About the College
Aging Successfully
September 22 at 7:30 PMFlipse Building, Rm 536 (Randall C. Johnson Lecture Hall)
Psychology Lecture
Aging Successfully
How long will you live? Why do some individuals manage to maintain high self-esteem, good physical health, and a positive outlook on life in spite of facing the same adversities that lead others to give up, get sick, or lose hope? What are the turning points that change an individual‚s developmental trajectory and which qualities result in more optimal outcomes? How do these qualities develop, and how do they change across the life course? The purpose of this workshop is to explore the psychosocial and health attributes that help one overcome the risks and challenges associated with aging. It is these factors that may serve as important resources of resilience that promote more optimal outcomes in later life. Activities will include assessing how long you are likely to live given your family history and current lifestyle. Discussion regarding the factors that contribute to life expectancy, and what you can do to add quality to your later years will follow.
Prof Bergeman's profile:
Cindy S. Bergeman, Ph.D. is Professor of Psychology and former Chair of the Department. She is a lifespan developmental psychologist with research interests in resiliency and aging, behavioral genetics, and the theory-method interface. Her research focuses on investigating patterns of variability and change in physical and psychological health across the lifespan and identifying the genetic and environmental factors that may importantly influence that process. Her current research project uses multiple lenses (yearly questionnaires, in-depth interviews and daily assessments) to identify and describe the various pathways through which converging behavioral, psychological, environmental, and social processes contribute to resilience and optimal functioning in later life. Unique to her perspective is the innovation in data assessment and analysis that facilitate more comprehensive understanding of the multidimensional and multilevel pathways that underlie the relations among stress and uplifts (e.g, in areas of work, family, friends, health, finances), resilience mechanisms (e.g., hardiness, control, social support) and health and well-being outcomes.
How long will you live? Why do some individuals manage to maintain high self-esteem, good physical health, and a positive outlook on life in spite of facing the same adversities that lead others to give up, get sick, or lose hope? What are the turning points that change an individual‚s developmental trajectory and which qualities result in more optimal outcomes? How do these qualities develop, and how do they change across the life course? The purpose of this workshop is to explore the psychosocial and health attributes that help one overcome the risks and challenges associated with aging. It is these factors that may serve as important resources of resilience that promote more optimal outcomes in later life. Activities will include assessing how long you are likely to live given your family history and current lifestyle. Discussion regarding the factors that contribute to life expectancy, and what you can do to add quality to your later years will follow.
Prof Bergeman's profile:
Cindy S. Bergeman, Ph.D. is Professor of Psychology and former Chair of the Department. She is a lifespan developmental psychologist with research interests in resiliency and aging, behavioral genetics, and the theory-method interface. Her research focuses on investigating patterns of variability and change in physical and psychological health across the lifespan and identifying the genetic and environmental factors that may importantly influence that process. Her current research project uses multiple lenses (yearly questionnaires, in-depth interviews and daily assessments) to identify and describe the various pathways through which converging behavioral, psychological, environmental, and social processes contribute to resilience and optimal functioning in later life. Unique to her perspective is the innovation in data assessment and analysis that facilitate more comprehensive understanding of the multidimensional and multilevel pathways that underlie the relations among stress and uplifts (e.g, in areas of work, family, friends, health, finances), resilience mechanisms (e.g., hardiness, control, social support) and health and well-being outcomes.
