Psychosocial influences on possible selves: A comparison of three cohorts of older adults

Abstract

T his study examined the psychosocial factors that in uence the possible selves of older adults in their 60s, 70s, and 80s or older. Speci cally, the factors that in uence when and why health becomes salient in later life were examined. Findings showed that health was the most important domain of self for the oldest group. Although age was the strongest predictor of health-related selves, older males with better health and few physical limitations, were most likely to report health-related selves. Leisure, the most salient domain for the youngest group, was predicted by age, independent of health. The ndings from this study shed light on how sense of self is in uenced by the changing developmental context of the later years, the importance of exploring alternative conceptions of ageing, and help to identify possible points of intervention to help older adults age more successfully.

Life resources and personal goals in old age

“…This result accords with several previous findings (e.g. Frazier et al 2002;Lapierre et al 1992Lapierre et al -1993Saajanaho et al 2014a). In old age, health decline becomes a more imminent threat, and goals related to maintaining health and functional status as long as possible become topical.…”

“…In old age, health decline becomes a more imminent threat, and goals related to maintaining health and functional status as long as possible become topical. Previously, it has been suggested that health problems in old age may lead to the setting of healthrelated goals (Frazier et al 2002;Lapierre et al 1997). In this study, better health resources increased the likelihood for reporting health maintenance goals and decreased the likelihood for recovery goals.…”

“…Among older people, higher age has been associated with fewer personal goals in total (Lawton et al 2002;Smith and Freund 2002) and less goal striving, especially in relation to leisure-time activities (Lawton et al 2002), an energetic lifestyle (Rapkin and Fischer 1992) and personal characteristics (Smith and Freund 2002). Spiritual goals (Lapierre et al 1992(Lapierre et al -1993Lawton et al 2002), health goals (Frazier et al 2002;Lapierre et al 1992Lapierre et al -1993Smith and Freund 2002) and goals related to independence and public services (Rapkin and Fischer 1992) have been reported to be more common among the oldest old. According to socio-emotional selectivity theory, goals reflecting the need for emotional closeness tend to be emphasized in old age (Carstensen et al 2003).…”

Internalization of age stereotypes into the self-concept via future self-views: A general model and domain-specific differences.

“…Since possible selves are conceptualized in a future context, but nevertheless derived from past experiences and expectations, they play an important role in change processes of the self-concept as well as for self-regulation (Cross & Markus, 1991;Dark-Freudeman, West, & Viverito, 2006;Frazier, Johnson, Gonzalez, & Kafka, 2002;Hoyle & Sherrill, 2006;Manzi, Vignoles, & Regalia, 2010). On the one hand, imagining what is possible in the future can function as a motivational incentive for behavior; therefore, possible selves serve as a guide for selection processes (Hoppmann, Gerstorf, Smith, & Klumb.…”

Living life to the fullest: Well elders’ views of hip fracture

“…At the level of the individual, research has shown that our sense of self becomes more closely tied to our perceptions of our health as we age (Frazier, Johnson, Gonzalez, & Kafka, 2002;Hooker, 1992;Hooker & Kaus, 1992, 1994. This implies that a positive sense of self is tied to a positive sense of our healthiness or sense of invulnerability, particularly to potentially devastating events such as hip fracture.…”