utexas.edu College of Natural Sciences School of Human Ecology
Department of Human Development & Family Sciences
Search the site

Karen Fingerman

  • Professor
  • Research Director, Center on Aging and Population Sciences
  • Director, Texas Aging and Longevity Consortium
  • Sonia Wolf Wilson Regents Administrative Professorship, Holder
  • Human Development & Family Sciences
  • Human Ecology

I am currently accepting graduate students for fall 2025. But I am no longer studying intergenerational relationships. 

My research currently looks at daily experiences in late life.  We are beginning to research caregivers for Lewy Body Dementia. 

Profile image of Karen Fingerman
kfingerman@austin.utexas.edu
SEA
2.326
Older Adult Well-being Lab (OWL) Curriculum Vitae

Biography

Karen Fingerman is the Sonia Wilson Professor of Human Development & Family Sciences at UT Austin. She is the Director of the Texas Aging and Longevity Consortium, and the Research Director of the NIA-funded Center on Aging and Population Sciences. She has conducted research and published close to 200 papers and chapters regarding socioemotional development across adulthood focusing on parents and children, in-law ties, romantic partners, grandparents and grandchildren, friends, and peripheral social ties. The National Institute on Aging funded her work on a) problematic social ties across the lifespan b, the Family Exchanges Study, a longitudinal study involving middle-aged adults, their romantic partners, grown children and aging parents, c) Daily Experiences and Well-being Study, examining older adults' social relationships, and daily emotional, cognitive and physical activity using ecologically valid methodologies including EMA surveys, tactical measurements of physical activity and Electronically Activated Recorders (EAR) assessments of sound.  NIA is currently funding her research on caregivers for family members living with Lewy Body Dementia. 

The Brookdale Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation Network on Transitions to Adulthood and the MacArthur Foundation Network on an Aging Society have funded her work, and the Eigen Family and St. David's HealthCare have provided funding for the Texas Aging & Longevity Consortium. She received the Baltes Award for Distinguished Research Achievement in Psychology and Aging from the American Psychological Association in 2022. She received the BSS Distinguished Mentorship in Gerontology Award from the Gerontological Society of America in 2020, the CNS  Teaching Excellence Award in 2020 and a Faculty Teaching Award from the Diversity and Inclusion committee of the CNS student council in 2019. She also recently took second place in the Great Blanton Bake Off Amateur Division 2024. 

Research

Dr. Fingerman studies adult development and aging, in particular social and emotional aspects of aging and assessments in daily life. Dr. Fingerman has conducted research and published widely regarding parents and children, in-law ties, romantic partners, grandparents and grandchildren, friends, and peripheral social ties. 

She is currently working on an NIA-funded study of of caregivers for older adults experiencing Lewy Body Dementia. Lewy Body Dementia is the second most common cause of dementia, but has received little research attention compared to Alzheimer's Disease. Caregiving in this context is extremely challenging. This study will use Ecological Momentary Assessments and other assessments to examine these caregivers' experiencers in daily life. She has also been studying young adults who provide care to aging relatives and is collaborating on research addressing hearing aid use in late life. 

She continues to work on her National Institute on Aging-funded Family Exchanges Study, a longitudinal study involving middle-aged adults, their romantic partners, grown children and aging parents. The National Institute of Aging also funded her ongoing Daily Experiences and Well-being Study, examining older adults' social relationships, and daily emotional, cognitive and physical activity using ecologically valid methodologies including EMA surveys, tactical measurements of physical activity and Electronically Activated Recorders (EAR) to capture conversations and sound throughout the day. 

