Abstract

SALAZAR-VILLANEA, Mónica. Identidad personal y memoria en adultos mayores sin demencia y con enfermedad de Alzheimer. Actual. psicol. [online]. 2007, vol.21, n.108, pp. 1-37. ISSN 0258-6444.

Aim. To study the dimensions of personal identity and memory in ageing people. Method. Analysis of autobiographical memories of 12 elderly people without dementia and 12 elderly people with Alzheimer’s disease in Costa Rica. Results. This study contributes to the knowledge of the personal identity in ageing by identifying and defining the main vital experiences and significant commitments for the self, which constitute the nucleus of narratives for the participants. It also determines in which periods of the life cycle are concentrated the experiences that elderly adults considered as those that have an emotional impact in their lives, and determines their essential contents, perceived as important in the definition of their own sense of identity. In addition, the study states the presence of the characteristics that define what is called “a moment for...” gerotrascendency and describes the main mnemonic characteristics of these autobiographical memories in both populations.

Keywords : Personal identity; Memory; Ageing; Autobiography; Gerotrascendency.

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