Theories of Late Adulthood
– Most older people consider their personalities
and attitudes to have remained quite stable
over their life span, even as they recognize
the physical changes of their bodies.
– Objects and places become more precious in
late adulthood than they were earlier, as a way
to hold on to identity.
• The tendency to cling to familiar places and
possessions may be problematic if it leads to
compulsive hoarding.
Theories of Late Adulthood
• Development is more diverse in late
adulthood than at any other age.
• Some elderly people run marathons and
lead nations, while others are no longer
able to move or think.
• Many social scientists have tried to
understand these variations as well as the
general course of old age.
Theories of Late Adulthood
• Integrity versus despair
– The final stage of Erik Erikson’s
developmental sequence, in which older
adults seek to integrate their unique
experiences with their vision of community.
• Social Theories
– Include Activity, Disengagement, &
Continuity
Erikson’s Theory:
Integrity versus Despair
• A person with ego
integrity…
– is satisfied with their
accomplishments.
– has come to terms with their
life.
– feels whole and complete.
– is able to accept that death is
approaching.
Copyright © Notice: The materials are copyrighted © and trademarked ™ as the property of The Curriculum Center for Family and Consumer Sciences, Texas Tech University.
Erikson’s Theory:
Integrity versus Despair
• A person with
despair…
– is unhappy with their
decisions made so far.
– feels bitter, defeated, and
hopeless.
– is unable to accept that
death is near.
Copyright © Notice: The materials are copyrighted © and trademarked ™ as the property of The Curriculum Center for Family and Consumer Sciences, Texas Tech University.
Questions to consider about
Erikson’s Integrity vs. Despair
(don’t take notes, be prepared to discuss)
• How would older adults exhibit integrity?
• How would older adults exhibit despair?
• What factors might influence whether
older adults has a sense of integrity or
despair
Activity Theory
the well-adjusted older adult  takes on larger #’s
and variety of productive roles through activities in
voluntary work, churches, leisure organizations
more active, the greater life satisfaction, positive selfconcept, and adjustment in late-life
Older adults deny the existence of old age – fight the
aging process
Disengagement Theory

Older people decrease their activity levels, seek
more passive roles, interact less frequently with
others, and become increasingly preoccupied
with their inner lives; thus, disengagement
viewed as adaptive behavior
Continuity Theory
• Elders attempt to continue with important
activities
• Elders perceive activities as continuous
• Successful aging is characterized by how much
continuity the elder has with activities