Eugene Paulson D Thomas - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Uploads
Papers by Eugene Paulson D Thomas
Vocational Guidance Quarterly, 1977
Omega Journal of Death and Dying, 1994
Journal of Home Economics, 1984
Vocational Guidance Quarterly, 1975
Vocational Guidance Quarterly, 1977
... 328. Abstract. Expands the findings of an earlier study by LE Thomas et al (see record 1977-1... more ... 328. Abstract. Expands the findings of an earlier study by LE Thomas et al (see record 1977-11652-001 ) to include consideration of whether mid-life career change among professionals and managers was voluntary or forced. ...
Social Science & Medicine, 1992
In-depth interviews and participant observation was conducted with 14 Hindu religious renunciates... more In-depth interviews and participant observation was conducted with 14 Hindu religious renunciates, 70 years or older. Despite having taken vows renouncing concern for physical pain or comfort, respondents differed markedly in their attitudes toward pain and their rationale for utilizing medical treatment. They differed still further in their use of Ayurvedic and allopathic medicine, with the most culturally conservative accepting only Ayurvedic medicine. Rejection of allopathic medicine tended to be associated with a highly systematized religious world-view. The results are discussed in terms of both the ideological conflict between religious world-view and medical usage, and the need for sophisticated distinction of religious world-view if research on the religious factor of health care utilization is to prove fruitful.
Psychological Reports, 1980
Templer's Death Anxiety Scale was administered to 295 adults ranging in age from 16 to 83 yr.... more Templer's Death Anxiety Scale was administered to 295 adults ranging in age from 16 to 83 yr. Results indicated that older adults (60—83 yr.) had significantly lower scores than younger adults. Users of the scale are cautioned that the age of the individual may be important in interpreting scores, and preliminary age norms are presented.
OMEGA--Journal of Death and Dying, 1983
Incidence of near-death and intense spiritual experiences were determined for a sample of 305 per... more Incidence of near-death and intense spiritual experiences were determined for a sample of 305 persons ranging in age from seventeen to eighty-five. Near-death experiences were reported by 28 per cent, and intense spiritual experiences by 34 per cent. Incidence of near-death reports did not vary significantly by age of respondents, but elderly respondents were significantly less likely to report intense spiritual experiences. Persons who reported a near-death experience were significantly more likely to report an intense spiritual experience as well. Probable causes for the relative infrequent reports of near-death and intense spiritual experiences among elderly respondents are explored, as well as reasons for association found between these types of experiences for the entire sample.
OMEGA: The Journal of Death and Dying, 2001
The late L. Eugene Thomas applies his personal experience of facing a terminal illness to the tea... more The late L. Eugene Thomas applies his personal experience of facing a terminal illness to the teaching of courses in Death and Dying. He realized that the content of the courses as he taught them had emphasized the human search for meaning in Death. The other part of the course covered the anticipation of severing relationships and the meaning of the loss to those left behind. He found that the first part was easy; the second part was the more difficult for him. The surge of creativity that often accompanies the acknowledgment of limited time to live brought with it an urgent need to make relationships right, and to ease the loneliness of dying. The author urges the continuation of introducing students to the philosophical concepts that lead to an authentic life, particularly the honest awareness of death in life and the search for ultimate meaning. He would emphasize also the importance of leaving relationships as part of the process of dying, and its role in creativity.
Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 1993
Participant observation and open-ended interviews with Indian and English elderly who were recogn... more Participant observation and open-ended interviews with Indian and English elderly who were recognized as spiritually mature provided data for evaluating Washburn's claim that a period of egoic regression precedes movement to the transpersonal level. Hermeneutical analysis of interview protocols and research notes indicated that half of those nominated in each sample had reached the transpersonal level, but of these, only about half gave indications of having undergone a regressive transition period. On the basis of this, and other internal evidence, support was found for Wilber's theory. Cross-cultural similarities at the higher levels of spiritual development are seen as providing support for the claims of the perennial philosophy.
