Graduation Date
2000
Document Type
Thesis
Program
Other
Program
Arts
Committee Chair Name
Dr. Jerrald D. Krause
Committee Chair Affiliation
Cal Poly Humboldt Faculty or Staff
Second Committee Member Name
Dr. Judith K. Little
Third Committee Member Name
Dr. Ronald A. Fritzsche
Keywords
Art
Subject Categories
Art
Abstract
Successful aging has long been a focus in aging studies. Previous researchers have formulated bipolar theories, examined groups of successful-agers, and tested many variables thought to contribute to successful aging. Defined as the most effective way for the older person to adapt to the physical, psychological, and social changes that occur in later life, other research has suggested that successful aging might even be a matter of subjective definition. The main purpose of this thesis was to examine a group of older individuals who were thought to be successfully aging. Since findings generated from the pioneering research of Weeks and Ward found that eccentrics lived well into old age, and were healthy and happy individuals, eccentrics were chosen as the subjects of this research. Twenty-one eccentrics living in the Humboldt County area were interviewed for this thesis between April 1996 and July 1997 . The purpose was to determine what variables are responsible for successful aging, how these individuals define successful aging, and if they believed that they were successfully aging. Another goal of this research was to come to a greater understanding of what eccentricity is, and to examine the interaction between the eccentric and society. The idea that eccentricity constitutes a form of positive deviance is explored using the concepts of labeling theory and exchange theory.
Recommended Citation
Peterson, Missy A., "Successful Aging and Positive Deviance: A Sociological Investigation of Eccentrics" (2000). Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects. 2349.
https://digitalcommons.humboldt.edu/etd/2349