In addition to having the longest-lived person in the world (Maria Branyas, aged 116), Spain is one of the countries with the highest rate of centenarians in the entire planet: 19,639, according to the latest data from the INE. This was what encouraged Lola Merino, PhD in Psychology and professor at the Complutense University of Madrid, to travel for five years through the Spanish geography and interview them. Merino shows his conclusions in the study Personality of centenarians: are there psychological resources that distinguish centenarians? , published in the Journal of Happiness Studies, of which she is the main author.
How did the idea of ??studying the personality of centenarians in good health come about?
The origin was a press report, which explained that we are one of the countries with the most centenarians. It is known that genetic and environmental factors are decisive in healthy longevity, lifestyle, diet, physical exercise or contact with nature. But there was little research on the psychological resources to reach this age in a healthy way.
In a healthy way’?
It means having preserved cognitive abilities and having reasonable functional independence. For example, being able to eat and wash themselves. Meeting these conditions is not easy.
What was the purpose of the interviews and research?
It was already known that genetics and lifestyle influence longevity. The idea was to understand if centenarians share personality characteristics or psychological resources to deal with situations and challenges in their life, so long. We wanted to see what resources they have, such as self-esteem, resilience, optimism…
What were the results of the interviews?
We found thirty-five psychological resources, of which nineteen were common to most centenarians and are central resources, and sixteen were peripheral or the product of individual differences. We grouped the nineteen into eight traits that are discussed in the study with specific examples.
Let’s look at these features. They are very vital, active people…
Yes, vital and participative. One of the interviewees had worked as a dressmaker until the age of 98, with the visual-motor precision that the profession demands and perfection in fine motor skills. A very beautiful thing are their voices, because they are a reflection of this vitality. If you listen to their voice without knowing their age, you would never say they are over 100 years old. They have a clear, fast, coherent speech. Also, it’s not that they are alive, it’s that they feel a passion to live, something very important. One of the participants started traveling at the age of 80, when her husband died.
They are also very sociable…
It didn’t cost anything to do the interviews with them. You threw topics and they didn’t respond with monosyllables, they like to talk a lot, it hasn’t been difficult for them to make friends throughout their lives. In addition, they feel loved by their families or by their caregivers if they are in nursing homes, and this is very nice to hear. They are people who have helped those who needed it, altruistically and selflessly.
And common job-related characteristics?
They are responsible people and committed to what they do. They have been great and good workers, during their lives they have worked well and have been highly appreciated by their bosses. In addition, they have been honest and persevering. One of the interviewees broke her hip at the age of 98; the doctors told him he wouldn’t be able to walk again, but in less than a month he was already walking.
Another psychological characteristic observed is autonomy, independence in one’s judgment.
All have taken control and reigns of their lives. They knew how to find opportunities in the environment, they didn’t let themselves get overwhelmed when they had many demands, they knew how to organize themselves and move forward.
And that they have experienced the Civil War and the post-war period…
Of course, and more considering that most centenarians are women. Being a woman at that time was very difficult, and that’s why reaching over 100 is all the more meritorious, her life experiences are amazing. One of them left her boyfriend to go to America to work, in Washington, when she had no idea of ??English. That woman was absolutely independent.
Another common characteristic of the witnesses in the study is resilience…
They recover quickly from adversity and have come out stronger from bad experiences. With such a long life, everything has happened to them. Some of them have had very hard childhoods. They have also lost many loved ones. None of them have any friends their own age left. They have seen them all die, partners, children, and even grandchildren. They have great positivity, they are grateful, and that is very important.
Does intellectual level influence longevity?
All the interviewees are people with intellectual interest, they are great readers, they like to learn, they are curious. This does not mean that they have a high level of education, in many cases they are self-taught, they have learned a profession themselves, to read and write… In their time, with a very high level of illiteracy, they all knew how to read and write. One of the ladies, a lover of reading, worries about what will happen to her books when she dies.
Are they smart people?
Yes. In fact, intelligence is one of the variables that best predicts longevity.
From all this do you extract general advice for a long life?
Physical and intellectual activity are very important and both have been present in the lives of the centenarians we have interviewed. Regarding physics, there is more and more research showing that it not only takes care of the body, but also the brain, preventing cognitive decline. Small challenges also help, or getting involved in activities you haven’t done before, such as art work. Learning new things is very positive.
How important are social relationships?
Giving and receiving love is key, feeling loved, like the people we talked to. The ability to give help is crucial, people who are more altruistic are happier than those who are not. Creating habits and sticking to them also helps you live better. Perseverance is also vital.
In short, what is needed, according to their conclusions, to live many years to the full?
Resilience, activity, gratitude and warm relationships with others. This is what is needed to live many years and to the fullest.
