Overview Lecture 13 Successful Aging 1. Successful Aging: Theoretical Perspectives 2. Age and Creativity Simonton Model Last Works

Overview Lecture 13Successful Aging

1. Successful Aging: Theoretical Perspectives

2. Age and Creativity

Simonton Model

Last Works

Theoretical Perspectives on Theoretical Perspectives on Successful AgingSuccessful Aging

Focus of Successful Aging Focus of Successful Aging theories and researchtheories and research

•Factors that contribute to survivalFactors that contribute to survival•Enhanced spirit and joy in lifeEnhanced spirit and joy in life•““Mental health”Mental health”


Absence of

disease

High physical and cognitive functioning

Maintain engagement with life

MacArthur Foundation Study of Successful AgingMacArthur Foundation Study of Successful Aging


Social Indicator Model of Well-BeingSocial Indicator Model of Well-Being

Well-BeingWell-BeingWell-BeingWell-Being•AgeAge•GenderGender•Marital statusMarital status•IncomeIncome

accountaccountforfor

Older adults should have lower well-beingOlder adults should have lower well-being


Paradox of Well-BeingParadox of Well-Being

Older adults are Older adults are lower on social lower on social indicatorsindicators(e.g., income, (e.g., income, health, health, education, education, marital status)marital status)

Older adults are Older adults are lower on social lower on social indicatorsindicators(e.g., income, (e.g., income, health, health, education, education, marital status)marital status)

BUTBUT They have high They have high levels of well-levels of well-beingbeing

They have high They have high levels of well-levels of well-beingbeing

Successful aging is the normSuccessful aging is the norm

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

18-27 28-37 38-47 58-67 68-77 78-89Very happy Pretty happy Not too happy


Percent who rate selves as happyPercent who rate selves as happyPercent who rate selves as happyPercent who rate selves as happy

Mroczek & Kolarz 1998

Theoretical Perspectives on Successful Aging: Theoretical Perspectives on Successful Aging: Subjective Well-BeingSubjective Well-Being

Subjective well-beingSubjective well-beingSubjective well-beingSubjective well-being •Overall sense of happinessOverall sense of happiness

Life satisfactionLife satisfactionLife satisfactionLife satisfaction •Cognitive evaluation of one’s life Cognitive evaluation of one’s life circumstancescircumstances

MIDUS MIDUS study of study of midlifemidlife

MIDUS MIDUS study of study of midlifemidlife

2700+ participants2700+ participants25-74 years, average= 4625-74 years, average= 46Factors contributing to subjective well-beingFactors contributing to subjective well-being

Definition and MeasurementDefinition and Measurement


Findings of MIDUS StudyFindings of MIDUS Study

•Women: positive affect highest in oldest groupsWomen: positive affect highest in oldest groups•Men: higher positive affect scores in later life only Men: higher positive affect scores in later life only for introverted (extroverted were higher throughout)for introverted (extroverted were higher throughout)•Older groups of married men had lower scores than Older groups of married men had lower scores than younger married menyounger married men


Set Point PerspectiveSet Point Perspective

Well-being reflects personality traitsWell-being reflects personality traitsWell-being reflects personality traitsWell-being reflects personality traits

•Biologically determined Biologically determined temperament sets boundaries for temperament sets boundaries for levels of well-beinglevels of well-being


Possible Ways to Achieve High Well-BeingPossible Ways to Achieve High Well-Being

•Adaptation or habituationAdaptation or habituation•Feeling of making progress toward goalsFeeling of making progress toward goals•Coping strategiesCoping strategies•Social comparisonSocial comparison•Life story as reflection of identity processesLife story as reflection of identity processes

Productivity and Creativity:Productivity and Creativity:The Relationship Between Age and CreativityThe Relationship Between Age and Creativity

Early StudiesEarly Studies

LehmanLehmanLehmanLehman•Analysis of significant contributionsAnalysis of significant contributions•Peak productivity between 30-35Peak productivity between 30-35•Peak varies by disciplinePeak varies by discipline


Lehman’s Findings for Three DisciplinesLehman’s Findings for Three Disciplines

ChemistryChemistryChemistryChemistry

26-3026-3026-3026-30

““Best Books”Best Books”““Best Books”Best Books”

40-4440-4440-4440-44

Chief MinistersChief MinistersChief MinistersChief Ministers

55-6055-6055-6055-60


Lehman’s ConclusionsLehman’s Conclusions

•Earlier peaks in sciences and fields depending on Earlier peaks in sciences and fields depending on imagination and physical abilityimagination and physical ability•Later peaks in fields that rely on experience and Later peaks in fields that rely on experience and diplomacydiplomacy


