Doctoral Dissertation Research: Cultural and Social Contexts of Successful Aging

博士生安娜I. Corwin（加州大学，洛杉矶），由博士监督埃莉诺奥克斯，将进行人种学研究的文化和社会背景的女性老龄化与高水平的福祉。以前的研究已经证明了灵性和幸福感之间的定量联系，但通过谈话，举止和社会行动显示的实际做法和倾向以前没有被记录和分析。 这项研究将在美国中西部的老年天主教修女中进行，他们已经有了成功衰老的记录。研究者将分析他们的日常生活，特别注意在灵性实践中使用解决问题的话语。 研究者将使用来自语言人类学和心理人类学的民族志方法，包括生活质量问卷，以人为中心的访谈，以及修道院互动的音频和视频记录。这些数据将使她能够分析：1）精神和社会支持是如何在制度上组织起来的; 2）老年修女如何在道德和思想上评价衰老和幸福; 3）老年修女如何制定、评估和处理临终时出现的医疗和社会问题。本研究将有助于从理论上理解社会结构、制度以及老年人的幸福和成功的衰老。 本研究的结果可能有助于改善支持老年人的社会和机构组织。资助这项研究也支持研究生的教育。

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.