Aging and Older Adulthood (eBook)

Joan T. Erber received her Ph.D. in Psychology from Saint Louis University, after which she completed a Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Aging and Development at Washington University in St. Louis. She is presently Professor of Psychology at Florida International University, and has extensive experience teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in adult development and aging and conducting research on processes of aging. Her numerous publications focus on aging and memory and how stereotypes of aging influence our perceptions and evaluations of older adults. Her research findings, some of which were funded by grants from the National Institute on Aging, are published in scientific journals such as Psychology and Aging, Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, and Experimental Aging Research. She has served on editorial boards of journals that publish research on aging. Additionally, Erber is a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America (GSA), the Association for Psychological Science (APS), and the American Psychological Association (APA). She is a past president of the APA Division 20 (Adult Development and Aging).

Contents ix

Integrated Themes in Aging and Older Adulthood xix

Preface and Acknowledgments xxvii

1 Introduction to Aging and Older Adulthood 1

2 Theory and Method in Studying Aging and Older Adulthood 33

3 Biological Aging and Health 63

4 Sensation, Perception, and Attention 101

5 Memory 133

6 Intellectual Functioning 165

7 Cognition and Problem Solving in the Everyday World 199

8 Personality and Coping 231

9 Social Interaction and Social Ties 263

10 Employment, Retirement, and Living Arrangements 295

11 Mental Health, Psychopathology, and Therapy 327

12 Coping with Death, Dying, and Bereavement 357

13 Looking Ahead: Aging in the Future 379

Glossary 389

References 403

Credits and Sources 435

Name Index 440

Subject Index 447

"The second edition of this textbook builds on thesolid foundation of its predecessor and incorporates new researchand developments in a user-friendly way. It is easy to tellthat the author is passionate about teaching adult development andaging courses. In particular, I liked how Erber did notsacrifice historically important theories and studies in herbook. Thus, I highly recommend this textbook as it representsan excellent introduction to a topic with increasing societal andglobal importance."
-Manfred Diehl, Colorado State University

"This text has a number of features that will appeal to bothinstructors and students. For example, the author weaves agenuine attention to issues of diversity through each and everychapter. The author also includes realistic examples thatdemonstrate the significance of concepts to readers' own work witholder adults, their own families, and even themselves, no mattertheir age. Most importantly, this text integrates three approachesthat are essential to understanding aging: a biopsychosocial focusthat spans key domains relevant to aging, a lifespan developmentalperspective that views aging as a process rather than an event, andan empirical approach that recognizes the importance of theory andresearch in understanding and improving the experience of latelife.
In sum, this text is a vibrantly written, comprehensive, andcurrent introduction to aging and older adulthood, ideal forstudents from many disciplines who need to be prepared for theirown aging and the aging of others around them."
-Brian D. Carpenter, Washington University

"The second edition of this textbook builds on the solidfoundation of its predecessor and incorporates new research anddevelopments in a user-friendly way. It is easy to tell that theauthor is passionate about teaching adult development and agingcourses. In particular, I liked how Erber did not sacrificehistorically important theories and studies in her book. Thus, Ihighly recommend this textbook as it represents an excellentintroduction to a topic with increasing societal and globalimportance."
-Manfred Diehl, Colorado State University

"Erber's Aging and Older Adulthood is thoroughlyrevised and updated and incorporates the latest research findingsalong with a compassionate, humanistic perspective. The newmaterial on research applications to everyday problems of olderadults, such as driving, shopping, and medical decision-making,will be of interest to those planning careers in aging as well asthose planning on growing old."
-Susan Kemper, University of Kansas