Journal of Aging Studies, 1990
Explicit and implicit metaphors were analyzed as a means of determining personal meaning in the l... more Explicit and implicit metaphors were analyzed as a means of determining personal meaning in the lives of elderly (70 and older) English and Indian men. Analysis of explicit metaphors indicated marked differences in their psychological worlds, with the English men being more privatized and stoic, and the Indian men expressing strong achievement concerns, while remaining embedded in family and society. Analysis of the implied metaphors confirmed this picture, while indicating related underlying beliefs. The English protocols revealed an underlying nature metaphor, which appeared to reflect their attempt to find a sense of personal continuity missing in their personal and cultural lives. Nature metaphors were missing in the Indian sample; the image of building up, of completing duty ("dharma") to family and society, as well as to God, was an underlying metaphor in their protocols. The uses of metaphor for getting at unarticulated assumptions was discussed, along with their potential usefulness for gaining other reliable information from interview protocols.
Journal of Aging Studies, 1997
The growth of interest in religion among social gerontologists has been truly phenomenal over the... more The growth of interest in religion among social gerontologists has been truly phenomenal over the past decade. This is reflected, for example, in the fact that religious interest groups have been organized in the two major professional associations in the field of aging, the Gerontological Society of America and the American Society on Aging. Even more impressive has been the exponential growth of research and publication in the field. It is hard to believe that Johanne Philbrick (1991), in an analysis of all articles published in the Journal of Gerontology and the Gerontologist (the two major publications of the Gerontological Society of America) from their founding up to the present decade (i.e., through 1989), found only 23 articles which focused centrally on religion and aging. That averaged out to less than one article a year over the 44-year span of her analysis. At the current rate, that number might well appear within a span of a year or two today. For those of us who consider religious beliefs and practice an important influence on the way a person ages, this is a welcome change. I must confess, however, to having some concerns about the euphoria which this phenomena has elicited. It reminds me somewhat of the national boom in religion after the Second World War. And the uncritical touting of religion by some in the field brings to mind Eisenhower's pronouncement that it didn't matter what a person believed, as long as they were religious. This renewed interest in religion among North American social scientists raises two important issues, one methodological and the other substantive. The first is that most of the research on religion and aging has been conducted in this country and Canada. My impression is that there has been less enthusiasm for such research abroad, especially in Europe and the United Kingdom (I base this judgment partly on the reluctance I have sensed from European colleagues to have their research on beliefs and worldview
The International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 1991
In-depth interviews and participation observation were conducted with Hindu religious renunciates... more In-depth interviews and participation observation were conducted with Hindu religious renunciates living in Varanasi and Pondicherry, India. The respondents selected were designated by their acquaintances as being spiritually mature. Analysis of excerpts from three representative interviews indicate that these men rate as highly mature by Western developmental models, but Western correlates of life satisfaction were not found to hold for these men. The implications for Western aging are considered, particularly the importance of contemplation and acceptance of death.
Ageing and Society, 1992
This review article consists of three disparate parts: the author's review of the Tilak book,... more This review article consists of three disparate parts: the author's review of the Tilak book, a review of the book by an elderly Indian religious renunciate, and reflections on the vastly different world views reflected in the two reviews. Something of the circumstances of how these reviews happened to be written will help orient the reader to the substantive issues they cover. The first review was written while the author was conducting participant observation research with elderly religious renunciates in Varanasi, India. One religious renunciate, Swami Tambananda (a pseudonym) proved especially knowledgeable about the Hindu Vedic tradition. After a number of interviews had been conducted with him, in which good rapport had been established, Swami Tambananda was asked to comment on both the Tilak book, and the review which had been written on it. The ensuing dialogue (which was taped and subsequently transcribed) constitutes in effect, a second review of the Tilak book. Swami Tambananda's candid and somewhat startling response to the Tilak book provides a rare insight into the Indian religious world view. This can help us better understand not only what ageing means in current Indian culture, it also reminds us that in order to understand another culture we need to view it from the phenomenological vantage point of the lived experience of its inhabitants. But before discussing these points further, we present the two book reviews.
