Life moves on: An exploration of motivation in elderly women

This research explores late-life adaptation in six elderly women attempting to remain relatively independent in their own homes. Over a 6-year period, participant observation, interview, and the collection of life histories served to identify the achieving nature of the women's lives. They demonstrate major accomplishment in maintaining continuity of lifestyle in the face of ongoing changes associated with aging and within the restrictions of health and financial limitations. Orthodox achievement motivational models, however, would not identify these behaviors as achievement. An alternative model of person/environmental interaction is drawn from developmental, motivational, and environmental perspectives and provides a conceptual handle for grasping the dynamics of goal-directed behavior. When personal meanings of options, consequences of actions and self-expectations as expressed in life themes are explored in relation to the parameters of old age (i.e., health, income, and social support), they serve to identify the shape and form of the women's achieving and describe a role for achievement-related behavior in late-life adaptation.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Education

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2011

Author dc:creator

• Moore, Alinde J. Mitchell

Contributors dc:contributor

• Hill, Jacquetta

• Gerontology
• Education, Educational Psychology
• Psychology, Developmental

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 1989 Moore, Alinde J. Mitchell

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

AAI9010960
(UMI)AAI9010960

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/20931