Gauging effects of historical differences on aging trajectories: The increasing importance of friendships.

= 19,017), I applied cohort centering to examine historical differences in the aging trajectories of number of friends in the close personal networks and time spent in activities with friends. The results indicated that older cohorts may be more engaged with friends than younger cohorts. Results also showed that historical differences in friendship relations in later life could partially be explained by historical gains in self-rated health, education, and individual perceptions of aging. In sum, cohort centering can tell us how future aging trajectories will look given a specific set of preconditions and can provide information about what could happen if these conditions change. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).