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Title

Minnie and Harold Fierman Professor of Psychology

Degree

Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University

Field of Specialty

Life-span development; midlife; aging; sense of control; adult personality; memory; health-promoting behaviors; intervention research to improve cognitive and physical functioning.

Contact Information

Brown Social Science Center 102
781-736-3255
lachman@brandeis.edu

Personal Web Page

Margie Lachman

Professor Lachman's research is in the area of lifespan development with a focus on midlife and later life. Her current work is aimed at identifying psychosocial (e.g., sense of control) and behavioral (e.g., physical exercise) factors that can protect against, minimize, or compensate for declines in cognition (e.g., memory) and health. She is conducting studies to examine long-term predictors of psychological and physical health, laboratory-based experiments to identify psychological and physiological processes involved in aging-related changes, and intervention studies to enhance performance and promote adaptive functioning.

Publications

Human L.J., Biesanz J.C., Miller G.E., Chen E., Lachman M.E., Seeman T.E. "Is change bad? Personality change is associated with poorer psychological health and greater metabolic syndrome in midlife.." Journal of Personality Article first published online: 11 JAN 2013 DOI: 10.1111/jopy.12002. (2013). (forthcoming)

Kimhy, D. Crowley, O., V., McKinley, P. S., Burg, M. M., Lachman, M. E., Tun, P. A, Ryff, C. D., Seeman, T.E., & Sloan, R. P. "The association of cardiac vagal control and executive functioning - Findings from the MIDUS Study." Journal of Psychiatric Research (2013). (forthcoming)

Tun P.A., Miller-Martinez D., Lachman M.E., Seeman T . "Social strain and executive function across the lifespan: The dark (and light) sides of social engagement.." Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition Aug 9. [Epub ahead of print] DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2012.707173. (2013). (forthcoming)

Agrigoroaei, S., Neupert, S.D. & Lachman, M.E. "Maintaining a Sense of Control in the Context of Cognitive Challenge: Greater Stability in Control Beliefs Benefits Working Memory." GeroPsych:The Journal of Gerontopsychology and Geriatric Psychiatry 26. (2013): 49-59.

Agrigoroaei, S., Polito, M., Lee, A., Kranz-Graham, E., Seeman, T., & Lachman, M.E. "Cortisol Response to Challenge Involving Low Controllability: The Role of Control Beliefs and Age." Biological Psychology 93. (2013): 138-142, doi: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2013.01.003.

Bertrand, R. Graham, E. K., & Lachman, M. E. "Personality development in adulthood and old age.." Handbook of Psychology: 2nd Edition. Developmental Psychology. vol. 6 Ed. In R. M. Lerner, M.A. Easterbrooks, & J. Mistry (Eds.),. NY: Wiiley, 2013. 475-494.

Chen, E., Miller, G. E., Lachman, M. E., Gruenewald, T. L., & Seeman, T. E. "Shift-and- persist strategies linked to allostatic load in adults from low childhood socioeconomic circumstances." Psychosomatic Medicine 74. (2012): 178-186.

Graham, E. K., & Lachman, M. E. "Personality stability is associated with better cognitive performance in adulthood. Are the stable are more able?." Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences 67. (2012): 545-554.

Graham, Eileen Kranz & Lachman, Margie. "Personality and aging: Cognitive perspectives and processes." Handbook of developmental psychology: Adult development and aging. 1st ed. Ed. S. Whitbourne & M. Sliwinski (Eds.). New York: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. 254-272.

Kremen, W. S., Lachman, M. E., Pruessner, J. C., Sliwinski, M., & Wilson, R. "Mechanisms of age-related cognitive change and targets for intervention: Social interactions and stress." Journal of Gerontology: Biological and Medical Sciences 67. (2012): 760-765.

Lachman, M. E., & Agrigoroaei, S. "Low perceived control as a risk factor for episodic memory: The mediational role of anxiety and task interference.." Memory and Cognition. 40. (2012): 287-296.

Zimprich, D., Allemand, M., & Lachman, M. E. "Age-related psychometrics of the MIDUS personality adjective items across midlife." Psychological Assessment 24. (2012): 173-186.

Agrigoroaei, Stefan., & Lachman, Margie. E.. "Cognitive functioning in midlife and old age: Combined effects of psychosocial and behavioral factors." Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences 66B. S1 (2011): i130-i140..

Gerstorf, Denis., Röcke, Christina, & Lachman, Margie. E.. "Antecedent-consequent relations of perceived control to health and social support: Longitudinal evidence for between-domain associations across adulthood." Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences 66. (2011): 61-71.

Lachman, Margie, Neupert, Shevaun, & Agrigoroaei, Stefan.. "The relevance of control beliefs for health and aging." Handbook of the Psychology of Aging. 7th ed. Ed. K. W. Schaie & S. L. Willis. New York: Elsevier, 2011. 175-190.

Miller, G. E., Lachman, M. E., Chen, E., Gruenewald, T. L., Karlamanga, A.R., & Seeman, T. E. "Pathways to resilience: Maternal nurturance as a buffer against childhood poverty’s effects on metabolic syndrome at midlife." Psychological Science 22. (2011): 1591–1599.

