Timothy A. Salthouse - Böcker

The phenomenon of age-related cognitive decline has long been controversial, both in terms of mere existence, and with respect to how it is explained. Some researchers have dismissed it as an artifact of declining health or lower levels of education, and others have attributed it to general changes occurring in the external environment. Still other interpretations have been based on the "use it or lose it" principle -- known as the Disuse Hypothesis -- or on the idea that there are qualitative differences in either the structure or the process of cognition across the adult years. Perhaps the most popular approach at present relies on the information-processing perspective and attempts to identify the critical processing component most responsible for age-related differences in cognition. The primary purposes of this book are first to review the evidence of age-related differences in cognitive functioning and then to evaluate the major explanations proposed to account for the negative relations between age and cognition that have been established. Included is a discussion of theoretical dimensions and levels of scientific theorizing assumed to be helpful in understanding and evaluating alternative perspectives on cognitive aging. The various perspectives are then covered in detail and analyzed. The text concludes with observations about the progress that has been made in explaining cognitive aging phenomena, plus recommendations for research practices that might contribute to greater progress in the future.

This monograph is the written version of a series of talks delivered as recent MacEachran Lectures at the University of Alberta. The informal style of the lectures, and the inclusion of a relatively large number of figures, has been preserved in order to keep the monograph faithful to the concept of an individual attempting to integrate his own research into a reasonably coherent framework. Although the volume is very much a personal account of one individual's perspective, the studies reported are naturally a product of many collaborations as well as inspirations from colleagues. The fundamental issue addressed is how adult age differences in fluid or process aspects of cognitive functioning are to be explained. Several potential mediators are considered, with most of the emphasis devoted to the investigation of working memory and processing speed as variables mediating relations between age and cognition.

The phenomenon of age-related cognitive decline has long been controversial, both in terms of mere existence, and with respect to how it is explained. Some researchers have dismissed it as an artifact of declining health or lower levels of education, and others have attributed it to general changes occurring in the external environment. Still other interpretations have been based on the "use it or lose it" principle -- known as the Disuse Hypothesis -- or on the idea that there are qualitative differences in either the structure or the process of cognition across the adult years. Perhaps the most popular approach at present relies on the information-processing perspective and attempts to identify the critical processing component most responsible for age-related differences in cognition. The primary purposes of this book are first to review the evidence of age-related differences in cognitive functioning and then to evaluate the major explanations proposed to account for the negative relations between age and cognition that have been established. Included is a discussion of theoretical dimensions and levels of scientific theorizing assumed to be helpful in understanding and evaluating alternative perspectives on cognitive aging. The various perspectives are then covered in detail and analyzed. The text concludes with observations about the progress that has been made in explaining cognitive aging phenomena, plus recommendations for research practices that might contribute to greater progress in the future.

Cognitive aging is a flourishing area of research. A significant amount of new data, a number of new theoretical notions, and many new research issues have been generated in the past ten years. This new edition reviews new findings and theories, enables the reader to assess where the field is today, and evaluates its points of growth. The chapters are organized to run from reviews of current work on neuroimaging, neuropsychology, genetics and the concept of brain reserve, through the 'mainstream' topics of attention, memory, knowledge and language, to a consideration of individual differences and of cognitive aging in a lifespan context. This edition continues to feature the broad range of its predecessors, while also providing critical assessments of current theories and findings.

Essential Papers on the Psychology of Aging contains the classic papers on the period of human development that begins with young adulthood and ends with old age and death. Including material on theory and methodology; basic psychological processes; personality and social psychology; and clinical, applied, and health psychology, the volume presents the best work published in the field, from classic papers to cutting-edge research.Contributors to the volume include P. B. Baltes, J. E. Birren, W. E. Henry, K. F. Riegel, K. W. Schaie, D. Arenberg, H. P. Bahrick, L. K. Hall, D. B. Bromley, D. M. Burke, L. L. Light, N. Charness, F. I. M. Craik, J. McDowd, J. C. Foster, G. A. Taylor, J. G. Gilbert, J. L. Horn, R. B. Cattrell, H. E. Jones, H. S. Conrad, H. C. Lehman, C. C. Miles, W. R. Miles, A. E. D. Schonfield, E. A. Robertson, K. Sward, A. T. Welford, P. T. Costa, R. R. McCrae, B. L. Frederickson, L. L. Carstensen, D. Gutmann, J. S. Jackson, L. M. Chattters, R. J. Taylor, R. Kastenbaum, N. Kogan, M. E. Lachman, G. Bavouvie-Vief, M. De Voe, D. Bulka, M. F. Lowenthal, C. Haven, R. Schulz, M. M. Baltes, S. Honn, E. M. Barton, M. Orzech, D. Lago, F. M. Carp, M. F. Elias, N. R. Schultz, M. A. Robbins, P. K. Elias, R. L. Kahn, S. H. Zarit, N. M. Hilbert, G. Niederehe, J. K. Kiecolt- Glaser, R. Glaser, E. C. Shuttleworth, C. S. Cyer, P. Ogrocki, C. E. Speicher, B. Simon, M. A. Lieberman, S. S. Tobin, V. N. Prock, G. M. McEvoy, W. F. Cascio, S. A. Murrell, S. Himmelbarb, B. L. Neugarten, R. J. Havighurst, C. D. Ryff, K. W. Schaie, S. L. Willis, F. Scogin, L. McElreth, and L. W. Thompson.

Cognitive aging is a flourishing area of research. A significant amount of new data, a number of new theoretical notions, and many new research issues have been generated in the past ten years. This new edition reviews new findings and theories, enables the reader to assess where the field is today, and evaluates its points of growth. The chapters are organized to run from reviews of current work on neuroimaging, neuropsychology, genetics and the concept of brain reserve, through the 'mainstream' topics of attention, memory, knowledge and language, to a consideration of individual differences and of cognitive aging in a lifespan context. This edition continues to feature the broad range of its predecessors, while also providing critical assessments of current theories and findings.

This monograph is the written version of a series of talks delivered as recent MacEachran Lectures at the University of Alberta. The informal style of the lectures, and the inclusion of a relatively large number of figures, has been preserved in order to keep the monograph faithful to the concept of an individual attempting to integrate his own research into a reasonably coherent framework. Although the volume is very much a personal account of one individual's perspective, the studies reported are naturally a product of many collaborations as well as inspirations from colleagues. The fundamental issue addressed is how adult age differences in fluid or process aspects of cognitive functioning are to be explained. Several potential mediators are considered, with most of the emphasis devoted to the investigation of working memory and processing speed as variables mediating relations between age and cognition.