De dwalende en reflecterende ouderengeest: het verband tussen spontane en doelbewuste mentale processen en de ervaring van betekenis op hoge leeftijd

Experiencing life as meaningful is a crucial aspect of well-being for older adults at the end of life such as those living in nursing homes. However, there is a striking lack of research into the mental processes contributing to this experience of meaning in life. In the current project, we propose that spontaneous and effortful processes can be distinguished. Empirically, we focus on the spontaneous process of mind-wandering and the effortful process of meaning reflectivity. During mind-wandering, attention drifts away from stimuli in the immediate external environment in favor of internally generated thoughts. Meaning reflectivity involves the deliberate thought process of reflecting on issues specifically related to meaning in life. Both processes have been hypothesized to contribute to the experience of meaning in life, but empirical investigations are missing. In this project, four studies will identify the within and between person relations over time between meaning in life, mind-wandering, and meaning reflectivity in old age, using different methods (cross-sectional questionnaires, daily measurements, experience sampling).

Trefwoorden:meaning in life, old age, mind-wandering, reflection, mental processes

Disciplines:Ontwikkelingspsychologie en veroudering niet elders geclassificeerd, Gerontologie en geriatrie niet elders geclassificeerd