Becca Levy on:  
[Wikipedia]  
[Google]  
[Amazon]
Becca R. Levy is a Professor of
Epidemiology
Epidemiology is the study and analysis of the distribution (who, when, and where), patterns and determinants of health and disease conditions in a defined population.
It is a cornerstone of public health, and shapes policy decisions and evidenc ...
(Social and Behavioral Sciences) at
Yale School of Public Health
The Yale School of Public Health (YSPH) was founded in 1915 by Charles-Edward Amory Winslow and is one of the oldest public health masters programs in the United States. It is consistently rated among the best schools of public health in the co ...
and Professor of
Psychology
Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries betwe ...
at
Yale University
Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...
. She is a leading researcher in the fields of social
gerontology
Gerontology ( ) is the study of the social, cultural, psychological, cognitive, and biological aspects of aging. The word was coined by Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov in 1903, from the Greek , ''geron'', "old man" and , ''-logia'', "study of". The fie ...
and psychology of aging.
She is credited with creating the field of how age stereotypes, which are assimilated from the culture, impact the health of older individuals.
[Appleby, J. (2019). From the CEO: Is ageism the “secondhand smoke” of healthy aging? ''Gerontological News'', ''47(7''), 2.] The Dean of Columbia School of Public Health describes Levy as "a pioneer" in the "growing body of impressive research showing that our attitudes toward aging affect our health, our resilience in the face of adversity, and our very survival."
Career
Levy was born in Atlanta, GA. She studied psychology and Near Eastern studies at the
University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
, where she received a BA with Highest Distinction. Next she received her MA and PhD in Psychology from
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
. She trained as a postdoctoral fellow at
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School (HMS) is the graduate medical school of Harvard University and is located in the Longwood Medical Area of Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1782, HMS is one of the oldest medical schools in the United States and is consi ...
in the Division on Aging and Department of Social Medicine. Levy then became Assistant Professor at the
Yale School of Public Health
The Yale School of Public Health (YSPH) was founded in 1915 by Charles-Edward Amory Winslow and is one of the oldest public health masters programs in the United States. It is consistently rated among the best schools of public health in the co ...
. She is now Professor and Director of the Laboratory of Psychosocial Determinants of Aging Health at the Yale School of Public Health. She is also a Professor in the Department of Psychology at Yale University.
Levy has created an area of research that focuses on the extent to which the aging process is a product of society.
[Butler, R. N. (2010). ''The longevity revolution: The benefits and challenges of living a long life''. New York: PublicAffairs.] She has examined this in a series of innovative studies that demonstrate culture-based positive and negative age stereotypes of older persons have beneficial and detrimental influences, respectively, on a wide range of health conditions.
Her research has demonstrated that several of the adverse health conditions assumed to be solely and inevitably a result of aging are, in fact, influenced by negative age stereotypes.
The studies in which she was first author have found that age stereotypes contribute to (a) physical outcomes, such as
longevity
The word " longevity" is sometimes used as a synonym for "life expectancy" in demography. However, the term ''longevity'' is sometimes meant to refer only to especially long-lived members of a population, whereas ''life expectancy'' is always d ...
,
[Levy, B., Slade M. D., & Kasl, S. V. (2002). Increased longevity by positive self-perceptions of aging. ''Journal of Personality and Social Psychology'', 83, 261-270.] Alzheimer's disease biomarkers, physical function,
[Levy, B. R., Pilver C., Chung, P. H., & Slade, M. D. (2014). Subliminal strengthening: Improving older individuals' physical function over time with an implicit-age-stereotype intervention. ''Psychological Science, 25,'' 2127-2135.] cardiovascular events,
[13 Levy, B. R., Zonderman, A. B., Slade, M. D., & Ferrucci, L. (2009). Age stereotypes held earlier in life predict cardiovascular events in later life. ''Psychological Science, 20'', 296-8.] and delayed physical recovery; (b) mental-health outcomes, such as stress levels, will to live, and psychiatric disorders; (c) risky health behaviors, such as rejecting prescribed medications and obesity; and (d) cognitive outcomes, such as dementia incidence and memory.
