexandrea has not been too difficult for her since she has the support

of her spouse and children to remain independent. Given her diet and movement, which includes

weight training and gardening, her joints and lungs are gaining strength with the nutrients she
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consumes and the type of resistance she does. Although she does not volunteer in the community

as she did before with the school garden, that does not necessarily mean it is such a weakness in

her adjustment to old age.

Doing this experiment brought a new perception towards being an elder, specifically in

the young-old category, because there is no need to think of elders as less than to society. It is far

from the truth since they tend to hold much more crystallized intelligence (Jodl, 2022). It also

showed how individuals are different regardless of what year they were born; there are different

ways of doing things, and there should be no hatefulness towards anyone but more

understanding. From this experiment, Alexandrea could think about her past and how the “past is

special” in many instances (Berger, 2022). It allowed Alexandrea to answer questions she might

never be asked. Alexandrea could tell her story, and how it “help[ed] them see a purpose in life,”

as Erickson wished for (Berger, 2022). However, there were limitations to this case study,

considering there was only an hour-long interview, and an hour-long informal interaction with

Alexandrea, so only two hours with her. An excellent way to keep up on Alexandrea’s

development is to follow her throughout the years and how the transition will be as she enters the

old-old stage in late adulthood.

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References

Alexandrea. (2022, November 13). Adult Aging Project Interview. personal.

Berger, K. S. (2022). Invitation to the Life Span (5th ed.). Worth Publishers.

Jodl, K. M., Ph. D. (2022, November 14) Adulthood: Body & Mind [Lecture 18 with

Powerpoint Slides]
Developmental Process 9

Interview
Brief Life History
1. How old are you?
a. 66
2. When were you born?
a. January of 1956
3. Where were you born?
a. In Detroit in a hospital
4. What is your ethnic/racial background?
a. Mom: German and dad: Greek and Eastern European; Caucasian
5. What is your religious background?
a. Roman catholic and then liberal catholic, now
6. What is your economic background?
a. Somewhere in Middle class
7. How far did you go in school?
a. 20 years of school and got my professional degree
8. Did you go to college?
a. Yes
9. What was your primary job/career in life?
a. I guess it will be three chiropractor, motherhood, and school administrator
10. Are you currently married? For how many years?
a. Yes, 35 years
11. Do you have any children? How many, and what are their ages?
a. Yes, 3: 33, 29, 25
12. How much contact do you have with them?
a. Two of them live at home. Daily contact with the two youngest [because live at
home] and weekly with the oldest [moved out]
13. How would you describe yourself as a child?
a. Shy and quiet, loner
14. What values were important to your parents?
a. Religion, education (dad) and industriousness (work; mom), and not hating
anyone (mom)
15. Describe your mother and father.
a. Mom: Stoic, stubborn, and industrious
b. Father: intellectual, active in sports, and fair-minded
16. How many siblings do you have, if any?
a. Half older brother: 20 years apart. Older Brother: 10-12 years apart. Older
Brother: 6-7 years apart. Younger sister: 5 years apart.
17. Who are you closest to (siblings)?
a. Younger sister. Play together and now go on road trips together.
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18. Briefly describe your career.

a. First one: chiropractor: working with patients to help them return to and maintain
their own health
b. Motherhood: understood the sacrifices needed but did not realize how exhausting
but fun
c. Office work: school admin: requires a lot of detailed work but not too much
interaction with students
19. How did you meet your spouse?
a. His friend and my friend set us up. Set up under the guides of not being a setup
20. Describe your wedding.
a. Very intimate, very family friendly (had people’s kids there), and just everybody
had a good time. No drama. The ceremony was in a small church, traditional and
uncomfortable being the center of the attention
21. What advice would you give your children on marriage?
a. I would say that the advice is that it is between my child and their spouse, and
have the two focus on that and don't have to cave into society's views or family
pressures. Have to do the best for the two of to.
22. What advice would you give your children on parenting?
a. They have to do what they feel is right. Have trust in themselves in what they
think is right. Out of all the knowledge, it boils down to you. Get a lot of info and
anecdotes from people and parents and grandparents, and at the end of the day, it
is based on you. Use the knowledge and see what feels right to you.
23. How has your neighborhood changed since growing up here?
a. Lived in Inkster. Two different houses and then in Dearborn when turned seven
and lived in the same house since. Its always been ethnic. There was polish,
Italian and now Arabs and has changed in different ethnicity but not changed in
the community. Were polish and then Italian and then Arabs. The ethnicity has
changed but not the community. Robustness with each ethnicity. They had life,
and then, when they all met. The feeling of community is still the same.
24. Who were your friends with when you were growing up? What were their personalities?
a. Mostly my friends were the opposite of me. More outgoing, more social. Did a lot
of things together. Observed them, but didn't interact like them.
i. Would play Tennis and softball, any sports at school, and field hockey.
Basketball. That’s where I would be outgoing
25. Did you spend your money or save it as a child/ young adult?
a. Save it. Save every bit of money. Nothing to spend it on back then.
General Health and Well Being
1. Do you have any major health concerns?
a. no.
2. How would describe your general health?
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a. Good, but slowing down. Good health.

