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Why Am I Alive: A Chinese Elder's Life Narrative and Searching for Life Meanings

Received: 19 May 2020     Accepted: 2 July 2020     Published: 22 July 2020
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Abstract

This paper mainly adopts the method of participatory observation to conduct behavioral observation and in-depth interview on a 90-year old man in nearly one and a half years. Observation records and interviews the text analysis, according to the case for the old man has a distinct personality characteristics, she end up very value personal free will and give full play to the individual, for lover, husband, daughter and other important others keep a more distant relationship, these life experiences brought her positive feelings at the same time, also makes the meaning crisis - year period of life. The conclusion is that the theory of sense of control and the positive effect of aging do not help to solve the problem of the lack of life value of the elderly in China, and only by establishing the interpersonal relationship closely related to survival and the pursuit of cultural identity in the field of life can we get an answer that meets the needs of the parties concerned.

Published in American Journal of Applied Psychology (Volume 9, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.ajap.20200904.14
Page(s) 108-116
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Participatory Observation, Alive, Relationships

References
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[5] Wang, T, Guo, Z. & Zhang, Y. (2019). The Social Construction of the Senile Dementia Based on the Self-Statement by an 80-year Aged. Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, 298, 317-325.
[6] Neugarten, B. (1996) The meaning of age: selected papers of Bernice L. Neugarten. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
[7] Wang, T., Qian, S., & Zeng, Y. (2018). A Study on the Life World of Chinese Elders with Assisted Caring by Institutions: From the Perspective of Ethnographic Psychology. Psychology and Behavioral Sciences. 7 (3), 62-68.
[8] McAdams, D. P., Hoffman, B. J., Mansfield, E. D., & Day, R. (1996). Themes of agency and communion in significant autobiographical scenes. J Pers, 64 (2), 339-377.
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[10] Rodin, J., & Langer, E. (1980). Aging Labels - the Decline Of Control And the Fall Of Self-Esteem. Journal Of Social Issues, 36 (2), 12-29.
[11] Rodin, J., & Langer, E. J. (1977). Long-Term Effects Of a Control-Relevant Intervention with Institutionalized Aged. Journal Of Personality And Social Psychology, 35 (12), 897-902.
[12] Wu Lin and Xing xiaoli (2009). Positive effects of attention and memory: the aging paradox and the theory of social emotional selection. Advance in Psychological Science (02): 362-369. (in chinese)
[13] Atul Gawande (2015). The best goodbyes -- what you must know about aging and death. Hangzhou, zhejiang people's publishing house (in chinese).
[14] Buehler, C. (1968). The general structure of the human life cycle, in C. Buehler and F. Masarik (Eds.), Human life: A study of goals in human perspective. New York: Springer Publishing CO.
[15] Rosow, I. (1974). Socialization in old age. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press
[16] Pierce, R. C., & Chiriboga, D. A. (1979). Dimensions Of Adult Self-Concept. Journals Of Gerontology, 34 (1), 80-85.
[17] Brandtstadter, J., & Greve, W. (1994). The Aging Self - Stabilizing And Protective Processes. Developmental Review, 14 (1), 52-80. doi: DOI 10.1006/drev.1994.1003
[18] Brim, G. (1988). Losing And Winning. Psychology Today, 22 (9), 48-52.
[19] Atchley, R. C. (1991). The influence of aging or frailty on perceptions and expression of the self: Theoretical and methodological issues. In J. E. Birren and J. Lubben (Eds.), The concept and measurement of quality of life in the frail elderly (pp. 207-225). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Yang Yang, Nianqi Ye, Tangsheng Wang. (2020). Why Am I Alive: A Chinese Elder's Life Narrative and Searching for Life Meanings. American Journal of Applied Psychology, 9(4), 108-116. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.20200904.14

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    ACS Style

    Yang Yang; Nianqi Ye; Tangsheng Wang. Why Am I Alive: A Chinese Elder's Life Narrative and Searching for Life Meanings. Am. J. Appl. Psychol. 2020, 9(4), 108-116. doi: 10.11648/j.ajap.20200904.14

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    AMA Style

    Yang Yang, Nianqi Ye, Tangsheng Wang. Why Am I Alive: A Chinese Elder's Life Narrative and Searching for Life Meanings. Am J Appl Psychol. 2020;9(4):108-116. doi: 10.11648/j.ajap.20200904.14

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajap.20200904.14,
      author = {Yang Yang and Nianqi Ye and Tangsheng Wang},
      title = {Why Am I Alive: A Chinese Elder's Life Narrative and Searching for Life Meanings},
      journal = {American Journal of Applied Psychology},
      volume = {9},
      number = {4},
      pages = {108-116},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajap.20200904.14},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.20200904.14},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajap.20200904.14},
      abstract = {This paper mainly adopts the method of participatory observation to conduct behavioral observation and in-depth interview on a 90-year old man in nearly one and a half years. Observation records and interviews the text analysis, according to the case for the old man has a distinct personality characteristics, she end up very value personal free will and give full play to the individual, for lover, husband, daughter and other important others keep a more distant relationship, these life experiences brought her positive feelings at the same time, also makes the meaning crisis - year period of life. The conclusion is that the theory of sense of control and the positive effect of aging do not help to solve the problem of the lack of life value of the elderly in China, and only by establishing the interpersonal relationship closely related to survival and the pursuit of cultural identity in the field of life can we get an answer that meets the needs of the parties concerned.},
     year = {2020}
    }
    

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    AU  - Yang Yang
    AU  - Nianqi Ye
    AU  - Tangsheng Wang
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    JF  - American Journal of Applied Psychology
    JO  - American Journal of Applied Psychology
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    EP  - 116
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2328-5672
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.20200904.14
    AB  - This paper mainly adopts the method of participatory observation to conduct behavioral observation and in-depth interview on a 90-year old man in nearly one and a half years. Observation records and interviews the text analysis, according to the case for the old man has a distinct personality characteristics, she end up very value personal free will and give full play to the individual, for lover, husband, daughter and other important others keep a more distant relationship, these life experiences brought her positive feelings at the same time, also makes the meaning crisis - year period of life. The conclusion is that the theory of sense of control and the positive effect of aging do not help to solve the problem of the lack of life value of the elderly in China, and only by establishing the interpersonal relationship closely related to survival and the pursuit of cultural identity in the field of life can we get an answer that meets the needs of the parties concerned.
    VL  - 9
    IS  - 4
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Author Information
  • Qingdao No. 9 High School, Qingdao, China

  • Shanghai Shixi High School, Shanghai, China

  • School of Marxism, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China

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