Question

Possible Selves

On a business trip, Jewel found a spare afternoon to visit Trisha. Sitting in a coffee shop, the two women reminisced about the past and thought aloud about the future. “It’s been tough living on my own and building the business,” Jewel said. “What I hope for is to become better at my work, to be more community-oriented, and to stay healthy and available to my friends. Of course, I would rather not grow old alone, but if I don’t find that special person, I suppose I can take comfort in the fact that I’ll never have to face divorce or widowhood.” Jewel is discussing possible selves, future-oriented representations of what one hopes to become and what one is afraid of becoming. Possible selves are the temporal dimension of self-concept—what the individual is striving for and attempting to avoid. To lifespan researchers, these hopes and fears are just as vital in explaining behavior as people’s views of their current characteristics. Indeed, possible selves may be an especially strong motivator of action in midlife, as adults attach increased meaning to time (Frazier & Hooker, 2006). As we age, we may rely less on social comparisons in judging our self-worth and more on temporal comparisons—how well we are doing in relation to what we had planned. Throughout adulthood, the personality traits people assign to their current selves show considerable stability. A 30-year-old who says he is cooperative, competent, outgoing, or successful is likely to report a similar picture at a later age. But reports of possible selves change greatly. Adults in their early twenties mention many possible selves, and their visions are lofty and idealistic—being “perfectly happy,” “rich and famous,” “healthy throughout life,” and not being “a person who does nothing important.” With age, possible selves become fewer in number, more modest and concrete, and less far-off in realization. They are largely concerned with performance of roles and responsibilities already begun—“being competent at work,” “being a good husband and father,” “putting my children through college,” “staying healthy,” and not being “a burden to my family” (Bybee & Wells, 2003; Chessell et al., 2014; Cross & Markus, 1991). What explains these shifts in possible selves? Because the future no longer holds limitless opportunities, adults preserve mental health by adjusting their hopes and fears. To stay motivated, they must maintain a sense of unachieved possibility, yet they must still manage to feel good about themselves and their lives despite disappointments (Bolkan & Hooker, 2012). For example, although Jewel feared loneliness in old age, she reminded herself that marriage can lead to equally negative outcomes, which made not having attained an important interpersonal goal easier to bear. In a study of middle-aged and older adults, those with balanced possible selves—related hoped-for and feared outcomes, such as “a better relationship with my grown sons” and “not alienating my daughters-in-law”—made greater self-rated progress toward attaining their self-relevant goals over a 100-day period (Ko, Mejía, & Hooker, 2014). Because balanced possible selves provide both an approach and avoidance focus, they may be more motivating than either hoped-for or feared possible selves alone

• What possible selves do you think you may become in mid-life and old age (say, age 50 and beyond)?
• What possible selves do you fear becoming in mid-life?  Do you think your view will change as you age?

Answer 1

Possible selves is midle life and old life is to become more social , having fit mind , able to little productive work each day .i will become more competent In my work . I will become more responsible husband and father . I will become maintain in all relationship and having great life with all . Good family , stable job , good social relationship all thing expect in middle life and old age . If wouldn't have any male children then I will also become self-rated progressed and attained self-relevant . Because while I will become aware that I don't have much supporttive people then I will become more self -aware . I always will try to take balanced appraoch in such middle and old age .

Possible selves I am fearing In mid life is lossing my health . It's so precious gift in our life .at young age , we have take granted our health . We think that our health will become remain samed . But with passage of time , it detoriating . It leads to difficult condition . Sugar , blood pressure , heart diseases , kidney damage all are common problem after age of fifty .

Yes , while I will in age , my views will changes . I will become more practical and rational regarding my life . I will understand everything is all temporary . I will try to detached myself m from materialistic pleasure and become more sophisticated and humble person. My attitude towards life will be changed .