Evaluate your own view of late life by responding to question 1 from the prompt below: Reflect on this prompt in light of the theories you have selected. Discuss how your response could be written from the perspective of an older adult. Specifically, consider how your perspective might change.

The final writing assignment for this class asks you to discuss an outside reading in light of the theories we have discussed in class. The general assignment prompt is below:

Many theories in the field of adulthood describe shifting priorities, shifting energy investments, and changing perspectives.

• According to Socioemotional Selectivity Theory, age-related motivational shifts in emotion processing bring about a “positivity bias”.
• With Post-formal thought, adults tend to think in more practical and relativistic terms compared with adolescents. Although adolescents may be able to use abstract reasoning when they approach a situation and consider possibilities, after midlife, adults become better at integrating hypotheticals with practical reasoning about what is likely to occur.
• According to Selective Optimization with Compensation adaptive aging relates to being able to reappraise goals and compensate for losses without straying from longstanding personal values.

For this essay, you will present two theories from the adulthood literature as a lens to evaluate an essay as well as consider your own changing perspective. This essay will have three parts:

In your own words, describe two of the theories presented in the text of in class describing the basic tenets of the theories and evidence of their validity.

1. Analyze the essay you selected using the theories you selected as a guide.

Using the theories you selected as a guide, identify segments and sentiments from the passage you selected that illustrate elements of those theories. Focus on how the passage describes “successful adjustment”.

1. Evaluate your own view of late life by responding to question 1 from the prompt below: Reflect on this prompt in light of the theories you have selected. Discuss how your response could be written from the perspective of an older adult. Specifically, consider how your perspective might change. Use the theories to support your discussion.

1. Coming from your current perspective, what do you want to be doing when you’re 80?

Write a paragraph describing your thoughts and feelings about your late life.

This discussion should include:
— How would you want to look?
— Where would you be living?
— Would you be working at all or completely retired?
— With whom would you be spending your time?