 

Research Areas

  • Human Development
  • Culture, Inequality or Resilience
  • Relationships, Families and Youth

Fields of Interest

  • Adult Development
  • Aging
  • Behavior
  • Biobehavioral Processes and Health
  • Diversity and Culture
  • Interpersonal Relationships
  • Parenting & Caregiving

Centers and Institutes

  • Texas Aging and Longevity Consortium
  • Center on Aging and Population Sciences
  • Population Research Center

Education

  • Postdoctoral Fellow School of Medicine Stanford University (1993-1994)
  • Ph.D., University of Michigan (1993)
  • M.A., University of Michigan (1990)
  • B.A., Harvard/Radcliffe College (1987)

Publications

  • *graduate student or postdoctoral fellow

    Zhang, S.*, Zhou, Z.*, Fingerman, K. L., Birditt, K. S., (in press). Loneliness and mode of social contact in late life. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B

    Leger, K. A., Kim, Y., Zhang, S*., Goa, S.*, & Fingerman K. L. (in press). Daily electronic media use and sleep in late life. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Science.

    Zhou, Z.*, Birditt, K. S., Leger, K. A., & Fingerman, K. L. (in press). Daily worry, rumination, and sleep in late life. Journal of Psychosomatic Research.

    Zhou, Z.*, Zhang, S.*, Kim, Y. K., Birditt, K. S., & Fingerman, K. L. (2024). Need to belong, daily social engagement, and transient loneliness in late life. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.

    Ng, Y. T.*, Han, S. H., Fingerman, K. L., & Birditt, K.S. (2024). Do friends get under the skin?. Everyday social encounters and cardiovascular functioning among Black and White adults in the United States. Health Psychology, 43(2), 142-153. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0001341

    Fingerman, K. L., Zhou, Z*., & Gao, S.* (2024). Intergeneratonal ties in later life. Current Opinion in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2023.101743

    Fingerman, K. L., Zhou, Z.*, Huo, M., Luong, G., & & Birditt, K. S. (2024). Enduring bonds: Duration and contact in close relationships in late life. The Gerontologist, 64, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnad091

    Brown, C. J.*, Jeon, S., Ng, Y. T.*, Lee, S., Fingerman, K. L., & Charles, S. T. (2023). Switching it up: Activity diversity and cognitive functioning in later life. Psychology and Aging, 38(6), 483–493. https://doi.org/10.1037/pag0000770 (Editor’s choice)

    Zhang, S.*, Fingerman, K. L., & Birditt, K. S. (2023). Detecting narcissism from older adults’ daily language use: A machine learning approach. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Science, 78(9), 1493-1500. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbad061

    Kim, Y. K.* & Fingerman, K. L. (2022). Daily social media use, social ties, and emotional well-being in later life. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 39(6), 1794-1813. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075211067254

    Fingerman, K. L., Kim, Y. K.*, Zhang, S.* Ng, Y. T.*, Huo, M. M., & Birditt, K.S. (2022). Television viewing, physical activity, and loneliness in late life. The Gerontologist, 62(7) 1006-1017. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnab120

    Bui, C. N.*, Kim, K., & Fingerman, K. L. (2022). Support now care later: intergenerational support exchanges and older parents’ care expectations. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Social Sciences, 77(7), 1315–1324. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbac059

    Fingerman, K. L., Kim, Y. K.*, Zhang, S.*, Ng, Y. T.*, Birditt, K.S. (2022). Late life in the living room: Room decor, functional limitations, and personality. The Gerontologist, 62(4), 519-529. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnab093  (Editor’s choice article)

    Kim, Y. K.*, Kim, K., Fingerman, K. L., & Umberson, D. J. (2021). Racial differences in early parental death, midlife life problems, and relationship strain with adult children. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Social Sciences, 76(8), 1617–1628. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbaa232

    Ng, Y. T.*, Huo, M., Gleason, M. E., Neff, L.A., Charles, S. T., & Fingerman, K. L. (2021). Friendships in old age: Daily encounters and emotional well-being. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Social Science, 76(3), 551-562. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbaa007

    Fingerman, K. L., Ng, Y. T.*, Zhang, S.*, Britt, K.,* Colera, G.*, Birditt, K. S., & Charles, S. T. (2021). Living alone during COVID-19: Social contact and emotional well-being among older adults. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Social Science. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbaa200

    Fingerman, K.L., Birditt, K. S., & Umberson, D. (2020). Mobile technologies and social connection in late life. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging (pp. 67-74). Committee for Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging. Washington DC: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. https://doi.org/10.17226/25878

