Life changes and perceptions of life and death among older men and women

Although social scientists have suggested that feelings about life and death may be related, for the most part, theories of social gerontology have developed independently of conceptions of death and finitude. This study examines whether life changes are associated with concurrent life and death attitude types among older men and women. Data were analyzed from structured interviews conducted with 214 men and 354 women during the second phase of a longitudinal study of the aged in small towns. Individuals were identified as positivists, negativists, activists, and passivists. Controlling for sex and income, changes in four life areas were examined in relation to these perceptions of life and death. Some of the patterns varied by sex, suggesting that the same changes have different implications for the well-being of men and women in late life. In general, those who had experienced discontinuity were more frequently negativists or passivists, while continuity tended to characterize positivists and activists.