Label of Project Smart Age

Dr. Laura Schmidt   

Project task

Conception of the data protocol (focus on psychological assessments); transfer and implementation of results

Expertise

Aging, Awareness of Aging & Technology, Technology Acceptance and Usability, Behaviour Change Interventions, Health Psychology

Biographie

Laura Schmidt graduated in Psychology at Heidelberg University in 2010, including minor subjects Political Economy & Sports science and a semester abroad at the University of Southampton (Health Psychology). She accomplished her PhD at the Network Aging Research at the University of Heidelberg with a focus on older adults’ performance in technology-based tasks where she examined the role of mild cognitive impairment, social cognitive factors (i.e. self-efficacy), and attitudes towards technology.  
Since 2015, Laura Schmidt currently works as a Post-Doc at the Department of Health Psychology at Heidelberg University. Her main areas of expertise are (1) technology acceptance and factors related to technology performance in higher age, (2) promotion of physical activity among older adults and relations with awareness of aging processes, and (3) self-regulation, stress, and sleep with focus on younger/middle-aged adults in intervention studies.  
Currently, she works as a principal investigator on the effects of age simulation suits on functional abilities, empathy, attitudes towards older adults, and awareness of aging (i.e., age stereotypes, attitudes towards own aging) in a second project funded by Carl Zeiss Foundation (HeiAge: Assistive Systems and Digital Technologies for Improving Mobility in Old Age). 

Relevant publications