THE ROLE OF SOCIOECOLOGICAL VARIABLES IN A MODEL OF LIFE SATISFACTIONIN OLDER PERSONS - AN OVERVIEW

Studies aimed at investigating the relationship between socioecologica l variables and life satisfaction in old age are reviewed. Starting fr om a global view of the distinction between urban and rural living con ditions in old age, differences in the social networks of the elderly (presumably associated with urbanism) are considered, in particular ag e-homogenity vs. age-heterogenity of the social environment of the eld erly. Next, social networks are conceptualized from two different pers pectives, i.e. (a) as a source of social support and exchange, and (b) as a source of social (and possibly also temporal) comparison informa tion which may be used in the regulation of well-being in old age. Emp irical evidence with regard to the first perspective is presented, whi le the second serves as a theoretically promising basis on which futur e research could be grounded.