Early StudiesEarly Studies

DennisDennisDennisDennis•NUMBERNUMBER (not quality) of creative works (not quality) of creative works•Only people who lived to at least 80Only people who lived to at least 80•Steep decline after peak age in artsSteep decline after peak age in arts•Decline after peak age in sciencesDecline after peak age in sciences•However, steady rate of production However, steady rate of production through late 60sthrough late 60s


Findings from Dennis (1966)Findings from Dennis (1966)


Summary Early StudiesSummary Early Studies

LehmanLehmanLehmanLehman

DennisDennisDennisDennis

•Rapid increase in creative outputRapid increase in creative output•Peak in 30s or early 40sPeak in 30s or early 40s•Steady decline thereafterSteady decline thereafter

Creative productivity unlikely to component of Creative productivity unlikely to component of successful aging.successful aging.

But there are many well-known “older thinkers”But there are many well-known “older thinkers”

Problems With Counts of Productivity by AgeProblems With Counts of Productivity by Age

Productivity and Creativity:Productivity and Creativity:The Relationship Between Age and The Relationship Between Age and CreativityCreativity

•highly creative artists die before highly creative artists die before becoming “old” (e.g., Mozart)becoming “old” (e.g., Mozart)•Compositional fallacy- Compositional fallacy- average average productivity rates do not describe productivity rates do not describe productivity of individuals in that groupproductivity of individuals in that group

Simonton’s Model of Age and Creative ProductionSimonton’s Model of Age and Creative Production

Productivity and Creativity:Productivity and Creativity:The Relationship Between Age and The Relationship Between Age and CreativityCreativity

CreativeCreativePotentialPotentialCreativeCreativePotentialPotential

IdeationIdeationIdeationIdeation

CreativeCreativeProductsProductsCreativeCreativeProductsProducts

ElaborationElaborationElaborationElaboration

m

a

e

p

Number of works in unlimited lifespan

Production of new ideas for new products

Transforming ideas into products

Calculated Calculated on basis of on basis of CAREER CAREER AGEAGE

Calculated Calculated on basis of on basis of CAREER CAREER AGEAGE

Model for Poetry and Pure MathematicsModel for Poetry and Pure Mathematics


Career ageCareer age

Typology of Career TrajectoriesTypology of Career Trajectories


•Variations by career onset and creative potentialVariations by career onset and creative potential•Use formula to predict first, best, and last worksUse formula to predict first, best, and last works

EarlyEarlyEarlyEarly

LowLowLowLow HighHighHighHigh

Earliest “Last Work”Earliest “Last Work”Earliest “Last Work”Earliest “Last Work”

Typology of Career TrajectoriesTypology of Career Trajectories


FirstFirstBestBestLastLast

LateLateLateLate

LowLowLowLow HighHighHighHighCAREER CAREER ONSETONSET

CREATIVE POTENTIALCREATIVE POTENTIAL

Latest “Last Work”Latest “Last Work”Latest “Last Work”Latest “Last Work”

Relation of Quantity to QualityRelation of Quantity to Quality

Equal Odds RuleEqual Odds RuleEqual Odds RuleEqual Odds Rule

•Positive relationship between Positive relationship between quality and quantityquality and quantity•Highly productive older Highly productive older individuals have high probability of individuals have high probability of creating a masterworkcreating a masterwork


Conclusions from Simonton’s ResearchConclusions from Simonton’s Research


•Emphasis on career age not actual ageEmphasis on career age not actual age•Productivity in later life higher among those Productivity in later life higher among those who begin laterwho begin later•However, high creative potential leads to However, high creative potential leads to high rate of productivity early and later in high rate of productivity early and later in careercareer•Longer span for highly creative between first Longer span for highly creative between first and last worksand last works•Model allows for possibility of highly creative Model allows for possibility of highly creative older peopleolder people

Characteristics of Last WorksCharacteristics of Last Works


•Integration and synthesis•Studies of aging•Research on aging

ArtistsArtists •Eliminates fine details•Presents essence of work’s meaning•More subjective, less objective

•Shorter main themes•Simpler melodies

MusiciansMusicians

ScientistsScientists

Stimulated by:Stimulated by: Proximity to deathProximity to deathDesire to leave legacyDesire to leave legacyReaction to age-related Reaction to age-related changeschanges

Proximity to deathProximity to deathDesire to leave legacyDesire to leave legacyReaction to age-related Reaction to age-related changeschanges

““Old age style”Old age style”

““Swan Song”Swan Song”

““Grow old along with me! The best is yet to Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be.”be.”

Robert BrowningRobert Browning

1812-18891812-1889

““Grow old along with me! The best is yet to Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be.”be.”

Robert BrowningRobert Browning

1812-18891812-1889

Documents

Overview Lecture 13 Successful Aging 1. Successful Aging: Theoretical Perspectives 2. Age and Creativity Simonton Model Last Works