Lingering Identities in Retirement

• Published in: Sociological quarterly Vol. 47; no. 2; pp. 333 - 359
• Main Authors: Reitzes, Donald C., Mutran, Elizabeth J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Blackwell Publishing Inc 01.05.2006; Blackwell Publishing; Blackwell; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Adjustment; Aging problems. Death; Aging, Identity, and Status Characteristics; Class; Effects; Gender differences; Gender differentiation; Gender identity; Identity; Life styles; Men; Older workers; Parents; Retirement; Retirement income; Self concept; Self Esteem; Social adjustment; Social background; Social Identity; Sociology; Sociology of the family. Age groups; Sociology of work; Work; Social origin; Identity; Retirement; Gender difference; Self-Esteem
• ISSN: 0038-0253; 1533-8525
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1533-8525.2006.00048.x

Older workers were followed through their first two years of retirement in order to explore the lingering effects of preretirement identities on their retirement adjustment and self-esteem. Several interesting findings emerged. Preretirement identities and social background characteristics influenced initial retirement adjustment and later changes in retirement adjustment. In addition, lingering preretirement worker identity and emerging retirement adjustment influenced self-esteem two years into retirement. Further, while there were no overall gender differences, some individual identities and social background characteristics influenced retirement adjustment and self-esteem in a different manner for men and women.