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Becca Levy, PhD

Professor of Public Health (Social and Behavioral Sciences) and Psychology; Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health

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Research Summary

Professor Levy's research explores psychosocial influences on aging. Her studies focus on how psychological factors, particularly older individuals' perceptions of aging, affect cognition and health in old age. She studies this by examining: 1) how psychosocial factors influence recovery and survival in old age; 2) how the aging process differs in cultures that hold diverse views of aging; and 3) how interventions, designed to trigger either positive or negative age stereotypes, influences a variety of outcomes in older individuals including memory, physical performance and cardiovascular response to stress.

Extensive Research Description

Psychosocial Determinants of Longevity
Psychosocial Factors that Contribute to Elders’ Successful Cognitive and Physical Functioning
Mechanisms by which Age Stereotypes Influence Older Individuals Health
Interventions to Improve Aging Health.

Coauthors

Research Interests

Aging; Environment and Public Health; Mental Health; Psychological Phenomena; Social Change; Social Justice; Social Sciences; Psychiatry and Psychology; Health Equity

Public Health Interests

Aging; Behavioral Health; Community Health; Global Health; Infectious Diseases; Mental Health; Health Systems Strengthening; Health Equity, Disparities, Social Determinants and Justice; COVID-19

Selected Publications

The Role of Structural Ageism in Age Beliefs and Health of Older PersonsLevy BR. The Role of Structural Ageism in Age Beliefs and Health of Older Persons JAMA Network Open 2022, 5: e2147802. PMID: 35138405, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.47802.
Levy, B. (2022). Breaking the Age Code: How Your Age Beliefs Determine How Long and Well You LIveNew York: HarperCollins.
Impact of Media-based Negative and Positive Age Stereotypes on Older Individuals’ Mental Health during the COVID-19 PandemicLevy BR, Chang ES, Lowe S, Provolo N, Slade MD. Impact of Media-based Negative and Positive Age Stereotypes on Older Individuals’ Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic The Journals Of Gerontology Series B 2021, 77: gbab085-. PMID: 33964154, PMCID: PMC8135987, DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbab085.
When Culture Influences Genes: Positive Age Beliefs Amplify the Cognitive-Aging Benefit of APOE ε2.Levy BR, Slade MD, Pietrzak RH, Ferrucci L. When Culture Influences Genes: Positive Age Beliefs Amplify the Cognitive-Aging Benefit of APOE ε2. The Journals Of Gerontology Series B 2020, 75: e198-e203. PMID: 32835364, PMCID: PMC7489069, DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbaa126.
Active coping shields against negative aging self-stereotypes contributing to psychiatric conditionsLevy BR, Chung PH, Slade MD, Van Ness PH, Pietrzak RH. Active coping shields against negative aging self-stereotypes contributing to psychiatric conditions Social Science & Medicine 2019, 228: 25-29. PMID: 30870669, PMCID: PMC7232846, DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.02.035.
Ageism Amplifies Cost and Prevalence of Health ConditionsLevy BR, Slade MD, Chang ES, Kannoth S, Wang SY. Ageism Amplifies Cost and Prevalence of Health Conditions The Gerontologist 2018, 60: 174-181. PMID: 30423119, PMCID: PMC7182003, DOI: 10.1093/geront/gny131.
Positive age beliefs protect against dementia even among elders with high-risk geneLevy BR, Slade MD, Pietrzak RH, Ferrucci L. Positive age beliefs protect against dementia even among elders with high-risk gene PLOS ONE 2018, 13: e0191004. PMID: 29414991, PMCID: PMC5802444, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0191004.
Survival Advantage Mechanism: Inflammation as a Mediator of Positive Self-Perceptions of Aging on LongevityLevy BR, Bavishi A. Survival Advantage Mechanism: Inflammation as a Mediator of Positive Self-Perceptions of Aging on Longevity The Journals Of Gerontology Series B 2016, 73: gbw035. PMID: 27032428, PMCID: PMC5927092, DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbw035.
A Culture–Brain Link: Negative Age Stereotypes Predict Alzheimer’s Disease BiomarkersLevy BR, Ferrucci L, Zonderman AB, Slade MD, Troncoso J, Resnick SM. A Culture–Brain Link: Negative Age Stereotypes Predict Alzheimer’s Disease Biomarkers Psychology And Aging 2016, 31: 82-88. PMID: 26641877, PMCID: PMC4853823, DOI: 10.1037/pag0000062.
Resiliency Over Time of Elders’ Age Stereotypes After Encountering Stressful EventsLevy BR, Slade MD, Chung PH, Gill TM. Resiliency Over Time of Elders’ Age Stereotypes After Encountering Stressful Events The Journals Of Gerontology Series B 2014, 70: 886-890. PMID: 24997287, PMCID: PMC4612340, DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbu082.
