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Comment. ‘I don’t feel old': The significance of the search for meaning in later life
Author(s) -
Thompson Paul
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
international journal of geriatric psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.28
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1166
pISSN - 0885-6230
DOI - 10.1002/gps.930080811
Subject(s) - meaning (existential) , neglect , psychology , life history , perception , developmental psychology , gerontology , social psychology , psychoanalysis , medicine , psychiatry , psychotherapist , ecology , neuroscience , biology
A critique of the study of ageing by social scientists is provided in this article, on the basis of the comparative neglect of life history studies across the whole lifespan. It points to the skewed nature of studies reported in the literature. As a corrective, results from a UK life history based study are presented. It focuses on work, leisure, grandparenting, and intimate relationships between adults, leading to conclusions about the factors determining later life experiences and self‐perceptions of the meaning of old age.