The Psychology og Ageing
2013-2014
-
MGE4012
- 10 ECTS
Expected learning outcomes
After finishing this course the student will in the area of knowledge:
• be able to apply and discuss knowledge about the mental and cognitive resources of the elderly
• be able to apply and discuss knowledge about the importance of family and gender concerning the psychology of aging
• be able to apply and discuss knowledge about loneliness, loss and grief in relation to the elderly
In the area of skills:
• be capable of relating the processes of the psychology of aging to developmental psychology
In the area of general competence:
• be conscious of and have a critical relation to his/ her knowledge on the psychology of aging
Topic(s)
Cognition and wisdom
Subjective well-being in the second half of the life-span
Models from developmental psychology
Effects of the awareness of finitude/the positivity effect
Reminiscence, review of life
Emotions and aging
Loneliness, loss and grief, religion and aging
Personality and aging
Teaching Methods
Other
Teaching Methods (additional text)
Lectures
Group work
Presentations by students
Language:
A mixture of English and Scandinavian languages
Form(s) of Assessment
Other
Form(s) of Assessment (additional text)
Each student has to write a paper (essay) of 4000 words, in the field of the psychology of ageing.
The approach to the problem has to be sanctioned by Tor Inge Romøren and Per Erik Solem, who will arrange for tutoring. The complete paper has to be delivered by email within a given deadline.
The following criteria are important in the grading:
• How the approach to the problem and the intention of the paper is clarified
• To what extent the student has found specialist literature and has used it in a relevant way
• Whether the conclusion/ summing up is based on the text in the paper
• Professional comprehension
• Clarity of language
Grading Scale
Alphabetical Scale, A(best) – F (fail)
External/internal examiner
Two internal examiners.
Re-sit examination
In agreement with course responsible, a new essay can be handed in for assessment.
Coursework Requirements
Before submitting the essay, the student has to hand in one piece of mandatory written work, which shows how to solve this set question: What is wisdom? What is the connection between age and wisdom, in relation to other changes in cognition due to age? Each student hand in their own piece of work to this set question, within a given deadline by e-mail to course coordinator Magnar Sjevelås: magnar.sjevelaas@hig.no
Teaching Materials
Ardelt, M. (2010) 23. Age, experience, and the beginning of wisdom (306-316). In Dannefer, D. & Phillipson, C. (eds) The SAGE Handbook of Social Gerontology. Los Angeles: SAGE. (11 sider)
Brandtstädter, J., Rothermund, K., Kranz, D. & Kühn, W. (2010) Final decentrations. Personal goals, rationality perspectives, and the awareness of finitude. European Psychologist, 15(2): 152-163. (11 sider)
Carstensen, L.L. (2006) The influence of a sense of time on human development. Science, 312: 1913-1915. (3 sider)
Coleman, P.G (2005) 4.3. Reminiscence: developmental, social and clinical perspectives (301-309). In Johnson, M.L. (ed.) The Cambridge Handbook of Age and Ageing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (9 sider)
Coleman, P. G. (2010) 12. Religion and age (164-176). In Dannefer, D. & Phillipson, C. (eds) The SAGE Handbook of Social Gerontology. Los Angeles: SAGE. (13 sider)
Erikson, E.H. (2004) Den fullbordade livscykeln, ny utgåva. Med tillägg om det nionde utvecklingsstadiet av Joan M. Erikson. (4.utg.) Forord til den utvidete utgaven v. Joan Erikson, kap 3, 4,5, 6, 7. (90 sider) Stockholm: Natur och Kultur.
Hansen, T. og Slagsvold, B. (2011) Alder (137 – 154) I Næss, S., Moum, T. og Eriksen, J. (red) Livskvalitet. Forskning om det gode liv. Bergen: Fagbokforlaget (18 sider)
Hansen, T. og Slagsvold, B: (2012) The age and subjective well-being paradox revisited: A multidimensional perspective. Norsk Epidemilogi, 22 (2): 187 – 195 (9 sider)
Heckhausen, J. (2005) 3.1. Psychological approaches to human development (181-189). In Johnson, M.L. (ed.) The Cambridge Handbook of Age and Ageing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (9 sider)
Jylhä, M. & Saarenheimo, M. (2010) 24. Loneliness and ageing: Comparative perspectives (317-328). In Dannefer, D. & Phillipson, C. (eds) The SAGE Handbook of Social Gerontology. Los Angeles: SAGE. (12 sider)
Labouvie-Vief, G. (2005) 3.6. The psychology of emotions and ageing (229-236). In Johnson, M.L. (ed.) The Cambridge Handbook of Age and Ageing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (8 sider)
Levy, B. (2009) Stereotype embodiment: A psychosocial approach to aging. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 18(1): 332-336. (Author manuscript available: (8 sider) www.ncbi.nim.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2927354/)
Maylor, E.A. (2005) 3.3. Age-related changes in memory (200-208). In Johnson, M.L. (ed.) The Cambridge Handbook of Age and Ageing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (9 sider)
Neimeyer, R.A. & Werth, J.L. jr. (2005) 4.14. The psychology of death (387-393). In Johnson, M.L. (ed.) The Cambridge Handbook of Age and Ageing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (7 sider)
Staudinger, U.M. (2005) 3.7. Personality and ageing (237-244). In Johnson, M.L. (ed.) The Cambridge Handbook of Age and Ageing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (8 sider)
Additional information
The course is offered to students in the Nordic Master in Gerontology (NordMag). The course is a part of the course MGE4011 Psykologisk aldring og psykogeriatri, and has 10 ECTS in commom with this course.