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Social psychological theories and research methods have been a guiding influence in the study of aging for over three decades. However, in the past the emphasis has been more on the sociological than the psychological components of this approach. Sociologists, guided by theories and methods borrowed from sociology, have been the major contributors of new knowledge. More recently, this approach has been supplemented by another view emphasizing the psychological half of the equation. This approach is characterized by its use of experimental methods and its attempt to generate explanations based ultimately on an understanding of the phenomenology of the aged individual. This latter perspective is discussed here. In particular, the recent research examining the effects of control, perceived choice and enhanced competence on the well‐being of the institutionalized aged is reviewed and evaluated.
Schulz et al. (Tue,) studied this question.