Vocational Guidance Quarterly, 1977
Omega Journal of Death and Dying, 1994
Journal of Home Economics, 1984
Vocational Guidance Quarterly, 1975
Vocational Guidance Quarterly, 1977
... 328. Abstract. Expands the findings of an earlier study by LE Thomas et al (see record 1977-1... more ... 328. Abstract. Expands the findings of an earlier study by LE Thomas et al (see record 1977-11652-001 ) to include consideration of whether mid-life career change among professionals and managers was voluntary or forced. ...
Social Science & Medicine, 1992
In-depth interviews and participant observation was conducted with 14 Hindu religious renunciates... more In-depth interviews and participant observation was conducted with 14 Hindu religious renunciates, 70 years or older. Despite having taken vows renouncing concern for physical pain or comfort, respondents differed markedly in their attitudes toward pain and their rationale for utilizing medical treatment. They differed still further in their use of Ayurvedic and allopathic medicine, with the most culturally conservative accepting only Ayurvedic medicine. Rejection of allopathic medicine tended to be associated with a highly systematized religious world-view. The results are discussed in terms of both the ideological conflict between religious world-view and medical usage, and the need for sophisticated distinction of religious world-view if research on the religious factor of health care utilization is to prove fruitful.
Psychological Reports, 1980
Templer's Death Anxiety Scale was administered to 295 adults ranging in age from 16 to 83 yr.... more Templer's Death Anxiety Scale was administered to 295 adults ranging in age from 16 to 83 yr. Results indicated that older adults (60—83 yr.) had significantly lower scores than younger adults. Users of the scale are cautioned that the age of the individual may be important in interpreting scores, and preliminary age norms are presented.
OMEGA--Journal of Death and Dying, 1983
Incidence of near-death and intense spiritual experiences were determined for a sample of 305 per... more Incidence of near-death and intense spiritual experiences were determined for a sample of 305 persons ranging in age from seventeen to eighty-five. Near-death experiences were reported by 28 per cent, and intense spiritual experiences by 34 per cent. Incidence of near-death reports did not vary significantly by age of respondents, but elderly respondents were significantly less likely to report intense spiritual experiences. Persons who reported a near-death experience were significantly more likely to report an intense spiritual experience as well. Probable causes for the relative infrequent reports of near-death and intense spiritual experiences among elderly respondents are explored, as well as reasons for association found between these types of experiences for the entire sample.
OMEGA: The Journal of Death and Dying, 2001
The late L. Eugene Thomas applies his personal experience of facing a terminal illness to the tea... more The late L. Eugene Thomas applies his personal experience of facing a terminal illness to the teaching of courses in Death and Dying. He realized that the content of the courses as he taught them had emphasized the human search for meaning in Death. The other part of the course covered the anticipation of severing relationships and the meaning of the loss to those left behind. He found that the first part was easy; the second part was the more difficult for him. The surge of creativity that often accompanies the acknowledgment of limited time to live brought with it an urgent need to make relationships right, and to ease the loneliness of dying. The author urges the continuation of introducing students to the philosophical concepts that lead to an authentic life, particularly the honest awareness of death in life and the search for ultimate meaning. He would emphasize also the importance of leaving relationships as part of the process of dying, and its role in creativity.
Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 1993
Participant observation and open-ended interviews with Indian and English elderly who were recogn... more Participant observation and open-ended interviews with Indian and English elderly who were recognized as spiritually mature provided data for evaluating Washburn's claim that a period of egoic regression precedes movement to the transpersonal level. Hermeneutical analysis of interview protocols and research notes indicated that half of those nominated in each sample had reached the transpersonal level, but of these, only about half gave indications of having undergone a regressive transition period. On the basis of this, and other internal evidence, support was found for Wilber's theory. Cross-cultural similarities at the higher levels of spiritual development are seen as providing support for the claims of the perennial philosophy.
