Autonomous orientation predicts longevity: New findings from the Nun Study

Abstract

Objective: Work on longevity has found protective social, cognitive, and emotional factors, but to date we have little understanding of the impact of motivational dynamics. Autonomy orientation, or stable patterns of self-regulation, is theorized to be a protective factor for long-term mental and physical health (Ryan & Deci, 2017), and it is therefore a prime candidate for examining how stable psychosocial factors are linked to longevity, or life expectancy.Method: Essays written in the 1930s by participants in the Nun Study were coded for indicators of an autonomy orientation. These were selected in line with an extensive theoretical literature based in self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985). Essays were coded for the propensity for choice in action, susceptibility to pressure, self-reflection, integration of experiences, and parental support for autonomy. These coded variables were used to predict age of death.Results: Using 176 codable essays provided by now-deceased participants, linear regression analyses revealed that choiceful behavior, self-reflection, and parent autonomy support predicted age of death. Participants who demonstrated these stable and beneficial motivational characteristics lived longer.Conclusions: Personality constructs reflecting a healthy form of self-regulation are associated with long-term health. Implications for health interventions are discussed.

Czech and Slovak Members of Religious Institutes: Their Health in Comparison to the General Population

“…Several studies chose religious communities as a sample of people living a meaningful and cognitive stimulating life and found that they had a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia [ 21 , 22 ]. This corresponds to the findings about the CP’s increased ability to age meaningfully [ 23 ] and findings about their longevity [ 24 , 25 ].…”

Do Psychological Needs Play a Role in Times of Uncertainty? Associations with Well-Being During the COVID-19 Crisis

“…In contrast, the frustration of these needs, which occurs when individuals' psychological needs are actively thwarted or blocked (Bartholomew et al, 2011), increases risk for problem behavior and psychopathology (Ryan et al, 2016;Vansteenkiste & Ryan, 2013). Consistent with the dual process model (Vansteenkiste & Ryan, 2013), need satisfaction was found to contribute primarily to individuals' psychological well-being, as indexed by life satisfaction (Tay & Diener, 2011), vitality (Ryan & Deci, 2008), and meaning (Martela et al, 2018) as well as to their physical health, as indexed by increased longevity (Weinstein et al, 2019). In contrast, need frustration relates primarily to ill-being as indexed by symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression (e.g., Bartholomew et al, 2011;Vandenkerckhove et al, 2020), while also predicting poor physical health, as indexed by poorer sleep quality (Campbell et al, 2017b) and greater stress reactivity (Reeve & Tseng, 2011).…”

Basic psychological need theory: Advancements, critical themes, and future directions

“…Studies have included measures of somatization and physical symptoms as indicators of ill-being (e.g., Reinboth et al 2004;Reis et al 2000), which were found to stem from low need satisfaction and especially high need frustration. Such findings were corroborated with objective markers of physical functioning, including increased cortisol secretion (Reeve and Tseng 2011), elevated diastolic blood pressure (Weinstein et al 2016b), risk high-density lipoprotein levels (Uysal et al 2020), immunological responses (e.g., Bartholomew et al 2011), and even longevity (Kasser and Ryan 1999;Weinstein et al 2019).…”