The Psychology of Later Life - A Contextual Perspective
Renowned experts in adult development and aging, Manfred Diehl and
HansWerner Wahl synthesize decades of psychological research into a
comprehensive volume that considers later life in the context of
lifespan development, social and physical environmental factors, and
historicalcultural influences. In so doing, they review important
research on cognitive functioning, behavioral processes, personality and
identity development, and overall wellbeing in middle to lateadulthood.
Diehl and Wahl's framework helps readers better understand that the
development process is influenced by many facets and can take many
different trajectories. Through this contextualized perspective, they
examine the influence that previous life experiences, beginning in early
childhood, can have on the aging process in older adults. This includes
social relations, technological developments, societal perspectives on
aging, and education. The authors also examine the challenges and
opportunities of aging, using a strengthsbased approach to promote a
diverse, nuanced understanding on successful, healthy aging.
Chapters
also conclude with dialogues from other experts in the field, offering
multiple different perspectives on the research.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Chapter 1. Adult Development and Aging Embedded in Contexts
- Chapter 2. Normal Cognitive Development and Competencies in Everyday Life
- Chapter 3. Personality, Self, and Identity in Adulthood and Aging
- Chapter 4. Motivation, Emotion, and Well-Being in Later Life
- Chapter 5. Subjective Awareness of Aging Processes and Self-Perceptions of Aging
- Chapter 6. Risks and Potentials of Adult Development and Aging: Understanding the Challenges and Opportunities of Successful Aging
- Chapter 7. Potential of Behavioral Interventions in Adult Development and Aging
- Chapter 8. Placing Behavioral Aging Research in Context: A Critical Review and Remaining Challenges
- References
- Index
- About the Authors