Perceived continuity of self in very old age.

Little is known about how the changes of very late life affect identity. One hundred fifty of the oldest old were asked how they thought they had changed over the years and how they had remained the same. Responses were coded for perceived change in both core self ("I") and self-descriptors ("me"). Almost all the respondents thought they were still essentially the same person ("I"), and although they could point to ways in which they had changed in specific characteristics of self-concept ("me"), there was considerable stability in that as well. Also, not all the changes identified were negative. Perceived continuity was related to positive affect but apparently not to either recent disruptive events or mortality.