A) Aging is a multi-causal, multi-directional, and multi-dimensional process. Please define
aging in your own words, integrating multiple theoretical perspectives (e.g., Activity Theory,
Continuity Theory and Disengagement Theory). *
B) Briefly, describe important historical, social, cultural, political, and ethical trends in the study
and understanding of aging in the United States, and the present-day outcomes of these trends in
our society.
C) From the dimensions listed above in “B”, choose three of the five listed contexts and discuss
the public policy implications of those aspects of aging in the United States. Be sure to explain
specific laws, public policies and regulations that have been implemented and challenges to A) From a lifespan developmental perspective, it is important to understand factors impacting
one’s coping and adjustment to changes and losses in later adulthood. Please fully explain and
give examples about biological and psychosocial (both cognitive and social) factors in the aging
process across the life-span and their contributions to personal aging outcomes. Make sure to be
inclusive of both normative and non-normative changes.**
B) Why are these contributing factors important to understand as both personally aging
individuals and as caregivers of this aging population?
C) How are these factors different for diverse aging populations across the world (considering
multiple types of human diversities, such as gender, culture, socio-economic status, etc.)?
**Please refer to theories and research covered in Psychology 402 (Developmental Processes in
Later Life) and 403 (Physiology of Aging) in building you response to all parts of this question.
Make sure that various theories are represented in your response and use ample examples to
illustrate the theoretical and practical points you cover.
Question Three:
In each of the following cases, please 1) identify an appropriate study sample, 2) possible
research materials and procedures to be used, and 3) the best statistical analyses to examine the
hypothesis:***
A. Exploring the preferred form of long-term care by an older population in the United
States and hypothesizing that the older population prefers to “age in place” in their homes
rather than in a long-term care facility.
B. Exploring the psychosocial effects of cognitive decline across older adults with various
levels of education and hypothesizing that cognitive decline has more serious effects on
depressive tendencies in older adults with college degrees than those with less education
than a high school degree.
C. Examining the cultural differences between the grandparenting behavior of Mexican
Americans, African Americans, and Asian Americans, and hypothesizing that there are
strong associations between religiosity and level of engagement in the lives of their
grandchildren.
***You are applying what you learned in PSYC 408. In each of the three cases, please find two
research articles that illustrate or relate to the phenomena under question and summarize their
methodology and findings as a context for the “proposed study.” Additionally, your response
should synthesize information across the two articles, demonstrating proper analysis and
contextualization of the presented findings. Finally, for each of the cases, please identify and
explain the following:
– Possible sample of people to be included to adequately test the hypothesis.
– Possible measures and procedures to answer the research question.
– Best statistical test to examine the hypothesis, identifying at least one independent and
one dependent variable.General instructions:
Please respond to all three questions provided below. The purpose of the questions is for you to
integrate material across various core courses in the Gerontology MA program and connect them
to examples that illustrate the points you will be making in response to the questions.
Each question has multiple segments—please read each question carefully and make sure that
you are responding to all segments.
Please use each segment of the question as a subtitle before you include your response.
Responses to each question should be about 8-10 pages, double spaced and with 7th edition APA
style margins and citations.
Question one:
A) Aging is a multi-causal, multi-directional, and multi-dimensional process. Please define
aging in your own words, integrating multiple theoretical perspectives (e.g., Activity Theory,
Continuity Theory and Disengagement Theory). *
B) Briefly, describe important historical, social, cultural, political, and ethical trends in the study
and understanding of aging in the United States, and the present-day outcomes of these trends in
our society.
C) From the dimensions listed above in “B”, choose three of the five listed contexts and discuss
the public policy implications of those aspects of aging in the United States. Be sure to explain
specific laws, public policies and regulations that have been implemented and challenges to these
laws, policies and regulations facing both the aging population and society as a whole.
*Please refer to the material/theories covered in Psychology 401 (Gerontology: An Overview),
418 (Public Policy and Aging), and 426 (Values, Decision Making and the Elderly) in building
your responses to all parts of this question. Make sure to give clear examples for every element
covered—showing historical trends and considering both individual and societal factors.
Question two:
A) From a lifespan developmental perspective, it is important to understand factors impacting
one’s coping and adjustment to changes and losses in later adulthood. Please fully explain and
give examples about biological and psychosocial (both cognitive and social) factors in the aging
process across the life-span and their contributions to personal aging outcomes. Make sure to be
inclusive of both normative and non-normative changes.**
B) Why are these contributing factors important to understand as both personally aging
individuals and as caregivers of this aging population?
C) How are these factors different for diverse aging populations across the world (considering
multiple types of human diversities, such as gender, culture, socio-economic status, etc.)?
**Please refer to theories and research covered in Psychology 402 (Developmental Processes in
Later Life) and 403 (Physiology of Aging) in building you response to all parts of this question.
Make sure that various theories are represented in your response and use ample examples to
illustrate the theoretical and practical points you cover.
Question Three:
In each of the following cases, please 1) identify an appropriate study sample, 2) possible
research materials and procedures to be used, and 3) the best statistical analyses to examine the
hypothesis:***
A. Exploring the preferred form of long-term care by an older population in the United
States and hypothesizing that the older population prefers to “age in place” in their homes
rather than in a long-term care facility.
B. Exploring the psychosocial effects of cognitive decline across older adults with various
levels of education and hypothesizing that cognitive decline has more serious effects on
depressive tendencies in older adults with college degrees than those with less education
than a high school degree.
C. Examining the cultural differences between the grandparenting behavior of Mexican
Americans, African Americans, and Asian Americans, and hypothesizing that there are
strong associations between religiosity and level of engagement in the lives of their
grandchildren.
***You are applying what you learned in PSYC 408. In each of the three cases, please find two
research articles that illustrate or relate to the phenomena under question and summarize their
methodology and findings as a context for the “proposed study.” Additionally, your response
should synthesize information across the two articles, demonstrating proper analysis and
contextualization of the presented findings. Finally, for each of the cases, please identify and
explain the following:
– Possible sample of people to be included to adequately test the hypothesis.
– Possible measures and procedures to answer the research question.
– Best statistical test to examine the hypothesis, identifying at least one independent and
one dependent variable.
