Handbook of Aging and the Social Sciences, Eighth Edition

522 Pages·2016·9.038 MB·English

by  Carr, Deborah S., Ferraro, Kenneth F., George, Linda K., Wilmoth, Janet May, Wolf, Douglas

HANDBOOK OF AGING
AND THE SOCIAL SCIENCES
EIGHTH EDITION
THE HANDBOOKS
OF AGING
Consisting of Three Volumes
Critical comprehensive reviews of research knowledge,
theories, concepts, and issues
Editors-in-Chief
Laura L. Carstensen
and
Thomas A. Rando
Handbook of the Biology of Aging, 8th Edition
Edited by Matt Kaeberlein and George M. Martin
Handbook of the Psychology of Aging, 8th Edition
Edited by K. Warner Schaie and Sherry L. Willis
Handbook of Aging and the Social Sciences, 8th Edition
Edited by Linda K. George and Kenneth F. Ferraro
HANDBOOK OF AGING
AND THE SOCIAL
SCIENCES
EIGHTH EDITION
Edited by
Linda K. George and Kenneth F. Ferraro
Associate Editors
Deborah Carr, Janet M. Wilmoth, and Douglas A. Wolf
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Seventh edition 2011
Eighth edition 2016
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ISBN: 978-0-12-417235-7
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Dedications
To my awesome siblings, Kathie, Kent, and Karen,
who have known and loved me longer than anyone.
—LKG
To Linda C. Ferraro, my gracious wife: Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all (Proverbs 31.29).
—KFF
Foreword
The near-doubling of life expectancy in the Attention to the science of aging involves a
20th century represents extraordinary oppor- concomitant increase in the number of college
tunities for societies and individuals. Just as and university courses and programs focused
sure, it presents extraordinary challenges. In on aging and longevity. With this expansion
the years since the last edition of the Handbook of knowledge, the Handbooks play an increas-
of Aging series was published, the United States ingly important role for students, teachers
joined the growing list of “aging societies” and scientists who are regularly called upon
alongside developed nations in Western Europe to synthesize and update their comprehen-
and parts of Asia; that is, the U.S. population sion of the broader field in which they work.
has come to include more people over the age The Handbook of Aging series provides knowl-
of 60 than under 15 years of age. This unprec- edge bases for instruction in these continually
edented reshaping of age in the population will changing fields, both through reviews of core
continue on a global scale and will fundamen- and newly emerging areas, historical synthe-
tally alter all aspects of life as we know it. ses, methodological and conceptual advances.
Science is responsible for the extension of Moreover, the interdisciplinary nature of aging
life-expectancy and science is now needed more research is exemplified by the overlap in con-
than ever to ensure that added years are high cepts illuminated across the Handbooks, such
quality. Fortunately, the scientific understanding as the profound interactions between social
of aging is growing faster than ever across social worlds and biological processes. By continu-
and biological sciences. Along with the phe- ally featuring new topics and involving new
nomenal advances in the genetic determinants authors, the series has pushed innovation and
of longevity and susceptibility to age-related fostered new ideas.
diseases has come the awareness of the critical One of the greatest strengths of the chapters
importance of environmental and psychologi- in the Handbooks is the synthesis afforded by
cal factors that modulate and even supersede preeminent authors who are at the forefront of
genetic predispositions. The Handbooks of Aging research and thus provide expert perspectives
series, comprised of three separate volumes, the on the issues that current define and challenge
Handbook of the Biology of Aging, the Handbook each field. We express our deepest thanks to
of the Psychology of Aging, and the Handbook of the editors of the individual volumes for their
Aging and the Social Sciences, is now in its eighth incredible dedication and contributions to the
edition and continues to provide foundational series. It is their efforts to which the excellence
knowledge that fosters continued advances in of the products is largely credited. We thank
the understanding of aging at the individual Drs. Matt Kaeberlein and George M. Martin
and societal levels. editors of the Handbook of the Biology of Aging;
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xii Foreword
Drs. K. Warner Schaie and Sherry L. Willis, edi- whose profound interest and dedication has
tors of the Handbook of the Psychology of Aging; facilitated the publication of the Handbooks
and Drs. Linda K. George and Kenneth F. through their many editions. And we continue
Ferraro, editors of the Handbook of Aging and the to extend our deepest gratitude to James Birren
Social Sciences. We would also like to express for establishing and shepherding the series
our appreciation to our publishers at Elsevier, through the first six editions.
