IPPA WC 2023 Life Stories in the Formation of Purpose, Gratitude, and Positive Identity (#169)
The importance of life stories has been highlighted by a growing body of work in developmental and personality psychology. Research using “narrative” methods have linked particular forms of storytelling to growth in psychological strengths such as purpose, gratitude, joy, and identity and to societal strengths such as needed social reforms and harmony. In distinct but complementary ways, William Damon and Pamela King have been exploring ways in which particular kinds of narratives promote growth and positive identity throughout the lifespan. Of particular interest are life stories that have a transcendent, “beyond the self” dimension and that integrate past, present, and future notions of self. This session will examine new narrative approaches to flourishing in mid-to-later-life. Implications for research in this emerging area of positive psychology will be discussed.
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