Nothing Special   »   [go: up one dir, main page]

Skip to main content
Log in

Reminiscence Functions Across Adulthood: A Replication and Extension

  • Published:
Journal of Adult Development Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Reminiscence, a naturally occurring process of recalling personally experienced events from our past, has been investigated primarily from a clinical, gerontological perspective. A total of 268 participants (100 male, 168 female) ranging in age from 17 to 88 years (M age = 40.02, SD = 20.32) completed the Reminiscence Functions Scale (RFS), the Memorial University of Newfoundland Scale of Happiness (MUNSH), and a single-item question assessing the perceived importance of shared family memories. Results indicated neither age nor gender differences on the total RFS score, indicating that men and women of all ages reminisce equally frequently. However, there were gender and age differences on specific dimensions of reminiscence. Specifically, women scored higher on the RFS factor of Identity (Idn) and lower on Bitterness Revival (BiR). Younger adults tended to score higher on the RFS factors of Boredom Reduction (BoR), BiR, Problem-Solving (PS), and Idn compared to older adults. In contrast, older adults tended to score higher on the RFS factors of Teach/Inform (T/I) and Death Preparation (DP). BoR, BiR, and PS correlated negatively with happiness, whereas Conversation (C) and T/I correlated positively with happiness. Finally, T/I, Intimacy Maintenance (IM), Idn, and C all correlated positively with the measure of the perceived importance of shared family memories. The results replicate earlier work with the RFS and suggest that examining reminiscence from a contextual, lifespan perspective is an important research area.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  • Bates, P. B. (1987). Theoretical propositions of life-span developmental psychology: On the dynamics between growth and decline. Developmental Psychology, 23, 611-626.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bluck, S., & Levine, L. J. (in press). Reminiscence as autobiographical memory: A catalyst for reminiscence theory development. Aging and Society.

  • Brown-Shaw, M, Westwood, M., & de Vries, B. (in press). Life review and guided autobiography: Integrating reflection and group based enactments. Journal of Aging Studies.

  • Bruce, D. (1985). The how and why of ecological memory. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 114, 78-90.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burnside, I., & Haight, B. K. (1994). Reminiscence and life review: Therapeutic interventions for older people. Nurse Practitioner, 19, 55-61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Butler, R. N. (1963). The life review: An interpretation of reminiscence in the aged. Psychiatry, 26, 65-76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Butler, R. N. (1995). Forward: The life review. In B. K. Haight & J. D. Webster (Eds.), The art and science of reminiscing: Theory, research, methods, and applications. Washington, DC: Taylor and Francis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ceci, S. J., & Bronfenbrenner, U. (1991). On the demise of everyday memory. American Psychologist, 46, 27-31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crovitz, H. F., & Schiffman, H. (1974). Frequency of episodic memories as a function of their age. Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society, 4, 517-518.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Vries, B., Blando, J., & Walker, L. (1995). An exploratory analysis of the content and structure of the life review. In B. K. Haight & J. D. Webster (Eds.), The art and science of reminiscing: Theory, research, methods, and applications. Washington, D. C.: Taylor and Francis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E. (1994). Assessing subjective well-being: Progress and opportunities. Social Indicators Research, 31, 103-157.

    Google Scholar 

  • Erikson, E. H. (1963). Childhood and society (2nd ed.). New York: Norton.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fitzgerald, J. M. (1996). Intersecting meanings of reminiscence in adult development and aging. In D. C. Rubin (Ed.), Rememboring our past: studies in autobiographical memory. New York: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fry, P. S. (1995). A conceptual model of socialization and agentic trait factors that mediate the development of reminiscence styles and their health outcomes. In B. K. Haight & J. D. Webster (Eds.), The art and science of reminiscing: Theory, research, methods, and applications. Washington, DC: Taylor and Francis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haden, C. A. (1998). Reminiscing with different children: Relating maternal stylistic consistency and sibling similarity in talk about the past. Developmental Psychology, 34, 99-114.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haight, B. K. (1988). The therapeutic role of a structured life review process in homebound elderly subjects. Journal of Gerontology, 43, 40-44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haight, B. K. (1991). Reminiscing: The state of the art as a basis for practice. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 33, 1-32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harris, J., & Hopkins, T. (1994). Beyond anti-ageism: Reminiscence groups and the development of anti-discriminatory social work education and practice. In J. Bornat (Ed.), Reminiscence reviewed: Perspective, evaluations, achievements. Buckingham, U.K.: Open University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Havighurst, R., & Glasser, R. (1972). An exploratory study of reminiscence. Journal of Gerontology, 27, 245-253.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hyland, D. T., & Ackerman, A. M. (1988). Reminiscence and autobiographical memory in the study of the personal past. Journal of Gerontology, 43, 35-39.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kozma, A., & Stones, M. J. (1988). Social desirability in measures of subjective well-being: Age comparisons. Social Indicators Research, 20, 1-14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kozma, A, Stones, M. J., & McNeil, J. K. (1990). Psychological well-being in later life. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Butterworths.

