Resilience and levels of reserve capacity in later adulthood: Perspectives from life-span theory

AbstractThe goal of this article is to explore the utility of integrating two lines of research on questions of modifiability or plasticity of human development. The first line, dealing with the notion of resilience, originated within the field of clinical developmental research. The second line, concerned with developmental reserve capacity, evolved primarily within the field of life-span developmental psychology. Resilience addresses questions of maintenance and recovery of adaptation in the face of stress. In addition, ideas about levels of reserve capacity, rooted in life-span developmental psychology, emphasize the potential for growth. A review of research in the areas of cognitive and self-related functioning provides evidence for resilience as well as developmental reserve capacity in adulthood and old age. It is argued that across the life span reserve capacity is increasingly allocated to resilience-related processes (maintenance of functioning and recovery from dysfunction) rather than growth. A model of successful aging is discussed which suggests that, by means of selective optimization with compensation, old age nevertheless continues to hold the potential for selective growth.

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Applied developmental psychology as an implementation of a life-span view of human development

Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology ◽

10.1016/0193-3973(89)90020-8 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 425-445 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Richard C. Birkel ◽

Richard M. Lerner ◽

Michael A. Smyer

Keyword(s):

Life Span ◽

Human Development ◽

Developmental Psychology

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Selective Optimization With Compensation: Life-Span Perspectives on Successful Human Development

Compensating for Psychological Deficits and Declines ◽

10.4324/9780203773802-9 ◽

2013 ◽

pp. 49-94

Keyword(s):

Life Span ◽

Human Development ◽

Selective Optimization With Compensation

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Elderhood, Agency and Existential Vulnerability

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.1917 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 499-499

Author(s):

H E Laceulle

Keyword(s):

Old Age ◽

Personal Growth ◽

Successful Aging ◽

Late Life ◽

Feminist Philosophy ◽

Cultural Image ◽

The Face

Abstract Popular conceptualizations of elderhood often use a spiritually inspired language of personal growth and wisdom. These conceptualizations are rightly critical of the language of activity and productivity that abounds in dominant successful aging discourses. Instead, the emphasis is placed on embracing our diminishing strength and increasing dependence with an attitude of resignation and gracious acceptance. Problematically, however, this can reinforce the ageist cultural assumption that old age lacks agency. If the emerging discourse about elderhood is truly to serve as a more inspiring cultural image of late life, it requires a reconceptualization of agency in the face of existential vulnerabilities. This paper aims to present a possible philosophical outlook for such a reconceptualization. It will draw on sources from feminist philosophy to argue how confrontations with vulnerability need not be an obstacle, but rather inspire alternative conceptualizations of agency that are a welcome addition to gerontological thinking.

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Life Span: Overview

Encyclopedia of Social Work ◽

10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.013.581 ◽

2013 ◽

Author(s):

Lani V. Jones

Keyword(s):

Social Work ◽

Service Delivery ◽

Life Span ◽

Human Development ◽

Social Workers ◽

Old Age ◽

Best Practice ◽

Great Promise ◽

Sociocultural Context ◽

Social Tasks

This entry provides an overview of the life-span perspective focusing on biological developments and social tasks all of which are embedded in a larger sociocultural context from birth to old age within diverse environments, cultures, and historical eras. This section will also focus on how the life-span perspective succeeds traditional life course models that assume to be universal, sequential, and predictable. The life-span perspective of social work departs from approaches based on traditional models that are narrow and focuses on personal deficits, pointing instead to strengths, continued growth, and environmental resources for individuals, families, groups, and communities. Finally, this entry will discuss how the life-span perspective shows great promise for encompassing theory of human development for the purpose of expanding knowledge, promoting “best practice” service delivery, policy regulation and research to enhance the lives of people with whom social workers come into contact.

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Images of Aging in the Psychotherapeutic Context

GeroPsych ◽

10.1024/1662-9647/a000129 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 28 (2) ◽

pp. 47-55 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Eva-Marie Kessler ◽

Catherine E. Bowen

Keyword(s):

Old Age ◽

Diagnostic Tests ◽

Aging Process ◽

Developmental Psychology ◽

Mental Representations ◽

Later Life ◽

Future Research ◽

Psychotherapeutic Process ◽

Images Of Aging ◽

Client Communication

Both psychotherapists and their clients have mental representations of old age and the aging process. In this conceptual review, we draw on available research from gerontology, social and developmental psychology, and communication science to consider how these “images of aging” may affect the psychotherapeutic process with older clients. On the basis of selected empirical findings we hypothesize that such images may affect the pathways to psychotherapy in later life, therapist-client communication, client performance on diagnostic tests as well as how therapists select and apply a therapeutic method. We posit that interventions to help both older clients and therapists to reflect on their own images of aging may increase the likelihood of successful treatment. We conclude by making suggestions for future research.

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Social Representations and Commitment

European Psychologist ◽

10.1027/1016-9040/a000317 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 23 (3) ◽

pp. 233-249 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Eric Bonetto ◽

Fabien Girandola ◽

Grégory Lo Monaco

Keyword(s):

Social Representations ◽

Social Representation ◽

Second Line ◽

Review Of The Literature ◽

First Line ◽

Research Perspectives ◽

The Social ◽

Bibliographic Search ◽

English Articles

Abstract. This contribution consists of a critical review of the literature about the articulation of two traditionally separated theoretical fields: social representations and commitment. Besides consulting various works and communications, a bibliographic search was carried out (between February and December, 2016) on various databases using the keywords “commitment” and “social representation,” in the singular and in the plural, in French and in English. Articles published in English or in French, that explicitly made reference to both terms, were included. The relations between commitment and social representations are approached according to two approaches or complementary lines. The first line follows the role of commitment in the representational dynamics: how can commitment transform the representations? This articulation gathers most of the work on the topic. The second line envisages the social representations as determinants of commitment procedures: how can these representations influence the effects of commitment procedures? This literature review will identify unexploited tracks, as well as research perspectives for both areas of research.

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