[Theoretical and empirical studies on the structure of self concepts of the elderly]

It has been demonstrated that theoretical and empirical investigations on the structure of self-concepts open possibilities for the differential description of self-concepts. Centrality, a characteristic of structure, is the focus of this investigation and is defined via correlations: centrality is characterized by the degree of association (determined by intercorrelations) of one of the self-concepts with each of the other self-concepts. Correlational studies on 10 differentiated self-concepts, determined by the Frankfurt Self-Concept Scales FSKN, have been drawn on the analysis of the structure of self-concepts. Data of 141 elderly people (56 to 95 years old) have been compared with the results for different status groups: 100 students, 70 trainees, 202 adults. The results have supplied the following hypotheses: The 10 differentiated self-concepts are significantly intercorrelated. Several differentiated self-concepts show a different centrality in the self-structure. Self-concepts in the region of performance and self-esteem also have a central position in elderly people's self-structure. However, the aspect of performance which is represented by the self-concept of certainty on behaviour and decision seems to be less central for elderly people than for younger subjects. According to the data the self-concept of autonomy in respect to significant others is distinguished by special centrality among the differentiated psychosocial self-concepts of both elderly persons and students.