COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE EXPECTATIONS WITH CONTROL OF VOLITIONAL EFFORT IN YOUNG AND OLD AGES AS...

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Gerontology
• Social Sciences

Background:

• Social aging presents unique challenges for older adults, impacting their engagement with new social realities.
• Dispositional optimism and locus of control are key psychological factors influencing social and psychological well-being in later life.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between dispositional optimism and locus of control in both young and elderly populations.
• To compare these psychological characteristics across different age groups.

Main Methods:

• A survey was conducted among 115 elderly individuals (average age 70) from a Gerontological Center.
• A comparative survey involved 120 university students (average age 20).
• Data collected included dispositional optimism levels and locus of control orientation (internal vs. external).

Main Results:

• The majority of elderly respondents (54%) had an external locus of control, with only 46% internal. A significant portion (73%) were pessimists.
• Younger respondents predominantly had an external locus of control (70%), but a majority (73%) were optimists.
• In older adults, a significant inverse relationship was observed: higher internality correlated with lower optimism, suggesting a tendency to anticipate negative future events.

Conclusions:

• The findings highlight distinct psychological profiles in dispositional optimism and locus of control between young and elderly populations.
• The inverse relationship in older adults suggests a need for interventions to foster optimism and an internal locus of control.
• Practical recommendations are necessary to address the psychological needs of aging individuals, particularly concerning their outlook and sense of control.