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Flexibleformsofemployment...
.
Everyteamwasgiventhesamecomplex,simulatedtask;theywere
tomanageahypotheticalstatecalledShamba.Eachteamwasprovided
withthesamedirectivesforworkandduringthetaskperformancethey
couldobtainadditionalinformationbymeansofaspeciallyprogrammed
computer.Atthesametimeeachteamhadtodealwithastatecrisis,which
wasaproblematicsituationtobesolved.Onthebasisofrecordingsofall
questions,suggestionsandplanscreatedbyteamsthescalesofactiveness,
promptness,rangeanddiversityofasenseofstrategy,etc.werespeci-
ed.Theyoungandthemiddle-agedteamsdifferentiatedamongonean-
otheronlyin3outof16aspects.Theteamsconsistingofyoungerpeople
didmore,thatismademoredecisionsandmoreactions,askedformore
information(oftentoomuch)andproposedmanymoresolutions.The
middle-agedteamsaskedonlyaboutnecessaryinformation(avoidingthe
overloadingofthesystem)butsufficienttomakeproperdecisionsandto
usethemefficiently.Takingintoconsiderationtheevaluationofthestrat-
egyusefulness,planning,actinginunexpectedsituationsandtheappliance
oftheobtainedinformation,therewerenodifferencesbetweenthesetwo
groups.Theresultsoftheoldestteamwereworseineachaspect,especially
intheclarityofactingandinthesimultaneousdealingwithmorethanone
task(Streufertetal.,1990).
Itisworthemphasisingthatphysicalexercisehelpsinkeepingahigh
levelofcognitiveabilitiesduringthisperiodoflife,becauseithelpsmain-
taincardiovascularefficiency(Clarkson-Smith,Hatley,1990;Rogers,
Meyer,Mortel,1990).Inphysicallyhealthypeopleinmidlifeandinolder
age,thosewhoareactive(thatisthosewhowalk,dothegardening,spend
timeinthefreshairordophysicalhousework),achievemuchbetterre-
sultsintestsofreasoning,ofreactiontimeandofshort-termmemory.Im-
portantaspectsinfluencinghealthandmentalskillsinmidlifearesocial
backgroundandethnicaffiliation(inrespectofe.g.accesstohealthcare).
Demographicfactorslikesocialclassmembership,workandlevelofedu-
cationallowforeseeingthestateofhealth(Jamesetal.,1992).Moreover,
deficienciesinmentalactivityhinderthepresenceofintellectualabilities
inthemiddle-aged(Baltes,Baltes,1980).
2.2.Changesinpsycho-socialdevelopment
Changesinthephysicaldevelopmentareconnectedwithsocialfunctioningand
personalitydevelopmentinmidlife.Thesametypicaladulthoodrolesarebeing
fulfilledbutinmidlifetheircorechanges.Theroleofaparentisminimalised
whenchildrenleavefamilyhome.Alsothepromotionandimprovementofpro-
fessionalpotentialbecomelessengrossing,althoughinthefaceoftheoutplace-