Toward a Social Psychology of Aging

The articles in this special issue highlight how social psychology can further the understanding of aging. One goal of this special issue is to generate more interest in aging as an area of study for social psychologists. A second goal is to challenge readers to think about how their research interconnects with issues in aging. A third goal is to demonstrate how social psychological processes have direct applications to real-world issues that face people as they age. This introduction to the special issue provides additional examples of how social psychology can contribute to a better understanding of aging.