Gerotranscendence: The contemplative dimension of aging

Abstract Open-ended, qualitative interviews were conducted with 50 Swedish men and women, aged 52–97, in order to examine developmental changes in worldview and self-attitudes. Retrospective changes were reported by a number (but not all) of the respondents, reflecting an awareness of a more cosmic dimension of reality, and attitudes reflecting a less narcissistic view of the self. Similarities, and differences between the theory of Gerotranscendence, which has informed this research, and the theory of disengagement, and the works of other personality theorists are discussed, along with implications for understanding the subjective experience of aging.

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