Όνομα Περιοδικού:International Journal of Aging and Human Development
This qualitative study provides a comprehensive account of the social and life
experiences and strategies and personality attributes that characterize exceptional
longevity (living to 100 or over). It is based on nine semi-structured interviews of relatively healthy and functional Greek centenarians of both
sexes. The analytic approach was thematic and based on grounded theory.
We found that our participants were characterized by selectiveness in their
socializing with other people and tendency to avoid conflicts. Also, we found
that they predominantly used the “flight” response whenever confronted with
stressors. Further, they appeared to be much adaptive as they had managed
to overcome adversity and adapt successfully to major life changes. These
findings provide insights into three possible pathways (social selectivity,
conflict avoidance, and adaptiveness) through which psychosocial factors
might be associated with aging and exceptional longevity.