Erdman Ballagh Palmore (born June 3, 1930) is an American

gerontologist 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". Th ...

. He is

Professor Emeritus ''Emeritus'' (; female: ''emerita'') is an adjective used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title ...

Medical Sociology Medical sociology is the sociological analysis of medical organizations and institutions; the production of knowledge and selection of methods, the actions and interactions of healthcare professionals, and the social or cultural (rather than clin ...

Duke University Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day city of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco and electric power industrialist James ...

and has written several books, including ''Facts on Aging Quiz'', and numerous articles on aging.

Biography

Palmore was born June 3, 1930, in

Tokuyama, Yamaguchi was a city located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. On April 21, 2003, Tokuyama, along with the city of Shinnan'yō, the town of Kumage (from Kumage District), and the town of Kano (from Tsuno District), was merged to create the city of Shūn ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

to missionary parents. An American citizen, he was raised in Virginia.Palmore, E. B. (1999). ''Ageism Negative and Positive'' (2nd ed.). New York: Springer. Palmore served in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

from 1954 to 1956 and is married with two children. He graduated from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina in 1952; received a

Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...

from the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chicago is consistently ranked among the b ...

in Illinois in 1954 and a Ph.D from

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

in New York City in 1959, all in Sociology. He taught at Finch College in New York City and Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut from 1960 to 1963. The roots of Palmore's research on

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 ...

began when he was a student at the University of Chicago in the 1950s and was conducting research on racism. Noting the similarity between stereotypes of African Americans and older people, he began research on ageist stereotyping.Palmore, E. (2005). Three Decades of Research on

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 ...

. ''Generations'', ''29''(3), 87-90. As a Professor, he developed the ''Facts on Aging Quiz'' in order to gain the attention of students on the first day of class. In 1990, he published a textbook summarizing the theories and research about

. Palmore has become a role model for successful

aging Ageing ( BE) or aging ( AE) is the process of becoming older. The term refers mainly to humans, many other animals, and fungi, whereas for example, bacteria, perennial plants and some simple animals are potentially biologically immortal. In ...

by challenging ageist stereotypes. One way he has achieved this success is by becoming physically stronger through activities such as weightlifting; he rides his age in miles once a year on his bicycle, and chooses a different adventure to participate in every year on his birthday.

Career highlights and accomplishments

At Duke University, Palmore has been coordinator for the Duke Longitudinal Studies and Principal Investigator of several research projects. He is a Fellow of both the

American Sociological Society The American Sociological Association (ASA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the discipline and profession of sociology. Founded in December 1905 as the American Sociological Society at Johns Hopkins University by a group of fif ...

and the

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 has served as President of the Southern Gerontological Society.Sorenson, P. (2003, Aug 20). Retired Expert on Aging Challenges the Stereotypes. Chapel Hill Herald. His research and teaching interests include race relations, retirement, longevity, life satisfaction, health, and international gerontology. Currently he is a Professor Emeritus of Medical Sociology at the Duke University Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development.

Awards, honors, and distinctions

Palmore was the recipient of the Outstanding Academic Book of the Year award for the ''International Handbook on Aging'' by

Choice Magazine Choice consists of the mental process of thinking involved with the process of judging the merits of multiple options and selecting one of them for action. Choice may also refer to: Mathematics * Binomial coefficient, a mathematical function des ...

in 1980-81. He received the award for Distinguished Academic

Gerontologist 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". Th ...

from the Southern Gerontological Society in 1989 and the Third Age Award from the International Congress of Gerontology for his outstanding paper, "Predictors of Outcome in Nursing Homes". I

Publications

Palmore is arguably best known for his ''Facts on Aging Quiz'' published in 1976 that has been used extensively by researchers to test an individual's general knowledge of aging. The book was updated in 1998 and is still being used to help people become aware of their prejudices about older people. In 1988 Palmore published ''The facts on Aging Quiz'': ''A Handbook of Uses and Results'' based on over 90 studies using his quiz.Achenbaum A.W. & Albert D.M. (1995). "Profiles in Gerontology: A Biographical Dictionary". Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. Palmore is the second most cited author in ''The Encyclopedia of Aging'', reflecting his numerous publications in

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 ...

Selected publications

* Palmore E (1970). ''Normal Aging I''. Durham NC: Duke University Press. * Palmore E & Luikart C (1972) "Health and Social Factors Related to Life Satisfaction". Journal of Health and Social Behavior 13:68-80. * Palmore E (1974). ''Normal Aging II''. Durham NC: Duke University Press. * Palmore E (1980). "International Handbook on Aging" Westprot CT: Greenwood Press. * Palmore E (1982). "Preparation for Retirement" Osgood, N (ed.), "Life After Work" NY: Praeger Publications. * Palmore E (1984). ''Handbook on the Aged in the U.S.'' Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. * Palmore E (1985). ''Normal Aging III''. Durham NC: Duke University Press. * Palmore E (1990). "Predictors of Outcome in Nursing Homes". Journal of Applied Gerontology, 9: 172-184. * Palmore E (1998). "Facts on Aging Quiz, Second Edition. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Co. * Palmore E (2005). Three Decades of Research on Ageism. ''Generations'', ''29''(3), 87-90. * Palmore E (2009). Reducing Ageism. ''Journal of Aging, Humanities and the Arts'', ''3''(2), 144-146. * Palmore E (2011). ''Older Can Be Bolder''. New York, NY: CreateSpace and Kindle.

References

External links

Professor Palmore's Amazing Facts on Aging Quiz

Successful Aging By Erdman B Palmore

National Center on Elder Abuse Administration on Aging (Aging)

Association for Gerontology in Higher Education {{DEFAULTSORT:Palmore, Erdman B. American gerontologists Medical sociologists 1930 births Duke University faculty Living people American male writers American expatriates in Japan