IT IS ~= L Y understood that some sense of loss accompanies old age and retirement; the state of explanation with respect to this phenomenon is less clearly settled. At least part of the fuzziness in this area lies in the tension between the "interactionist" and the "functionalist" interpretations. This paper explores the problem with an eye to these alternative interpretations by examining retired college professors in one southwestern state.The interactionist research in social gerontology has generally agreed that disengagement from the work role results in maladjustment and demoralization? Lipman contends that the American male acquires his primary self conceptions from the occupational and familial rolesB3 Deprived of the former in retirement, the retired person may find strengthened emotional bonds in the latter that compensate in part for the loss of his occupational role. Other characteristics may also ameliorate the potential negative effects of professional disengagement. For example, good health, adequate income, and education have been positively associated with the adjustment of the e l d e r l~.~
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