Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-j824f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-04T01:55:26.475Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Functions of Reminiscence in Later Life as Viewed by Young and Old Adults

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

Philippe Cappeliez ,
Rosanne Lavallée  and
Norm O'Rourke
Philippe Cappeliez
Affiliation:
University of Ottawa
Rosanne Lavallée
Affiliation:
University of Ottawa
Norm O'Rourke
Affiliation:
Simon Fraser University at Harbour Centre
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Reminiscence is the process of thinking or telling about past experiences. The goal of this study was to investigate which functions young adults attribute to their own reminiscences, and to the reminiscences of older persons. The views of young adults on the reminiscences of older adults were also compared with the self-reports of older persons on their reminiscences. We used the Reminiscence Functions Scale (Webster, 1993,1997), which measures eight functions: Boredom Reduction, Death Preparation, Identity, Problem-Solving, Conversation, Intimacy Maintenance, Bitterness Revival, and Teach/Inform. Seventy-six undergraduate students reported on their own uses of reminiscences. A few weeks later, they gave their views regarding the functions for older persons on the same scale. Eighty-three adults over the age of 65 completed the scale regarding their own uses. Age-appropriate higher uses of the functions of Boredom Reduction, Identity and Problem-Solving characterized the young adults. Older adults most characteristically used reminiscence for Teach/ Inform, i.e. for transmission of life experiences. Compared to themselves, young adults believed that older adults reminisced more for practically all functions, which reflects the stereotypical view. When these beliefs were checked against the reports of older adults, it became clear that young adults overestimated almost all uses, especially Boredom Reduction, Death Preparation, and Teach/Inform. These findings reflect the prevalence of ageist assumptions regarding the uses of reminiscence by older persons.

Résumé

La réminiscence consiste dans le fait de penser ou de parler de ses expériences passées. Le but de cette étude était d'examiner quelles fonctions des jeunes adultes attribuent à leurs propres réminiscences, ainsi qu'aux réminiscences des personnes âgées. Les réponses des jeunes adultes concernant les réminiscences des personnes âgées ont été ensuite comparées à celles formulées par les personnes âgées à l'égard de leurs propres réminiscences. Nous avons utilisé l'Échelle des fonctions des réminiscences (Webster, 1993, 1997) qui mesure huit functions: Réduction de l'ennui, Préparation à la mort, Identité, Résolution de problème, Conversation, Entretien de l'intimité, Réactivation de l'amertume, et Enseigner/Informer. Soixante-seize étudiant(e)s de premier cycle universitaire ont rapporté leurs propres utilisations des réminiscences. Quelques semaines plus tard, ces personnes ont donné leurs vues au sujet des fonctions des réminiscences pour les personnes âgées au moyen de la même échelle. Quatre-vingt trois adultes âgés de plus de 65 ans ont répondu à l'échelle à propos de leurs propres utilisations des réminiscences. Bien en rapport avec leur âge, les réminiscences des jeunes adultes étaient caractérisées par des utilisations plus élevées des fonctions de Réduction de l'ennui, d'Identité et de Résolution de problème. Les personnes âgées utilisaient plus caractéristiquement les réminiscences pour Enseigner/Informer, c'est-à-dire pour transmettre des expériences de vie. Comparativement à eux-mêmes, les jeunes adultes estimaient que les personnes âgées réminiscaient plus pour quasiment toutes les functions, ce qui reflète la perception stéréotypée. Lorsque ces croyances ont été confrontées aux réponses des adnltes âgés, il est devenu apparent que les jeunes adultes surestimaient pratiquement toutes les utilisations, et particulièrement la Réduction de l'ennui, la Préparation à la mort, et Enseigner/Informer. Ces résultats reflètent la prévalence des opinions âgistes en ce qui a trait aux réminiscence des personnes âgées.

