Centre for Policy on Ageing



The dynamics of possible selves in old age
Author(s)	Jacqui Smith, Alexandra M Freund
Journal title	Journals of Gerontology: Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, vol 57B, no 6, November 2002
Pages	pp P492-P500
Keywords	Personality ; Attitude ; Ageing process ; Longitudinal surveys ; Germany.
Annotation	Possible selves are highly personalised hoped-for and feared images of the self that function as incentives for action. Transcripts of the hopes and fears of 206 participants (age range 70-100+) in the 4-year longitudinal Berlin Aging Study (BASE) were coded for central domains and motives (e.g. gain, avoiding loss) and evaluated for the amount and direction of change. Domains of personal characteristics, health and social relationships predominated, together with gain motives. Over time, 72% of participants added new domains of hopes and 53% added new fears. Individual differences in stability and change in matched hopes and fears about health and personal identity were associated with changes in physical and functional health. People who added matched possible selves about health, focused on maintenance, and added few new domains of hopes declined in life satisfaction. Overall, these findings indicate that possible selves are a dynamic system during old age. (RH).
Accession Number	CPA-021216258 A
Classmark	DK: DP: BG: 3J: 767
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...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing.