Erber Joan T. - Great Myths of Aging

1. Chapter 02
2. Chapter 03
3. Chapter 04
4. Chapter 05

A good read for everyone who wants a balanced and accessible summary of the current scientific evidence on aspects of aging of most concern to people's everyday lives.

Professor Elizabeth A. Maylor, University of Warwick

An engaging read, this book will reassure the older and educate the younger. Myth-busting at its playful, informative best.

Michael S. North, Postdoctoral Research Scientist, Columbia University,
Susan T. Fiske, Eugene Higgins Professor of Psychology and
Professor of Public Affairs, Princeton University

This book will be a service to teachers and students, but equally so to middle-aged and older adults in helping them make life decisions based on the best information. Readers will find quite a few surprises and some comfort about aging.

David J. Ekerdt, Professor of Sociology,
University of Kansas

Given the continuing interest in making aging research available not only to professionals and policymakers but also to laypersons, Joan Erber and Lenore Szuchman have provided a valuable service by addressing a topic of great social significance. In this highly readable volume these authors aim to dispel the myths about aging and older adulthood by drawing upon up-to-date research and scholarship from disciplines such as gerontology, psychology, sociology, and communication. I enjoyed reading it, and recommend it to you.

Chandra M. Mehrotra, Professor of Psychology,
The College of St. Scholastica

Series Editors

Scott O. Lilienfeld

Steven Jay Lynn

This superb series of books tackles a host of fascinating myths and misconceptions regarding specific domains of psychology, including child development, aging, marriage, brain science, and mental illness, among many others. Each book not only dispels multiple erroneous but widespread psychological beliefs, but provides readers with accurate and up-to-date scientific information to counter them. Written in engaging, upbeat, and user-friendly language, the books in the myths series are replete with scores of intriguing examples drawn from everyday psychology. As a result, readers will emerge from each book entertained and enlightened. These unique volumes will be invaluable additions to the bookshelves of educated laypersons interested in human nature, as well as of students, instructors, researchers, journalists, and mental health professionals of all stripes.

www.wiley.com/go/psychmyths

Published

50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology
Scott O. Lilienfeld, Steven Jay Lynn, John Ruscio, and Barry L. Beyerstein

Great Myths of Aging
Joan T. Erber and Lenore T. Szuchman

Great Myths of the Brain
Christian Jarrett

Forthcoming

Great Myths of Child Development
Steven Hupp and Jeremy Jewell

Great Myths of Intimate Relations
Matthew D. Johnson

Great Myths of Personality
M. Brent Donnellan and Richard E. Lucas

Great Myths of Autism
James D. Herbert

Great Myths of Education and Learning
Jeffrey D. Holmes and Aaron S. Richmond

50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology, Second Edition
Scott O. Lilienfeld, Steven Jay Lynn, John Ruscio, and Barry L. Beyerstein

Joan T. Erber
and
Lenore T. Szuchman

This edition first published 2015
2015 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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The right of Joan T. Erber and Lenore T. Szuchman to be identified as the authors of this work has been asserted in accordance with the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available for this title

(hbk) 9781118521458
(pbk) 9781118521472

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Cover image: Images.com / Corbis

For Lauren, Isaac, Megan, Rebecca,
Eli, Reuben, Ida, Noa, and Sadie

We hope they will not entertain myths about
their aging grandmas

First and foremost, we are indebted to Scott Lilienfeld and Steven Lynn for inviting us to contribute to this series. Their encouragement provided momentum, and their detailed suggestions and guidance along the way were indispensable.

We are grateful to the folks at Wiley Blackwell who helped us bring this book to fruition. Senior Editor Matt Bennett's enthusiasm for the project and for our potential to make a valuable contribution to the Myths series gave us the impetus to prepare the proposal. Danielle Descoteaux, Senior Acquisitions Editor, took over the project and guided us with kindness and insight. Her assistant, Olivia Wells, and Senior Project Editor Karen Shield supported us in many ways, and Production Editor Tom Bates, together with the entire production team, were invaluable in the publication of this book. We also thank the anonymous reviewers of our early book proposal who made excellent suggestions that helped us tweak the final myths list.

Dr. Stephen Konscol shared his expertise on changes in conceptualizing some types of pathology as DSM-IV-TR gave way to DSM-5. The following friends and relatives offered suggestions on media sources that perpetuate many of the myths that we have attempted to bust: Bill Gibson, Carolyn Sobel, Jane Spirn, Elliott Stein, and Jeff Szuchman. Thanks also to Mark Szuchman for offering some very helpful editorial comments throughout the many hours Joan and Lenore were collaborating by phone. Finally, we appreciate our friends and acquaintances of all ages who shared their views on aging and older adulthood.