3. Have there been any major changes in your health in recent years?
a. Slowing down. And more aches.
4. How would you describe your intellectual functioning?
a. Less focused on details and less need to be particular in need to remember
everything. Don't know if it things necessary to know so I don’t remember them
or because I just don’t remember them.
5. Have there been any major changes in your cognitive (or intellectual) functioning in
recent years?
a. Don't think so.
6. Do you exercise regularly?
a. Yes, but not as often as I want to.
7. What leisure activities do you participate in?
a. everything. Reading, petting my cat. Gardening. Watching videos
8. Typical food options?
a. Eggs, bread, oatmeal, raisins, fruit, nuts, greens (lettuce and spinach), green
smoothies, meats, cheeses, tomatoes, veggies, and all organic and no sugar eats
monk fruit and dates. The rare occasion of eating out to a restaurant, but at an
organic restaurant.
9. Are you engaged in any community service?
a. No. Not right now. I used to do gardening at school I work at.
10. What is your current living situation? Do you live with your family?
a. In a single-family home with a spouse with two adult children (renting upstairs to
children)
Life Review and Reflections on Aging
1. Looking back on your life, what was the most exciting part of your life?
a. I guess at the beginning of my twenties. New relationships and going to college,
and the idea of a whole new beginning.
2. If you could relive any part of your life, what would it be?
a. No. Certainly not high school. As a kid, running around, with no responsibilities.
New baby sister. Young kid and always outside playing and running before school
started and outside all the time.
3. Are there any parts of your life that you regret?
a. The night of my wedding felt that I was making a mistake. Things have turned out
good but still had the thought.
b. Do regret getting into student loan debt.
4. Are you the same person you were when you were 25?
a. Probably have the same morals/consciousness but now more expanded at 25
thought justice in the world, and now yes, there should be but now see more. The
Developmental Process 12

