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Updated: Jan 18, 2026
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Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design
Published on: May 31, 2021
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Consciousness, subjectivity, and aging in western thought.
1Weill Cornell Institute of Geriatric Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine, White Plains, NY, USA. gsalexop@med.cornell.edu.
Summary
Older adults navigate reality by integrating life events and emotions, developing unique perspectives. Understanding their subjective experience promotes mental health and societal contribution.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Neuroscience
- Philosophy of Mind
Background:
- Subjective experience is influenced by sensory input, emotions, cognition, and life experiences.
- Aging impacts cognition but often enhances emotion regulation and positivity bias in older adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the subjective experience of reality in older adults.
- To understand how aging, life events, and social contexts shape the interpretation of reality and meaning-making.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative analysis of life narratives and experiences.
- Integration of psychological, neurological, and philosophical perspectives on aging and consciousness.
Main Results:
- Older adults develop coping mechanisms, including emotion regulation and positivity bias, to manage cognitive changes.
- Life events, social context, and personal narratives are crucial for older adults' interpretation of reality and meaning-making.
- Challenges like loss and illness are integrated into a personal narrative, fulfilling a need for meaning.
Conclusions:
- Subjective experience in older adults is a dynamic process shaped by adaptation, personal narrative, and meaning-making.
- Research and advocacy focusing on older adults' subjective realities can improve mental health and social engagement.
- Understanding these experiences is vital for intergenerational continuity and societal benefit.
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