Lower prevalence of psychiatric conditions when negative age stereotypes are resistedLevy BR, Pilver CE, Pietrzak RH. Lower prevalence of psychiatric conditions when negative age stereotypes are resisted Social Science & Medicine 2014, 119: 170-174. PMID: 25189737, PMCID: PMC4372137, DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.06.046.
Subliminal strengthening: improving older individuals' physical function over time with an implicit-age-stereotype interventionLevy BR, Pilver C, Chung PH, Slade MD. Subliminal strengthening: improving older individuals' physical function over time with an implicit-age-stereotype intervention. Psychol Sci. 2014 Dec;25(12):2127-35. doi: 10.1177/0956797614551970. Epub 2014 Oct 17. PMID: 25326508; PMCID: PMC4372155.
Association Between Positive Age Stereotypes and Recovery From Disability in Older PersonsLevy BR, Slade MD, Murphy TE, Gill TM. Association Between Positive Age Stereotypes and Recovery From Disability in Older Persons JAMA 2012, 308: 1972-1973. PMID: 23168819, PMCID: PMC3614078, DOI: 10.1001/jama.2012.14541.
Residual stigma: Psychological distress among the formerly overweightLevy BR, Pilver CE. Residual stigma: Psychological distress among the formerly overweight Social Science & Medicine 2012, 75: 297-299. PMID: 22560867, PMCID: PMC3711678, DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.03.007.
Memory Shaped by Age Stereotypes over TimeLevy BR, Zonderman AB, Slade MD, Ferrucci L. Memory Shaped by Age Stereotypes over Time The Journals Of Gerontology Series B 2011, 67: 432-436. PMID: 22056832, PMCID: PMC3391075, DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbr120.
Influence of Valentine’s Day and Halloween on Birth TimingLevy BR, Chung PH, Slade MD. Influence of Valentine’s Day and Halloween on Birth Timing Social Science & Medicine 2011, 73: 1246-1248. PMID: 21880409, DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.07.008.
Stereotype EmbodimentLevy B. Stereotype Embodiment Current Directions In Psychological Science 2009, 18: 332-336. PMID: 20802838, PMCID: PMC2927354, DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8721.2009.01662.x.
Age Stereotypes Held Earlier in Life Predict Cardiovascular Events in Later LifeLevy BR, Zonderman AB, Slade MD, Ferrucci L. Age Stereotypes Held Earlier in Life Predict Cardiovascular Events in Later Life Psychological Science 2009, 20: 296-298. PMID: 19222809, PMCID: PMC2666386, DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9280.2009.02298.x.
The Stereotype-Matching Effect: Greater Influence on Functioning When Age Stereotypes Correspond to OutcomesLevy BR, Leifheit-Limson E. The Stereotype-Matching Effect: Greater Influence on Functioning When Age Stereotypes Correspond to Outcomes Psychology And Aging 2009, 24: 230-233. PMID: 19290757, PMCID: PMC2722449, DOI: 10.1037/a0014563.
Hearing Decline Predicted by Elders' StereotypesLevy BR, Slade MD, Gill TM. Hearing Decline Predicted by Elders' Stereotypes The Journals Of Gerontology Series B 2006, 61: p82-p87. PMID: 16497958, DOI: 10.1093/geronb/61.2.p82.
When Self-Interest and Age Stereotypes Collide: Elders Opposing Increased Funds for Programs Benefiting ThemselvesLevy BR, Schlesinger MJ. When Self-Interest and Age Stereotypes Collide: Elders Opposing Increased Funds for Programs Benefiting Themselves Journal Of Aging & Social Policy 2005, 17: 25-39. PMID: 15911516, DOI: 10.1300/j031v17n02_03.
Preventive health behaviors influenced by self-perceptions of agingLevy BR, Myers LM. Preventive health behaviors influenced by self-perceptions of aging Preventive Medicine 2004, 39: 625-629. PMID: 15313104, DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2004.02.029.
Mind Matters: Cognitive and Physical Effects of Aging Self-StereotypesLevy BR. Mind Matters: Cognitive and Physical Effects of Aging Self-Stereotypes The Journals Of Gerontology Series B 2003, 58: p203-p211. PMID: 12878645, DOI: 10.1093/geronb/58.4.p203.
Longitudinal Benefit of Positive Self-Perceptions of Aging on Functional HealthLevy BR, Slade MD, Kasl SV. Longitudinal Benefit of Positive Self-Perceptions of Aging on Functional Health The Journals Of Gerontology Series B 2002, 57: p409-p417. PMID: 12198099, DOI: 10.1093/geronb/57.5.p409.
Longevity Increased by Positive Self-Perceptions of AgingLevy BR, Slade MD, Kunkel SR, Kasl SV. Longevity Increased by Positive Self-Perceptions of Aging Journal Of Personality And Social Psychology 2002, 83: 261-270. PMID: 12150226, DOI: 10.1037/0022-3514.83.2.261.

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Becca Levy, PhD

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