EFFECTS OF CONTROL AND PREDICTABILITY ON WELL-BEING OF THE ELDERLY

It was hypothesized that some of the characteristics frequently observed among the aged, such as feeling of helplessness and depression, as well as accelerated physical decline and inactivity, are at least in part attributable to loss of control. A field experiment in which institutionalized aged were randomly assigned to one of four conditions was carried out to assess the effects of increased control and predictability upon the physical and psychological well-being of the aged. Individuals in three of the four conditions were visited by a female student, while persons in the fourth condition were not visited. Subjects in the control condition could determine both the frequency and duration of visits the received. A second group of subjects was informed when they would be visited and how long the visitor would stay, but had no control over these details. A third group was visited on random schedule. Unexpectedly, we did not find that predictable and controllable positive events had any impact upon the well-being of the institutionalized aged. All four groups did not differ from each other. Factors responsible for this failure to replicate Schulz's (1976) findings were discussed.