Aging and the Perception of Illness

Abstract

The purpose of these studies is to learn more about how aging and illness are perceived by assessing cognitive and emotional representations of illness, coping behaviors and perceived efficacy of coping behavior. Age-related differences were found in emotional representations of illnesses, and in expectations of coping ability. Older participants also tended to dichotomize rather than dimensionalize their responses. An open-ended interview on self-aging indicated universal and individual symptoms of aging.