PSYCH 210 Lecture Notes - Lecture 23: Disengagement Theory, Old Age
5 Apr 2017
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Document Summary
Late adulthood involves a gradual withdrawal from the world on physical, psychological, and social levels: withdrawal is a mutual process and not necessarily negative. Activity theory: happiness and satisfaction from high level of involvement, adaptation to inevitable changes. Early findings were consistent with disengagement theory, later research was not supportive. And sometimes happier than those who showed signs of disengagement. Furthermore, in many non-western cultures, people remain engaged, active, and busy throughout old age, and the expectation is that people will remain actively involved in everyday life. Activity theory suggests that successful aging occurs when people maintain the interests and activities they pursued during middle age and resist any decrease in the amount and type of social interaction they have with others. Specific nature and quality of the activities in which people engage are likely to be more critical than the mere quantity or frequency of their activities.