Thomas A. Rando
Laura L. Carstensen
Stanford Center on Longevity,
Stanford University
Preface
Social science scholarship on aging is expand the field in exciting ways. This edition
alive and well. Although the last edition of of the Handbook includes 23 chapters. Seventeen
the Handbook of Aging and the Social Sciences of these chapters address topics that did not
appeared only 5 years ago, the growth of appear in the seventh edition; most of them
research since then on aging individuals, popu- address topics that did not appear in any pre-
lations, and as a dynamic culmination of the life vious edition of the Handbook. Of the six topics
course has been extraordinary. There are many covered in this edition that also appeared in the
reasons for this stunning growth in the quantity seventh edition, four were written by different
and quality of aging research. Infrastructure authors.
and the methodological tools necessary for rig- Because each edition of the Handbook
orous, sophisticated research have increased includes chapters that differ from the previous
and become widely available to the scientific edition, each edition is a stand-alone volume.
community. In the social sciences, the increase Thus, chapters in the seventh edition, as well
in data sources covering significant portions of as even earlier ones, remain important compila-
the life course from a broad spectrum of socie- tions of aging research.
ties, the increased coupling of social and bio- Just as the majority of chapters in this edi-
logical data, and statistical advances have been tion of the Handbook address new topics, most
especially important. New, energetic cohorts of of the chapter authors also are new to this edi-
scholars have posed fresh, innovative research tion. Specifically, of the 47 chapter authors who
questions to the field and demonstrated the contributed to this edition, 40 of them did not
importance of those questions for a deeper participate in the previous edition. Most of the
understanding of aging. And, of course, the new chapter authors are well-established schol-
complexities of population dynamics, cohort ars, but they are also relatively young. Without
succession, and policy changes modify the question, they will be among the premier schol-
world and its inhabitants in ways that must ars of aging for decades to come and it has been
be vigilantly monitored so that aging research a great pleasure to include their impressive
remains relevant and accurate. contributions to this edition of the Handbook.
This is the eighth edition of the Handbook Unlike the Handbook of the Biology of Aging
of Aging and the Social Sciences and we have and the Handbook of the Psychology of Aging,
endeavored to do justice to the research topics this Handbook is intended to cover a spec-
and questions that, in our judgment, represent trum of disciplines. As a result, the chapters
both foundational, classic, and ever-important in this volume were written by scholars that
topics critical to aging research in the social include demographers, economists, epidemi-
sciences and emerging and timely topics that ologists, gerontologists, political scientists,
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xiv Preface
psychologists, social workers, sociologists, and Cohort succession signifies the entrance
statisticians. Likewise, chapters address topics of fresh, new generations, but also brings the
at the micro- and macro-levels, as well as top- exit of those who created the world that new
ics that address the intersection of individual cohorts enter. Bob Binstock was the senior
and aggregate factors. The result is a rich array editor of the seven previous editions of the
of topics and perspectives that cover much, Handbook of Aging and the Social Sciences. Bob
though by no means all, of the landscape of died in 2011. Bob was, without question, the
aging research in the social sciences. guiding spirit and the meticulous work-horse
Chapter authors were asked to contribute of the Handbook of Aging and the Social Sciences
scholarly reviews of their topics, devoting spe- series. And this was but one of his monu-
cial attention to what is new and exciting (theo- mental contributions to aging research and
retically, methodologically, and substantively) policy. Linda George had the privilege of co-
and to priority issues for future research. They editing the third through seventh editions of
meticulously crafted chapters that stand as the Handbook with Bob. They had a wonderful
exemplary reviews of the state-of-the-science working partnership that she will always treas-
and point the way to exciting ways to advance ure. She agreed to serve as senior editor of this
the field. We found reading these chapters and edition only if she succeeded in recruiting a co-
corresponding with the authors to be enlighten- editor in whose intelligence, research contribu-
ing and we stand in awe of the knowledge and tions, service to the field, and judgment she had
insights that the authors generously shared. total trust. Ken Ferraro was her choice and he
We also owe huge debts of gratitude to our graciously accepted the call. Her choice could
Associate Editors: Deborah Carr, Janet Wilmoth, not have been better. How fortunate she’s been
and Doug Wolf. They were involved in every to work with two remarkable men who did
part of this Handbook, including selection of top- their share of the work and more.
ics and authors, providing feedback to chapter This Handbook is intended to serve as a use-
authors, and writing superb chapters themselves. ful resource, an inspiration to those searching
As a group, they beautifully buttressed us in for ways to contribute to the aging enterprise,
areas where our knowledge was less extensive and a tribute to the rich bodies of scholar-
than theirs and provided insights and sugges- ship that comprise aging research in the social
tions that improved the volume in multiple ways. sciences.
Linda K. George and Kenneth F. Ferraro
About the Editors
Linda K. George is professor of Sociology early origins of adult health, health disparities,
at Duke University where she also serves and the health consequences of obesity. With
as associate director of the Duke University interests in how stratification processes unfold
Center for the Study of Aging and Human over the life course, he has developed cumula-
Development. She is a fellow and past presi- tive inequality theory for the study of human
dent of the Gerontological Society of America development, aging, and health. A fellow of
(GSA). She is former chair of the Aging and the Gerontological Society of America (GSA),
Life Course Section and the Sociology of Mental he formerly edited Journal of Gerontology: Social
Health Section of the American Sociological Sciences and chaired the Behavioral and Social
Association (ASA). She is former editor of the Sciences section of GSA. He also is a member of
Journal of Gerontology, Social Sciences. She is the honorary Sociological Research Association
currently associate editor of Social Psychology and former chair of the Section on Aging
Quarterly and former associate editor of and Life Course of the American Sociological
Demography. She is the author or editor of 8 Association (ASA). GSA has honored him with
books and author of more than 250 journal arti- the Distinguished Mentor Award, Richard
cles and book chapters. She co-edited the third, Kalish Innovation Publication Award, and the
fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh editions of the Best Paper Award for Theoretical Developments
Handbook of Aging and the Social Sciences. Her in Social Gerontology. ASA honors from the
major research interests include social fac- Section on Aging and the Life Course include
tors and illness, stress and social support, and Outstanding Publication Award and Matilda
mental health and well-being across the life White Riley Distinguished Scholar Award.
course. Among the honors she has received Deborah Carr is professor of Sociology at
are Phi Beta Kappa, the Duke University Rutgers University where she also is a faculty
Distinguished Teaching Award, the Mentorship member at the Institute for Health, Health Care
Award from the Behavioral and Social Sciences Policy & Aging Research, and holds a second-
Section of GSA, the Dean’s Mentoring Award ary appointment at the School of Social Work.
from the Graduate School of Duke University, She is a fellow of the Gerontological Society
the Kleemeier Award from the GSA, and the of America (GSA) and a member of the hon-
Matilda White Riley Award from the ASA. orary Sociological Research Association. She
Kenneth F. Ferraro is distinguished profes- is the 2014–15 chair of the Aging and Life
sor of Sociology and founding director of the Course Section of the American Sociological
Center on Aging and the Life Course at Purdue Association (ASA). She is editor of the Journal of
University. He is the author of over 100 peer- Gerontology: Social Sciences for the 2015–18 term
reviewed articles and 2 books and has edited 4 and formerly served as deputy editor of Journal
editions of Gerontology: Perspectives and Issues. of Marriage and Family, and Social Psychology
His recent research focuses on health inequality Quarterly. She is the author or editor of five
over the life course. Current projects examine the books including the Encyclopedia of the Life
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