"The empirical study of aging and cognition has progressed tremendously over the past 50-plus years. Much of the original research had its roots in the medical realm as investigators sought to characterize cognitive deficits associated with aging. For the most part, this research adhered to a biomedical model, in which aging was considered akin to a disease, and the focus was on understanding patterns of decline that were assumed to be an inevitable part of getting older (Hess & Blanchard-Fields, 1996). Indeed, aging was often studied by comparing patterns of decline to those associated with atypical populations with specific diseases or cortical lesions/insults (e.g., West, 1996). The study of aging and cognitive change made its way into mainstream experimental psychology in the 1960s and 1970s as researchers focused more on understanding normal aging through the lens of verbal learning and cognitive psychology (for reviews, see Kausler, 1982, 1991). One of the great advantages of these perspectives wasthe availability of sophisticated models to characterize memory and cognitive functions, and associated methods for assessing specific processes within these models. In these traditions, aging was usually studied by introducing a two-level age variable into traditional experimental designs that consisted of groups of young and older adults. The former groups typically comprised university undergraduates, whereas the latter groups usually encompassed a much wider age range of community-dwelling volunteers"--
The study of aging and cognition has grown exponentially over the past 50 years, developing from a field dominated by experimentally based information-processing traditions to one represented by a more mature approach both conceptually and methodologically. In the past 10 years there has been
growth in integrative approaches that incorporate behavioral, neuropsychological, and social information. In addition, there has been a growing recognition of the limitations associated with simple cross-sectional age-group comparisons, along with an increased use of more complex methods. This has
resulted in the development of increasingly sophisticated research designs and analytic tools focused on understanding a multitude of potential mediators and moderators of cognitive change. The result has been a move away from negative-views of cognitive aging to one that is more nuanced and
sensitive to contextual factors.
Multiple Pathways of Cognitive Aging explores the factors associated with adaptive functioning in later life. Its emphasis is on understanding both the factors underlying individual differences in change in cognitive functioning in later life and the nature of the compensatory mechanisms developed
by most successful and active middle-aged and older adults. This includes a consideration of motivational factors as a driver of both cognitive change and adaptive functioning.
For students and researchers, Multiple Pathways of Cognitive Aging offers valuable insights into the field of cognitive development, along with innovative methodological approaches to help them in their own research.
