Aging and cognition: research methodologies and empirical advances

"Aging and Cognition" takes an interdisciplinary look at cognitive aging - how it happens and how to study it. The first part of the book explores methods for measuring cognitive change, including how to study cohort effects. The second part explores the social and psychological factors associated with cognitive aging. And, finally, a brief concluding section explores how to use research findings to improve the everyday functioning of adults - a challenging task because everyday functioning relies on complex cognitive tasks, while most cognitive research measures only basic cognitive tasks. This book is suitable for cognitive psychologists; experimental psychologists; developmental psychologists; geropsychologists; neuropsychologists; and graduate students in cognitive and developmental psychology courses and their professors.

Introduction / Hayden B. Bosworth and Christopher Hertzog. History, cohorts, and patterns of cognitive aging / Duane F. Alwin. Factor invariance, measurement, and studying development over the life span / John R. Nesselroade and Ryne Estabrook. A multilevel factor analysis perspective on intellectual development in old age / Daniel Zimprich and Mike Martin. The search for structure : the temperamental character of the temperament and character inventory / Scott B. Maitland ... [et al.]. Convergence between cross-sectional and longitudinal studies : cohort matters / Elizabeth M. Zelinski ... [et al.]. How those who have, thrive : mechanisms underlying the well-being of the advantaged in later life / Carmi Schooler and Leslie J. Caplan. The rise and fall of control beliefs in adulthood : cognitive and biophyschosocial antecedents and consequences of stability and change over 9 years / Margie E. Lachman, Christopher B. Rosnick, and Christina Röcke. Use it or lose it : an old hypothesis, new evidence, and an ongoing controversy / Christopher Hertzog -- Dynamic emotion -- cognition interactions in adult development : arousal, stress, and the processing of affect / Gisela Labouvie-Vief,…