    Google Scholar 

  • Merriam, S. B. (1980). The concept and function of reminiscence: A review of the research. The Gerontologist, 20, 604-609.

    Google Scholar 

  • Merriam, S. B. (1993). Race, sex, and age-group differences in the occurrence and uses of reminiscence. Activities, Adaptation and Aging, 18, 1-18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Merriam, S. B. (1995). Reminiscence and the oldest old. In B. K. Haight & J. D. Webster (Eds.), The art and science of reminiscing: Theory, research, methods, and applications. Washington, DC: Taylor and Francis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Merriam, S. B., & Cross, L. H. (1982). Adulthood and reminiscence: A descriptive study. Educational Gerontology, 8, 275-290.

    Google Scholar 

  • Molinari, V. (in press). Using reminiscence and life review as natural therapeutic strategies in group therapy. In M. Duffy (Ed.), Handbook of counseling and psychotherapy with older adults. New York: John Wiley and Sons.

  • Molinari, V., & Reichlin, R. E. (1985). Life review reminiscence in the elderly: A review of the literature. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 20, 81-92.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neisser, U. (1991). A case of misplaced nostalgia. American Psychologist, 46, 34-36.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parker, R. G. (1995). Reminiscence: A continuity theory framework. The Gerontologist, 35, 515-525.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pepper, S.C. (1942). World hypotheses. Berkeley.: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perotta, P., & Meacham, J. A. (1981). Can a reminiscing intervention alter depression and self-esteem? International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 14, 23-29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Romaniuk, M., & Romaniuk, J. G. (1983). Life events and reminiscence: A comparison of the memories of young and old adults. Imagination, Cognition, and Personality, 2, 125-136.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rybash, J. M., & Hrubi, K. L. (1997). Psychometric and psychodynamic correlates of first memories in younger and older adults. The Gerontologist, 37, 581-587.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thornton, S. & Brotchie, J. (1987). Reminiscence: A critical review of the empirical literature. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 26, 93-111.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tulving, E. (1991). Memory research is not a zero-sum game. American Psychologist, 46, 41-42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Webster, J. D. (1993). Construction and validation of the Reminiscence Functions Scale. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 48, 256-262.

    Google Scholar 

  • Webster, J. D. (1994). Predictors of reminiscence: A lifespan perspective. Canadian Journal on Aging, 13, 66-78.

    Google Scholar 

  • Webster, J. D. (1995). Adult age differences in reminiscence functions. In B. K. Haight & J. D. Webster (Eds.), The art and science of reminiscing: Theory, research, methods, and applications. Washington, DC: Taylor and Francis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Webster, J. D. (1997). The Reminiscence Functions Scale: A replication. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 44, 137-148.

    Google Scholar 

  • Webster, J. D. (1998). Attachment styles, reminiscence functions, and happiness in young and elderly adults. Journal of Aging Studies, 12, 315-330.

    Google Scholar 

  • Webster, J. D. (1999). Reminiscence functions in adulthood: Age, race, and family dynamics correlates. Manuscript submitted for publication.

  • Webster, J. D. (in press). World views and narrative gerontology: Situating reminiscence within a lifespan perspective. Journal of Aging Studies.

  • Webster, J. D., & Cappeliez, P. (1993). Reminiscence and autobiographical memory: Complementary contexts for cognitive aging research. Developmental Review, 13, 54-91.

    Google Scholar 

  • Webster, J. D., & Haight, B. K (1995). Memory lane milestones: Progress in reminiscence definition and classification. In B. K. Haight & J. D. Webster (Eds.), The art and science of reminiscing: Theory, research, methods, and applications. Washington, DC: Taylor and Francis.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jeffrey Dean Webster.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Webster, J.D., McCall, M.E. Reminiscence Functions Across Adulthood: A Replication and Extension. Journal of Adult Development 6, 73–85 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021628525902

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021628525902

Navigation