same but with a boarded perspective and more understanding. Less quick to
judge. The idea of thinking process is the same.
5. When you were 50?
a. Yes. from 50 to now, more physical attention to my body.
6. How have you changed over the course of your life?
a. Same as other answer. Probably less quick to judge because see more things and
can understand more people’s points of view. More impatient and have less time
to waste.
7. How are you the same?
a. In my shyness and not wanting to be the center of attention.
8. How are you different?
a. Same as the other question. Different in seeing a broader perspective on things
9. What are some important you have learned in your life that you hope to pass on to
today’s youth?
a. Have learned none. Don't judge others until you have been in their situation. And
trust yourself and come to your own decisions and trust those. Find a way to be
joyful and happy. Find your way.
10. Has your cultural or religious background played a significant role in your life? If so,
how has it impacted you?
a. I don’t think so. To me, what we did, had no significance. Gathered for Christmas
and easter.
11. Have there been any historical events (Vietnam War and 9/11) that have impacted who
you are today?
a. Detroit riots and the tigers winning the world series at the same time (around the
same time). : made me aware of injustice. So celebratory[tigers winning the world
series] and seemed like everybody got together to celebrate it. And how could
still come back together to celebrate something good even with the injustices in
the world [detroit riots]
b. Right as getting into adulthood: the earthquake in northern Cali because of sister
lived there, and couldn't get into contact with her.: family concerns and being able
to not communicate with family
c. 9/11: having young children and protect them from seeing the images on TV and
protect them from being afraid. In the neighborhood, no one would go out
(primarly having Arabs as neighbors) Brought attention to how fear can control
people. Some people were so afraid that had to move up north, and surprising how
fear took over. The event happened, and wanting to move on. The aftermath was
Beyond what was necessary. Boarding on irrational. Dramatic. Unnecessary
prolonged fear.
12. Describe the closest relationship within your family.
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a. Spouse: mutual tolerance. humor. and consideration and consider what you do and
how it affects something and support. Knowing that there as a support. Being
supportive and getting supported.
13. Describe the closest relationship with your friends.
a. Michelle. tolerance. humor. And support. Different because it's more having to
seek it. Go after and ask for the support.
14. Have there been any major changes in these relationships?
a. 2020 increased the connectedness. Pandemic. Fear and the need for support and
the health info exchange
15. Who are the main sources of social support?
a. Husband, sister, and friend.
16. What is the most challenging part of aging?
a. Being treated as less knowledgeable than being 30.
17. What is the most rewarding part of aging?
a. Not giving care. Contentment to not having to not have the same stressors as
finishing school and starting a career and buying a house, and having kids. Not
that type of stress. Like slowing down and resting. Less need to do so much.
18. What do you think is the secret to aging well?
a. I have no idea. Finding things to enjoy and laughter.
19. Who has influenced you the most?
a. My mother in her attitude of acceptance of many different people and her work
ethic. Mom’s Psychic abilities: palm readings. (her mom’s) Mom and sister died
and said you're next, but now has a gift (her mom)
b. Had a sense of humor. Would hear stories about how mom Drowning her kids on
the news. Mom would say people think about it but you just don't. Didn't get a
divorce because then only one person gets the kids, and no one wants the kids.
(Unique sense of humor)
20. What would be the best age to be at?
a. Being 80 and going back into practice (chiropractic). Four or eighty.
21. What was the best day of your life?
a. I don’t know if there is any. Many. I don't think I can narrow down a day.
22. What are you the proudest of?
a. I guess proud that I'm so old and do not really have any health issues and having a
natural health.
23. What kind of things make you the happiest now?
a. Gardening. Comedy shows and family gatherings.
24. How have your dreams and goals changed throughout your life?
a. Well, I suppose as getting out of school that was a dream. One ended and another
came around to do another thing. There were dreams and goals that were more
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expected. It was things that I wanted, or it was expected. Now it would be

something that I choose rather than be pressured to follow a path.
25. How would you like to be remembered?
a. As someone who would help anyone who needed it and all people
26. What is your earliest memory? Why do you think that was remembered?
a. I would say being with my grandfather on the terrace and eating chestnuts.
b. There was an X on the shell, and he would peel them.
c. It was fun with grandparents, things are better as a kid.
Informal Interaction
1 hour: 7-8p
Played a board game: Monopoly (the game continued longer than one hour but only wrote notes
down for the first hour)
Played with her family. Played with her spouse, and one of her children that lives upstairs.
Notes
● Wanted to be the bank person
● Very organized with the bank’s and her own money
● Made a sarcastic joke
● Reminds everyone that it was their turn
● Would ask her child when they got up to get her water
● Would make comments about the cat wanting to get petted
● Is a good listener rather than talker
● Won’t say much unless it is necessary
● Makes sure everything is fair and no one is cheating
● When getting up, it is rather slow
○ Uses the table to push herself up
● Explains certain occurrences further
● Mostly listens rather than contribute to the conversation
● Child speaks normally to her like if would speak to me
● Would talk privately to her spouse (as a whisper)
● Laughs when someone rolled a number that made them go to jail
● Try to negotiate a deal to trade one her places
● Reassured everyone of the rules
● Plays to win
○ Competitive
● Very aware of details
○ When someone passed go, always had the money ready
● Quick to add the dice together
● Wants everyone to go their turn quickly (no procrastinating)
● Laughs at the jokes her child makes
● Makes fun of her child for wanting to collect only $1 dollar bills
● Overall, seems to enjoy spending time with us and playing
● Pays attention to the game very closely (making it seem she is creating some sort of
plan/strategy
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● Didn’t seem to worried about losing money and focused more one how much she was
getting
● Hand dexterity intact
● Seems to be more relaxed than during the interview
● Quick to make decisions about the game (when to upgrade)
● Was not as encouraging to other players (seemed like she did not want them to win)
○ Did not want to help them
● When someone left the room, would make sure no one moved their game piece and
would tell the person who tried not to move it