Levy's studies also show that positive age stereotypes can benefit the health of older persons. Her finding that positive age beliefs can increase older persons' longevity has become one of the most cited findings about old age. She has also demonstrated that positive age stereotypes can be enhanced and negative age stereotypes can be diminished through interventions.
This body of research has formed the basis for her
stereotype embodiment theory (SET), which posits that the age stereotypes of one's culture are internalized from childhood, reinforced throughout the lifespan, eventually become self-relevant, and then influence health in old age through psychological, behavioral, and physiological pathways.
[Levy, B. (2009). Stereotype embodiment: A psychological approach to aging. '']Current Directions in Psychological Science
''Current Directions in Psychological Science '' is a bimonthly peer-reviewed scientific journal from the Association for Psychological Science (APS) that is published by SAGE Publications.
Publication Scope
''Current Directions in Psychologica ...
'', 18, 332-336. According to SET, these stereotypes can operate implicitly. Levy and
Mahzarin Banaji
Mahzarin Rustum Banaji FBA (born 1956) is an American psychologist of Indian origin at Harvard University, known for her work popularizing the concept of implicit bias in regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, and other factors.
Educati ...
are credited with coining the term "implicit ageism".
Levy's research findings about the impact of age stereotypes on older persons' health have been reproduced by scientists in five continents and supported by numerous meta-analyses. Her ground-breaking studies utilize a variety of complementary methodologies, including experimental,
longitudinal,
and cross-cultural approaches.
Levy has contributed over 130 articles and chapters to psychological, gerontological, and medical journals and books.
Her research has been supported by the
National Institute on Aging
The National Institute on Aging (NIA) is a division of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), located in Bethesda, Maryland. The NIA itself is headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland.
The NIA leads a broad scientific effort to understand the ...
,
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) is the third largest Institute of the National Institutes of Health, located in Bethesda, Maryland, United States. It is tasked with allocating about $3.6 billion in FY 2020 in tax revenue to ...
,
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent agency of the United States government that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National I ...
, Donaghue Medical Research Foundation, and Brookdale Foundation.
Levy's studies have had a real-world impact on improving the well-being of older persons. She conducted the first study to show the economic impact of ageism on the health of older persons. In that study it was found that the financial cost of ageism on health in one year in the United States was $63 billion. She testified before the
U.S. Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and powe ...
Special Committee on Aging about the harmful impact of
ageism
Ageism, also spelled agism, is discrimination against individuals or groups on the basis of their age. The term was coined in 1969 by Robert Neil Butler to describe discrimination against seniors, and patterned on sexism and racism. Butler defi ...
in popular media and marketing. Her findings provided the basis for amicus briefs in age-discrimination cases at the
U.S. Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...
.
The American Psychological Association advocated a historic resolution against ageism that used her research as an evidence base, citing 11 of her studies.
The practical applications of Levy's research have extended beyond the U.S. For instance, her findings provided the rationale for a World Health Organization Campaign to End Ageism, supported by 194 countries, in which she is a scientific advisor.
Her studies on health and aging has been featured in national media, such as ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'',
and ''
NPR
National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...
,'' ''CNN Health'', ''
The Wall Street Journal
''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...
'',
U''.S. News & World Report'''','' and ''
Times Magazine
''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fo ...
'', as well as international media, such as ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'', ''
Der Spiegel
''Der Spiegel'' (, lit. ''"The Mirror"'') is a German weekly news magazine published in Hamburg. With a weekly circulation of 695,100 copies, it was the largest such publication in Europe in 2011. It was founded in 1947 by John Seymour Chaloner ...
'', and the ''
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
.''