    Xie, B., Charness, N., Fingerman, K. L., Kaye, J., Kim, M. T., & Khurshid, A. (2020). When going digital becomes a necessity: Ensuring older adults’ needs for information, services, and social inclusion during COVID-19. Journal of Aging & Social Policy. doi: 10.1080/08959420.2020.1771237

    Fingerman, K. L., Huo, M.*, & Birditt K. S. (2020). A decade of research on intergenerational ties: Technological, economic, political, and demographic changes. Journal of Marriage and Family: Decade Review, 82, 383-403. 

    Huo, M.*, Graham, J. L.*, Kim, K., Birditt, K. S., & Fingerman, K. L. (2019). Aging parents’ daily support exchanges with adult children suffering problems. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences, 74, 449–459. doi:10.1093/geronb/gbx079 PMCID: PMC6377028

    Kim, Y.,* Kim, K., Boerner, K., Birditt, K. S., Zarit, S. H., & Fingerman, K. L. (2019). Recent parental death and relationships between midlife adults and their own children. Journal of Marriage and Family, 81, 616–630. doi:10.1111/jomf.12549

    Griffin, E. M.*, & Fingerman, K. L. (2018) Online dating profile content of older adults seeking same- and cross-sex relationships, Journal of GLBT Family Studies, 14, 446-466. doi:  10.1080/1550428X.2017.1393362 s.

    Fingerman, K. L., Huo, M.*, Graham, J. L.*, Kim, K., & Birditt, K. S. (2018). A family affair: Family typologies of life problems and midlife well-being. The Gerontologist, 58, 1054-1064. doi:10.1093/geront/gnx131

    Huo, M.*, Graham, J. L.,* Kim, K., Zarit, S. H., & Fingerman, K. L. (2018). Aging parents’ disabilities and daily support exchanges with middle-aged children. The Gerontologist, 58, 872–882. doi:10.1093/geront/gnx144

    Heid, A. R., Kim, K., Zarit, S. H., Birditt, K. S., & Fingerman, K. L. (2018).    Relationship tensions and mood: Adult children’s daily experience of aging parents’ stubbornness. Personal Relationships, 25, 87-102. doi: 10.1111/pere.12229

    Jensen, A. C., Whiteman, S. D., & Fingerman, K. L. (2018). “Can’t live with or without them”: Transitions and young adults’ sibling relationships. Journal of Family Psychology, 32, 385–395. doi:10.1037/fam0000361

    Hartnett, C. S., Fingerman, K. L., & Birditt, K. S. (2018). Without the ties that bind: Young adults who lack active parental relationships. Advances in Life Course Research, 35, 103-113.

    Fingerman, K. L., Huo, M., Kim, K., & Birditt, K. S. (2017). Coresident and noncoresident young adults’ daily experiences with parents. Emerging Adulthood, 5, 337–350. doi:10.1177/2167696816676583

    Birditt, K. S., Manalel, J. A., Kim, K., Zarit, S. H., & Fingerman, K. L. (2017). Daily interactions with aging parents and adult children: Associations with negative affect and diurnal cortisol. Journal of Family Psychology, 31, 699–709. doi:10.1037/fam0000317 PMCID: PMC5608619

    Fingerman, K. L., Cheng, Y.-P.*, Kim, K.*, Fung, H. H., Han, G., Lang, F. R., Lee, W.*, & Wagner, J. (2016). Parental involvement with college students in Germany, Hong Kong, Korea, and the United States. Journal of Family Issues, 37, 1384-1411.

