Subjective Views of Aging : Theory, Research, and Practice

This book focuses on the concept of subjective views of aging. This concept refers to the way individuals conceptualize and perceive the aging process. Social and cultural perceptions regarding older adults are incorporated and internalized into views people hold regarding their own aging process. The book contains three parts which present theoretical, empirical, and translational perspectives about subjective views of aging. The theoretical section expands the framework of subjective views of aging with the inclusion of additional concepts, and further integrates these concepts by accounting for their synergistic effects. The empirical section presents recent developments in the field starting at the intra-individual level as assessed by ecological momentary assessments, going through the level of interpersonal relationships, and concluding at the social and cultural levels. Finally, the translational section presents recent endeavours to develop interventions aimed at advancing favourable views of aging. This cutting-edge edited book includes chapters written by internationally renowned scholars in the field and serves as an up-to-date resource for scholars in the field as well as a textbook for students in courses like social gerontology, lifespan psychology, and life course sociology.

Yuval Palgi: Yuval Palgi is a clinical psychologist, serving as a full professor at the University of Haifa, Israel. He is the past Head of the Department of Gerontology, the co-founder and co-director of the School for Psychotherapy with Older Adults, and chair of the Center for Research and Study of Aging. His research focuses on the tension created by past adversities alongside physical and mental deterioration in old age, and on how subjective views of aging may enhance positive aspects of well-being. His studies include large-scale longitudinal data sets, diary studies, and trials of clinical interventions. He is the developer of two new theoretical concepts, life crossroads and positive solitude, and two measurements tools (Subjective Traumatic Outlook and Positive Solitude). His research has been funded by several organizations, including the Israel Science Foundation, the Israeli Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Social Security Institute. He serves on several editorial boards, as well as a fellow in national committees. He has published more than 180 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters.

Amit Shrira: Amit Shrira is a full professor and the chair of the Interdisciplinary Department of Social Sciences at Bar-Ilan University, Israel. He also supervises the social sciences track at the interdisciplinary graduate program in gerontology. His research program focuses on late-life effects of massive trauma and its intergenerational transmission. Within this framework, he investigates subjective views of aging and their association with health outcomes among traumatized older adults and their family members. His research has been funded by various organizations, including the Israel Science Foundation, the Israeli Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry for Retiree Affairs. He serves on several editorial boards and is the recipient of the 2015 Early Career Award granted by the Stress and Anxiety Research Society. In addition to his scholarly activities, he is a clinical psychologist practicing in private practice, providing short- and long-term psychotherapy for adults and older adults.

Manfred Diehl: Manfred Diehl is a University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at Colorado State University. He is also an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Community and Behavioral Health of the Colorado School of Public Health, and a Faculty Affiliate of the Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute. His research focuses on the development and evaluation of intervention programs designed to make adults’ negative views of aging more positive in order to motivate engagement in health-promoting behavior. His research program has been supported by the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, the Colorado School of Public Health, and the Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute. He is a fellow of and served as president of Division 20: Adult Development and Aging of the American Psychological Association (APA). He is also a fellow of the Behavioral and Social Sciences section of the Gerontological Society of America (GSA). He serves on the editorial board of several peer-reviewed journals on aging and as a regular reviewer for study sections of the National Institutes of Health, including study sections of the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).