Journal of Aging Studies, 1990
Explicit and implicit metaphors were analyzed as a means of determining personal meaning in the l... more Explicit and implicit metaphors were analyzed as a means of determining personal meaning in the lives of elderly (70 and older) English and Indian men. Analysis of explicit metaphors indicated marked differences in their psychological worlds, with the English men being more privatized and stoic, and the Indian men expressing strong achievement concerns, while remaining embedded in family and society. Analysis of the implied metaphors confirmed this picture, while indicating related underlying beliefs. The English protocols revealed an underlying nature metaphor, which appeared to reflect their attempt to find a sense of personal continuity missing in their personal and cultural lives. Nature metaphors were missing in the Indian sample; the image of building up, of completing duty ("dharma") to family and society, as well as to God, was an underlying metaphor in their protocols. The uses of metaphor for getting at unarticulated assumptions was discussed, along with their potential usefulness for gaining other reliable information from interview protocols.
Journal of Aging Studies, 1997
The growth of interest in religion among social gerontologists has been truly phenomenal over the... more The growth of interest in religion among social gerontologists has been truly phenomenal over the past decade. This is reflected, for example, in the fact that religious interest groups have been organized in the two major professional associations in the field of aging, the Gerontological Society of America and the American Society on Aging. Even more impressive has been the exponential growth of research and publication in the field. It is hard to believe that Johanne Philbrick (1991), in an analysis of all articles published in the Journal of Gerontology and the Gerontologist (the two major publications of the Gerontological Society of America) from their founding up to the present decade (i.e., through 1989), found only 23 articles which focused centrally on religion and aging. That averaged out to less than one article a year over the 44-year span of her analysis. At the current rate, that number might well appear within a span of a year or two today. For those of us who consider religious beliefs and practice an important influence on the way a person ages, this is a welcome change. I must confess, however, to having some concerns about the euphoria which this phenomena has elicited. It reminds me somewhat of the national boom in religion after the Second World War. And the uncritical touting of religion by some in the field brings to mind Eisenhower's pronouncement that it didn't matter what a person believed, as long as they were religious. This renewed interest in religion among North American social scientists raises two important issues, one methodological and the other substantive. The first is that most of the research on religion and aging has been conducted in this country and Canada. My impression is that there has been less enthusiasm for such research abroad, especially in Europe and the United Kingdom (I base this judgment partly on the reluctance I have sensed from European colleagues to have their research on beliefs and worldview
The International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 1991
In-depth interviews and participation observation were conducted with Hindu religious renunciates... more In-depth interviews and participation observation were conducted with Hindu religious renunciates living in Varanasi and Pondicherry, India. The respondents selected were designated by their acquaintances as being spiritually mature. Analysis of excerpts from three representative interviews indicate that these men rate as highly mature by Western developmental models, but Western correlates of life satisfaction were not found to hold for these men. The implications for Western aging are considered, particularly the importance of contemplation and acceptance of death.
Ageing and Society, 1992
This review article consists of three disparate parts: the author's review of the Tilak book,... more This review article consists of three disparate parts: the author's review of the Tilak book, a review of the book by an elderly Indian religious renunciate, and reflections on the vastly different world views reflected in the two reviews. Something of the circumstances of how these reviews happened to be written will help orient the reader to the substantive issues they cover. The first review was written while the author was conducting participant observation research with elderly religious renunciates in Varanasi, India. One religious renunciate, Swami Tambananda (a pseudonym) proved especially knowledgeable about the Hindu Vedic tradition. After a number of interviews had been conducted with him, in which good rapport had been established, Swami Tambananda was asked to comment on both the Tilak book, and the review which had been written on it. The ensuing dialogue (which was taped and subsequently transcribed) constitutes in effect, a second review of the Tilak book. Swami Tambananda's candid and somewhat startling response to the Tilak book provides a rare insight into the Indian religious world view. This can help us better understand not only what ageing means in current Indian culture, it also reminds us that in order to understand another culture we need to view it from the phenomenological vantage point of the lived experience of its inhabitants. But before discussing these points further, we present the two book reviews.