Dr. Laura Carstensen Professor of Psychology Department and Director of the Stanford Center on Longevity

Growing Old or Living Long: Take Your Pick

Traditional models of the aging mind have focused nearly exclusively on decline. Yet recent findings from the behavioral and neurosciences suggest that models of ubiquitous decline poorly characterize the changes that occur with age. There is decline. But decline is not evident in all domains, and in some, notable gains are observed. This lecture will review findings that point to gains and losses with aging and describe the conditions that appear to optimize functioning in later life.