ABSTRACT
Gerontology, on the other hand, is commonly defined as the scientific study of aging and old age. The term "Gerontology" is attributed to Metchnikoff, who first started using it in 1903. While human beings – and all living organisms – begin aging from the moment they come into existence, and while Gerontology acknowledges aging as a life-course experience, Gerontology focuses primarily on the issues of adult aging, later life, and old age. Psychology, like Gerontology, considers itself fundamentally to be a scientific discipline in that there is a commitment to basing the body of psychological knowledge on empirical evidence. "Gerontology" is often referred to as "multidisciplinary" or "interdisciplinary" in its construction and practice given that the human aging journey is a biophysical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual experience, which is embedded in particular historical, political, economic, and social-cultural contexts. Social Gerontology focuses on the intersection between aging persons, who are more than just their aging bodies, and social structures.
