The Aging and Development Program trains psychologists at both the predoctoral and postdoctoral levels for careers in research and teaching. We began to develop a major focus on aging in 1957, which made Washington University's Aging and Development Program one of the first in the country to offer specialization in research addressing the later years of life. This training program has enjoyed continuous funding from the National Institutes of Health since its inception.
The cognitive changes that accompany the normal aging process as well as pathological conditions such as dementia of the Alzheimer's type are a major focus of faculty research on aging. Other faculty members interested in aging study issues related to social psychology as well as clinically relevant topics such as health promotion and neuropsychology.
Another focus of the Aging and Development Program is on language and cognitive development in children. Topics addressed include reading and spelling skills, learning of spoken words, and thinking and planning abilities. Faculty members study both typically developing children and atypical children, including those with brain injuries.
The Aging and Development program's integration with the other areas of specialization in the Psychological & Brain Sciences department allows you to combine your training in this area with training in other areas of psychology.
