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Symposium

Behavioral and Social Sciences

The Role of Contextual Factors in Adult Development and Aging

Saturday, November 11, 2023
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM ET
Location: Room 124

Individual development is embedded in multiple environmental systems, ranging from broader distal cultural and historical contexts to more proximal residential, family, and partnership contexts. The goal of this symposium is to showcase research studying the role of distal and proximal contextual factors in the development and aging of key domains, including health, cognitive function, social relationships, and emotional experiences. Nakagawa et al. examine cultural differences in the associations of positive affect and loneliness with longevity using data from prospective surveys in the United States (1986–2005) and Japan (1987–2006). Hülür et al. use 35-year longitudinal data (1977-2012) from 3,482 participants of the Seattle Longitudinal Study to examine associations between perceived residential neighborhood characteristics and trajectories of cognitive aging. Kobayashi et al. study cohort and gender differences in trajectories of social contact and social participation and the effects of being married and living with a child using data from the National Survey of the Japanese Elderly (1987-2021). Meier et al. will present data from a study on emotional co-regulation in younger and older couples’ daily lives focusing on situational factors (e.g., psychological availability) within romantic relationships that can shape daily emotional experiences and relationship quality. The discussion by Hans-Werner Wahl will focus on how these approaches contribute to our understanding of processes of context dynamics and how they can be utilized to promote the maintenance of health and function in aging.

Learning Objectives:

  • define how proximal and distal contextual factors shape key domains of aging, including health, cognitive function, social relationships, and emotional experiences
  • define the multitude of methodological approaches in research on contextual factors

Presentations:

  • 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM ET
    Do Positive Affect and Loneliness Predict Longevity Across Cultures? Findings From the United States and Japan

    Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Takeshi Nakagawa, PhD (he/him/his) – National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology

  • 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM ET
    Perceived Neighborhood Characteristics and Cognitive Aging: Findings From the Seattle Longitudinal Study

    Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Gizem Hueluer, PhD – University of Bonn

  • 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM ET
    Does Living With a Family Affect Social Contact/Participation? Variations Across Birth Cohorts and Gender in Japan

    Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Erika Kobayashi, phD (she/her/hers) – Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology

  • 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM ET
    Emotional Co-Regulation in Younger and Older Couples' Daily Lives: The Role of Psychological Availability

    Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Tabea Meier, PhD (she/her/hers) – Northwestern University