Awards
*Baltes Distinguished Research Achievement Award for Exceptional Theoretical and Empirical Contributions to the Psychological Science of Aging from the American Psychological Association
*Scholar Award for Research Related to Disadvantaged Older Adults (
Gerontological Society of America
The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) is a multidisciplinary organization devoted to research and education in all aspects of gerontology: medical, biological, psychological and social.
History and organization
The Gerontological Society ...
and Senior Service America)
*Ewald W. Busse Research Award for Excellence in Social Behavioral Sciences (
International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics
The International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG), formerly the International Association of Gerontological Societies is a non-governmental organization (NGO) that promotes gerontological research and training, and represents gero ...
)
* Donaghue Investigator Award (Patrick and Catherine Weldon Donaghue Medical Research Foundation)
*Margret M. Baltes Award for Outstanding Early Career Achievement in Social and Behavioral Gerontology (Margret M. and Paul Baltes Foundation and the Gerontological Society of America)
*Springer Award for Early Career Achievement in Research on Adult Development and Aging (
American Psychological Association
The American Psychological Association (APA) is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States, with over 133,000 members, including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants, and students. It ha ...
)
*Brookdale National Fellowship for Leadership in Aging (Brookdale Foundation)
*International Mensa Foundation New Investigator Award for Excellence in Research
*Gordon W. Allport Award (Harvard University)
*Richard Kalish Innovative Publication Award (Gerontological Society of America)
[Richard Kalish Innovative Publication Award. 2016. Gerontological Society of America. ''Gerontological News.''
]
Selected publications
*Levy, B. (1996). Improving memory in old age by implicit self-stereotyping. ''Journal of Personality and Social Psychology'', 71, 1092-1107.
*Levy, B. R. (2009). Stereotype embodiment: A psychosocial approach to aging. ''Current Directions in Psychological Science'', 18, 332-336.
*Levy, B. R. (2017). Age-stereotype paradox: A need and opportunity for social change. ''The Gerontologist, 57'', 118-126.
*Levy, B. R., Ferrucci, L., Zonderman, A. B.; Slade, M. D., Troncoso, J., & Resnick, S. M. (2016). A culture–brain link: Negative age stereotypes predict Alzheimer's disease biomarkers. ''
Psychology and Aging
''Psychology and Aging'' is a monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal published by the American Psychological Association. The current editor-in-chief is Elizabeth L. Stine-Morrow (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign). It covers research o ...
'', 31, 82-88.
*Levy, B. R., Pilver, C., Chung, P. H., & Slade, M. D. (2014). Subliminal strengthening: Improving older individuals' physical function over time with an implicit-age-stereotype intervention. ''
Psychological Science
''Psychological Science'', the flagship journal of the Association for Psychological Science (APS), is a monthly, peer-reviewed, scientific journal published by SAGE Publications.
Publication scope
''Psychological Science'' publishes research r ...
'', 25, 2127-2135.
*Levy, B. R., Slade, M., Kunkel, S., & Kasl, S. (2002). Longevity increased by positive self-perceptions of aging. ''Journal of Personality and Social Psychology'', 83, 261-270.
*Levy, B. R., Slade, M. D., Murphy, T. E., & Gill, T. M. (2012). Association between positive age stereotypes and recovery from disability in older persons. ''JAMA,'' 308, 1972-1973.
*Levy, B. R., Slade, M. D., Pietrzak, R. H., & Ferrucci, L. (2018). Positive age beliefs protect against dementia even among elders with high-risk gene. ''PLOS ONE, 13'', e191004.
*Levy, B. R., Zonderman, A., Slade, M. D., Ferrucci, L. (2009). Negative age stereotypes held earlier in life predict cardiovascular events in later life. ''Psychological Science'', 20, 296-8.
References
External links
YSPH Profile: Becca R. Levy
{{DEFAULTSORT:Levy, Becca
American women psychologists
American social psychologists
Yale University faculty
University of Michigan alumni
Harvard University alumni
Year of birth missing (living people)
Living people
American women academics
21st-century American women