Legacy Writing among the Elderly: Conceptual Bases, Dimensioning and a Proposed Scale for Measuring Motivations

Abstract

This article concerns a relatively unknown phenomenon in marketing that has become, however, extremely popular among older adults: legacy writing. While the writing of "egodocuments" has been the subject of many studies in gerontology, sociology and, above all, literature, research in marketing has yet to examine its specific components. The purpose of this article is to identify the concept of legacy writing and propose an initial scale to the academic and managerial community for measuring the motivations underlying this practice. Two sets of data collected with questionnaires (202 and 508 responses) have been used to develop and confirm the validity of a scale consisting in twenty items, divided into six dimensions (flattering the ego, mending the ego, being remembered, sharing, transmitting, and bearing witness). This research offers a contribution to the theoretical corpus on special objects and intergenerational transmission. It demonstrates that the meaning of a special object is not exclusively restricted to symbolic references that may be lost or denatured, but others that are explicit and inscribed at the very core of the object.

The time of consumers: A review of researches and perspectives

“…Hallegatte (2015) referred to the trend for 'retro marketing', in other words, the management of products associated with the past. Guillemot and Urien (2010) talked about the presentation of life stories through biographical writings. Retro products can thus evoke nostalgia, that is, a bittersweet affective reaction that is possibly associated with a cognitive activity and which […] has the effect of transposing [the individual] into a period or event that stems from an idealised past, which may or may not be part of their own experience.…”

Narrative Gerontology and Digital Storytelling: What Benefits for Elders?

“…The specificity of narrative gerontology exists in the inter-generational dynamics between the storytellerthe elderly person-and the story collector (of a younger generation), through informal learning for both parties and providing the elder a strategy for a "better aging" [6]. Guillemot et al [7] describe 6 intrinsic motivations for narration among the elderly that we can relate to narrative gerontology: f. To testify (to remember, to communicate, to resilience).…”

“…In addition, Andrews GJ [13] note the significant contribution of oral history to the discipline of history. The most important for us, narrative, especially narrative gerontology, brings many other benefits: well-being, resilience, wisdom, spirituality, well-aging, inter-generational links, informal learning, enrichment of cultural and historical heritage [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13].…”

Legacy Writing and the Consumption of Biographic Services

“…This study used measuring tools that had previously been tested and validated. A part of the legacy writing motivations scale designed intentionally for an aging population (Guillemot & Urien, ) was used. The original scale is composed of 20 items divided into six dimensions representing different legacy writing motivations.…”