According to disengagement theory, withdrawal is neither natural nor inevitable since it posits universality and normality. Cumming and Henry theorized in 1961 that people turn inward in middle age, which would lead to (1) a natural withdrawal from social activities, and (2) a diminished sense of interdependence with others. In other words, the more active older adults are the more stable and positive their self-concept will be, which will then lead to greater life satisfaction and higher morale (Havighurst & Albrecht, 1953).People disengage from previous roles or activities when they withdraw from them. Activity theory thus strongly supports the avoidance of a sedentary lifestyle and considers it essential to health and happiness that the older person remains active physically and socially. In addressing this issue they recommend that older adults involve themselves in voluntary and leisure organizations, child care and other forms of social interaction. stagnation), or The Erikson’s found that those who successfully come to terms with these changes and adjustments in later life make headway towards gerotrancendence, a term coined by gerontologist Lars Tornstam to represent a greater awareness of one’s own life and connection to the universe, increased ties to the past, and a positive, transcendent, perspective about life.ĭeveloped by Havighurst and Albrecht in 1953, activity theory addresses the issue of how persons can best adjust to the changing circumstances of old age–e.g., retirement, illness, loss of friends and loved ones through death, etc. isolation), feel that they have less to offer society (generativity vs. role confusion), become increasingly isolated (intimacy vs. inferiority) lose a sense of identity as they become dependent on others (identity vs. guilt), feel less competent compared with others (industry vs. mistrust), feel more guilt about not having the abilities to do what they once did (initiative vs. For example, an older adult may become mistrustful (trust vs. During the ninth stage, Erikson argues that the dystonic, or less desirable outcome, comes to take precedence again. trust is more desirable than mistrust and integrity is more desirable than despair). In the first eight stages, all of the conflicts are presented in a syntonic-dystonic matter, meaning that the first term listed in the conflict is the positive, sought-after achievement and the second term is the less-desirable goal (ie. After Erik Erikson passed away in 1994, Joan published a chapter on the ninth stage of development, in which she proposed (from her own experiences and Erik’s notes) that older adults revisit the previous eight stages and deal with the previous conflicts in new ways, as they cope with the physical and social changes of growing old. In the Erikson’s older years, they re-examined the eight stages and created additional thoughts about how development evolves during a person’s 80s and 90s. If a person see’s their life as unproductive, or feel that they did not accomplish their life goals, they may become dissatisfied with life and develop what Erikson calls despair, often leading to depression and hopelessness. This stage can occur out of the sequence when an individual feels they are near the end of their life (such as when receiving a terminal disease diagnosis).Įrikson collaborate with his wife, Joan, through much of his work on psychosocial development. According to Erikson, this is the goal during this stage of life. Ideally, however, integrity does not stop here, but rather continues to evolve into the virtue of wisdom. Thus, persons derive a sense of meaning (i.e., integrity) through careful review of how their lives have been lived (Krause, 2012). For he knows that an individual life is the accidental coincidence of but one life cycle within but one segment of history and that for him all human integrity stands and falls with the one style of integrity of which he partakes.” (Erikson, 1959/1980, p. “The possessor of integrity is ready to defend the dignity of his own lifestyle against all physical and economic treats.
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