“Getting Used to It, but Still Unwelcome”: A Grounded Theory Study of Physical Identity Development in Later Life (original) (raw)
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Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 2010
Objectives: Identity and Social Cognitive Theories were used to study associations between physical activity (PA) identity, social cognitions (self-regulatory efficacy, proximal intentions), PA, and satisfaction with life among older adults (M age ¼ 79.5). Methods: Eighty-four moderately active older adults completed measures of PA identity, self-regulatory efficacy, proximal intentions, past PA and satisfaction with life. Past PA was hypothesized to relate to PA identity. PA identity and self-regulatory efficacy were hypothesized predictors of proximal PA intentions and satisfaction with life. Differences between identity groups of different strength on PA, social cognitions and satisfaction with life were also explored. Results: Regressions revealed the following: Past PA was a significant predictor of PA identity (Model adj. R 2 ¼ .21; p < .001). Identity and self-regulatory efficacy were significant predictors of strength of proximal PA intentions (Model adj. R 2 ¼ .28; p < .001) and satisfaction with life (Model adj. R 2 ¼ .21; p < .001). A oneway MANOVA comparing PA identity groups on PA, social cognitions and satisfaction with life was significant (p < .001). Older adults with a strong PA identity reported more PA, stronger self-regulatory efficacy, proximal intentions, and satisfaction with life than their less strong identity counterparts. Conclusion: Findings support the compatible use of Identity and Social Cognitive Theories in exploring relationships between PA identity for older adults and social cognitions, PA and satisfaction with life. Understanding PA identity for older adults and its relationship to self-regulatory beliefs may generate productive research directions for studying the PA of this underserved population.
Collegium antropologicum, 2009
Elderly people perceive their own ageing in very different ways and the aim of the present study was to explore age identity, the perception of "old age", the role of physical activity in the socialization of elderly people and social influences on physical activity in elderly people living in a nursing home. Questionnaires were answered by 75 nursing home residents (79 +/- 8 years old; 19 males, 56 females), coming from two different Slovenian regions. Subjective age ("felt age") was on average 5.5 years less than chronological age. Neither increasing chronological age nor subjective age was significantly correlated with a negative perception of health. Subjective age was neither correlated with any of the statements related to well-being and satisfaction with life. The importance of health in old age was confirmed by significant correlation of health status with perception of one's well-being and satisfaction with life. Interestingly, the age at which one p...
Aging and exercise: Perceptions of the active lived-body
Physiotherapy Theory and Practice
Exploring older people's evocation of their positive experiences of ageing has been proposed as a counterweight to the Western stereotype of ageing as a process of decline. The aim of this paper is to explore how ageing women, who participate regularly in group exercise classes, perceive their own bodies and the bodies of others.
2011
Gerontologists have promoted positive representations of ageing to challenge stereotypes of degeneration and decline, in order to change social practices and to encourage wellbeing . Subsequently, a range of 'active ageing' policy frameworks, in which physical activity has been a key component, have been promoted (see British Heart Foundation, 2007a;. However, instead of promoting wellbeing in older age, the positive / successful ageing discourse has created, by default, binary subject positions which most older people largely embody: the "good", fit, slim, third ager and the "bad", sedentary, overweight, fourth ager. This is partly due to the unproblematic assumption that people are able, have the resources, and want to be physically active in later life . This thesis explores the experiences of physical activity amongst older people in rural West Sussex, examining the factors that affect their ability to be physically active, their preferences for physical activities and the reasons for their choices. A narrative inquiry was the chosen research design, triangulating focus groups, narrative interviews, activity diaries and re-interviews, using visual elicitation. Findings indicate that a number of corporeal, socio-cultural and discursive factors affect older people's ability to be physically active in rural West Sussex. Furthermore, this thesis makes a number of social policy recommendations, including the importance of promoting socially-centred physical activity, and tailoring health and wellbeing social policy in later life to the local area. Finally, the theoretical framework contributes to Frank"s (1991) theory of the body, by introducing a spatial component to understand corporeal identity.
The Palgrave Handbook of Ageing and Physical Activity Promotion, 2018
The subjective, lived elements of old age in physical activity promotion are central in defining how older people ascribe meaning to experiences of being active. Many such meanings are developed throughout the life course. From a longitudinal perspective, although continuity theory can be helpful in understanding older people’s sense of self and personal change, its focus on the individual can underplay the substantive influence of socio-cultural factors on the way age and ageing are understood. Using a figurational sociological framework, we illustrate how older peoples’ sense of self can be interdependent with how others define them, and how they define others. We offer recommendations about how this shift in perspective can empower older people to be active agents within figurations of physical activity promotion.
Athletic identity and self-ageing: the dilemma of exclusivity
Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 2005
Background and purpose: Given the dominance of negative cultural stereotypes focusing on the decline of the physical body in later life, growing old may be particularly significant for those who assign great importance to their able, functioning bodies. This study explored young athletes' perceptions of growing old by examining the relationships among physical self-perceptions, strength of athletic identity, quality of intergenerational relationships, and general attitude towards self-ageing.
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine narratives of ageing in a clinical population embarking on a physical activity/exercise programme, exploring if and how their narratives changed throughout their experiences. Design: The study employed a longitudinal narrative approach. Method: Participants were six sedentary individuals aged between 78 and 89 years who were enrolled on an exercise programme for older adults. During the course of the 32-week programme participants took part in multiple interviews focused on their attitudes towards physical activity and their physical self-perceptions and identity. A structural narrative analysis was used to focus on the progression of the plot outlined in each participant's story. Results: Our results suggested the emergence of two comparative narratives, with each demonstrated in the stories told by three participants. The first narrative is one of decelerated decline, in which the exercise programme is assimilated or fitted into the existing life narrative, but little is made of the personal meaning of being active. In the second narrative, participation in exercise prompted participants to restory their ageing narratives, changing from initially accepting the decline they associated with an ageing body, to the prospect of gaining some control. While this increased sense of control may intuitively seem positive, participants initially described a number of existential challenges and dilemmas as well as their resolution of these. Conclusion: Participants' emergent stories highlighted that while older adults may perceive exercise positively, their existing narratives of decline may be resistant to change. Where changes do occur, it is important for health professionals to recognize the associated difficulties with gaining increased responsibility for health.