Keywords

Age DifferencesReminiscenceStereotypes.Différences d'âgeréminiscencestéréotypes.
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 20 , Issue 4 , Hiver/Winter 2001 , pp. 577 - 589
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 2001

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Butler, R. (1963). The life review: An interpretation of reminiscence in the aged. Psychiatry, 26, 65–76.Google Scholar
Butler, R.N. (1974). Successful aging and the role of the life review. Journal of American Geriatrics Society, 22, 529–535.Google Scholar
Cappeliez, P., & O'Rourke, N. (in press). Personality traits and existential concerns as predictors of reminiscence uses in late adulthood. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences.Google Scholar
Carstensen, L.L. (1995). Evidence for a life-span theory of socioemotional selectivity. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 4, 151–156.Google Scholar
Elnick, A.B., Margrett, J.A., Fitzgerald, J.M., & Labouvie-Vief, G. (1999). Benchmark memories in adulthood: central domains and predictors of their frequency. Journal of Adult Development, 6, 45–59.Google Scholar
Hyland, D.T., & Ackerman, A.M (1988). Reminiscence and autobiographical memory in the study of the personal past. Journal of Gerontology, 43, P35–P39.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Labouvie-Vief, G., & DeVoe, M.R. (1991). Emotional regulation in adulthood and later life: A developmental view. Annual Review of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 11, 172–194.Google Scholar
Lawton, M.P., Kleban, M.H., Rajagopal, D., & Dean, J. (1992). Dimensions of affective experience in three age groups. Psychology & Aging, 7, 171–184.Google Scholar
Merriam, S.B. (1993). The uses of reminiscence in older adulthood. Educational Gerontology, 19, 441–450.Google Scholar
Merriam, S.B., & Cross, L.H. (1982). Adulthood and reminiscence: A descriptive study. Educational Gerontology, 8, 275–290.Google Scholar
Parker, R.G. (1999). Reminiscence as continuity: Comparison of young and older adults. Journal of Clinical Geropsychology, 5, 147–157.Google Scholar
Romaniuk, M., & Romaniuk, J.G. (1981). Looking back: An analysis of reminiscence functions and triggers. Experimental Aging Research, 7, 477–489.Google Scholar
Romaniuk, M., & Romaniuk, J.G. (1983). Life events and reminiscence: A comparison of the memories of young and old adults. Imagination, Cognition and Personality, 2, 125–136.Google Scholar
Ross, M. (1989). Relation of implicit theories to the construction of personal histories. Psychological Review, 96, 341–357.Google Scholar
Webster, J.D. (1993). Construction and validation of the Reminiscence Functions Scale. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 48, P256–P262.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Webster, J.D. (1995). Adult age differences in reminiscence functions. In Haight, B.K. & Webster, J.D. (Eds.), The art and science of reminiscing: Theory, research, methods, and applications (pp. 89–102). Washington, DC: Taylor & Francis.Google Scholar
Webster, J.D. (1997). The Reminiscence Functions Scale: A replication. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 44, 137–148.Google Scholar
Webster, J.D., & Cappeliez, P. (1993). Reminiscence and autobiographical memory: Complementary contexts for cognitive aging research. Developmental Review, 13, 54–91.Google Scholar
Webster, J.D., & Haight, B.K. (1995). Memory lane milestones: Progress in reminiscence definition and classification. In Haight, B.K., & Webster, J.D. (Eds.), The art and science of reminiscing: Theory, research, methods, and applications (pp. 273–286). Washington, DC: Taylor & Francis.Google Scholar
Webster, J.D., & McCall, M.E. (1999). Reminiscence functions across adulthood: A replication and extension. Journal of Adult development, 6, 73–85.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wong, P.T.P. (1995). The processes of adaptive reminiscence. In Haight, B.K., & Webster, J.D. (Eds.), The art and science of reminiscing: Theory, research, methods, and applications (pp. 23–35). Washington, DC: Taylor & Francis.Google Scholar
Wong, P.T.P., & Watt, L.M. (1991). What types of reminiscence are associated with successful aging? Psychology & Aging, 6, 272–279.Google Scholar