2014 Volume 25 Issue 3 Pages 251-259
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of recipients' reactions to the narratives of old adults in the situation of passing on knowledge, wisdom and advice. Participants were 34 male adults (ages 60–82; M＝68.38, SD＝3.53) who were assigned to the Younger condition (recipients were younger adults, ages 22–23) or Same Generation condition (recipients were older adults, ages 68–72). In both conditions, participants were asked to talk to the recipients about experiences from their youth, and about the knowledge and wisdom they had gained. Recipients responded to the participants in either a positive or a neutral way. Narratives fit into three general categories (lesson, recollection, expectation) and into seven more specific sub-categories. In the Younger condition, more participants talked about ‘lessons' than in the Same Generation condition. When the younger recipients reacted positively, the greatest number of participants talked about ‘lessons learned from failure.' This analysis identified the reactions that elicited old adults' altruistic narratives toward younger people.
