APA Dictionary of Psychology

a longitudinal, multidisciplinary, and multi-institutional study of older people (60–100 years old at the start of the research) conducted from 1988 to 2009, headquartered at the University of Georgia’s Institute of Gerontology and funded by the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Institute on Aging. The goal of the project was to discover why centenarians live longer than other people; identify what psychological, physiological, and sociological characteristics might play a role in their longevity; and determine how the lessons learned might be applied to or adopted by younger people to lengthen their lives. Findings of the study include the following: Few of the centenarians smoked, were obese, or consumed alcohol excessively; their cognitive performance was poorer than that of younger cohorts except for everyday problem solving; and they tended to show high extraversion and low neuroticism.