The Psychology of Later Life: A Contextual Perspective

Renowned experts in adult development and aging, Manfred Diehl and Hans-Werner Wahl synthesize decades of psychological research into a comprehensive volume that considers later life in the context of lifespan development, social and physical environmental factors, and historical-cultural influences. In so doing, they review important research on cognitive functioning, behavioral processes, personality and identity development, and overall well-being in middle to late adulthood.

Diehl and Wahl's three-part framework helps readers better understand that the development process is influenced by multiple factors and can take many different trajectories. Through this contextualized perspective, they examine the influence that previous life experiences, beginning in early childhood, can have on the aging process in older adults. This includes social relations, technological advances, societal perspectives on aging, and education. The authors also examine the challenges and opportunities of aging, using a strength-based approach to promote a diverse, nuanced understanding of successful, healthy aging.

Chapters also conclude with dialogues from other experts in the field, offering multiple different perspectives on the research.

Manfred Diehl, PhD, is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at Colorado State University. He is a fellow of and served as president of APA’s Division 20 (Adult Development and Aging). Dr. Diehl serves on the editorial board of several peer-reviewed journals on aging, including Psychology and Aging and the Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences. In 2018, he received the Distinguished Mentorship in Gerontology Award from the Gerontological Society of America and in 2019 the Excellence in Faculty Research Award from the Colorado School of Public Health. Manfred Diehl lives in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Hans-Werner Wahl, PhD, is a Senior Professor and Director of the Network Aging Research at Heidelberg University, Germany. His research interests include the influences of subjective aging and physical-technological environments on aging well and adaptational processes related to chronic functional loss. Dr. Wahl is a founding editor of the European Journal of Ageing and a member of the editorial board of The Gerontologist. He is also a fellow of the Gerontological Society of America. He received the 2008 Social Gerontology Award (together with Manfred Diehl) and the 2019 IAGG-ER Advanced Scholar Award: Socio-Behavioral Sciences. Hans-Werner Wahl lives in Edingen-Neckarhausen, Germany.