Consciousness, subjectivity, and aging in western thought.
Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology January 15, 2026 George S Alexopoulos
Aging involves cognitive decline, but many older adults develop emotion regulation strategies, exhibit a positivity bias, and use earlier successful predictive models to compensate. Their subjective experience is shaped by life events, integration of others' perspectives, and a changing social context, including the digital revolution. Loss, disability, pain, terminal illness, and approaching death become part of their lifeworld, which they integrate into a personal narrative to create meaning. Understanding older adults' subjective experience can advance research and advocacy to promote their mental health, increase social participation, and enable contributions to transgenerational continuity.