Seeman, Teresa., Miller-Martinez, Dana., Stein-Merkin, Sharon., Lachman, Margie., Tun, Patricia., & Karlamangla, Arun.. "Histories of social engagement and adult cognition : The Midlife in the US Study (MIDUS)." Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences 66B. S1 (2011): i141-i152.

Stawski, Robert. S., Almeida, David.M., Lachman, Margie. E., Tun, Patricia., & Rosnick, Christopher., Seeman, Teresa.. "Associations between cognitive functioning and naturally occuring daily cortisol during middle adulthood: Timing is everything.." Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences. 66B. S1 (2011): i71-i81.

Agrigoroaei, Stefan, & Lachman, Margie. "Personal control and aging: How beliefs and expectations matter." Aging in America: Psychological, Physical, and Social Issues.. vol. 1 -Psychological Aspects Ed. In Cavanaugh, J. C., & Cavanaugh, C. K. (Eds.). Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger, 2010. 177-201.

Cotter, Kelly & Lachman, Margie. "Psychosocial and behavioral contributors to health: Age-related increases in physical disability are reduced by physical fitness." Psychology and Health 25. (2010): 805-820.

Cotter, Kelly. A., Lachman, Margie. "No strain, no gain: Psychosocial predictors of physical activity across the adult lifespan." Journal of Physical Activity and Health 7. (2010): 584-594.

Lachman, Margie and Kranz, Eileen, Eds. I. Weiner, E. Craighead. "The Midlife Crisis." The Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology 4th edition Volume 3, pp. 993-994. 2010.

Lachman, Margie, & Agrigoroaei, S.. "Optimizing health: A lifespan approach." Boomers and Beyond: Reconsidering the Role of Libraries.. Ed. P. Rothstein, & D. Schull. Chicago: American Library Association, 2010. 15-22.

Lachman, Margie, & Agrigoroaei, Stefan.. "Promoting functional health in midlife and old age: Long-term protective effects of control beliefs, social support, and physical exercise." PLoSONE. 5(10): e13297. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0013297. (2010).

Lachman, Margie, E., Agrigoroaei, Stefan., Murphy, Chandra., & Tun, Patricia. A.. "Frequent cognitive activity compensates for education differences in episodic memory." American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. 18. (2010): 4-10.

Lachman, Margie. "Life begins at 40, 50, 60, and 70. Are we happy yet?." The World Book of Happiness. Ed. L. Bormans. Singapore and Belgium: Page One and Lanoo, 2010. 148-150.

Pearman, Ann, & Lachman, Margie. "Heart rate recovery predicts memory performance in older adults." Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback 35. (2010): 107-114.

Stawski, R.S., Almeida, D. M., Lachman, M.E., Rosnick, D.B., & Tun, P.A. "Cognitive resources and exposure and emotional reactivity to daily stressors: Findings from the MIDUS study." Psychology and Aging 25. (2010): 330-342.

Tun, Patricia A., Lachman, Margie E.. "The association between computer use and cognition across adulthood: Use it so you won’t lose it." Psychology and Aging 25. (2010): 560-568.

Almeida, D., Lachman, M. E., Marks, N. F., Mroczek, D., & Ryff, C. D.. "Orville Gilbert Brim: Icon of generativity." Research on Human Development 6. (2009): 252-266.

Lachman, Margie , Rosnick, C. & Rocke, C.. "The rise and fall of control beliefs in adulthood: Cognitive and biopsychosocial antecedents of stability and change over nine years.." Cognition in aging: Methodologies and applications. Ed. H. Bosworth & C. Hertzog. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association, 2009. 143-160.

Neupert, S., Whihtbourne, S., & Lachman, Margie. "Exercise efficacy and control beliefs predict exercise behavior during and after an exercise intervention." Journal of Aging and Physical Activity 16,. (2009): 1-16.

Lachman, Margie , Rocke, C., Rosnick, C, & Ryff, C.D.. "Realism and illusion in Americans' temporal views of their life satisfaction: Age differences in reconstructing the past and anticipating the future." Psychological Science 9,. (2008): 889-897..

Lachman, Margie and Tun, Patricia. "Cognitive testing in large scale surveys: Assessment by telephone.." Handbook on Cognitive Aging: Interdisciplinary Perspectives. Ed. S. Hofer & D. Alwin. Thousand Oaks: Sage, 2008. 506-522.

Rocke, Christina, & Lachman, Margie. E.. "Perceived trajectories of life satisfaction across past, present, and future: Profiles and correlates of subjective change in young, middle-aged and older adults.." Psychology and Aging, 23,. (2008): 833-847.

Tun, Patricia & Lachman, Margie. "Age differences in reaction time and attention in a national telephone sample of adults: Education, sex , and task complexity matter.." Developmental Psychology, 44,. (2008): 1421-1429.

Whitbourne, S., Neupert, S., & Lachman, Margie. "Daily physical activity: Relation to everyday memory in adulthood." Journal of Applied Gerontology 27. (2008): 331-349.

Courses Taught