Chapter 16
Socioemotional Development in Late Adulthood
Erikson’s Final Stage
Integrity versus despair -- reflecting on the past and either piecing together a positive view
(integrity) or concluding that one’s life has not been well spent (despair)
Life review -- looking back at one’s life experiences, evaluating them, interpreting and
reinterpreting their significance
Activity Theory
Activity theory -- the more active and involved that older adults are, the more likely they are to
be satisfied with their lives
Successful aging is associated with being active, energetic, and productive
Good experience with aging relates to continuing early adult roles or finding substitutes that keep
them active and involved
Socioemotional Selectivity Theory
Socioemotional selectivity theory -- older adults become more selective about their social
networks
Spend more time with familiar individuals with whom they have rewarding relationships
Challenges the stereotype that older adults are in emotional despair and isolation
Selective Optimization with Compensation Theory
Selective optimization with compensation theory -- successful aging is linked with three main
factors: selection, optimization, and compensation
selection -- older adults have a reduced capacity and loss of functioning
optimization -- it is possible to maintain performance in some areas through practice and
use of new technologies
compensation -- becomes relevant when life tasks require a level of capacity beyond the
current circumstances
Effective when people pursue successful outcomes
Personality
Big Five Factors
Stereotyping of Older Adults
Ageism -- prejudice against others because of their age
Increased numbers living longer and healthier serve to debunk the stereotypes
Policy Issues -- health care costs, caring for patients with chronic disease, eldercare
Eldercare
Eldercare -- physical and emotional caretaking of older members of the family
Traditionally done by middle-aged women in the family
With so many women in the workforce, concern arises regarding who will be the caregivers
Technology
Lifestyle Diversity
Lifestyles of older adults are changing
Married older adults are happier and live longer than those who are single
There are social, financial, and physical consequences of divorce for older adults
Divorce weakens kinship ties
Negative social sanctions for elders who remarry
Cohabitation
Increasing numbers of older people
Goals are primarily for companionship
Not marrying allows for retention of personal assets
Older Adult Parents and Their Adult Children
Adult children are an important part of the social network
Gender plays an important role -- adult daughters are more likely to be involved than adult sons
Adult children coordinate and monitor services
Friendship
People choose close friends over new friends as they grow older
Friends are associated with contentment
Friends may be more important than family in predicting mental health
Social Convoy Model
Social convoy model -- individuals go through life embedded in a social network of individuals
from whom they give and receive social support
Social support enhances coping skills
Being lonely and socially isolated is a significant health risk
Altruism and Volunteerism
Older adults “give” more frequently than they “take”
Volunteering as an older adult is associated with a number of positive outcomes
higher satisfaction
less depression and anxiety
Ethnicity
Minority elderly are over-represented among the poor
Double jeopardy -- they face both ageism and racism
History of less education, underemployment, poor housing conditions, shorter life expectancy
than Whites
Strong coping mechanisms (e.g., church membership, family support for elders)
Gender
Double jeopardy for older women who face ageism and sexism
Poverty increased for elderly females
Minority females face triple jeopardy -- ageism, sexism, and racism
Culture
These factors predict status of older adults in a culture
Have valuable knowledge
Control key family/community resources
Permitted to engage in useful functions
Role changes involve more responsibility and authority
Participation in extended family
Respect for older adults may be greater in collectivist cultures
Successful Aging
Even with disease, improvements in medicine mean older adults can still lead active constructive
lives
Being active is especially important