Sponsored by the National Institute on Aging                                                                                                           July 3, 2009
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Margie E. Lachman                   
Professor of Psychology, MS 062
Phone: (781) 736-3255
E-mail: lachman@brandeis.edu
Website: http://www.brandeis.edu/projects/lifespan           

Education

Research and Projects:

Margie E. Lachman , Ph.D. is Professor and Chair of Psychology and Director of the Lifespan Developmental Psychology Lab at Brandeis University. She is co-director of the NIH-funded pre and postdoctoral training program, Cognitive Aging in a Social Context.  She was editor of the Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences (2000-2003), and has edited two volumes on midlife development.  She is a fellow of the American Psychological Association, Division 20 and the Gerontological Society of America.  Dr. Lachman’s research is in the area of life-span development, with a particular focus on how the sense of control is related to memory, physical activity and health. With funding from NIA, her current work examines changes in personality (e.g., perceived control, attributional style) and memory in adulthood and old age.  She is also conducting research focused on physical exercise, with a particular emphasis on the links between self-efficacy, control beliefs, and physical activity. She has published numerous chapters and journal articles on these topics. Dr. Lachman was a member of the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Successful Midlife Development and is currently collaborating on a 10-year longitudinal follow-up of the original MacArthur midlife sample with the University of Wisconsin Aging Institute.  She has conducted intervention studies designed to enhance the sense of control over memory and physical exercise, and one of the programs designed to increase control over falling won the Archstone Award for Excellence in Program Innovation from the American Public Health Association.  Dr. Lachman has served as an advisor to organizations such as the AARP and the Boston Museum of Science for the traveling exhibit on the Secrets of Aging.  She has presented her research on programs such as the CBS evening news and the NBC Today show. In 2003, she received the Distinguished Research Achievement Award from the American Psychological Association, Division on Adult Development and Aging. 

Selected Publications:

Lachman, M.E., & James, J. (Editors) (1997).  Multiple paths of midlife development. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Lachman, M.E., & Weaver, S.L. (1998a).  The sense of control as a moderator of social class differences in health and well-being.  Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74, 763-773.

Lachman, M.E., & Weaver, S.L. (1998b).  Sociodemographic variations in the sense of control by domain: Findings from the MacArthur Studies of Midlife. Psychology and Aging, 13, 553-562.

Walen, H., & Lachman, M.E. (2000).  Social support and strain from partner, family and friends: Costs and benefits for men and women.  Journal of Social and Personal Relationships,17, 5-30.

Maier, H., & Lachman, M.E. (2000).  Consequences of early parental loss and separation for health and well-being in midlife.  International Journal of BehavioralDevelopment, 24, 183-189

Lachman, M.E. (Ed.).  (2001)  Handbook of midlife development.  NY: John Wiley.

Lachman, M.E., & Prenda, K.M. (2004).  The adaptive value of feeling in control during midlife.  In O. G. Brim, C. D. Ryff,  & R. Kessler (Eds.), How healthy are we?: A national study of well-being at midlife (pp. 320-349).  Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Markus, H., Plaut, V., & Lachman, M.E.  (2004).  Place matters:  The cultural patterning of well-being in America.  In O. G. Brim, C. D. Ryff,  & R. Kessler (Eds.), How healthy are we?: A national study of well-being at midlife (pp. 614-650).  Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Lachman, M.E. (2004). Development in midlife. Annual Review of Psychology, 55, 305-331.

Lachman, M. E. (2005, January).  Aging under control? Psychological Science Agenda, Vol. 19, No. 1. (accessed January 11, 2005: http://www.apa.org/science/psa/sb-lachman.html)