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Lebensbindung und Lebensbewertung
Abstract This chapter focuses on the constructs of life commitment and life evaluation, introduced into gerontological theory by M. Powell Lawton. In a first step, the theory developed by Lawton is introduced and then framed by related theories that emphasise the “task character” of life, experiences of coherence and happiness, and psychological transcendence. Next, life commitment and life evaluation are examined in the light of the “themes of existence”. 15 themes of existence reflect life commitment and 14 reflect life evaluation. Cluster analyses were carried out with the aim of identifying sub-groups with regard to both life commitment and life evaluation. Different forms of shaping the self and the world as well as different attitudes towards old age are evident in these sub-groups. In carrying out these analyses, the group formations (cluster solutions) are placed in relation to characteristics of the objective life situation. The distributions and statistically determined correlations show potential influences of the objective life situation, which can also be interpreted in terms of specific resource-risk-constellations with regard to life commitment and life evaluation.
Keywords Happiness, self-design, self-transcendence, valuation of life, world-design