    Fingerman, K. L., Kim, K. *, Tennant, P. S.*, Birditt, K. S., & Zarit, S. H. (2016). Intergenerational support in a daily context. The Gerontologist, 56, 896-908. doi:10.1093/geront/gnv035 PMCID: PMC5019045

    Davis, E. M.*, & Fingerman, K. L. (2016). Digital dating: Online profile content of older and younger adults. Journals of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 71, 959-967. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbv042

    Fingerman, K. L., Kim, K., Birditt, K. S., & Zarit, S. H. (2016). The ties that bind: Middle-aged parents’ daily experiences with grown children. Journal of Marriage and Family, 78, 431–450. doi:10.1111/jomf.12273 PMCID: PMC4807606

    Birditt, K. S., Kim, K.*, Zarit, S. H., Fingerman, K. L., & Loving, T. J. (2016). Daily interactions in the parent-adult child tie: Links between children’s problems and parents’ diurnal cortisol rhythms. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 63, 208–216. doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.09.027 PMCID: PMC4768756

    Fingerman, K. L., Cheng, Y. P., Birditt, K. S., & Zarit, S. (2012). Only as happy as the least happy child: Multiple grown children’s problems and successes and middle-aged parents’ well-being. The Journals of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 67, 184-193. doi:10.1093/geronb/gbr086 PMCID 3410695. PMCID: 3410695

    Fingerman, K. L., Cheng, Y. P., Wesselmann, E. D., Zarit, S., Furstenberg, F., & Birditt, K. S. (2012). Helicopter parents and landing pad kids: Intense parental support of grown children. Journal of Marriage and Family, 74, 880-896. doi: 10.1111/j.1741-3737.2012.00987.x PMCID: Journal in Process

    Fingerman, K. L., Gilligan, M., VanderDrift, L., & Pitzer, L. M. (2012). In-law relationships before and after marriage: Husbands, wives, and their mothers-in-law. Research on Human Development, 9, 106-125. PMCID: 3686301

    Fingerman, K. L., Pitzer, L. M., Chan, W., Birditt, K. S., Franks, M. M., & Zarit, S. (2011). Who gets what and why: Help middle-aged adults provide to parents and grown children. The Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 66B, 87-98. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbq009 PMCID: 3031309

    Fingerman, K. L. & Charles, S. T. (2010). It takes two to tango: Why older people have the best relationships. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 19, 172-176. doi: 10.1177/0963721410370297

Awards

  • 2024 Great Blanton Bake Off Second Place Amateur Division
  • 2022 Baltes Award for Distinguished Research Achievement in Psychology and Aging, American Psychological Association
  • 2020 Distinguished Mentor Award, BSS Section Gerontological Society of America
  • 2019 Executive Management and Leadership Program Fellow, UT Austin
  • 2019 Faculty Teaching Award, Natural Sciences Student Council Diversity and Inclusion Committee, UT Austin
  • 2019 Top 3 most mentioned article Innovations in Aging: Fingerman, K. L. (2017). Millennials and their parents: Implications of the new young adulthood for midlife adults. doi:10.1093/geroni/igx026
  • 2012, 2018 Gerontologist, Super Reviewer Award
  • 2012 Elected Fellow, American Psychological Association
  • 2010-2011 Academic Leadership Program, Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC), Purdue University Fellow
  • 2008-2011 Berner Hanley Professor in Gerontology, Purdue University
  • 2006 Star Gerontologist Award, Center on Aging and the Life Course, Purdue University
  • 2003-2008 Berner Hanley University Scholar, Purdue University
  • 2005 Harshman Visiting Lecturer, Guelph, Canada
  • 2005 Elected Fellow, American Psychological Society
  • 2002 Elected Fellow, Gerontological Society of America
  • 2000-2002 Brookdale National Fellow, Brookdale Foundation
  • 1999 Margret Baltes Award for Early Career Achievement in Social and Behavioral Gerontology, Gerontological Society of America
  • 1998 Springer Award for Early Career Achievement in Research on Adult Development and Aging, American Psychological Association
  • 1997 Schreyer Institute Award for Innovative Teaching, Pennsylvania State University
  • 1988-1991 National Science Foundation Fellowship for Graduate Study
  • 1989 Barbara Oleshansky Research Prize, University of Michigan
  • 1987-1988 Rotary Scholar, Nairobi, Kenya
  • 1987 Harvard University Undergraduate Commencement Speaker