John A. Meacham

Can a Reminiscing Intervention Alter Depression and Self-Esteem?.

This study assessed the value of reminiscing as a therapeutic intervention for older persons. A decrease in depression and an increase in self-esteem were the hypothesized outcomes. Twenty-one community residents, mean age seventy-seven years, were randomly assigned to one of three groups: the first group was involved in structured reminiscing for forty-five minutes during each of five weeks; the second group was a control that focused on current life events; and the third group was a no-treatment control. Analysis of changes from pretest to posttest revealed no significant differences for either depression or self-esteem. This study provides no support for claims that reminiscing can be an effective short-term therapeutic intervention.

Dialectics, Transaction, and Piaget’s Theory

Overton (1976) has criticized those perspectives that subordinate scientific metaphors to scientific inquiries themselves. From such perspectives, the use of metaphor in the context of discovery must be followed by acts of verification, and the use of metaphor is permitted only until it can be reduced to empirical concepts. In agreement with Overton, however, we claim that metaphor is an essential part of the activity of science, guiding the relationship between scientists and the object of their study. As Overton (1976) himself suggests, the metaphors one employs to capture the essential character or image of one’s object of study may have “a continuing determining influence on the formulation of more concrete models and ultimately on the types of theories constructed; the questions asserted as significant or nonsignificant; and even the types of methods preferred” (p. 76). In this chapter, the use of two metaphors, dialectics and transaction, is explored.

A Dialectical Approach to Moral Judgment and Self Esteem.

Dialectical models emphasize continuing development as the result of the contradiction and synthesis of opposing aspects of reality. The subject-object interaction of the dialectical model elucidates the interdependence of moral judgments and self-esteem. In a mature, dialectical morality of mediation the individual recognizes his participation in his judgments and attempts to construct resolutions of moral conflicts through compromise. Moral development within the individual must be conceptualized within a cultural and historical context, and the reciprocal significance of individual moral development for changes in the family and the society should be recognized. A complete model of moral development ought to consider prosocial as well as antisocial behaviors.

Action Theory, Control and Motivation: A Symposium

This symposium includes reactions to action theory from a variety of theoretical perspectives. Eckensberger and Meacham provide a framework for discussion, defini

Continuing the Dialogue: Dialectics and Remembering

A dialectical approach to memories and memory abilities requires attention to relations of reciprocal causality, both between the individual and society, and within the individual. The challenge of th

Identity, community, and prejudice

A new and urgent developmental task of adulthood is to learn to live with those who differ from oneself along dimensions of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, social class, and nationality. In order to promote discussion aimed toward achieving a better understanding of issues of multiculturalism and diversity, a conceptual framework is proposed. The conceptual framework is based on distinctions in how we define ourselves and our relationship to others and on contrasting perspectives on our intentions with respect to others. The conceptual framework is then used as a tool for setting forth a number of issues of multiculturalism and diversity. The article concludes with a discussion of the dynamics within the conceptual framework, including intraindividual and interindividual variation in adulthood.

Implications of a Dialectical Perspective for Research Methodology / Naderizing Methodology: Discussant’s Comments / Methodological Implications of Contextual/Dialectic Theories of Development / Research on Remembering: Interrogation or Conversation, Monologue or Dialogue? / Dialectics and Family Interaction / The Challenge of Phenomenal Change for Research Methodology

The papers of this symposium examine, within the context of several content areas, the methodological implications of a dialectical perspective. Rappoport reviews the four papers of the symposium suggesting that they represent a revolutionary perspective on psychological methodology. Lerner, Skinner, and Sorrell propose five prototypic issues derived from dialectics – relationism, evolving reciprocity, probabilism, timing, and the nonequivalent temporal metric. They argue that these issues, while not changing the scientific method, have implications for specific procedures. Meacham suggests the implications of dialectics for methodology may be illustrated by three dialogues: within the researcher, between the researcher and research participant, and between the researcher and the sociohistorical context. He argues that traditional methodology can be strengthened by embedding it within these dialogues. Gadlin suggests that conceptual and methodological approaches to the study of the family fundamentally reflect the sociohistorical context within which they are embedded. He argues for the development of a philosophical anthropology and comparative methodology appropriate to the study of humans as social beings. Gergen identifies three functions of scientists in a changing world: conceptual constructivist, change agent, and prognosticator. He argues methodology should be designed to facilitate these goals.

Aging, Work, and Youth: New Words for a New Age of Old Age

We are currently in a period of transition from an understanding and experience of late adulthood and old age that was valid for thousands of years to a new age of old age. In the United States, for example, the number of people over the age of 60 will increase by 16 million in the next 30 years, an increase of 50% over the current 32 million. These older people will be better educated, healthier, and better organized politically. They will expect a higher level of educational and recreational opportunities, health benefits, and other social services than what is now provided. There will likely be profound changes in how older people perceive themselves and how society in general regards older people.

Theory Building as Communication

Voneche and Aeschlimann have accepted as their task the critical analysis and interpretation of a paragraph set forth by the co-editors of this volume. In this paragraph questions were raised regarding how progress in developmental theory-building should proceed, by selection of the best theory over others or by integration of various theories and, if by integration, whether by means of eclecticism or through a synthesis of opposites. My assignment is the critical analysis and interpretation of the 100 or so paragraphs put forward by Voneche and Aeschlimann, in which they have rightly raised difficult and even troubling questions about the meanings of the terms employed in the initial paragraph. For example, what does progress mean? I expect that my own comments will be subjected to further critical analysis and interpretation by Voneche, Aeschlimann, and others, and that their third-order analysis will in turn undergo additional interpretation by the co-editors, the readers of this volume, and so forth.

Chapter Three Autonomy, Despair, and Generativity in Erikson's Theory

Abstract The life-course perspective of Erik Erikson holds considerable promise as a conceptual framework within which to understand helplessness and lack of control in aging. In this chapter, a notation system is introduced for representing the formal aspects of Eriksons theory, including relationships between adjacent stages or crises. The notation system is employed as a tool to direct our attention to particular features of Eriksons theory. In a narrow sense, helplessness and lack of control can be understood as the experience and resolution of autonomy versus shame and doubt in the second stage of Eriksons theory and the subsequent modification of these ego qualities across the life course. To understand helplessness and lack of control in a broad sense, we must inquire into the antecedents of despair. The seventh stage of generativity versus stagnation, especially caring for children and grandchildren, is a crucial foundation for successful resolution of the eighth crisis of ego integrity versus despair. The loss of feelings of autonomy and the experience of helplessness in aging may derive from the initial development of autonomy within a cultural context of self-contained, compepitive, and achievement-oriented individualism.