Heterogeneity and Differential Development Across the Lifespan: Conceptual and Methodological Promises and Challenges

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Denis Gerstorf
• Subject Area: Developmental and Educational Psychology
• Term: from 2005 to 2008
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 15826094

Central to the proposed research are notions about communalities and differences in lifespan developmental processes. To shed light on facets of these notions in old age, I plan to pursue four inter-related projects: (1) learn and apply recent advances in statistical modeling to examine dynamic rather than static relations within and across domains of functioning, (2) add to the consideration of age-related processes by exploiting the utility of alternative time dimensions such as distance to death, (3) use a systemic-wholistic perspective on multiple domains to supplement functionoriented research in single domains, and (4) consider short-term intraindividual variability as a complement to long-term enduring change. I would like to work on these projects over a two-year post-doc phase collaborating together with Profs. McArdle, Salthouse, and Nesselroade (University of Virginia, USA) who are highly acknowledged experts in the field of aging research. Depending upon funding through the DFG, the prospect is that the projects provide a unique context to better understand the diversity of development in old age and its underlying mechanisms as well as for me to expand my substantive expertise and methodological skills considerably.

• DFG Programme: Research Fellowships
• International Connection: USA
• Host: Professor Dr. John J. McArdle