Doctoral Dissertation Research: Cultural and Social Contexts of Successful Aging

University Of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles CA

Investigators

Abstract

Doctoral student Anna I. Corwin (University of California, Los Angeles), supervised by Dr. Elinor Ochs, will undertake ethnographic research on cultural and social contexts of female aging that are associated with high levels of well-being. Previous research has demonstrated a quantitative connection between spirituality and well-being, but the actual practices and dispositions displayed through talk, demeanor, and social actions have not previously been documented and analyzed in situ. The research will be conducted among elderly Catholic nuns in the Midwestern, U.S., who already have a documented pattern of successful aging. The researcher will analyze their daily routines, with special attention to the use of problem-solving discourses in spiritual practices. The researcher will use ethnographic methods from linguistic and psychological anthropology including a quality of life questionnaire, person-centered interviews, and audio and video recording of interaction in the convent. These data will allow her to analyze 1) how spiritual and social support are institutionally organized; 2) how the elderly nuns morally and ideologically evaluate aging and well-being; and 3) how the elderly nuns formulate, evaluate, and manage medical and social problems that arise at the end-of-life. The research will contribute to theoretical understanding of the relationship between social structure, institutions, and well-being and successful aging in elderly individuals. Findings from this research may facilitate improvement of the social and institutional organization of support for the elderly. Funding this research also supports the education of a graduate student.