Late-Life Disengagement

Robert Fettgather holds a BA in psychology from San Jose State University as well as Masters and Doctoral degrees. He works as an associate faculty at Mission College in Santa Clara, educating students in different areas of psychology. Robert Fettgather also holds a specialist credential in learning handicapped and community college credentials in both learning and developmental disabilities.

What is it to "disengage"? First, consider  Erikson’s view of the ego integrity/despair crisis; there the life review results in both positive and negative emotional outcomes. It seems that the overall yield of positives versus negatives is related to elders’ well-being and mental health. It may not surprise you that researchers have found life reviews burdened by guilt and regrets are more prone to depression than those who have generally positive feelings about their lives. Folks leaning toward the negative may isolate and withdraw.

Disengagement theory asserts a withdrawal from others, fewer contacts and a shrinkage of life space. Throughout the lifespan it appears that social connection brings positive outcomes to all domains-physical, cognitive and psychosocial. Alternatively, loneliness and isolation in our senior years is associated with many negative outcomes. According to the National Institutes on Aging research has linked social isolation and loneliness to higher risks for a variety of physical and mental conditions: high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, a weakened immune system, anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s disease, and even death.

So activity is important in our later years.  Activity theorists often cite research demonstrating that the most active older adults report slightly greater satisfaction with themselves or their lives, are healthiest, and have the highest morale. Finally, continuity theory argues that the primary means by which elders adjust to aging is by engaging in the same kinds of activities that interested and challenged them in their earlier years. For instance, an older woman who was an avid gardener would do well to continue that activity in old age. 

Given the physical and societal challenges to aging it might surprise you that researcher Laura Carstensen believes that "In general, people get happier as they get older."

 

Robert Fettgather, PhD, joined Mission College in 1979 and continues to teach psychology courses as an associate faculty member. Robert Fettgsther holds advanced degrees in both psychology and education. In his spare time, Robert Fettgather enjoys the study of human growth and development.

Intelligence is somewhat difficult to define, much less quantify in a test score. We might define intelligence as a kind of general mental ability to learn and apply knowledge. Or as the ability to employ logic and engage in abstract reasoning.  Some believe the essence of intelligence is adaptability (including emotional intelligence) or to understand complex ideas/concepts. Here we look at the challenge of measuring intelligence, but begin with a brief look at aspects of the history of intelligence tests. 

The purpose of early tests of intelligence was to identify children who might have difficulty in school, and it included measures of vocabulary, comprehension of facts and relationships, and mathematical and verbal reasoning

Early intelligence tests were also influential in shaping U.S. immigration policy. These tests for military age adults were used often to justify racial and ethnic discrimination. Indeed, some Eugenicists seized on the army IQ tests to prove to Congress that the races of Southern and Eastern Europe were a threat in strategies that unfairly and inaccurately mis-portrayed minorities- not unlike similar discriminatory practices today.

Today, scores’ calculations for intelligence tests are now based on a direct comparison of a child’s performance with the average performance of a large group of other children his own age. For preschoolers, the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence is administered. The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) are used for adults and older children, respectively. Wechsler's test is comprised two parts, verbal and performance

About two-thirds of all children achieve scores between 85 and 115; roughly 96% of scores fall between 70 and 130. Children who score above 130 are often called gifted; those who score below 70 are normally referred to as "intellectually disabled”.  The correlation between children's intelligence test scores and their future grades in school is a positive correlation; about .50 to .60.

Relaxing On The Water

 

An educator from Grass Valley, California who holds a Ph.D. in psychology, Dr. Robert Fettgather serves as an associate faculty in psychology at Mission College in Santa Clara. When not working, Robert Fettgather spends some of his time houseboating. 

Here we consider two points on houseboats-have fun and stay safe!

Houseboating is the use of a boat that is equipped with home amenities while enjoying a getaway on the lake. Several locations in northern California can perfectly accommodate houseboating. Lake Berryessa is one of the largest man-made lakes in California. The Vaca Mountains, the grassy hills that surround the lake, serve as a habitat for diverse species of vegetation, animals, and wildlife like deer, eagles, and hawks. A popular weekend destination for houseboaters, Lake Berryessa lies only 55 miles north of San Francisco. Located just 15 miles from the city of Susanville, Eagle Lake provides the perfect spot for houseboating and trout fishing

Be sure to address safety concerns. Bilge pumps are an important component of most boats. These motorized devices regulate the water levels within the boat. Waterskiing behind a houseboat or swimming and wakeboarding around the houseboat with its engine on is unsafe. The boat's propellers could cause injuries. Although houseboats operate on water, fire outbreaks are still risky. Keeping fire extinguishers, especially those that put out flammable liquid fires, will help prevent flame-induced casualty. Carbon monoxide can be a destructive element in the air inside houseboats. Carbon monoxide detectors warn houseboaters when the gas is in the air. Proper ventilation reduces carbon monoxide in houseboats.

Pitchers Of Note

An associate faculty at Mission College in Santa Clara, California, Robert Fettgather Ph.D. teaches general psychology, abnormal psychology, developmental psychology, and psychiatric interviewing. Dr. Robert Fettgather has co-authored several papers on social issues, such as “Elder abuse as an emerging public health concern: identifying deficiencies in law enforcement policy.” In his spare time, Robert Fettgather enjoys the sport of baseball.

As we enter the baseball play-offs, it is worth pausing on the value of a good and even great pitcher.

The history of Major League Baseball (MLB) dates back to the founding of the National League of Professional Baseball Clubs in 1876. For nearly 150 years, the league has developed several individual and team awards to recognize outstanding achievements. The Cy Young Award, for example, is used to honor the league’s most accomplished pitchers every season. The Cy Young Award is named after Cy Young, the greatest pitcher in MLB history. Young began his professional career in 1890 with the Cleveland Spiders of the National League. Between 1901 and 1908, he pitched in the American League, helping the Boston Red Sox win the 1903 World Series. During his first year in Boston, he led the league with 158 strikeouts, 33 wins, and an earned run average (ERA) of 1.62, a feat known as the pitching triple crown. Young won two games during the 1903 World Series and recorded three no-hitters. His all-time league records range from most innings pitched, at 7,356, and most games started, at 815. He pitched nearly 80 shutouts during his career. The Cy Young Award was established in 1956, and for over a decade, the honor was awarded to a single pitcher. Don Newcombe of the Brooklyn Dodgers was MLB’s first Cy Young winner, going 27-7 during the 1956 season with an ERA of 3.06. In 1966, Sandy Koufax became the first pitcher to win more than one Cy Young Award and consecutive awards.

Gaylord Perry and Roger Clemens remain the only pitchers to win the Cy Young Award at age 40 or older. Starting pitchers are typically the beneficiaries of Cy Young honors. The organizers consider their total wins and strikeouts to choose the recipient. That said, several relief pitchers have also won the award. Most recently, Eric Gagne was named the National League Cy Young Award winner in 2003, winning two games and recording 55 saves. Dennis Eckersley had 51 saves in 1992, and Mark Davis recorded 44 saves in 1989