Premium
Self and Identity in Advanced Old Age: Validation of Theory Through Longitudinal Case Analysis
Author(s) -
Coleman Peter G.,
IvaniChalian Christine,
Robinson Maureen
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of personality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.082
H-Index - 144
eISSN - 1467-6494
pISSN - 0022-3506
DOI - 10.1111/1467-6494.00074
Subject(s) - disengagement theory , psychology , identity (music) , scrutiny , viewpoints , coping (psychology) , accommodation , self concept , developmental psychology , social psychology , gerontology , clinical psychology , aesthetics , medicine , art , philosophy , political science , law , visual arts , neuroscience
Case studies drawn from a 20‐year longitudinal study of aging were examined for the support they provide to two theoretical viewpoints on the self in later life: one focusing on management of self‐esteem, the other on development of identity as story. The five cases selected for scrutiny represented diverse trajectories of self‐esteem. They furnished ample illustrations of certain key aspects of both theories, including assimilative processes of coping, depression related to absence of accommodation, maintenance of life story themes, and life review processes. They did not, however, give strong support to the dichotomy, drawn within both theoretical models, between younger and older old age. Examples of accommodation, disengagement, and self‐transcendence, hypothesized to typify advanced old age, were relatively few in number and emerged only toward the very end of life. It is argued that examination of prototypical cases provides a useful approach to validating and developing theory. A conclusion drawn from this study is that more analysis should be carried out on the lives of persons who exemplify the theoretically ideal characteristics of advanced old age.